Stress is Bad for immunity
Anxiety about the unknown (like our COVID-19 risk) can cause the amygdala, the brain’s fear center, to become hyperactive. In terms of evolution, this is one of the oldest parts of the brain and its operations are quite primitive; it acts like a trigger-happy alarm that interfaces with the stress system to keep our body and mind on high alert for as long as we are feeling anxious.
The mere possibility of danger, according to research, is enough to stimulate the amygdala and trigger the stress response, even if the risk is never experienced. This is what keeps individuals awake at night, worrying about COVID-19 as they lie in bed.
Chronic activation of the stress systems, on the other hand, can harm our cells and disrupt many of the body’s activities. Our immune system takes the brunt of the damage. Despite the fact that psychological stress is not pathogenic in itself, the harm it does to the body’s cells stimulates an immunological response that renders us more vulnerable to a foreign infection. This could raise our chances of contracting SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
These are a few examples of research papers that show that there is a big relation between stress and immunity.
In our practice, we have seen many cases which diagnose certain diseases accidentally during a regular check-up. Before diagnosis, he was not feeling any symptoms but as soon as he come to know the name of the disease he started to feel all the symptoms weakness fear, and so on. So this is a question to you think what happen in 2-3 days after diagnosis patient starts feeling weak disturbed all symptoms, it all because of stress he took after getting a diagnosis of diseases and that stress disturbed our immune system.
Ayurveda is explained in many diseases such as Atisar (dysentery ) one BhayajAtisaar (loose motions due to fear ). All of us may have noticed that whenever we face some fear or anxious moments we feel the movement of our intestine some may go out for lue.
This shows a great relation between Gut and brain and Gut is directly related to the immune system.
Ayurveda has also mentioned that we must not have food in a bad mood or in anger because the food will not digest properly. This is again a beautiful relation of the brain and digestive system.
Krodha (Anger ) increases pitta which is a responsible factor for inflammation. Chronic inflammation makes our immune system weak.
So during this critical period of a pandemic where all of us are facing some kind of stress or anxiety due to diseases, due to financial uncertainty, fear about family, uncertain future all these factors are making all of us more vulnerable to diseases.
What to do :
- Stop watching news 🗞️
- Start talking to your near and dear ones and share and care for each other.
- Read some good books
- Yoga and meditation
- Listen to good music
- Take healthy food
- Surrender yourself to almighty
Sharing caring and compassion is the best immunity booster.
