Why is sore throat a symptom of many common sicknesses?

Imagine that your body is a castle. The germs, bacteria, and viruses are the invaders who wanted to take control of the castle’s food supply, and they are usually eliminated by your trained soldiers, which are supposed to be the white blood cells. As an added layer of protection, the castle has thick walls that prevent the invaders from getting inside the castle’s premises; however, it would need gates so that it can take in food supplies while also getting rid of the rubbish that the cleaners or the digestive system collect.

The gates are often the weak spots that get attacked more often than any other parts of the castle, as it also serves as an opening for invaders to enter your body and not just the food supply. One gate, the throat, is the one that gets attacked most since it has a moist and warm environment. In addition, it is also the place where constantly moving air flows in and out, and the air would sometimes carry the bacteria or viruses. Pathogens would also attach to food that is touched by dirty hands etc.

To combat the bacteria and viruses, the throat would release chemicals that not only hinder the pathogens from thriving in the organ but also make itself swell up to deliver more blood, therefore bringing more infection-fighting white blood cells to the site of the attack. Unfortunately, there are side effects to the swelling of the throat, and these effects include pain, numbness, and irritation.

How do bacteria grow in the body?

Despite many soap brands saying that their products can kill 99.9% of germs, bacteria actually live in our bodies no matter what preventive measures we do to stop them. Almost every corner of our house has bacteria, which is the reason why we cannot get away from these pathogens. However, what we can do is to prevent them from spreading too fast in our bodies that they may cause infections and other illnesses.

There are even numerous studies suggesting that we cannot live without bacteria, as they typically perform functions that our body cannot do. The total biomass of microbes in our body is about 0.2 kilograms, and they would often be found in the skin, the mouth, and the gastrointestinal tract. In those locations, they would be able to thrive because they are provided with sufficient nutrients to grow in multiply.

Are bacteria good for us?

The ones that do not cause harm to our bodies, which are generally called “good bacteria,” help us degrade food more quickly so that we can get nutrients from it easier and faster.

These good bacteria also regularize the toxin levels in our bodies. Toxin is a chemical formed in our body as a way to fight pathogens; however, if we have too much of it, we would often suffer from chemical and DNA imbalance in our bodies that can cause minor to severe illnesses like cancer and diabetes. Toxins are also found almost anywhere on Earth, and the excess toxins are often collected by our bodies from outside sources. Thankfully, the good bacteria normalize the levels of toxins that our body has, thus preventing us from getting sick.

However, when these bacteria’s population becomes uncontrollable, they would often cause illnesses too. Some of the most common diseases caused by bacteria are gastric ulcers, urinary tract infections, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Our immune system is usually strong enough to prevent the overpopulation of bacteria in our bodies, but they could also get compromised from time to time. The most effective way of eliminating bacteria if a person is immunocompromised is by taking antibiotics, which can either be synthetic or natural. Synthetic antibiotics can be bought in drug stores, although you would need a doctor’s prescription before you can purchase them. On the other hand, natural antibiotics can either be found on pills or in certain foods, such as garlic, ginger, onions, cinnamon, and horseradish. Vitamin C tablets, or fruits containing the nutrient, like lemon and oranges, are also said to be effective in fighting bacteria and other pathogens. Along with eating the said foods, having a balanced and nutritious diet could help your immune system get stronger.