How stress affects the immune system. What diseases are caused by stress and how does the shock affect the immune system? By Science Slam participant

The mechanism of the influence of psychological aspects on immunity has not yet been fully understood, however, now this fact is indisputable. We have all heard about psychosomatics: the dependence of somatic (bodily) diseases on psychoemotional factors. Stress and distress have a very strong effect on immunity, and the more we experience, the more clearly this is manifested by the reactions of the body. Surely everyone had an episode in life when appetite disappeared from the nerves, the skin and its derivatives (hair, nails) deteriorated. All this does not pass without a trace: immunity worsens, which means that it becomes easier to get sick during this period.

Decreased immunity under stress

Why does immunity decrease? Some viruses live in the body for years without showing their presence. But as soon as the level of immunity falls, they immediately make themselves felt. The body under stress releases the adrenal hormone cortisol, which suppresses the immune system's response to viral stimuli. Stress and immunity are incompatible, as the cardiovascular, immune systems, and metabolism are affected. A multiple increase in the level of corticosteroids leads to the death of lymphocytes - the cells that protect our body. Such a biochemical ratio of hormones can even lead to oncology, because the body is unable to recognize incipient tumors. It's not for nothing that cancer is called the "disease of sadness."

Factors that reduce human immunity:

• poor level of ecology, toxic effects of the environment or production;
• excessive use of antibiotics and immunomodulators;
• depression, stress;
• unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, drinking alcohol);
• lack of physical activity;
• lack of sleep, lack of sleep.

If you are tortured by endless allergies or colds, a constant feeling of fatigue, old diseases have worsened, this means that the body's protective function is malfunctioning. Despite the fact that this phenomenon is very difficult to eliminate, it is still within your power to do it. How to fight if stress kills the immune system?

Dealing with negative irritants

Even if you are under extreme stress, immunity can be maintained. Negative situations cannot be avoided. But you can at least try to tune yourself in a positive way. The general rules are as follows:

• Dealing with negative stressors The less you know the better you sleep... Avoid watching the news in the evenings and reading news sites. It does not have any influence on your daily life, while it makes you nervous. The falling ruble exchange rate is important, but much more important is your emotional well-being, which accumulates unnecessary negative information like a snowball. The media tends to exaggerate reality by trying to agitate the minds of readers with emotions. Take it easy and just live.
• Assess your strengths adequately... Don't try to move mountains if you don't feel like it right now. Some things happen in life despite our attempts to influence them. If emotions accumulate, and the situation cannot be changed, find a way out for this in creativity, physical exercise. In any case, you will not lose, because in order to "get over" the situation, you need to go through it, and not try to lock yourself in.
• Replenish Energy Regularly... You can walk in the park, meditate, listen to music, or watch your favorite TV shows. And of course, get more sleep.
• Find What Is Taking Your Energy... These can be factors that reduce immunity. Are there situations after which you feel like a squeezed lemon? Try to limit their presence in your life.
• Tell yourself stop... Stop and just look around for a couple of minutes. If you feel that you are boiling and are about to break off, count to ten. Surprisingly, it helps.

When to start seasonal flu prophylaxis? Read on for details.

How to help the body during this period?

It is important not only to exclude factors of overwork and negative emotions. Stress lowers immunity, which means you need to strengthen it in all ways.

• Drink vitamin C... Ascorbic acid is a natural antiviral drug that is found in many medicines and foods that can be eaten every day. Taking it daily for a month, you will increase the body's resistance effortlessly.
• daily walking is a health promotion and maintenance method to combat stress Temper... It is better to do this in the summer, pouring cold water on the street. But it is possible in winter, using the so-called contrast shower. So your body will be ready for cold temperatures, in addition, such a shower is an excellent prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
• Be outdoors more often... Stress lowers immunity, and daily walking is not only a great way to unwind, but also a method of promoting and maintaining health.
• Eat healthy... Why does immunity decrease in women? Girls often sit on unbalanced diets, and this deals a devastating blow to the immune system.
• Drink "Forcis"... Natural drugs that do not make the immune system activate, but perform only a protective function, will help you survive a period of unrest and not get sick at the same time. Cistus and vitamin C act as natural antiviral agents, with which not a single viral disease will ruin your everyday life, and the original taste of the tablets will brighten your mood.

8 easy ways to boost your immune system

Today, March 1, is World Immunity Day - which is no coincidence, because it is the beginning of spring that is the time to think about the immune system and strengthen it in all possible ways.

Since 2002, at the initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO), March 1 is celebrated as World Immunity Day, the purpose of which is to remind about the problems associated with various immune diseases, as well as with the preservation and strengthening of immunity.

Immunity is the body's ability to resist, the immune system neutralizes foreign cells, various infections and viruses, and then destroys them.

The human immunity system depends half on heredity, since it begins to form in the womb, and 50% on the way of life. The three whales that support human immunity are healthy sleep, exercise and balanced nutrition. Usually, a person thinks about the role and possibilities of maintaining immunity only during a severe cold, while it itself is a consequence of immune deficiency.

It is possible to restore and maintain immunity with the help of special immuno-strengthening agents, but there are many additional ways to strengthen the body.

Horseradish, shrimp and bay leaf

It is nutrition that is the key to protection against viruses and diseases and the most important factor contributing to the improvement of the body's defenses. Nutrition should be as rational as possible in quantitative and qualitative terms. Protein of animal and vegetable origin should be present in your menu. Animal proteins are found in meat, fish, eggs and milk, and vegetable proteins are found in peas, beans, buckwheat and oatmeal. Beef liver and seafood - shrimp, mussels, squid have a beneficial effect on the activity of the immune system.

Spices support immunity well - ginger, barberry, cloves, coriander, cinnamon, basil, cardamom, turmeric, bay leaf and - horseradish.

To strengthen the immune system, vitamins and minerals are needed. Their deficiency can be replenished with the help of multivitamin complexes, but in general it is better to get vitamins and minerals naturally.

