GALT — der Hauptakteur unseres Immunsystems

GALT — the main player in our immune system

December 31, 2024 Sven Altorfer

Every organism in the world has the same goal - survival and procreation. For this reason, viruses, bacteria and parasites are constantly trying to penetrate our bodies because they also want to multiply and survive. The human body is often an ideal "breeding ground" for this. The result of this can be that we become ill.

In addition to the bacteria and viruses that are harmful to the human body, there are also certain types of bacteria that actually help us survive and stay healthy, instead of harming us and making us sick. If a harmful virus or bacteria does enter our body, our immune system is the invisible protector that protects us from these harmful organisms. Because:

"What helps us recover is our immune system"

We can and should strengthen and support this through external measures.

In this article, we would like to clarify what such measures might look like and what the immune system includes.

Our immune system, an invisible protector

Before we take a closer look at what our immune system actually includes, we would like to briefly explain what our immune system actually is.

Our immune system is our body's defense system. It fights harmful pathogens and cells so that we don't get sick and stay healthy.

The immune system is a relatively complex network that includes various actors that operate within it. These include several organs, countless messenger substances and various cell types. All of these organs, tissues and substances are part of our immune system.

Immunoglobulins, the so-called antibodies, are an important part of our specific immune system. In addition to the specific immune system, there is also a non-specific immune system - the immune system is therefore divided into two functional parts.

We would like to take a closer look at these two functional parts of the immune system:

Nonspecific Immune System – The Innate Protection

Our innate immune system is also called the “non-specific immune system” and has protective mechanisms in the form of external barriers, such as our skin and mucous membranes, as well as internal protective mechanisms, such as the defense cells in our body.

White blood cells and bacteria-killing substances are just a few examples of how our nonspecific immune system protects us from pathogens.

Specific Immune System – The Acquired Protection

The specific immune system is not innate, but is acquired after birth through external influences and through confrontation with our environment and its pathogens. When our body comes into contact with a potential pathogen, such as a virus or bacteria, our body uses certain defense mechanisms to specifically ward off and fight the pathogen. Our immune system remembers the properties of the pathogen and can then fight it off even more effectively on further contact. The so-called T cells and B cells, a certain type of white blood cell, play an important role in our specific immune system.

Now that we have clarified how the immune system is divided into two parts, we would now like to turn our attention to the so-called immunologically competent organs.

Immunologically competent organs

Immunologically competent organs are those organs and tissues that are involved in the immune responses and disease control in our body.

The immunologically competent organs include the lymph nodes, the spleen, the thymus, the gastrointestinal lymphatic tissue, the bone marrow, the BALT and the GALT. We would now like to take a closer look at the structure and function of these tissues for the immune system:

lymph nodes

The lymph nodes, often incorrectly referred to as lymph glands, are organs with a constant structure that can be found in vertebrates, including humans. The lymph nodes are built into the lymphatic ducts. They act as filtering and detoxification stations for the lymph.

The immune response to an antigen stimulus comes from the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are about the size of a pinhead or a hazelnut and are roughly the shape of a bean. They are surrounded by connective tissue capsules.

spleen

Our spleen is located near our stomach and is a so-called unpaired organ that can be found in vertebrates and humans. It is part of our immune system and a lymphatic organ. The spleen is about the size of a fist, weighs about 200 g and is traversed by a network of trabeculae that encloses numerous cavities containing blood.

These cavities contain lymphocytes, granulocytes, plasma cells, erythrocytes (red blood cells) and their degradation products (red pulp), which are important for our immune defense.

thymus

The thymus, also called the mammary gland, is a lymphatic organ that is located in the form of two long lobes in the loose connective tissue. It is located behind our breastbone from the base of the collarbone and extends to the base of our fourth pair of ribs.

The thymus is the “training center” for the T lymphocytes of our immune system.

bone marrow

Our bone marrow is a spongy tissue that is located inside our bones.

Most defense cells are formed and multiplied in the bone marrow and are then distributed to our blood, tissue and other organs. It plays an essential role in our immune system.

