Now that summer is over and colder weather is on the way, we are sure to observe an increase in the amount of colds, chills and other viral diseases knocking about. For the majority of us, a cold is a pretty depressing inconvenience that in worst keeps us in bed for a day or 2, but for the elderly and the ill, a simple viral infection like a cold can leave them open to attack from dangerous illnesses. Many individuals wonder why there are no remedies for colds and flu.
Hadi anlayalım
Surely, they reason, with all that modern medicine can do, treating a simple disease like a cold should be simple. The issue isn’t that we do not understand how viruses such as colds and flus work (we know them entirely ) but how quickly they mutate – in other words how fast one kind of cold can transform into another one. Let’s begin by looking at what a virus is. Viruses have been amusingly described by one biologist as’a small bit of genetic code wrapped up in bad information ‘ Viruses themselves aren’t technically alive – they do not have cells or all of the machines required to sustain life and therefore are entirely parasitic.
Viruses work by simply entering a living cell (depending on the virus, this might be a bacterium, a plant cell, fungal cell or animal cell, including an individual cell) and basically taking over the machines of that cell. The cell is then made to create more copies of the virus, until there are several copies the cell bursts, and the small copies are free to attack neighbouring cells. Viruses are extremely straightforward.
Genetic material
A normal virus comprises just a small period of DNA or RNA (genetic material) encased in a tough protein coat (the bad news). This protein coat is of a very special shape, and it’s this that enables the virus to enter a cell. Essentially, the protein coating binds to structures on the surface of the cell it’s attacking, allowing the virus (or its genetic material) to enter the cell. Once inside, the virus’ genetic material takes over the cell, and countless new copies are created. For the most part, these copies are identical to the original virus, but every so often (about one copy in a billion) there’s a mutation.
Because the form of the virus’ protein coat is determined by the order of its own genes, a small change in genetic order brought on by a single mutation may result in the virus having a unique shaped protein coat. Most of these mutations will have coats which are now useless (the wrong shape to bind to cells) but a few will have a differently shaped coating which enables them to bind to another arrangement in their hosts cells. This new mutated virus will spread and create more copies of itself, and we have a new breed of virus. This is evolution in action.
Evolution
This is the reason we are unlikely ever to locate a definitive’cure’ for colds and other common viruses. It might surprise you to know that you’re now immune to each cold you’ve ever had in your life. If your body experiences a virus which has infected it, it’s able to recognise it and destroy it before it can infect you, but since viruses such as colds are constantly mutating, there are constantly new kinds of cold around that you have not previously encountered, and you’re always in danger of disease from these new breeds.
This is why it’s a great idea to make certain that your immune system is functioning as efficiently as possible. The immune system is a remarkably intricate and powerful set of resources which our bodies use to defend against disease and to destroy invading viruses or bacteria. It works on several levels, but is easiest to think about in terms of becoming a small standing army of different cells. These cells patrol your body, identifying alien invaders such as germs and trying to destroy them. When a new invading virus is found, your immune system needs to discover the ideal shaped protein molecule – or antibody – which will destroy the virus, and this may take a few days. During this period, the virus will be generating billions of copies of itself, spreading through your system and start to make you feel sick. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s not often invading viruses that make us feel sick, but the body’s attempts to destroy them.
Antibodies
Once the perfect sort of antibody was found, the immune system goes into overdrive, manufacturing countless millions of copies of it, and this uses plenty of energy, resulting in the fatigue that’s a frequent symptom of colds. Boosting the immune system and ensuring it has all of the vitamins and minerals it needs to work effectively can dramatically decrease the chance of becoming ill. If the immune system can rapidly identify and ruin new invaders before the disease becomes widespread, we could handle viral diseases sometimes without even realising we have had one.
Sonuç
To put it differently, we get a cold and get it over without ever really becoming sick. Antiviral supplements contain herbs and vitamins which stimulate and support the immune system. When the body is producing antibodies and immune cells, it uses a whole lot of vitamin C and C, and taking a daily supplement containing these compounds can help keep your immune system working properly. An antifungal supplement may also typically have a powerful antioxidant such as Elderberry extract. Antioxidants help to lessen the harm done by so-called’free radicals’ – compounds which are often generated as a byproduct of illness – which attack healthy cells. Finally, most antiviral supplements also contain Echinacea extract, which has been shown in some trials (others are less conclusive) to stimulate the production of immune cells and cells.
