b'What Is The IMMUNE SYSTEMAndHow Does It Work?T he human bodys immune system is an intricate network of specialized tissues, organs, cells and chemicals. The lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, thymus gland and tonsils all play a role in fighting off germs and illnesses. When the immune system is running well, it keeps an eye out for potential infectious organisms. But, most of us dont think about the immune system until its too late, when symptoms have already set in. Then, we often treat the symptoms with over the counter cough and cold remedies and suffer through until we feel betterand until the next time we come down with another bug, starting the cycle again.The winter makes things worse. Some experts speculate its because were spending more time indoors, where we miss out on vitamin D, making us more susceptible to disease. Others say the body uses more energy to stay warmenergy it could otherwise put toward fending off infection. Emerging research shows that the immune system simply doesnt work as well in winter, upping our chances of catching colds and flus. Other research shows that immune system functionincluding the direct action of natural killer cellsdecreases as we age, providing all the more reason for added support. Brought to you by & 3'