All people experience negative emotions and stress from time to time. Stress has a powerful negative impact on the human immune system, and the extent of this impact depends on how susceptible the person is to emotions and self-control. When overcoming stress, the load on the immune system decreases, and, accordingly, the body's resistance to the effects of adverse external factors increases, i.e., the immune response increases.
The effect of stress on immunity - consequences
If a person is under constant stress or in a state of depression, this condition has a continuous impact on the immune system. As a result, there is an increased susceptibility of the body to the effects of various unfavorable factors, including infectious agents. This condition leads to the development of various serious diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular systems, metabolism, etc., or increases the risk of their occurrence. Cancer, diabetes, hypertension, bronchial asthma - this is not a complete list of such diseases.
Stress is inextricably linked with immunity
The relationship between stress and immunity, the effect of stress on immunity has been proven by many studies. There is a whole science - psychoneuroimmunology - that studies this relationship.
Stress is a certain state of the body that is a reaction to a powerful external stimulus. Factors that provoke stress are, in his opinion, life-threatening for every person. Any life situation is perceived by people differently, depending on the type of nervous system and its lability.
The body's response to stress is immediately manifested by activation of the sympathetic nervous system. It consists of maximum stimulation of all organs and systems. When stressed, an imbalance occurs in the body - this is the basis of stress. These processes require a large amount of energy, which is not infinite. Therefore, the body does not have the opportunity to be in constant stress: the parasympathetic part of the nervous system is activated, which tries to return the body to a calm, balanced state.
These compensatory actions also consume a large amount of energy resources. As a result: changes in the nervous, endocrine and immune systems - short-term or long-term, leading to consequences that worsen the general condition of the body. People exposed to stress get sick more often and suffer more severe illnesses.
After chemotherapy
Oncology therapy leads to the destruction of immune mechanisms. Aggressive droppers are able to weaken resistance on the cellular structure. The level of protection, especially in children, from simple infections is very low.
The use of interferon preparations and low molecular weight DNA-based products will help restore immunity and resume the activity of reactions after illness. Medicines are prescribed by a specialist. The use of various techniques to strengthen weak immunity is possible only after the recommendation of the attending physician.
Immunity - what is it?
To understand how stress is related to immunity, you need to remember that immunity is the body’s ability to protect itself from foreign objects and environmental factors. The meaning of immunity is to preserve the physiological norm of organs and systems. The immune system consists of two parts: central and peripheral.
The central one is the thymus and red bone marrow, the peripheral one is the spleen and lymph nodes. At the same time, cells - lymphocytes - are directly involved in ensuring the safety of the body. Some of them (T - lymphocytes) destroy microbes and damaged cells, others - B - lymphocytes are involved in the production of antibodies to a foreign protein (antigen). There are also lymphocytes that destroy tumor cells in the body (helpers).
Foreign proteins (antigens) are viruses, bacteria, some substances of plant and animal origin, and donor blood. There are a number of diseases (autoimmune) when the body forms antibodies against its own cells, which become antigens, i.e. foreign proteins, for its own body.
After a purulent sore throat
Oral infections make the mucous membranes weak. Local reactions are reduced and a relapse or a new disease can develop at any time.
To restore throat immunity you should:
- Do not consume foods or sweet drinks that irritate receptors and secretory glands;
- Rinse your mouth with healing decoctions, sea salt solution;
- Brush your teeth after every meal;
- Apply breathing exercises;
- Inhalations;
- Hardening of the throat.
Chronic stress and immunity - the mechanism of the influence of stress on immunity
The consequences of chronic stress can be not only the development of psychosomatic diseases, but also an increased risk of autoimmune and infectious processes.
This is especially true when viral diseases occur during periods of stress. There are many viruses and microorganisms that are in the body in a “dormant” state and do not manifest themselves in any way. But under stress that reduces the immune status, they are activated, causing all the signs of the disease.
The mechanism of this activity is that during stress, certain areas of the cerebral cortex are excited. Under the influence of the hypothalamic-pituitary system, the adrenal glands release stress hormones (cortisol is secreted by the brain, catecholamines by the adrenal cortex), which suppress the activity of the immune system.
A significant increase in corticosteroids in the blood leads to the death of lymphocytes (protector cells: B-, T-lymphocytes and helper cells). That is, there is a sharp decrease in lymphocytes, which are responsible for the body’s response to the introduction of a foreign factor, and the possibility of the formation of antibodies is reduced. Such changes lead to the failure to recognize and destroy a foreign protein or an undifferentiated, actively growing and multiplying cell in time, leading to the formation of a tumor. For many centuries, cancer has been called the “disease of sadness,” meaning that the oncological process occurs in many cases as a result of the effects of chronic stress on the immune system.
Yoga, meditation, breathing exercises.
