World Immunization Week丨Why do we need to get vaccinated?

Why do we need to get vaccinated?

Vaccination is the most effective means of preventing and controlling infectious diseases.

From the first smallpox vaccine in 1796 to the most recent vaccine against the novel coronavirus, hundreds of vaccines have been developed, extending the lives of billions of people. Vaccination is recognized as one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions, protecting generations from many deadly infectious diseases throughout their lives.

According to WHO data, vaccines can prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases and help people of all ages live longer and healthier. Currently, vaccinations prevent millions of deaths from diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza and measles each year. According to WHO estimates, vaccination of children alone can save more than 4 million lives each year.

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The last week of April every year is "World Immunization Week". The theme of this year's World Immunization Week is "Longevity for All", aiming to let people all over the world realize that vaccines can help people "pursue their dreams, protect their loved ones, and live a healthy and long life."

Did you know that vaccinations are not just for children? Adults should also be protected by vaccines.

New coronavirus vaccine, flu vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, HPV vaccine... Adult vaccination is the most economical means of preventing disease.

At present, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is still rising around the world. As the epidemic continues, people are beginning to care about how to protect themselves and stay healthy. At the same time, when fighting viruses and enhancing the body's defenses, they also recognize the importance of the immune system. As Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said more than 2,000 years ago, the best doctor is actually our own healthy immune system.

5 pitfalls in understanding immunity

Jump out of the way, don't fall in!

Myth 1: All illnesses are caused by low immunity

A person's disease state is caused by many reasons. Infectious diseases often have clear biological pathogenic factors, while non-infectious diseases are more complicated, often with multiple causes and one effect, and are caused by long-term exposure and accumulation. Whether a person gets sick or not, the ability of the immune system is only part of the reason, and it is often not the decisive factor.

To give the simplest example, when bacteria and viruses attack, the number of germs we come into contact with in daily life is not large, and a normally functioning immune system can fully play a role in resisting them; but when we accidentally come into contact with patients with infectious diseases and lack protection, a large number of germs will enter the human body, and even a normally functioning immune system will be unable to resist, which will cause illness.

Myth 2: The stronger the immune system, the better

The immune system itself is a double-edged sword, it can protect your body, but it can also harm your body. If you simply increase certain immune cells or improve the ability of a certain immune response, it may break this balance and induce other diseases.

For example, if the immune defense is too strong, tissue damage or functional disorder may occur under the stimulation of allergens, which may trigger an allergic reaction; if the immune self-stabilization function is too strong, it may trigger an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks its own normal cells. The more common ones include lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, hyperthyroidism, multiple sclerosis, etc.

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Myth 3: Health supplements can improve immunity

Assuming that taking a health supplement can really increase the number of certain immune cells or enhance the function of a certain immune organ is actually very dangerous. The immune system must maintain a balance between itself and the functions of various organs in the body. If its function is too weak, it cannot perform surveillance and defense functions. If it is too strong, it will cause allergies and autoimmunity.

Scientists have not yet found any health supplement that has been proven to increase immunity and reduce the risk of infection. Therefore, health foods that claim to increase immunity actually have no effect.

Myth 4: Drugs can improve immunity

At present, there are indeed a small number of drugs that can help patients with suppressed immune systems to improve their immunity, such as thymosin. Thymosin can enhance patients' immune response to viral vaccines (flu vaccine or hepatitis B vaccine), so that their antibody levels increase significantly after vaccination; some antiviral and anti-tumor drugs also have immune-regulating effects, such as interferon. However, these drugs have strict indications and are targeted at specific patients, and are not suitable for ordinary people. Whether immunomodulatory drugs are needed requires the diagnosis of a clinician and their use under the supervision of a doctor.

Myth 5. The best way to boost immunity is to eat well

By improving diet and nutrition, the body's immune system can indeed be improved to a certain extent. We often see that people in poor areas are malnourished and more susceptible to diseases.

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The key to dietary nutrition is not to eat well, but to eat scientifically and in a balanced way. Ensuring the intake of high-quality protein is part of a healthy diet, but it should not be emphasized blindly. If you consume too much, it will cause overweight and obesity and a series of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, etc., and the risk of cancer will also increase, and the result will not be worth the loss.

The following 8 ways to improve your immunity will help you keep diseases out!

1. Get enough sleep

When the seasons change, it is easy to get diseases related to decreased immunity, such as urticaria and herpes zoster, caused by work pressure and lack of sleep. You must ensure adequate sleep. Adequate sleep should ensure that you are physically restored and energetic when you wake up. Generally, adults sleep 7 to 8 hours a day, and the elderly should not sleep less than 6 hours.

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2. Yogurt breakfast

A study by the American Health Association found that yogurt can reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein LDL) and reduce the risk of urinary tract infection by 47%. The probiotics contained in some yogurts can significantly improve the body's immunity and disease resistance.

3. Eat more garlic

A study by the University of Maryland Medical Center found that eating garlic regularly not only helps improve immunity, but also helps prevent heart disease. However, patients with gastrointestinal diseases should eat less garlic. However, allicin is easy to evaporate when exposed to heat, so it is recommended to mash it and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes before eating, so that alliin and allinase and other substances can interact with each other and improve the nutritional value.

4. Drink honey water, ginger water, and lemon water regularly

Studies have shown that the antioxidants in honey are boosters for improving immunity; ginger is a natural analgesic and detoxifier, and has a certain effect in fighting infection; lemons are rich in vitamin C and have antioxidant properties. Foods rich in antioxidants and vitamin C can protect the body from free radicals and harmful molecules, and promote a healthy immune system.

5. Enjoy afternoon tea

After 3 or 4 p.m., the human body's energy begins to decline. At this time, drinking a cup of afternoon tea or coffee and eating some snacks can not only replenish calories, but also relieve fatigue after continuous work, and maintain the health of the immune system through self-regulation.

6. Exercise every week

A report from the U.S. National Library of Medicine shows that exercise can help "flush" bacteria from the lungs and improve the immune system's ability to detect disease. Modern people are under great work pressure, but if the basic physical condition is normal, it is enough to ensure 30 to 60 minutes of exercise five days a week.

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7. Get more sun

Maintaining a high level of vitamin D in the body can better prevent sore throats, common colds, and nasal congestion. Generally speaking, the ultraviolet rays in the sun at 10 am and 4 pm are low, which can avoid damaging the skin. The time spent in the sun should not exceed half an hour each time.

8. Keep smiling

Researchers at Stanford University in the United States found that laughter can increase the number of antibodies and immune cells in the blood and saliva, relieve fatigue, and is a good medicine for improving immunity. In life, we should have more positive thoughts, divert our attention and reduce stress through sports, reading, chatting with friends, etc.

Comprehensive sources: World Health Organization official website, Xinhuanet, People's Daily, Healthy China, National Medical Products Administration official website, Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, etc.