Of the microelements, zinc and selenium have a positive effect on the immune system. Zinc is found in fish, meat, liver, nuts, beans and peas. Selenium should be "extracted" from fish, seafood, and garlic.

Minerals - iron, copper, magnesium and zinc - are found in the liver, kidneys, heart, nuts, legumes, and chocolate.

Smoking and alcohol not only undermine, but kill the immune system. But if with tobacco everything is simple and unambiguous - you need to quit smoking and avoid tobacco smoke, then with alcohol - a different situation. Dry red wine is useful for immunity, but the maximum allowable daily dose is 50-100 grams.

It is necessary to prepare for any outbreak in advance, strengthening primarily non-specific protection. Everyone knows about such a method as hardening, but most are sure that hardening is accustoming to the cold, for example, walking on the snow in shorts. But in fact, the essence of hardening is in training the mucous membranes to quickly respond to a sharp change in temperature.

Pouring should be done daily - for 5-7 minutes a day, in the morning or in the evening. This procedure is especially good for children.

Calm and only calm!

Stress is one of the main enemies of immunity. The most dangerous is uncontrollable stress when a person is unable to cope with their emotions. There is only one recipe for getting rid of mental shocks: to form a calm attitude towards everything, no matter what happens, and more often to remind yourself that if you cannot change the situation, take it for granted.

If you have to sometimes experience stress, then compensate for it with laughter! Laughter affects the body in the same way as moderate exercise: it lowers blood pressure, relieves stress and strengthens the immune system. In addition, laughter improves appetite, lowers cholesterol, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

It is believed that cats increase the immunity of their owners, protect them from heart disease, and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. The body temperature of a cat is 38-39 degrees, and if a person gets sick with a cold, then a purring cat, laying down next to it, warms up the body and, as a result, helps to cope with colds and increases its owner's resistance to stress.

Since ancient times, cats have become the most popular and beloved pets. Love for them turned out to be so great that a special holiday was established for pets - World Day of cats, which is celebrated on the first day of spring, March 1.

Folk remedies for immunity

If you often suffer from colds and acute respiratory viral infections, try to strengthen the body with Kalanchoe juice. Tincture recipe >>

Tempering will help to strengthen the body's strength. The easiest way is to take a small foam rubber mat, moisten it with cold infusion of plants that increase immunity, and stand on it barefoot. Read more about this hardening method >>

Nutritional yeast has a good immunostimulating effect, which is especially recommended for children. They should be taken within a month (at least 50 grams per week), diluting a small part in boiled water without sugar.

Of the plant substances with a pronounced immunostimulating effect, it is worth paying attention to the infusions of Eleutherococcus, ginseng and Chinese magnolia vine.

Stress and Immunity: What's the Connection?

Based on information in medical sources, immunity should be understood as the body's defense system, which ensures the prevention of the negative effects of unfavorable environmental factors. The immune system now and then undergoes changes for one reason or another.

This, in turn, leads to frequent illnesses and a deterioration in general well-being. One of the provoking factors is regular nervous tension, because it has long been proven that stress reduces immunity.

What is stress?

Stress is a characteristic state of the human body that develops in response to powerful external stimuli. Recently, there has been a steady increase in the amount of stress that a modern person has to cope with on a regular basis.

It should be borne in mind that all people have a distinctive perception of the same situations. In this regard, one and the same phenomenon can be perceived by one person as a strong emotional shock, and in the case of another, it will be completely neglected.

This difference became at one time the impetus for dividing people into two categories, represented by optimists and pessimists. For the former, any stressful situation seems to be nothing more than another obstacle that needs to be overcome.

But pessimists often greatly exaggerate the importance of what is happening to them. In connection with this perception, even the smallest problems can turn out to be insurmountable obstacles and the cause of the development of a depressive state.

The fact that a person is in a state of stress may be evidenced by characteristic symptoms, represented by:

• constant irritation, depression;
• disturbances in normal sleep patterns;
• depression, physical weakness, headaches and fatigue;
• decreased concentration of attention;
• the inability to achieve complete relaxation;
• loss of interest in everything that is happening around;
• decreased appetite.

Considering the main manifestations of stress, it becomes obvious how harmful stress affects the immune system.

Impact of stress on immunity

According to the latest claims of scientists, chronic stress can rightfully be attributed to the category of the worst enemies of the body's defenses. Immunity is greatly reduced if a person is regularly faced with stressful situations.

Stress weakens the immune system, and its mechanism of action can be easily explained. So, in stressful situations, under the influence of impulses of the nervous system, the production of specific hormones is activated, which in turn help to reduce the "population" of lymphocytes that perform protective functions in the body.

Against the background of such unfavorable changes, there is a decrease in the body's resistance to various kinds of infectious and viral diseases. Stress lowers immunity, as a result of which a person begins to get sick more often.

As recent medical studies show, a decrease in immunity against a background of stress is fraught with the development of oncological diseases. This is due to a deterioration in the response to emerging cancer cells, which more and more often go unnoticed by protective forces.

In this regard, another name was invented to denote cancer ailments in the medical field. So, such pathologies are often called "diseases of sorrow."

Very often, even minor nervous shocks lead to serious pathologies in the future. It remains only to imagine what effect the strongest stress can have on the immune system. Immunity also deteriorates significantly against the background of protracted depression, which is regularly encountered by people who do not cope well with stressful situations. In this case, a person runs the risk of becoming seriously ill with the subsequent chronization of the pathological process.

Methods for dealing with stress and boosting immunity

Special dietary supplements, which are presented in abundance on iHerb, will help to cope with the negative impact of stress on the immune system. These funds are developed by leading American specialists and their effect is proven by clinical studies.

