Your First Line of Defense

Even before you get sick, these unsung defenders kick into action to help keep the bad germs out.

Illustration by Ruslan Safarov

Skin

God made your mild-mannered skin to be much more than a mud magnet. It’s also a force field that keeps out many a malady (that’s a fancy word for sickness). Also, your skin can singlehandedly give a knockout punch to certain germs without calling in reinforcements.

Illustration by Ruslan Safarov

Mucous

(MYOO-cus)

You probably don’t think about mucous (also called “snot”) unless you have to cough it up or blow it out your nose. But your body is always making this sticky substance in your mouth, lungs, throat, nose, and other places. It’s good because it traps the bad guys and slimes them out.

Illustration by Ruslan Safarov

Spit

God gave you spit to do plenty of things, like juicing up your mouth to prepare for chicken nuggets. But this “double agent” also contains special chemicals called enzymes (IN-zimes) that karate chop bad germs into oblivion.