Decoding Your Immune System

It’s not the sexiest subject, but it is vital to our health and well-being. So it is time to get to know the body’s bouncers (oh, alright, the cells, organs, and organ systems) whose job it is to protect us from threats.

- Meghan Rabbitt

What Even is the Immune System?

In short, it is there to protect you from infection— something that’s become increasingly important in the last year. “The immune system isn’t just one thing,” explains UK-based Dr Jenna Macciochi, immunologist and author of Immunity: The Science Of Staying Well. “It’s more like a collection of various components that work together.” That includes organs like the skin, the lymph nodes, and bone marrow, as well as cells, molecules, and tissues. Essentially, it is everywhere. “You’ll find immune cells in every part of the body, be that the brain, the gut, the blood, or the skin—but they cluster in the places where you’re more likely to find germs,” adds Dr Jenna. These places include the airways which might be exposed to respiratory germs, and the gut, which contains around 70% of the immune system and might be exposed to germs via food and drink.

How Does It Work?