A hit among such nutritional supplements are products based on a mixture of mushrooms, which effectively restore and stimulate the immune system. It is the mushrooms that are the source of a special type of polysaccharides that resist atypical viruses, bacteria and microorganisms, activating the natural functioning of the immune system. In addition, the mixture of mushrooms affects the number of macrophages, which are the main immune defense cells. The preparations of the well-known Now Foods trademark are especially effective:

Supplements are also effective:

It should not be forgotten that the child is also exposed to stress. Kindergarten, school, moving and much more can serve as an excuse. Therefore, children from two years old can be given a pleasant black elderberry syrup for children, Sambucol (120 ml). This supplement is specially formulated taking into account the characteristics of the child's body and is completely safe. Its positive effect has been proven by independent clinical studies.

Stress and decreased immunity are often interrelated phenomena. In this case, the only way to strengthen the body's defenses is to eliminate stress from everyday life.

For these purposes, you should use some recommendations:

• it is necessary to spend more time in the fresh air, to play sports, giving preference to water procedures;
• an important role in the treatment of stress should be assigned to herbal medicine, which involves the elimination of manifestations of nervous overstrain by taking sedatives on a natural basis;
• you need to responsibly approach the distribution of the available time in such a way that sufficient rest is ensured;
• the body must be filled with vitamins and minerals.

Stress kills the immune system, but it is up to the person himself to fix it. Look at what is happening around you with different eyes and let the disease pass you by!

In this article, you will learn:

• What is the immune system.
• What is the importance of immunity for health.
• How to strengthen the immune system.

The human immune system is very sensitive to all the changes that are taking place in the modern world. The constantly deteriorating environmental situation, stress and stress experienced by many people, unhealthy diet - all this reduces human immunity. The consequence of this is an increase in the number of people suffering from allergies, autoimmune diseases, and also experiencing immunodeficiency.

Many factors contribute to the rapid spread of infections among people with weak immunity, but the main one is poor ecology. Often, infections may not appear immediately, but after several years. However, all the years that the infection did not declare itself, it still caused great harm to the body. Therefore, each person should know how to strengthen the immune system, and apply the recommendations below in practice.

What is the immune system of the human body

A person who is often sick is told that they have a weak immune system. But what immunity is, and what its main task is, few people know. So, the main task of the immune system is the timely recognition of foreign cells and their subsequent destruction.

And in order for the body to quickly react to the factors that lead to diseases in the future, an immunological memory is formed. As soon as foreign microorganisms enter the body, the immune system begins to show its protective functions.

To enter the body, pathogenic microbes and viruses need to overcome the defense line that the immune system builds. Its first line is the skin and mucous membrane, of course, if they function normally. The sebaceous and sweat glands of the human body secrete substances that have a detrimental effect on viruses.

Another barrier that prevents the entry of pathogens is stomach acid. The last line of defense against disease-causing microbes is the lymph node system. When pathogenic bacteria enter them, an inflammatory process occurs. Its reason is that leukocytes are trying to destroy microbes, preventing them from spreading through tissues and internal organs.

The immune system is the organs, tissues and cells that provide protection for the body in the event that pathogens enter it. The bone marrow and thymus (thymus gland) are central organs where immune cells form and mature. Ripe immune cells function in the spleen, lymph nodes, the mucous membrane of the small intestine, tonsils and some other organs. The main cells that support human immunity are lymphocytes. They are the main "killers" of pathogenic microbes and viruses.

Thus, the human body has a powerful defense system, the name of which is the immune system, and any disease is a failure that has occurred in it.

How important is immunity for health?

The importance of immunity for human health can hardly be overestimated. Weakened immunity significantly lowers the body's resistance to many diseases. The body's powerful defense system, which prevents the penetration of viruses and pathogenic microbes, collapses, causing frequent colds and other diseases. People cannot resist the flu, arthritis, polio, cancer and many other diseases.

Signs of a weak immune system.

Certain symptoms and signs can indicate that the immune system is not in order, sometimes they are almost invisible, for example:

• You experience constant fatigue, even in the morning when you have slept, and there seem to be no symptoms of any disease.
• You have insomnia that is not caused by stress or medication.
• You feel pain in the muscles, although you have not engaged in intense physical labor.
• You have swollen lymph nodes, although there are no visible symptoms of an infectious disease.
• You have noticed that intense hair loss occurs, it becomes brittle and dry.
• Your gums have begun to bleed, although there are no obvious signs of periodontal disease.
• Immunity disorders may be indicated by problems with the eyes, stomach, poor appetite, swollen legs.

Sometimes these ailments seem like a trifle, but they can indicate problems with the immune system.

Any deviation of the body from normal functioning can cause complications. For example, depression, which is often associated with a chemical imbalance in the brain, releases highly active chemicals into the bloodstream that weaken the immune system. Emotions such as hatred and anger can provoke a heart attack, because in this case, active chemicals are also produced. In short, in order not to have health problems, you need to have a strong immune system.

How to strengthen immunity

Now let's dwell on the main ways to strengthen the immune system that should be used to prevent diseases:

1. A balanced and varied diet contributes to an increase in immunity. Do not forget that a number of products help to strengthen it. Therefore, let your diet include fermented milk products, fish, seafood, olive oil, cereals. For vegetables, choose carrots, pumpkins, squash, citrus fruits, bell peppers, corn, eggplant, and fresh herbs.

Eat as often as possible, but little by little, and do not eat later than 8 pm. Dark chocolate, cocoa, nuts, and dried fruits will also help boost your immune system. Consumption of coffee and, especially, alcoholic beverages should be minimized; rosehip infusion and various herbal teas will be more useful for immunity. Multivitamin complexes should not be neglected.

2. Avoiding chronic sleep deprivation will not add to your health. This is especially true in the winter season, when, due to a lack of sunlight, there is a seasonal decrease in immunity. Try to sleep at least 8 hours a day, and before going to bed, do not forget to ventilate the room, as well as close the curtains tightly, because it is also important that the sleep is sound.

3. Be physically active, as it is unlikely that you will be able to restore immunity without getting off the couch. You can sign up for a fitness club or swimming pool, jog, exercise at home on simulators, the main thing is to correctly calculate the load.

