18. Something to Sneeze At

This article begins by explaining how millions of people believe that boosting their immune system is a a great idea. They remain convinced that products that claim to boost their immunity naturally work; however, research shows that they are simply expensive placebos. The author the goes on to explain why boosting the immune system is a bad idea. He specifically explains how the innate and acquired systems work and how boosting them would affect rather than benefit one's life. He also makes it clear how one's body reacts once it has been invaded by a virus. It is also made clear how over-the-counter alternative remedy products can't boost acquired immunity. The only way to do so is through simple vaccinations, or more complicated and rare bone marrow transplants. To conclude, the author explains how extremes are bad: too much immunity can elad to allergies, tissue damage, and even anaphylaxis, while too little immunity can be deadly. The author also gives a plausible solution by recommending the readers to keep a balanced diet, minimize stress, maintain hygiene, and sleep well. "These are interventions that have been shown to help keep your immune system at its best. These alone can "boost" your odds of staving off an infection this cold season."

Jeremy Samuel Faust, author of this article, does a great job explaining why one shouldn't want to boost their immune system by taking pills that theoretically do so. He does an exceptional job at explaining  how the immune system works. The audience should have no trouble understand both the innate and acquired systems as he gave a great explanation while including plenty of details. Throughout his article, he seemed to be arguing why people should stay away from such products. He presents reasons for it, backs them up with great support, and offers a solution at the very end which is reasonable and easily achievable. His word choice and sentences structures are simple yet compelling. I personally had no trouble understand it and the reading itself flows very nicely. Overall, I enjoyed this article and now know to stay away from products that claim to boost my immunity. 


http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2014/12/boost_your_immunity_cold_and_flu_treatments_suppress_innate_immune_system.html