Macrobiotics For Dummies® by Verne Varona

Author:Verne Varona
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2010-03-10T16:00:00+00:00

Acting as the Jekyll and Hyde of stress biology, these stress hormones direct the body to dump sugar into the bloodstream, providing quick energy for a sprint away from danger. However, in situations where there is repeated stress, the glucocorticoids overwhelm the body, and the beneficial effects of stress hormones are reversed. The result is a decrease in memory function, energy levels, and immunity, making you more susceptible to sickness. A wide range of stresses, from losing a spouse to facing a tough examination, can also deplete immune function, causing levels of immunity activity to dramatically decline, leading to sickness and eventual disease.

That ideal of no stress exists only in death. You need to make your stress manageable, and this is based on your perceptions. The way you evaluate a stressful event is the key to how you biochemically react to it. Take a lesson from Jeanne-Louise Calment, an unflappable French woman who lived to be 122, who said, “If you can’t do anything about it, then don’t worry about it.”

Depression and negative attitudes

Our personality is usually defined by our attitudes, behaviors, and reactions to the everyday challenges of life. When faced with difficult situations, pessimists often perceive themselves as helpless and frequently surrender to circumstances they feel they can’t change.

Optimism has been shown to have a positive effect on immune response and seems to be a key element for feeling in control and successfully coping with stressful situations. Optimists usually feel more in control of their situations than pessimists do. When a situation becomes challenging for an optimist, she usually creates an alternate approach or strategy, having faith that things can turn out positively in the long run.

Learned helplessness is another form of stress that is particularly harmful to immune function. Learned helplessness is thought to occur from constant exposure to “uncontrollable” stressors — specifically, finding yourself in a painful or uncomfortable situation from which there seems to be no hope of relief or escape.

People who are depressed have shown higher levels of the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenalin, all of which negatively alter immune function.

Behaviors that stem from dark moods can influence immune health. Typically, depressed people get less sleep, consume more alcohol, exercise less, often smoke tobacco, and frequently use more drugs, either therapeutic or recreational. These behaviors strongly manipulate and eventually exhaust immunity activity.

Too much or too little exercise

Too much exercise may decrease immune function. Research has shown that more than 90 minutes of high-intensity endurance exercise can make athletes susceptible to illness for up to 72 hours after the activity. Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels while suppressing immune function. This has been linked to frequent infections that plague endurance athletes after extreme exercise, such as marathon running or Ironman triathlon training.

Regular moderate exercise has been linked to a positive immune system response and a temporary boost in the production of white blood cells, the cells that attack bacteria. Regular, consistent exercise can lead to substantial immune health benefits over the long term.

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