4. Be outdoors more often, regardless of the season. Even when it is damp and windy outside, you can go out into the fresh air for a while, after dressing well. As a last resort, open the window to let oxygen enter the room. On weekends, be sure to make time for walks, it will be just great if you can get out into nature, away from the noisy and dirty city.

The term "psychoimmunology" was coined in 1964 by George Solomon to denote the relationship between emotions, immunity, and disease. Robert Adler of the University of Rochester in 1975 expanded this concept, and now doctors use the term "psychoneuroimmunology", which more reveals the meaning of the mutual influence of mental state and physical health.

In recent years, this direction has been developing rapidly, and even non-professionals should be aware of the main discoveries.

What is this immunity anyway?

Let me briefly remind you that immunity is the body's ability to defend itself from foreign objects. The biological meaning of immunity is to preserve the genetic integrity of the organism. The so-called immune system consists of its central part: the red bone marrow and thymus - and the peripheral part: the spleen and lymph nodes.

You may have noticed that when your boil matures, nearby lymph nodes increase in size. This is because they build up strength to protect you. It is not surprising that doctors pay so much attention to lymph nodes when they feel them during a physical examination.

Special cells - lymphocytes - play an important role in the body's immune response. At the cellular level, T-lymphocytes work (they mainly destroy and break down damaged cells), and the humoral response (the production of antibodies in the blood) is provided by B-lymphocytes. There are many other protective cells, especially "cool" of them are called "natural killers", they are able to effectively target tumor cells.

How do psychological factors affect the immune system?

Most often, this influence is carried out through the endocrine system. Increased nervous tension leads to the release of catecholamines and cortisol, which ultimately reduces the activity of the immune system.

By the way, doctors use synthetic analogs of catecholamines and cortisol to treat allergic reactions and so-called autoimmune diseases (when the immune system seems to "go crazy" and attacks its own cells).

And other mechanisms of the influence of the human psyche on the immune system remain to be studied. So, for example, it is still not clear why a person who looks at a wallpaper with a picture of strawberries has a severe allergic reaction, as if he actually ate a certain amount of these berries (we are, of course, talking about a person who has previously allergic reactions to strawberries were noted).

Acute and Chronic Stress Suppresses Immunity

The easiest way to study the effect of stress on the body was to study on medical students, since they, like any students, experience exam stress at regular intervals and are very responsible for biomedical research.

Thus, the immune response was tested during three-fold vaccination against hepatitis B. The development of antibodies to hepatitis B occurred only in those students who did not experience exam stress. Those who experienced even moderate anxiety did not produce the required immune response. That is, vaccination was useless for them. And mind you, we are talking about perfectly healthy young people. And the stress was not the strongest.

The same was observed regarding the healing of superficial wounds during examinations. The process went on average 40% slower than during the summer holidays.

Not only exams, but other seemingly ordinary things can suppress your immunity. A fairly common example of chronic stress occurs in family caregivers. God forbid you to have an Alzheimer's patient in your family. Here, your defenses will definitely be depleted, and everything that the restless students experienced during the session will manifest with special force in you.

Other typical stresses are excessive workload, living near a nuclear power plant (who knows when it will explode?), Unemployment, etc. In general, one month of chronic stress is enough for the body to give up even with a banal viral infection. Even the "cool" "natural killers" are weakened by obsessive thoughts.

Are there any positive aspects in all this?

Of course, not everything is so terrible and hopeless. Anger, and especially chronic anger, is known to be damaging to your immune system. By hating your opponent or abuser, you burn your own defensive resources. But if you learn to “forgive your enemies”, your immune cells will also forgive you and will serve you faithfully in the future.

Of course, stressful situations are inevitable. However, the support of your friends and loved ones will allow you to maintain your immune system at a sufficient level. Even AIDS patients live almost twice as long if they do not lock themselves at home, but actively participate in social life.

Simple conclusions from complex science for the average person

I will not give you idiotic advice: “Please don’t worry!”. People are people for that, to experience emotions. Just hack into your nose that at least you shouldn't get vaccinated during a period of emotional stress - waste your time and money.

For example, people often get sick with tick-borne encephalitis and are surprised: “How is that? I was vaccinated! " They were vaccinated, but the immune response might not have formed due to the state of your psyche.

So, firstly, put in order your relationships with others, and secondly, set reasonable goals for yourself and achieve them, getting positive emotions. Your immune system will appreciate all this and will not let you down in difficult times.

Sergey Bogolepov

Photo istockphoto.com

When health problems arise, we blame our immunity. Weak, not protected. The question arises of strengthening it, and for this we improve nutrition, take vitamins, try to stay in the fresh air more, and increase physical activity. All of this is correct. But how does stress, type of character, attitude to life situations affect the body's resistance to disease? Why are some people so lucky that they go through life easily and without serious illnesses? Is immunity dependent on stress?

Stress and immunity

Immunity is the natural strength of our body to resist bacteria, viruses, fungi, microbes that surround us, and other harmful environmental factors. It is a gift from nature that enables us to live. The body's ability to resist disease is influenced by many factors: heredity, lifestyle, nutrition, personality type, character, etc. But today I want to talk about the relationship between the nervous and immune systems.

If we talk about the influence of stressful situations on immunity, then the familiar phrase "all diseases from the nerves" is the best fit here. Not only a person's own observations, but also the results of numerous studies indicate a close relationship between the immune and nervous systems. The science that studies this connection is called psychoneuroimmunology.

The immune system consists of the central (thymus and red bone marrow) and peripheral (spleen and lymph nodes). The immune cells produced by these organs - lymphocytes, according to their functional characteristics, are divided into three types:

B - cells that recognize foreign structures (antigens) and produce antibodies against them.

T - cells perform a regulatory function: T-helpers - stimulate the production of antibodies, T-suppressors - inhibit it.

NK - killer cells control the quality of body cells. At the same time, they are able to destroy those of them that differ from the norm, for example, cancerous, aged or damaged.

