Self Defence

byDaniel M Davis

A Myth-busting Guide to Immune Health

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We are surrounded by big claims for how to enhance our immunity. But the one thing the science is clear on is that everyone's immune system is entirely unique. So how do we tell the myths from the facts? And is there anything we can actually do to benefit our immune health?

World-leading immunologist Daniel M. Davis has the answers in this truly authoritative and highly accessible, myth-busting guide to the effects of stress, age, exercise, weight, nutrition, sleep and mental health on our immune health. His book equips the reader to spot the bogus claims made for diets and supplements and make informed choices about everything from nutrition and exercise regimes to cancer therapies and the vaccines of the future.

Above all Davis urges us to be wary of one-size-fits-all 'cures' and punctures some key misunderstandings. We learn how exercise, for example, has all sorts of different, even opposing, short- and long-term effects on our immune health. And while our gut microbes are vitally important, it's unlikely that yoghurt drinks are the answer. Nor will orange juice prevent that cold.

But much is now known and genuine opportunities do now exist to enhance our immune health. Self Defence is the indispensable guide to navigating these opportunities as well as some astonishing possibilities for the future.

The immune system holds the key to modern diseases and this great book from a world expert offers practical tips and dispels many myths on how best to enhance it

TIM SPECTOR, author of Food For Life and co-founder of ZOE

About Daniel M Davis

Daniel M. Davis is Head of Life Sciences and Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London. His previous books include The Beautiful Cure, which was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize, and The Secret Body, which was described variously as ‘an inspiration’ by Tim Spector, ‘beautifully rendered’ by Brian Cox and ‘masterful’ by Alice Roberts. Davis has published over 150 research papers and is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. In 2025, he was awarded an MBE for services to science communication.
Details
  • Imprint: Vintage Digital
  • ISBN: 9781529943146
  • Length: 413 minutes
  • Price: £14.00
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