The Immune System Kettle

Ken Bock, M.D., in his excellent book "The Road To Immunity", has compared the immune system to a kettle. It can absorb and respond to multiple threats to our well being, but finally even the most vital immune system can reach its maximal functional level. The example of the full kettle below illustrates the types of everyday attacks to our immune system and what it must defend against.

When additional immune system challenges such as injury, severe stress, or an infection occur, the already filled kettle can no longer respond - as characterized by the overflowing kettle illustration shown here. At this point, immune system dysfunction has begun.