Simply put, the "leadership" of immunity is divided by function as follows:

Detection of foreign cells by scout lymphocytes

Familiarization with them on the principle of "friend or foe"

Attack and destruction of "outsiders"

Memorizing information about foreign cells and transferring it to the next generation, that is, the development of immunity

How stress affects the immune system

Short-term stress

Short-term stress quickly mobilizes all body systems to protect its external factors. At this moment, the work of all systems is stimulated, including the nervous one. Depending on the nature of stress, in this case, it can have not only a negative effect, but also a positive one. Take sports (not excessive) or a contrast shower, for example. After all, this is also stress for the body. But we get a positive result.

Chronic stress

Unfortunately, many people are under stress almost all the time. At one time, he entered their life and settled forever, that is, he became chronic. Most likely it depends on the type of person's personality, his pessimistic attitude, but it happens that a series of troubles, disorder, unhappy personal life, etc. do not allow him to relax, shake up and "heal in a new way." Strong life shocks: loss of loved ones, divorce, illness also permanently incapacitate a person and immerse him in a stressful "well". This kind of stress is very harmful to human life and health. It destroys it both physically and psychologically.

How does stress affect immunity?

A stressful situation acts as a powerful stimulus. The sympathetic part of the nervous system is activated and puts all organs and systems on alert. This takes a huge amount of energy.

But it is impossible to be constantly in such a tense state, and the parasympathetic part of the nervous system turns on, which tries to return the body to a state of rest.

As a result of these actions, our body expends a lot of energy, which leads to adverse changes in the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. The general condition of a person worsens, and his resistance to disease, that is, immunity, also weakens. But strong immunity is not only resistance to colds (as we often think), it is protection against all diseases, including cancer.

During stress, there is a strong excitement of some parts of the cerebral cortex and the release of a significant amount of stress hormones by the adrenal glands, which leads to the death of lymphocytes, the cells that protect us from all attacks from the external environment. The body lacks the ability to recognize and destroy in time a foreign protein or an abnormally growing cell leading to a tumor. Indeed, for many centuries, cancer was called the "disease of sadness", which indicated the development of a tumor process in an organism under stress.

Of course, not all stress leads (to happiness) to cancer, but one thing is clear: living in tension, in a depressed mood weakens our body. It becomes difficult for him to resist even "dormant" viruses in our body. Hence the frequent rashes of herpes, chronic rhinitis, dermatitis, psoriasis, allergic reactions, etc.

Therefore, no matter how trite it may sound, you must definitely monitor your immunity. In my article I wrote earlier. In this article, I will focus on dealing with stress, since it is very important for good immunity to get out of depression, depression and psychological stress.

Rules to help you overcome stress

• A healthy lifestyle, competent alternation of work and rest, reasonable physical activity. Exercise not only strengthens the muscles, but also helps to distract from unpleasant thoughts, which is important during a stressful situation. If you don't want to go in for sports, then just walk in the fresh air.
• A good full sleep, the ability to relax. Sleep should be at least 8 hours. Don't sleep in the stuffy!
• Fostering a positive outlook on life, an adequate response to current life situations, many of which are not even worth a damn.
• No matter how hard it is for you, do not feel sorry for yourself! Self-pity depresses your inner strength and makes it impossible to get out of lingering stress.
• Try to switch to your favorite hobbies, to help loved ones or even not close people who need it.
• Good nutrition. Be sure to make sure that your food is rich in B vitamins - essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system. In addition, the menu should always contain greens, vegetables and fruits - sources of ascorbic acid, as well as vitamins A and E.
• Vitamin A is involved in the construction of new cells and slows down the aging process. Essential for maintaining the immune system, protects the body from free radicals.
• improves the absorption of vitamin A, is the strongest antioxidant, has a positive effect on the activity of the nervous system.
• Of the trace elements, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron are required
• Your food must contain protein, otherwise you will feel fatigue and fatigue, already characteristic of a stressful state.
• Limit your intake of fast carbohydrates, that is, sweets. Carbohydrates are necessary for the nervous system, but these should be slow carbohydrates (buckwheat and oatmeal, pasta, grain bread, bananas, honey, etc.), not sugar, candies and other sweets.
• Eat more carrots! Carotene in its composition stimulates the formation of lymphocytes.
• Give up bad habits - smoking and alcohol. They will not help you get rid of stress; their effect is short-lived and deceiving.
• Drink healthy teas from rose hips, wild berries, chamomile, nettle, motherwort. Replace black tea with green tea.
• You may need the help of a specialist: a psychotherapist or psychologist. Don't give up on it. It's much better than living under constant stress. Health to you!

Stress is a response, a defensive reaction of the body to the adverse effects of environmental stimuli or a certain stressful stimulus. The activation of the stress state occurs due to the response of the sympathetic nervous system, which prompts all systems of the body to respond in the form of a fight or flight.

A living organism cannot be in a stressful state for a long time due to limited energy reserves, therefore, the opposite, in effect, parasympathetic unequal system tries to bring the body into a calm, balanced state - a state of homeostasis, as soon as possible.

The term "stress" in medicine and biology appeared relatively recently, Walter Canon, in 1926, applied this definition to designate external factors that disturb the balance of homeostasis, stimulating the human body to two possible reactions: to fight a stress factor or to escape from it, which is also is considered as a kind of protection. Canon is not the author of the term - it was widely used much earlier in physics as a concept characterizing the internal distribution of the force acting on a physical body, which leads to its deformation, that is, stress.

For a general understanding, the nervous, endocrine and immune systems of a living organism undergo a similar "deformation" under the influence of stress factors. The response of these systems causes a number of physiological changes that have both short-term and long-term consequences for the general state of the body.

Physiology of stress

Disruption of the body's internal balance - homeostasis - is the central concept of stress. In biology, most biochemical processes tend to the ideal state of balance, which, in fact, is the pursuit of a difficultly attainable goal. Environmental factors, internal or external stimuli, constantly disrupt homeostasis, in one direction or another, which is called life.

