Immune System

xtremetris · 10-Sep-07, 08:31 PM

Is it true the immune system actually gets stronger then what it was after getting sick (such as having a cold).

**Gooseneck** · 10-Sep-07, 08:39 PM

No. It just develops anti-bodies to combat the virus. Its very draining on the body to fight an infection. On the contrary, you can strengthen your immune system by keeping a clean diet and getting adequate vitamins and minerals.

xtremetris · 10-Sep-07, 08:42 PM

So is my immune system weaker, after a cold?

**Gooseneck** · 10-Sep-07, 08:47 PM

I would say yes but I dont have any facts to back up my opinion. This is why its not hard to get a relapse of the illness, or catching another concurrently.

xtremetris · 10-Sep-07, 08:50 PM

Actually i heard its harder to get sick again after youve been sick.

Cause once your body fights off that illness, your body builds and immunity to it so you will not get that type of cold virus again. Yet theres alot of different cold viruses out there, but your body also defends against those other ones.

Big Mike · 10-Sep-07, 11:17 PM

To answer your last post, read Goosenecks first post.

EliteLift · 11-Sep-07, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Mike

To answer your last post, read Goosenecks first post.

i was gonna say somthing like that hours ago, but for some odd reason my internet was acting up on me!

**LiftGirl** · 17-Sep-07, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtremetris

Actually i heard its harder to get sick again after youve been sick.

Cause once your body fights off that illness, your body builds and immunity to it so you will not get that type of cold virus again. Yet theres alot of different cold viruses out there, but your body also defends against those other ones.

You're partially right. You won't catch that exact same virus again. That's why vaccines work. But as you already know, there are thousands of cold viruses out there. The immune response to a particular virus is very specific and targeted. It's not likely to react to another cold virus, even if they're fairly similar. And many cold viruses aren't that similar anyway.

Merrida · 10-Oct-07, 05:07 PM

Yeah, what they said.

You have to also differentiate between bacterial infectious illness and viral infectious illness. They're treated differently and have different effects on the body. If you recover from a viral infection, symptomatically, the actual virus may remain dormant in your body for the rest of your life,......or pop out when you get stressed out or develop another cold/flu/infection.

Viruses mutate. Building antibodies against Virus AB will not protect you against Virus YZ, and so forth.

This is why we TRY to encourage parents to GET their kids go out and let 'em get dirty and get exposed to germs so they CAN build those antibodies. Those overprotective types end up with sick kids who grow up into sick adults.

EDIT-- Ever hear of "super bugs?" That's how those little critters you're trying to fight, actually turn the tables and fight on you, and you can't be treated for it the same way.

**.V.** · 10-Oct-07, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrida

This is why we TRY to encourage parents to GET their kids go out and let 'em get dirty and get exposed to germs so they CAN build those antibodies. Those overprotective types end up with sick kids who grow up into sick adults.

I've been saying this for years and no one seems to believe me.

Maxgain · 10-Oct-07, 05:48 PM

Dam straight. I accredit my immune system to eating random strangers chewing gum off the street pavement and making and eating mud pies as a child.

Never needed an antibiotic for an infection.

Merrida · 10-Oct-07, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .V.

I've been saying this for years and no one seems to believe me.

That's probably because we're gun toting psychos.

Merrida · 10-Oct-07, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxgain

Dam straight. I accredit my immune system to eating random strangers chewing gum off the street pavement and making and eating mud pies as a child.

.

And here I thought I was the only one who ate mud pies.

Actually I ate paste, and wallpaper paste. Loved the stuff. Mmm-mmm, just like me mum used to make.

**LiftGirl** · 11-Oct-07, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .V.

I've been saying this for years and no one seems to believe me.

My SIL lets me little nephew eat dirt. Not tons of it, but if he's playing in the dirt and sticks his hand in his mouth, she doesn't worry.

Having pets is supposed to be good for kids too. Children that have pets are only half as likely to develop allergies and asthma later in life. It didn't work for me though

Merrida · 11-Oct-07, 07:03 PM

The only exception that I'm aware of is eating chocolate. It may have to do with other food products too. You're not supposed to feed a child chocolate up to 2 years or they may actually develop an allergy to it. When my best friend (this was when I was 14 btw, things may be different now), her sister had a baby and never gave her chocolate anything. She told me her OB told her that and she couldn't imagine her daughter growing up not being able to eat chocolate!