Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with immune

Looking for spaceship-themed immune system video

ssnickerer — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:58:31 -0800

I remember seeing this really cool spaceship-themed immune system video in school about 7 years ago. I don't remember the name, but I'd love to find it and watch it again. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

My lungs are like katamair damacy rolling up all the ick it passes.

stormygrey — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 07:15:04 -0800

What is your action plan for staying well? I am sick right now, I have a run of the mill icky chest infection, that has progressed to my ears and throat, ick. I get sick, a lot. Last summer I contracted both pneumonia and strep throat. I tend to get strep every year and pneumonia about every two years. I even get the pneumonia shot in the winter, but by the summer time maybe it wears out or something.

I have a poor immune system, I don't make much gamma gobulin. I am not even sure what that means except I feel awesome when I get shots of gamma gobulin.

I want to be more proactive about staying well, what do you do to accomplish this? Supplements? Exercise? Shunning public life :) ?

'Health is not valued till sickness comes.' - Thomas Fuller

anastasiav — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 20:54:36 -0800

I need to strengthen my immune system. Due to a chronic condition, I've always been prone to respiratory illness, and since I've become pregnant I've had at least three bouts of moderate-to-serious cold/flu/sniffle type things, with the latest being spending the last week in bed with what turns out to be viral bronchitis. This is not my first bout with bronchitis, but is, by far, the most serious and debilitating that I've had in several years.

I'm being treated for the bronchitis, that's not the issue. The issue is that my immune system seems to have taken a nose-dive while I'm pregnant (not unusal, everyone agrees), and I'm looking for thoughts on ways to beef it up now, and in general for the future.

Part of the problem is that while pregnant, I'm not able to dose up as high on Vitamin C and Zinc as I would normally do.

I've already gotten some suggestions from my midwife and my regular MD, but no two sources seem to agree on what really works, and I'm wondering what tips and tricks you swear by to ward off respratory illnesses and in general boost up your immune system.

Can immune boosters weaken your immune system?

mojabunni — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 10:42:25 -0800

Immune System: Is it possible to weaken the immune system by boosting it too much and too often? An Ask MeFi search and a few Google searches didn't answer my question:

I usually drink a smoothie every day for breakfast (see recipe here) and recently have been eating cereal (shredded wheat, corn flakes, each unfrosted, with organic soymilk) instead about 4 days of the week. Several of the ingredients in the smoothie are known to affect/"boost" the immune system, from flax seed to all the nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants in the fruits and fruit juices. Also, I use this brown rice protein powder (not soy or whey) if it makes any difference.

On Friday through Monday I came down with some funky single-symptom cold/flu/mysterious sickness and was talking to my boyfriend about it, mentioning that I haven't had the smoothies much lately and maybe that increased my chances of getting sick. He expressed concern that maybe by taking this stuff every day, I am making my immune system dependent and therefore weaker without supplements. Does the immune system work this way? Does it build up a tolerance similar to the way the brain does in response to pain killers?

I'm especially interested in answers from doctors, nurses, medical students, nutritionists and the like.

jogging for the readily ill

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 03:18:03 -0800

How do I avoid getting sick when I start a running regimen? I'm 30, and used to run track and cross country in high school. Lately I've made several efforts to get back into the routine of running 3-4 miles a day. But now I consistently find that, after testing the waters with easy runs to start a regimen, a hard run or two will then put me in bed with a sore throat. Every time, and right when I'm getting to that "Chariots of Fire" high.

It throws a real wrench into my running. I don't feel like I lack the base strength for sustained running, but maybe after all these years I do.

Is there something I can do to deflect the blow to my immune system from a tough run in the hills, or should I go for easier runs? Any help much appreciated; I used to be the fastest sprinter in my high school, but thanks to my inability to start a steady running routine I'm in bed with the pale, hairy beginnings of a beer gut.

How does the immune system work?

small_ruminant — Wed, 11 May 2005 13:27:20 -0800

The silver lining to colds and flus has always been that at least my immune system is better for it, and I’ll be less likely to catch the next thing. However, I’ve caught 3 colds (or something- they were all different, and none were serious) this year and it’s only May! In the past I’ve caught maybe one thing a year. Does your immune system stop improving as you get older? Why do old people get sick more easily? And how old are you when that starts? And how possible IS it to reinfect yourself with the exact same virus or bacteria? Once you’ve had something, wouldn’t your immune system just whomp it the next time it came by?