Causes that cause biological processes to shift too far from the central homeostatic point lead to stress. Often such reasons are serious physical injuries, prolonged starvation, chronic exposure to harmful psychogenic factors, and so on. The compensatory forces of the body, being in a constant struggle against such causes, consume a large amount of energy and resources, which, most of all, manifests itself precisely on the nervous, immune and endocrine systems.

The central nervous system plays the most important role in regulating homeostasis and striving to get out of a stressful state, which, in fact, determines whether an external or internal factor belongs to the stress category. With the help of the sympathetic and parasympathetic trunks, in conjunction with the endocrine system, physiological reactions occur, aimed at "saving" the body and its adaptation to the changed conditions of existence.

• The brain is the main instrument for regulating homeostasis. Its individual sections are responsible for one or another type of activity in a stressful situation.
• The hypothalamus is a small area of ​​the brain located between the thalamus and the brainstem. The hypothalamus is a connecting link between the central nervous and endocrine systems, secreting several hormones that stimulate the activity of the lower secretory systems. One of these hormones is corticoliberin, which initiates, to a large extent, the body's responses to stress factors.
• The cerebellar tonsils are paired formations located deep in the medial temporal lobes of the brain, which are part of the limbic system. The role of the cerebellar tonsils is to organize the response feelings of anxiety and fear that arise at the time of a stressful state.
• The hippocampus is a paired organ located next to the cerebellar tonsils, slightly below each of them. The role of the hippocampus is to store information from virtually all areas of the brain. During stress, thanks to this information, there is an understanding of stress factors and their perception as stimuli for the development of a subsequent stressful state. In short, memory from the hippocampus generates a person's subjective response to certain stressors. The hippocampus is the weakest area and most susceptible to pathological changes under the influence of chronic stress.
• The prefrontal cortex of the cerebral hemispheres is an area of ​​the gray matter of the brain located in its frontal part. An important function of the prefrontal cortex is the generation of thought processes, through which there is an understanding of the current stressful situation, including planning and focusing on the problem. The main source of raw data for the prefrontal cortex is the hippocampus.
• Blue spot - an area in the pons of the medulla oblongata, which is the main synthesizer of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine - the primary stimulant of the sympathetic nervous system when a stressful situation arises. The production of norepinephrine begins at a signal from the hypothalamus with further involvement of the amygdala and spinal cord in the process.
• The nucleus of the suture is an area of ​​accumulation of neurons located along the line of the medulla oblongata, which produces serotonin, which plays a major role in the formation of mood and mental reactions at times of stress.
• The pituitary gland is a small bean-like organ located at the base of the brain, directly below the hypothalamus. It is an endocrine gland that produces a number of hormones that are directly involved in the body's responses to stress, in particular - adenocorticotropic hormone.

The spinal cord mediates the transmission of stress responses from the brain to the rest of the body using fibers of the peripheral and autonomic (sympathetic and parasympathetic) nervous systems.

The adrenal cortex is one of the main endocrine organs involved in stress reactions in the body. The adrenal glands produce the so-called stress hormone cortisol, which is released by the action of norepinephrine, a steroid product of the blue spot of the brain.

Cortisol, which belongs to the glucocorticoid class, is only released during stressful situations. Its main function is to redistribute energy (glucose) to those parts of the body that need it most - the neurons of the central nervous system, endocrine organs and skeletal muscle cells, which are currently involved in responses to stress. Cortisol has a depressing effect on the body's immune system.

Adenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is an anterior pituitary steroid whose main role is to stimulate the adrenal cortex to produce cortisol.

Neuropeptide Y is a protein chemical structure synthesized in the hypothalamus and plays a depressing role in relation to anxiety and stress. Neuropeptide Y is often referred to as the stress resistance hormone.

Effects of stress on the body

I would like to emphasize that the formation of a response to stress is a complex, neuro-humoral, interdependent system, which, with prolonged exposure, can cause serious damage to the body as a whole.

Effects of stress on the immune system

Changes in hormonal status during stress can have a detrimental effect on the immune system. Researchers have carried out a number of experiments that prove a decrease in immunity under the influence of chronic negative stress stress, especially antiviral resistance. The basis of this reaction is the high concentration of cortisol in the blood.

An interesting phenomenon is observed during the chronic exposure to stress factors on the body - people have complete confidence that they are currently susceptible to some kind of disease, which may indeed be accompanied by appropriate clinical signs, although, in fact, the disease does not exist.

This phenomenon is explained by an increase in the production of immune bodies - the reaction of the body's immune system to stress factors, namely, white blood cells (leukocytes) of several types: B cells, T cells and killer cells. The task of immune cells is to attack pathogenic agents during a disease, but such agents are not present during stress, which makes leukocytes inactive.

However, fighting toxins is not the only task of the immune bodies - they produce substances called cytokines, which are supposed to "tell" the central nervous system that the body is "sick." It is for this reason, during infectious diseases, the temperature rises, drowsiness, loss of strength occurs, appetite disappears, which, in fact, are additional protective mechanisms in the fight against viruses.

During stress, the number of leukocytes increases, which means that the concentration of cytokines also increases, which contributes to the appearance of false clinical ones. I would like to note that the role of cortisol suppressing the immune system is aimed at reducing cytokines in the blood.

Effects of stress on wound healing

The genesis of the influence of stress reactions of the body on wound healing also lies in the suppression of the body's immune system. During chronic stress, the number of different types of white blood cells decreases, which have different functions in the healing process. It is scientifically established that people caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease take 25% longer to heal superficial wounds than people who do not experience chronic stress.

Impact of stress on growth and development

Chronic stress, which has been officially proven, reduces growth and development in young and middle-aged children, which is associated with inhibition of the production of growth hormone (growth hormone) by the anterior pituitary gland.

Effects of stress on memory

Long-term production of cortisol and other steroid hormones, under the influence of stress, stimulates the metabolic activity of most cells in the body, especially neurons, which are very sensitive to long-term stress. Metabolic activity is also increased in the hippocampus, the main area of ​​the brain associated with storage of memory, which, with prolonged exposure, causes the destruction of nerve cells in this area. This phenomenon is irreversible and manifests itself, first of all, in violations of short-term memory. Long-term memory is usually not affected.