BALT

BALT, the abbreviation for “bronchus-associated lymphoid tissues”, refers to the totality of our lymphatic organs that are located in our respiratory system.

When antigens and pathogens are inhaled by humans, the bronchi-associated lymphatic tissues trigger an immune reaction of the holistic immune system.

GALT

The immune system of the intestine can be divided into three barriers: the intestinal mucosa, the microbiome (“intestinal flora”), and the gut-associated immune system (GALT). The GALT consists of the tonsils, Peyer’s patches, and intraepithelial lymphocytes.

The so-called gut-associated lymphatic tissue is a secondary lymphatic organ that is attached to the intestinal system and provides local immunity there.

"The GALT is now considered the main player in our immune system"

Now that we know more about the individual players and organs of the immune system, let's look at how we can support our immune system through external measures.

How can I support my immune system from the outside

How can I support my immune system from the outside?

We can support the immune system through a number of measures through our own external involvement. In addition to regular exercise and a generally healthy lifestyle, a healthy diet and the conscious use of certain foods are the best ways for us to support our immune system from the outside.

We have therefore summarized some options for you.

1. Build up the intestinal flora

Our intestinal flora is part and main player in our immune system and is home to health-preserving bacteria that are important for our immune system. If you want to strengthen and maintain your intestinal immune system, you can, on the one hand, consume good intestinal bacteria, the so-called probiotic bacterial cultures, and strengthen the good bacteria in the intestine with fiber by consuming it with food.

If you want to take probiotic bacterial cultures (lactic acid bacteria or probiotics), such as Lactobacillus Plantarum, Bifidobacterium Lactis or Streptococcus Thermophilus, these are available in the form of capsules that you can easily take. Bifidobacterium Bifidum, for example, supports the maintenance of a healthy intestinal flora and strengthens its resistance.

If you want to eat good fiber to "feed" your positive intestinal bacteria, then porridge , for example, is a good option, as it is full of healthy fiber. If you eat it warm, you relieve your immune system even more, as it can use the body's energy more efficiently because energy is saved during the digestive process. Healthy intestinal bacteria feed on this fiber and multiply, which has a beneficial effect on our intestinal flora and therefore positive effects on our overall immune system.

2. Take antibodies

Certain foods or supplements can provide the body with antibodies that are essential for the immune system. A good example of this is colostrum.

Colostrum is the first substance that is given to the newborn after a mammal's pregnancy. In liquid form, colostrum is produced by female mammary glands and contains concentrated and important ingredients in the form of antibodies, lactoferrin, amino acids, and much more.

The antibodies (immunoglobulins) contained in colostrum and the numerous other nutrients support both our specific and non-specific immune systems.

3. Vitamins to support the immune system

Vitamins are also an excellent way to support our immune system. Vitamins are involved in numerous metabolic processes in our immune system. Without an adequate supply of vitamins, the immune system cannot work and you run the risk of becoming ill. If the body is completely deprived of certain vitamins over a long period of time, it can even lead to death. Vitamins are vital and fundamental to our immune system. When supplementing vitamins, you should definitely pay attention to their quality.

Our high-quality vitamin capsules, for example, offer an ideal supplement for the effective supply of all the important vitamins, minerals and trace elements that are important for the healthy functioning of our immune system. The Vitamins Minerals Trace Elements can not only make the routine of a regular and balanced supply of nutrients easier, but at the same time support the normal function of the immune system. Our vitamin capsules are produced sustainably and locally in Switzerland and are of natural origin.

4. Get enough sleep

Did you know that our body's own defense cells are formed especially during our sleep phases? This is also the reason why we feel more tired when we have a cold or flu. Sleep scientists have found that 7 to 8 hours of sleep is ideal for the body. Good and sufficient sleep has been proven to strengthen our immune system.

If someone sleeps less than 6 hours a day, their immune system is weakened because not enough defense cells can be produced.

The only thing that heals us is our immune system