Your Intelligent Immune System

When my son received life-saving treatment for lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, my interest was ignited. What do scientists mean when they talk about the immune system? How does it work? How does it protect us and why does it sometimes fail? Which diseases directly reduce its powers? And why does it sometimes cause tissue rejection, allergies and autoimmune diseases? These questions took me back to the biological sciences, the subject that fascinated me at university. I found that knowledge of the immune system had transformed since my student days. I discovered that it is indeed an “intelligent” system that strives to maintain a harmonious balance in the face of a daily onslaught from microbes and other molecules that can cause harm.

Many products and services claim to “boost the immune system”. But do any of them have proven benefits and what can science tell us about how to stay healthy or recover from illness? This book looks at the way the immune system works and the evidence underlying all those claims. It also explains the part the immune system plays in diseases as diverse as diabetes, heart disease and cancer and the role it will play in the future of medicine. It will also provide a useful introduction to the subject for students of biology and medical sciences.

This book contains no recipes and not a single inspirational story.