Effects of stress on weight

Chronic stress is characterized by the accumulation of fatty deposits on the surface of internal organs and tissues, which is associated with some shift in metabolic processes. This phenomenon often leads to additional pathologies, especially on the part of the cardiovascular and genitourinary systems. As for subcutaneous fat accumulations, they are characterized by a decrease in volume.

How to deal with stress?

The main way to deal with stress is to rethink it.

First of all, you need to identify for yourself the main causes of stress, and then learn how to manage it.

As a rule, such an experience comes a little later, after the effects of stress pass into the chronic phase.

• increasing social activity;
• stimulation of mental activity;
• find a hobby;
• reading of books;
• prayer;
• artistic activity;
• active exercise;
• progressive relaxation;
• spend more time in nature;
• learn to manage your time;
• spend more time with pets.

Our turbulent time gives us a lot of surprises, frustrations, joyful and sad experiences that await us at work, and at home, and in public places - in a word, everywhere a modern person can get into a stressful situation. All this, on the one hand, trains the body, and on the other hand, it can undermine the stability of the nervous system, reduce the body's ability to resist external influences, and weaken health in general. Well, what about immunity? After all, as it became known in recent years, it protects the body not only from infectious diseases. Does it help you withstand stress? Or weakens under his pressure?

Recently, the word "stress" has entered everyday life, has ceased to be a scientific term only, and it is used most often when talking about a shock, trouble, fright. This is both true and imprecise. The concept of "stress" appeared in the scientific lexicon thanks to the research of the famous Canadian scientist Hans Selye (1936), who defined stress as a stress reaction that occurs in emergency circumstances and is designed to mobilize the body's defenses.

Can cause stress effects of various kinds - joy, fright, grief, pain, cold, warmth, immobilization, poisoning, trauma, certain medications, mental shocks, etc. G. Selye called the complex of body responses manifested in these situations “a general adaptation syndrome ". He identified three phases of stress — a short-term phase of anxiety (tension or activation), a phase of resistance (stability) and a phase of exhaustion. In the first and second phases, the body activates its internal capabilities, allowing it to adapt to sudden, unusual changes in the environment. If these reserves are depleted, and the stressful situation remains, the third phase may come, which is difficult for the body - it upsets its functions and, therefore, does not provide an opportunity to adapt.

Physiologically, the development of stress is characterized by the well-known triad of G. Selye - an increase in the amount of hormones of the adrenal cortex (the so-called glucocorticoid hormones), a decrease in the mass of the thymus - thymus gland and the appearance of small ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract.

The first phase of stress is determined by an increase in the level of glucocorticoid hormones, as well as the number of white blood cells, the content of adrenaline and norepinephrine released during excitement. At the same time, the number of other blood cells - lymphocytes and eosinophils - decreases.

Naturally, the functional reserves of systems that neutralize stress are not unlimited and can be depleted to some extent. On the other hand, the responses may be too intense - so much so that they themselves become harmful. This is why the problem of stress is so complex. But it is also extremely important, because humans and highly organized animals are faced with various stressful influences, not just often, but almost constantly. Usually stressful influences are short-lived, but sometimes they can last for a long time, then chronic stress develops.

In recent years, a new aspect of the problem has been developed - stress and immunological protection of the body. It would seem that everything is clear here: if stress mobilizes the body's defenses, then the immune system should also be activated. In fact, everything is more complicated: in some cases, there is an increase in the activity of nonspecific and immunological defense mechanisms, in others - a decrease.

To understand why this happens, it is necessary to say a few words about the defensive reactions themselves. They are of two types - nonspecific and specific (immunological). In other words, these are two fundamental possibilities of the organism's response to any introduced deviation in the strictly maintained constancy of the internal environment of the organism. Nonspecific defense mechanisms to these deviations give the same or similar response, for example, an increase in body temperature, inflammation.

Specific or immunological forms of defense differ in that the action of a genetically foreign agent (proteins, microorganisms - the so-called antigens) is responded by the formation of antibodies against this and only this antigen.

These are the differences between the forms of defense, but in the body, both of them, of course, work in close interaction, helping each other to cope with the causative agent of the disease.

The immune system always works, providing supervision over the constancy of the genetic composition, is involved in the fight against tumor growth, the development of infectious, allergic and other diseases. Its main tool is antibodies - specific proteins, the synthesis of which occurs in immune cells under the action of a foreign agent. Antibodies can be released into the blood or remain on cell membranes, but it is they that bind and neutralize the "outsiders". It is important to remember that the triggering of the immune response occurs with the obligatory contact of the antigen with the cells of the immune system.

Now let's get back to stress. How does it affect the formation of the body's defense reaction?

Recently, an experiment revealed an essential fact: the introduction of an antigen into the body itself induces a reaction resembling stress. For example, intravenous injection of foreign erythrocytes to an animal increases the amount of adrenaline and adrenal cortex hormones (glucocorticoids) in its blood, and causes an imbalance of other hormones. All of these changes, especially the increase in glucocorticoid levels, are characteristic of the stress response.

Thus, the immune response, apparently, in most cases occurs against the background of a complex of events similar or analogous to the stress response. For example, if an antigen enters the body, say, a second time, then the intensity and speed of the immune response is much higher than the first time. In these cases, the magnitude of hormonal reactions increases significantly. And vice versa, if the immune response to the antigen for some reason does not develop, then hormonal changes are sharply weakened. These data indicate that a stress-like response to antigen administration contributes to the formation of the body's immune response.

Even to obtain antibodies outside the body, in tissue culture, small amounts of glucocorticoids must be added to the medium. Moreover, in recent years, it has been shown that these hormones reduce the activity of regulatory lymphoid cells, the so-called T-suppressors, which inhibit and inhibit the functions of immune cells. It is clear that if the "brakes are weakened", then the immune response will increase.

