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Strengthening the immune system

Will your immune system become stronger if you fight off a cold without medication?

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Answer #1

Since medication doesn’t actually fight the cold at all, it shouldn’t make a difference in terms of “exercise”. But you’ll get better faster without the meds, since all those symptoms are from your body fighting the cold. The snot is from removing & replacing internal mucus lining since it’s all full of dead germs. Fever is to make an uncomfortable environment for the cold, inflamation or soreness is from blood rushing to certain areas that need it, etc. Stop the symptoms and you’re slowing down the body’s response to the cold.

Being slightly unsanitary OTOH has been shown to exercise the immune system, even if you don’t get sick. And it prevents other immune system screw-ups like allergies & asthma. That means wash your hands if they get dirty, but don’t be anal about constantly sanitizing everything, and don’t use anti-bacterial soap.

Answer #2

The thing with the flu is that it changes every year, so you never really get immunity against it. Also when you take medication (with the exception of antibiotics) you’re not really treating the flu itself but the symptoms.

But in general yes, you’re body will get better at fighting of diseases if it heals itself, but not necessarily for the flu.

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