Can you train your immune system? Let’s find out!

Hello boys and girls! Today we are going to delve into the incredible world of our immune system. That being said, imagine the following: you have just gotten a vaccine and you are wondering if your body is ready to face the corresponding bad bug. Well, it turns out that a study, which was like a CSI of science, investigated it. The psychologist Constanza Stephanie Dimitroff was the main detective, and what she did was ask people how they felt their immune system was after the vaccine and here comes the interesting thing: people had a pretty close idea of ​​reality!

Now, the funny thing is how our brain can sense what is happening inside our body, it is not like having a bank account where you see the numbers. Instead, our brain receives signals from the immune system through the secret connection between them. So, when you feel bad, it’s as if your brain is saying: “Alert, alert! Something is not right here.” This not only happens when you are sick, but also when you are healthy as an apple, our brain can detect subtleties in the immune system. So, in a way, you can feel how your immune system is working in everyday life. It’s like your brain is an immune system spy!

After the vaccine, people could assess how their immune system was feeling, and this was especially true for those who didn’t have too many antibodies. 71% of those who felt unprotected actually had a low immune response! But here comes the twist: those who felt super-protected didn’t always get it right. Scientist Dimitroff also suggests that there could be something called the placebo effect – this means that if you believe with all your might that a vaccine is effective, your body could actually boost its immune response, even if the vaccine is not as powerful. In other words, belief is power!

In short, it seems like we’re pretty good at evaluating our own health, but there could be other things at play, like the placebo effect and optimism. So, even if we have this ability, there are still unanswered questions. Perhaps in the future, with further research, we will be able to unveil all these secrets. So there you have it, boys and girls, the immune system and the brain have their own secret chat! Stay curious and keep exploring the amazing world of science. See you next time!