As a result, it seems that the stress-like response caused by the antigen is biologically justified and is aimed at providing an optimal immune response, in this case the adaptive role of stress is manifested.

But in real life, on the one hand, the body is constantly in contact with various antigens, on the other, various situations arise that we perceive as tension, stress. What is the significance of such a combination for the implementation of the protective functions of the body? Many scientists have asked nature such a question, since the answer to it is important both for the tactics of a doctor and for human behavior. By now, in general terms, the answer is clear, some mechanisms and details are also known, but far from all.

In general, short-term and repetitive stresses activate defense mechanisms, although they act on its various links. Here are some examples.

One of the important mechanisms is the stimulation of the release of immunocyte precursor cells from the bone marrow to the peripheral organs of the immune system. It is known that the bone marrow is the source of all white and red blood cells, from there, as from a bank, the body receives the progenitor cells, which are then converted into mature lymphocytes or other blood cells. So, in recent years, it has been discovered that under stress (in particular, during surgical operations), the immune and hematopoietic systems receive more cells necessary to perform their work.

Another example, which was mentioned earlier, is inhibition of T-suppressor activity. These cells are especially sensitive to the action of glucocorticoid hormones. Under stress, this leads to a decrease in their functional activity, as a result of which immunogenesis is activated. It should, however, be mentioned that under some circumstances, such "release of inhibition" can cause the appearance of excessive allergic or auto-allergic reactions.

Further, mild stress has a positive effect on the work of so-called natural killers (natural killers). These cells are so arranged that they recognize someone else's and "kill the enemy" without additional preparation necessary for the synthesis of antibodies. Natural killer cells are the first defense against tumors. They recognize and destroy tumor cells that can multiply to develop cancer. And these defenders, who work tirelessly and constantly in the body, activate their activity under light stress.

Well and if stress is strong and prolonged, reaches a phase of exhaustion, if even a weak irritation for others is perceived by a given individual as extreme? Then the immunological defense suffers, it is suppressed. There are now much more glucocorticoids in the blood than under shallow stress, and they act longer in these cases - they inhibit the work of cells and their metabolism. And if only the most sensitive cells react to small doses of hormones, then almost all of them respond to large doses. A decrease in metabolism affects the functional activity of cells, and as a result, immunological protection is weakened. However, the most important role is not played by a change in the level of only one hormone, but by a violation of the constant ratio of various hormones.

And how do natural killers behave in these conditions? Their activity is significantly reduced, by about three times. It is not difficult to imagine the importance of this event, its significance for human health and life ...

Another example of the negative effect of deep stress on the protective functions of the body. These facts, however, were obtained in experiments on mice. If they are infected with the flu virus under normal conditions, then the mice get sick, but do not die. But then they were infected with the flu against the background of stress, and they all died. The experiment was repeated again and again - the same result. What's the matter? We checked the amount of interferon, a substance that appears in the blood under the action of a virus and stimulates protective functions. The level of interferon turned out to be increased, but the animals still die - with phenomena that are uncharacteristic for the usual course of influenza. We decided to look at the brain, and everything became clear: they found a large amount of a virus in the brain. Usually, brain barriers are impervious to viruses, but under stress they weaken, let the flu virus pass, encephalitis develops, and the animals die.

However, is it possible to "apply" these experimental data to humans, that is, are similar cases observed in humans? It is, of course, incorrect to directly transfer to humans the results of studies on animals, especially those carried out on mice (and, say, not on monkeys). But here's what comes to mind in connection with this work.

More than 40 years ago, Academician N.P. Bekhtereva observed in her patients changes in the electrical activity of brain structures during the development of influenza infection, these changes were similar to those that occur with encephalitis. Even then, NP Bekhtereva repeatedly at scientific meetings assessed these facts as evidence of the development of an inflammatory process in the brain, which is possible in some cases with influenza. After 20 years, this point of view found experimental confirmation ... in experiments on mice.

Stress in sports medicine is a major problem. With the emotional and physical stress associated with responsible sports performances, the athlete's body sometimes turns out to be extremely vulnerable, poorly protected from infections. This phenomenon is well known in the field of sports and makes it necessary to look for ways to overcome the stress-induced decrease in the resistance of the body of athletes.

It is important to emphasize that the result of the same stressful effect can be different for different people, much depends on individual perception, the propensity to calmly react to events, or, conversely, to see tragedy in minor trouble. The situation as a whole also plays an important role. For example, during the war, when there were more than enough reasons for the emergence of stress, including deep and prolonged, people, especially at the front, were sick relatively few. How can this be explained?

Some experts believe that there are two systems in the body, one of which carries out a stress response, and the other restrains, limits, limits it. The combination of the activity of both systems makes the response to any stressful effect optimal, which is especially important in case of super-strong and long-term destabilizing effects on the body. In all cases, the final effect is determined by the interaction of these systems, but the activation of the limiting system determines the limitation of the negative effect of stress in extreme conditions.

And the last thing. How to protect the body from the negative effects of stress? There are several principled approaches to solving this issue. The first is to protect a person as much as possible from unnecessary stressful influences, to treat others with care, to create the necessary conditions for this. This is a social and ethical task. The second is to teach a person to calmly perceive non-emergency situations, in any case, not to consider them extreme, tragic. This can be achieved by education, psychological preparation, auto-training or, in extreme cases, with the help of drugs.

There is also such a possibility: by activating the limiting system of the body in various ways, to limit the effect of stress. Workouts with mild stress can be beneficial. In short, you can turn heavy stress into light or prevent it from invading the immune system.

Experts already know a lot about the effect of stress on the protective functions of the body, but there is still a large amount of research ahead: the main thing is to determine a set of indicators, draw up a scale of responses to stress and highlight those that represent a risk zone, that is, require intervention, help. This will be a serious step in preventive medicine, because preventing, preventing the development of a disease is a necessary and most important condition for maintaining health.