Health Tip: Getting Older and Weakened Immunity

(HealthDay News) - As you age, your body often isn't able to protect you against disease as effectively as when you were younger.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists these changes to the immune system that may occur as part of the aging process:

• Decreased ability to protect against infection.

• Decreased effectiveness and duration of vaccinations.

• Increased risk of developing an autoimmune disease.

• Decreased ability to heal from wounds and other injuries.

• Decreased ability to detect and correct cell defects, which could raise the risk of certain cancers.