This practice allows you not only to relieve stress, but also to get rid of the symptoms of unjustified anxiety and depression. Yoga helps to concentrate attention on the sensations of the human body and at the same time release accumulated internal tension outward. Let's look at the simplest exercises available to everyone:
- Balasana (child's pose); Sit on your knees, stretching your arms forward along your sides, bending towards your stomach. This is a very comfortable pose for self-soothing and relaxation. Stay in this position for up to 12 minutes and you will immediately notice positive changes.
- Waparita Karani with wall support; Lie on the floor, lift your legs up 90 degrees with support on the wall. Hands are spread to the sides. The pose forces the mind to stop constantly thinking. Thus, it promotes relaxation and detachment from stressful memories.
- Matsiasana (fish pose); Lying on the floor, arch your back, arching your chest forward. Hands along the body hold the support. Exercise provides stretching for the back and joints, which will contribute not only to relaxation, but also to health.
Meditation
Consequences of chronic stress and immunity
Stress and immunity are closely related, but the effect of stress on immunity does not always lead to the development of cancer. Any disease can develop against the background of chronic stress. A classic example: the state of “constantly having a cold.” It also refers to the effect of stress on the immune system, when it is impossible to cope with a cold for a long time, despite active treatment.
For many, even a minor disorder can lead to a sharp decrease in immunity, which results in the activation of “dormant” viruses, for example, the herpes virus, which is present in the body of almost every person. In such cases, even in the absence of a cold, herpetic “rashes” occur, most often on the lips, causing a lot of discomfort.
As a result of any stress, favorable biochemical changes occur for viruses and bacteria, which allow them to multiply unhindered.
Stress manifests itself in anxiety, anxiety, fear, which leads to suppression of the immune system even in healthy people who do not have chronic diseases. The effect of stress on the immune system can manifest itself in the development of psoriasis, dermatitis, etc. in a completely healthy person, which are difficult to treat in the future. A little stress can eventually turn into depression, which, in turn, will lead to a sharp decrease in immunity and the emergence of various somatic diseases, and over time - to the development of cancer.
Folk remedies
And if immunity is low, how to strengthen a weakened body after illness with folk remedies?
You can cope with the consequences of various ailments with the help of folk recipes. You can prepare very healthy juices, tinctures, decoctions and mixtures at home. To prepare them, you should use only natural and fresh ingredients.
If the immune system still needs to be restored and strengthened, then how to restore the immune system? This is where time-tested folk recipes will come to the rescue. Without much effort, even at home, it is possible to prepare healing juices and infusions. For such folk recipes to be effective, everything must be prepared from fresh ingredients. Below we list the most common and most effective recipes.
- You can restore immunity by starting with the use of pine and pine needles. To prepare, you need to take 3 tablespoons of needles, pour a glass of boiling water and cook for half an hour over low heat. After cooking, let the broth brew. Before taking, you can add sugar or honey. Drink 250 ml of infusion every day.
- Peel two medium onions and chop as finely as possible. Next, pour 500 ml of clean water and add a glass of sugar, mix thoroughly. Afterwards, you need to put this mixture on low heat and cook for two hours. After cooling, strain the drink through fine cheesecloth and add a couple of tablespoons of honey. Store the resulting product in a closed glass container. Take 4 times a day at equal intervals.
- To prepare this recipe, we will need a certain set of herbs, namely lemon balm, fireweed, mint, chestnut flowers. All ingredients are taken in equal proportions. Pour 50 grams of such herbs into 1.5 liters of hot water and leave for two hours. Then you can add 500 ml of cherry or strawberry broth and mix thoroughly. This product should be consumed 500 ml per day. The dose can be divided into several doses.
- To prepare not only a healthy, but also a very tasty drink, we need 1 medium apple. You need to cut out the center of the apple and cut it into medium pieces. Next, add 1 glass of water to the apple and boil for 15 minutes. After removing from the stove, honey, lemon or orange zest, and 100 ml of ready-made black tea are added to the broth. You can drink this decoction an unlimited number of times.
- For the next recipe we need 200 grams of walnuts, dried apricots, raisins and honey. All ingredients should be thoroughly mixed and passed through a meat grinder. Then add freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix again. Pour the medicine into a convenient container and store in a cool place. Eat 1 spoon daily on an empty stomach.
- Don't forget about ginger. To prepare, you need to add 1 large chopped lemon and a handful of frozen berries to 250 grams of chopped ginger root. Mix all ingredients and let brew for 2-3 days. Take 1-2 tablespoons every two days.
All of the recipes listed are well suited for a crash course in raising the protective properties of the immune system. But do not forget that if the body is severely weakened, self-medication is quite dangerous. If possible, you should contact a qualified specialist to prescribe a course of treatment and recovery.
How can you restore immunity at home - medicinal herbs, fruits, honey mixtures.
