Good servant or bad master?
Our immune system is a good servant…but a destructive master.
During illnesses and diseases what save us is our immune system, yet very often, what can harm our bodies is the same immune system.
The immune system is the process whereby our body naturally fights invasions by bad germs (or pathogens), toxins, cancer, harmful food or environmental substances and is an essential part of healing. It does its job by a process called “inflammation”. Inflammation kills bad germs, mops up undesirable substances, clears dead cells and tissue and destroys cancer cells. It is supposed to act like a well-trained and coordinated army. Unfortunately, this system can be misguided, generating allergies and auto-immune disorders. It can go on over-drive, creating too much inflammation which destroys normal tissues and organs.
Some examples of the devastating consequences of excessive inflammatory response are allergy, dengue haemorrhagic fever, SARS and rheumatoid arthritis. In these conditions much of the organ damage and death are actually caused by our own immunity mounting inappropriate and excessive inflammation.
The immune system is incredibly complex. Researchers are constantly finding more and more about our immunity.
In simple terms the immune system consists of cells which recognise harmful microorganisms, cells and molecules. There are cellular processes which start the inflammatory process and those which regulate, balance and calm down the whole immune process after the harmful event is eliminated.
Beginnings of immunity
Everyone needs a strong, properly-educated and well-coordinated immunity to be healthy. About 75% of our immune cells are located in our gastro-intestinal tract. And there’s a good reason why this is so.
Human being’s first encounter with germs is at birth when he or she swallows germs from his or her mother. The presence of microorganisms in the intestinal tract is necessary to establish, develop and mature the human immune system.
How the immune system in the intestinal tract is affected influences the whole immune system throughout the body. Therefore the intestinal tract with its living population of microorganisms may be viewed as the ‘cradle’ of the human immune system.
The crucial stimulus for developing the immune system of a newborn chid is the presence of live beneficial bacteria in its gut. Bacteria communicate with cells lining the intestinal tract and the numerous pockets of immune cells scattered throughout the intestinal surface, stimulating and educating them to recognise and differentiate between “good” and “bad” germs as well as recognising the difference between useful and harmful food and environmental substances. They educate the whole immune system to develop and mature successfully.
Research has found that the process of preparing the immune system to develop properly starts in the womb, even before the baby is born. Scientists have found bacterial DNA in the amniotic fluids. As the developing baby swallows the amniotic fluid the bacterial DNA is recognised by its developing immune system and promotes immune maturation.
The most important period for successful maturation of the immune system appears to be from before birth until about 6 months of age.
But not all bacteria or probiotics can influence the immune system beneficially.
The GG probiotic can.
Scientific research has found that LACTOGG®’s probiotic can actively influence immunity from before birth, during early life and throughout adulthood.
How should LACTOGG® be taken?
Babies, children and adults:
At least 1 capsule or 1 sachet a day