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Chronic sickness from chronic stress?
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A lot of things can cause stress, work, family, relationships or financial problems and stress can be harmful to your health and wellbeing.
If you are acquainted with stress, you may also be familiar with stress signs like high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and hyperventilation.
Stress can affect the functions of the body and over time can damage the immune system.
What is ‘stress’?
Hans Selye describes stress as the natural response of the body toward stressors. Selye terms the collections of responses general adaptation syndrome (GAS) which composes of 3 predictable stages the body uses to respond to stressors, namely, the alarm stage, the resistance stage and the exhaustion stage.
The alarm stage is the preliminary reaction to stress, thus, it prepares us for the fight-or-flight response. This stage does not usually last long.
The second stage, resistance stage, the body attempts to resist or adapt to the stressor. This stage tends to last longer. During the resistance stage, the body produces hormones that improve stress response but if the stress is stretched over a long period, the body will become weak and more susceptible to development of diseases.
In final phase, the body has depleted resources following its attempt to repair itself hence the name exhaustion stage. This is when our immune system gets damaged.
Impact of stress on the immune system
Research has showed that a brief moment of stress can actually boost the immune system function for 2-3 minutes. But being in a prolonged stressful situation can lock the body in the resistance stage or even bring it into the exhaustion stage, and weaken the immune system.
Stress hormones released when you have chronic stress would intervene the immune system by removing or even destroying guard cells from the system.
High level of stress hormones during these stages nullifies the responses of the immune system. Thus, prolonging your stressful situation would only worsen your immune system. Research has also revealed that people suffering from exhaustion…
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Prepare your body
Vitamin B complex – vitamin B 5 is essential to the adrenal glands functions which control all internal functions of the body when under stress. Vitamin B5 is used in combination with other vitamin Bs to help the body fight stress.
Vitamin C help enhances the immune system especially when stress hormones are high.
Panax ginseng, an herb traditionally used in times of stress, is believed to improve the adrenal glands and other functions of the body.
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Changing your lifestyle can reduce stress.
• Take a deep breath – concentrating on taking deep breaths will calm and relax you
• Practice meditation – 5 minutes of meditation can reduce stress.
• Exercise – exercise provokes the release of endorphins, our natural happy hormone and burns stress hormones.
• Choose the right food – healthy nutrition will ensure sufficient supply of vitamins and minerals which does not only reduce stress but improves your health.
• Enjoy a massage – a relaxing massage can relax the body and reduce stress.
Vitamin B supplement with a combination of potassium, magnesium and zinc can refresh and relax the body and recharge your energy that will put you back on track.
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