The Immune Response To StressYour Immune Response is the response your body gives when it detects a foreign contaminant. How does this system work? How does being overloaded with stress weaken my immune system? Stress is part of our daily life. But, what we tend to ignore is that stress can have a impact on our health. Our immunity is crucial for life today. Immune CellsThere are many types of immune cells that have different functions they perform to aid you. The common goal for each immune cell is to fight for your immune system against harmful pathogens. Pathogens are germs that invade the body causing illnesses or disease.Every day we are at risk for a pathogen invasion. This is because every day we are confronted with circumstances that expose us to harmful substances that could compromise our immune defenses. Our environment has toxins, pollutants, chemicals, and allergens that expose our bodies to germs, viruses, and other threats. Another threat is other people. These people we come into contact with every day have their own infections, viruses, illness, and diseases that can be passed on to us. Then lastly the food we take in has chemicals, hormones, additives, and pesticides. All of this is not natural to the human body. These are contaminants. All of these threats can cause damage to our immune response, and to our immune system, and therefore our health. The many immune cells that perform in behalf of our health are; 1. Lymphocytes (or the t-cells). These cells create a defense against the pathogens. 2. Polymorphonucular cells (or white blood cells). These large cells have the task of swallowing pathogens. 3. B-cell lymphocytes. These cells classify the pathogens, then mark them for the T-cells or lymphocytes to spot. 4. Helper T-cells. These cells communicate with the Killer T-cells, telling them to destroy the pathogen. 5. Killer T-cells. These simply destroy the pathogen. 6. Suppressor T-cells. These cells are responsible for turning off the immune response once the threat has passed. Your immune cells become active when a pathogen enters the blood stream. Each of these cells perform their function, as part of the immune response, eliminating the pathogen from your body so that you stay healthy . What happens when you have a weakened immune system because of stress? How does stress weaken the immune system? Chronic stressChronic stress can make your body stay in what is called the fight or flight response.Fight or Flight Response click here for full description.
During this response your body naturally releases stress hormones such as cortisol, and adrenaline(or epinephrine), to deal with the new demands of the stressor. This flight or fight mechanism is beneficial, but only if it is temporary. Your body needs to have a correct balance of these hormones to function well. Under chronic stress as mentioned the body remains in this state. Resulting in the hormones being continuously released, so the hormones begin to do damage to your body and your immune cells. Stress HormonesWhen stress hormones are produced in unbalanced levels it weakens your body's immune defenses, and the immune response. The two stress hormones that do the most damage are cortisol, and adrenaline.Cortisol limits your body's ability to produce the antibodies needed to fight off pathogens.It suppresses the T-cells or lymphocytes allowing pathogens to proceed quickly. Elevated levels of cortisol also damage the part of your body that produce immune cells. These parts are the spleen, lymph nodes, and the thymus gland. Adrenaline or(epinephrine) has a suppressive effect on the immune system. Stress hormones lower the Killer T-cell count, and your white blood cell count. These stress hormones build up attaching themselves to your immune cells, causing them to become inhibited. For your immune system to work properly every cell has a task, no one cell can take care of every type of pathogen invasion. If one part of your immune response is impaired the entire system will not work properly.
How does stress affect health?
We can see here that chronic stress can have a serious impact on your immune response, therefore leaving you with an impaired immune system. Sometimes we take for granted the large role our sophisticated immune system plays in keeping us healthy. There are many options you have now to boost your immune system. Even options to promote cellular health.
Contact Us Remember there are ways for you to deal with stress. The following list of links contains various tested techniques for you. Stress Management Techniques techniques to do while at work or anywhere.Dietary Habits we know diet is a bad word. But click here to see how to benefit yourself.
Physical Activity With these positive management steps you take, you are not only managing stress, but you are boosting your immune system as well. Click here immune response to return to the immune system.
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