Your immune system is your body’s defense mechanism against foreign cells that may enter it. It is an intricate system that consists of a combination of cells, tissues, and organs, that work together to protect your body from microorganisms that can cause diseases and infections. These microorganisms are known as germs and can come in the form of bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and more.
In order to protect your body against germs, your immune system depends on and makes use of, white blood cells. These white blood cells are created in your bone marrow and are scientifically known as leukocytes. There are multiple types of leukocytes that proficiently and effectively fight off germs, but they are split into two categories, i.e., phagocytes and lymphocytes.
If your immune system is not working correctly or is weak, it could be problematic and dangerous. It could lead to the development of diseases such as cancer, immunodeficiencies, autoimmune diseases such as lupus as well as impede recovery if you contract COVID 19.
What Are the Signs of a Weak Immune System?
There are multiple signs to watch out for when it comes to detecting a weak immune system. If you do have these symptoms, it could be time to consult a professional or test your immune system.
- Persistent exhaustion: even if you are getting 7-8 hours of sleep, exercising regularly, living a generally healthy lifestyle, and are still exhausted day after day.
- Vulnerability to colds and the flu: if you are constantly catching colds or the flu, to the point where you are sick with these ailments more than twice a year.
- Constantly treating infections: if you are almost always treating some sort of infection, such as a UTI (urinary tract infection), ear infection, and more.
- Slow-healing wounds: if you are finding that your wounds are healing slowly, and taking much longer than expected to recover from a cut or cold sore.
- Gut issues: if you are consistently having gut issues such as diarrhea, or experiencing an influx of tummy aches with no apparent explanation.
How Genetic Tests Can Help Your Immune System
Genes control and have an influence over almost everything in your body. They also affect your immune system. This means that any weaknesses, or problems within the immune system, can be genetically inherited.
Precision medicine gives you the advantage of prevention, by understanding your own DNA and the coding that drives your body’s responses to the environment. This allows you to know what to consume and what changes may be needed in your environment. DNA also controls the immune system as some genes can detect the virus, some switch on the immune system, come can switch the genes off, and then inform the body to go clean-up and repair the damaged tissues. By knowing your genes and if there are any mutations, you can remove the guesswork out of how you can optimize your immune system and protect yourself against viruses and bacteria.
Having a genetic test done to determine any underlying issues or tendencies can be extremely beneficial when it comes to the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.
How Can I Test My Immune System at Home?
At Geneway, we can provide you with an at-home Gene-Immune™ test, that will test for more than 25 genes that affect different parts of your immune system. Once you have taken the test, you will receive a report containing information on how to overcome your genetic deficiencies. This report is based on your gene results.
Contact us at Geneway, to find out more about at-home immunity genetic tests.
