Especially during the winter season with frequent colds and flu, we question often our immune system and if it will be strong enough to resist or fight efficiently against the various invaders. What is it that makes our immune system strong and efficient? Our medicine often uses “militaristic terms” when it comes to the immune system: attack of micro organisms, defenses and fighting. But the real strength of the immune system comes from other sources and has to be seen in a very complex way. One of the bases is: Being true to ourselves with integrity and awareness and expressing a respectful, co- operative and harmonious relationship with everything that surrounds us.

Modern science is only beginning to understand how the immune system works. One branch of science goes deeper and deeper into smaller fragments, another branch e.g. .Psycho Neuro Immunology looks outward into the endless complexity of the mechanism. They prove that in many ways we determine our own reality. What we hold as our deepest beliefs about ourselves and our relationship with the rest of the universe determines how we feel, how well we function and, as a result of this, how our immune system works.

Right relationships are the basis of a well functioning immune system and this is all about: balance within ourselves and with our environment. It is, living in harmony with everything around us and acknowledgment, which everything has a rightful place in our world to live.

A good functioning immune system is part of good health. As I pointed out in many of my articles before, ill-health and its symptoms are the language of the body that something in our life is out of balance. When we live in integrity and harmony we learn to listen and to interpret the language of sickness. Sometimes it is just awareness, that something is not quite right, requires our attention and helps us to recognize the disharmony within ourselves. With this recognition we can respond in an appropriate way to restore balance. When we learn to trust our response to the symptoms, we feel an increasing sense of confidence and trust in our body’s function. Instead of reacting in fear and uncertainty, resigning ourselves to the condition of sickness, we can follow the path of wellness.

Fear isolates. When we feel isolated, we lose our sense of self and our sense of relatedness to the world. But fear of Ill-health does not have to be. Illness is an indication that we are out of balance, means also, that we are not living true to ourselves, not living our identity. Reacting in fear to sickness creates a stressful condition that depresses and weakens our whole regulatory system, which the immune system is part of. But when we acknowledge that ill-health indicates that we are out of harmony with ourselves then our immune system becomes stronger and we begin to return to health.

Being vigilant helps to recognize imbalances in our system or if it gets compromised. But vigilance does not mean worrying, being a hypochondriac or constantly going for check-ups – it means being aware of subtle disturbances to our peace and the sense of wellbeing that we should feel. The consequence should be an appropriate response, a slight course correction, to bring us back into a harmonious state.

The skin with its reaction to cold, wind or heat is an excellent example how we respond to the outside world. We wrap up warmly or get rid of some clothes. Such actions are common sense, but the simplest use of “listening to the body”.

Appreciation of the complex miraculous working of our immune system will give you both a greater understanding of the mechanisms of immunity and a greater ability to utilize, strengthen, balance and direct it.

For more information contact:

Barbara Rotthaler,
German certified Naturopath
Sta. Isabel 240,
Riberas del Pilar
Telephone (376) 108-0444
barbararotthaler@gmail.com
www.ChapalaHealth.com