Improve Immunity Now-New Corona, Preparing for Infection-April 6 16:19
A new type of coronavirus that spreads without establishing an effective treatment. But there is still no way to completely prevent the infection. If you get infected ... then it is their "immunity" that plays a role in protecting us from unknown plagues.
But what is immunity? How effective? I asked an expert.
(Keiichiro Ehara, announcer at Kyoto Broadcasting Station, and Yoko Idegami, reporter at the Network Press)
Immunity fair
A large bookstore in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture. Keiichi Sano, a sales clerk with 25 years of sales experience, started the fair last month. The theme is "Improve immunity." More than 30 books related to immunity are arranged at the entrance. With concerns about the new coronavirus spreading, he said he planned to "relieve the concerns of customers."
Mr. Sano: "I'm not a hospital, so I thought about what I could do, so I decided to get a book on immunity and health, so I went to the publisher and got it."
"I'm very interested and most people get books."
What is immunity in the first place?
Immunity of interest. It's like a defense system that protects us from viruses and other pathogens. This system is created by the function of specialized immune cells (immune cells) contained in white blood cells in the blood. When a virus enters the body, the immune cells start attacking and trying to protect us.
Professor Yoko Hamasaki of the Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Institute, which specializes in immunity research, says that if you think that a soldier called immunity will fight viruses, you can understand how it works.
What is high immunity?
Professor Hamasaki: There are two types of immunity: "T cells" that kill cells infected with a virus, and "antibodies" that stick to a virus and stop it from working. "
"Immunity = It is said that the greater the number of soldiers and the stronger the immunity, the higher the immunity, and the virus = stronger against the enemy. That's one of the points. "
Differences due to age
It changes according to the strength of this immunity, age, etc.
This is a graph showing how immunity works when infected with common viruses such as colds. In the case of a healthy young generation, about one week after the virus enters the body, the amount of immune activity increases at a stretch and eventually reaches a peak. It eliminates the virus, reduces symptoms and reduces the amount of immune activity.
However, in the case of elderly people, the amount of immunity activity does not increase much after one week, and the immunity is lower than that of young people. This is thought to be one of the causes of the difficulty in making new immune cells that attack viruses called "T cells" from the age of 50 years old.
Unknown fear
Professor Hamazaki says that it may take more time before immunity starts to work when infected with unknown viruses such as the new coronavirus.
Professor Hamazaki: "The new model is the virus that everyone will see for the first time. It may take some time for the immunity soldier to increase to a number that can counter the enemy virus. It is scary that the virus will increase during that time is"
So we raise immunity and compete
Professor Yoko Hamazaki says that what we can do to prevent aggravation is to maximize the immunity of each individual. Enhancing immunity even in older people can help fight the virus.
Conversely, if a young person continues to live in a situation where their immunity is extremely low, it can lead to severe illness. There are three points to improve immunity.
One is sleep. Getting a good night's sleep is thought to have the effect of improving recovery from fatigue and absorption of nutrients, and can boost immunity. On the other hand, when you sleep poorly, hormones similar to those when you feel stress are secreted, which lowers your immunity.
And a balanced diet. The immune cells that attack the virus need various nutrients such as sugars, amino acids and vitamins to be active. Good nutrition in a well-balanced diet improves immunity.
It is also important to warm your body. Immune cells are known to become active when body temperature rises. Exercise and bathing are effective. Moderate exercise not only warms the body but also relieves stress. The point of bathing is to hold firmly in lukewarm water and warm up to the core of the body.
Reduce virus entering the body
It is also important to reduce the amount of virus that enters the body even if infected. If there are few opponents, it is likely that immunity will act and repel them. The method is the same as basic infection control.
Professor Hamazaki says that in addition to hand washing and disinfection, hydration and protection of mucous membranes are important.
Prof. Yoko Hamasaki "If the mucous membrane dries out, it will be all you want to enter the virus. I think it would be a good measure to keep it moisturized, such as by gradually including water in the mouth."
Children and pregnant women
We also talked to obstetrician and gynecologist Miho Takao about babies and pregnant women. According to Dr. Takao, lymph nodes are concentrated in the lymph nodes, located under the throat, on both sides, the abdomen, and behind the knees, and are eradicating viruses that have invaded.
When we feel that the lymph nodes are swollen, a sign that the immune system is working to fight invaders such as viruses. The digestive tract from the mouth to the large intestine also has a unique strong immune system, and the nose, throat, and bronchi have similar mechanisms.
About babies ...
"I can't say in general because it depends on the age of the moon, but the resistance to dehydration due to fever is weaker than that of adults, and it also affects immunity, so you need to be more careful at this time. I want you to avoid going out and forcing the environment to change. ''
For pregnant people ...
"I'm not pregnant = Immune is not going down. I think there are many people who are careful about their physical condition.
However, because of the risk of reduced immunity due to lack of sleep and stress, `` I think that many people are now worried that they can't see ahead, but they do not deny their anxiety, I want you to intentionally create a time where you can listen to your favorite music or watch a movie, for example, to have a fun, calm time. "
What is important now
It is not yet known exactly how immunity affects the new coronavirus.
However, as infections continue to spread without established treatment methods, measures to prevent the infection from becoming more serious are becoming as important as measures to prevent infection.
Prof. Yoko Hamasaki: "Always keep your original immunity working. It's important to fight the new coronavirus."