IMMUNE SYSTEM AND TRAVEL

Our immune system consists of many types of cells and organs and tissues, all these interact in a very elaborate and dynamic fashion. Our immune system also adapts and changes its structure depending on what types of pathogens or immune attack it encounters. This acquired immunity creates a systemic memory within our bodies. This memory is then used by our immune system to create a primary response against the specific pathogen if encountered in the future. This method of defence is also the used when we have a vaccination.

If we aren't immunodeficient our immune system is less active than normal, which may result in infections that can either be my mild or life threatening. This immunodeficiency can be caused by a whole host of reasons such as infections, genetic diseases, pharmaceutical products or even a poor diet.

In our particular case we are concerned with maintaining a strong immune system and attempting to support this while under stress when travelling or when subjected to foreign ingested or inhaled substances or pathogens.

Our bodies have many defensive barriers to defend against attack. One of these is the commensal flora of our gastrointestinal tract, which serves as a biological barrier competing with pathogenic. There is good evidence that reintroduction of probiotic flora helps restore a healthy balance of microbial populations and resist infection.

In addition to the physical and bacteriological protective elements of our body, the immune system has many complex pathways, which enable white cell and antibody response to challenges from invading pathogens. These pathways are dependent on many criteria, which included supply of important vitamins and minerals. A healthy diet will provide sufficient of these for your body to perform correctly. Unfortunately not everybody has a perfect diet and when travelling we tend to overindulge and assault our system within a foreign environment. This can mean that our system is subject to deficiencies. Combine this deficiency with unfamiliar bacteria and viruses to which our immune system has not been previously subjected and there is a greater chance of contracting disease. The vast majority of the time these travelling illnesses present as traveller's diarrhoea, short-term fevers or colds.

We provide a range of high-quality products to help maintain or boost your immune system whilst travelling. Please see this link. We also provide unique products to assist in traveller's diarrhoea, please see this link.

Please Note:
•Most vitamins and all minerals cannot be made by the body, so need to come from your diet, or supplements. Sede our immune boosters or Vitamin and Minerals
•A balanced diet should provide you with all vitamins and minerals you need, if you are travelling and uncomfortable with the local fruit and vegetables you may consider a supplement to support this period.
•If you are slightly deficient in some nutrients, a supplement may benefit performance if you are undertaking strenuous or unusual exercise (e.g: scuba diving) etc
•The fat-soluble vitamins, A D E and K, may cause side-effects if taken in very high quantities and only reliable and qualified products should be purchased. See our Vitamin D section
•Consider Probiotics if you suffer from Travelers Diarrhoea. See more

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