Читать книгу 100 Ways to Boost Your Immune System онлайн
7 страница из 34
Most of these agents won’t make you ill, but others can cause infection and harm you. Even though your hard-working immune system is powerful and usually successful at defending you from invaders, it does face the constant threat of viruses and bacteria that are forever mutating, and seeking new ways to attack and break down your immune defences. Let’s take a look at the constant threats your immune system faces:
Bacteria and viruses
Among the earliest life forms on Earth, bacteria are self-sufficient, one-celled organisms that are visible under a microscope. Not all bacteria, however, are harmful. Some bacteria that live in your body are actually good for you, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, the healthy bacteria that reside in your intestines and help you digest food. But when unhealthy bacteria enter your body they can make you ill by rapidly reproducing and secreting toxic chemicals that can damage cells in the tissue they have invaded. Common conditions caused by bacteria include strep throat and gastrointestinal illness triggered by E. coli bacteria, which are often linked to undercooked meat.