Why Am I the Only One Catching Colds? Morning Chills and an Immune Alert

The concepts of upright qi and pathogenic qi in Donguibogam align closely with modern medicine's understanding of the immune system and pathogens. Our immune system is an intricate defense network that protects us from various invading pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Why do some of us feel our immunity is particularly weak? Modern neurology and endocrinology offer a clear answer to this question: chronic stress and hormonal imbalance. Chronic stress continuously activates the brain's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, increasing the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol. Although cortisol initially acts to suppress inflammatory responses and regulate immune function, prolonged secretion degrades the function of immune cells. In particular, it lowers the activity of lymphocytes such as T cells and B cells and weakens the responsiveness of natural killer cells, significantly reducing the body's ability to fight viral infections or eliminate cancer cells. Gut health also has a profound impact on immunity. Roughly 70% of our immune cells reside in the gut. An imbalance in the gut microbiome increases intestinal permeability (leaky gut syndrome), allowing toxins and inflammatory substances to enter the bloodstream, which triggers systemic chronic inflammation and can either overactivate or exhaust the immune system. Consequently, it can become a contributing cause not only for colds, but also for allergies and autoimmune diseases. Insufficient sleep is another major culprit behind decreased immunity. While we sleep, our body resets the immune system and produces proteins called cytokines that regulate inflammatory responses. Sleep deprivation interferes with this cytokine production and decreases immune cell activity, leaving us vulnerable to infections. Finally, dietary habits are critical. A diet centered on processed foods, sugar, and refined carbohydrates reduces beneficial gut bacteria, triggers inflammation, and leads to shortages of essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals, ultimately impairing normal immune cell function. Just as Donguibogam taught, modern medicine reaffirms that the body's defenses stem not only from external factors, but from internal, harmonious balance.