Have you ever heard an orchestra playing a symphony? Every instrument has a unique sound. Each plays a unique part in the masterpiece. The conductor brings out the best in every musician. Even the acoustics of the surroundings enhance or detract from the performance.This is an accurate description of the way we harmonize with our world. From the instant of conception, tiny cells are a symphony of activity and this harmony continues throughout our life. Cells join with the rest of the orchestra – the body – in harmonious music, always changing to meet new and varied circumstances.
We need harmony between our mind, body and environment. Our immune system usually provides it. But what happens when things go wrong? What happens if we are exposed to "bad" bacteria, viruses or other pathogens?
Disease and our immune system
Sometimes we ask the wrong questions when we start to experience disharmony in our body. Sometimes we seem to be asking, "What makes sick people sick?" As pertinent as that question is to a sick person, it is usually more productive to ask, "What keeps healthy people well – and how can I be one of them?"
Wellness is created in the way our immune system interacts with our environment based on our genetics, and modified by our behavior or lifestyle. In order to prevent disease and achieve wellness, we must experience harmony between our world and our immune system.
A good example of harmony with our world occurs with viruses. In medicine we know that viruses exist all around us just as they have always existed. During an epidemic there will be people who never get sick, people that get sick and recover and, unfortunately, people that get sick and die. The difference between these groups has little to do with the nature of the virus – it remains virtually the same in all three cases. The different responses are based on the harmony of each individual’s immune system.
Causes of disharmony – and disease
Four imbalances create disharmony in our immune system. They are:
1.Trauma or injury – Injured tissues limit circulation by blood and lymph. Poor circulation allows waste created by the cells to accumulate and become a cesspool. Toxic waste becomes the target for infection and disease. Fortunately, appropriate exercise can help increase healthy circulation and intense antioxidant nutrition can help restore function to an injured area.
2.Toxins from inside or outside the body – Toxins and poisons from our environment may also accumulate in our tissues and smolder for decades. These toxins become inflamed; inflammation creates the matrix for disharmony in the immune system, which may result in disease.
3.Deficiencies in elements critical for life – Many people are deficient in oxygen though there is an abundance of air surrounding them. Oxygen deficiency causes acidic tissues; acid foments disease. Deficiencies in air, water, sunlight, sleep and nutrients are the most common causes of immune system disharmony. We can restore balance by attending to these basic needs.
4.Immune-suppressing scourge of emotional distress – Emotional distress is an immediate trigger for immune system discord. As soon as a thought arises in the mind, it is already translated into a posture of the immune system. Fortunately, we can – through an act of will – change our thoughts to positive ones and have a harmonizing effect on our immune system.
1.Trauma or injury – Injured tissues limit circulation by blood and lymph. Poor circulation allows waste created by the cells to accumulate and become a cesspool. Toxic waste becomes the target for infection and disease. Fortunately, appropriate exercise can help increase healthy circulation and intense antioxidant nutrition can help restore function to an injured area.
2.Toxins from inside or outside the body – Toxins and poisons from our environment may also accumulate in our tissues and smolder for decades. These toxins become inflamed; inflammation creates the matrix for disharmony in the immune system, which may result in disease.
3.Deficiencies in elements critical for life – Many people are deficient in oxygen though there is an abundance of air surrounding them. Oxygen deficiency causes acidic tissues; acid foments disease. Deficiencies in air, water, sunlight, sleep and nutrients are the most common causes of immune system disharmony. We can restore balance by attending to these basic needs.
4.Immune-suppressing scourge of emotional distress – Emotional distress is an immediate trigger for immune system discord. As soon as a thought arises in the mind, it is already translated into a posture of the immune system. Fortunately, we can – through an act of will – change our thoughts to positive ones and have a harmonizing effect on our immune system.
Conclusion
We participate in this symphony along with the individual members of the orchestra within our immune system. We are not merely passive observers. Address the four causes of disharmony that result in disease. Take time to learn how to apply the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness to harmonize your immune system so it works smarter, not harder.
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