Strengthen your immune system and recover from stress

1. What is stress?
2. Types of stress
3. What diseases are caused by stress?
4. How does stress affect immunity?
5. How to avoid stress?
6. Video on the topic

It has long been noted that happy, calm, balanced people get sick less often than those who are regularly exposed to stressful situations. This is because the negative impact of the environment weakens the protective functions of our body. And as we know, without protection from the immune system, viruses and infections easily penetrate our body. How to deal with this?

What is stress?

This term is borrowed from the technical environment. Where it originally meant pressure, strain and pressure on materials. The word came to medicine thanks to the Canadian biochemist Hans Selye, who borrowed it in 1936 for his work. The word took root in its new environment. Now almost everyone knows it (or has heard it at least once).

So, stress
is a psychological state of the body.
Conditionally, it can be called a period of adaptation to unfavorable conditions.
They could be a street, a new place of work, a new bed (one you’re not used to sleeping on), a new team, unusual conditions, or a way out of your comfort zone. Each of us is familiar with this condition. When you first got behind the wheel of a car, or work your butt off, or are going through a breakup. In other words, stress is environmental pressure.
Our body is able to get used to it and cope with “tests”.
This makes us stronger. But only in the case when our body can withstand the level of this pressure.

How to restore immunity after illness and surgery?

How to restore immunity after surgery or after a serious illness? The main thing is not to remain depressed, but to look for joy in many little things in life. Stress VERY weakens the immune system.

How to restore immunity with folk remedies? Some grandma's recipes - onions, garlic, honey - really work great for the immune system. But unfortunately, recipes such as consuming decoctions of herbs or roots can have a negative impact on health.

Herbs need to be able to be selected strictly individually, since a strong allergic reaction can develop to many components.

As for raspberry or other jam, this is a huge myth. There is not a single vitamin in the jam, but only a huge amount of harmful sugar with the taste of fruit. Jam does not increase immunity, but rather even reduces it - this is a fact.

We discussed the main points about boosting immunity. And most likely you already knew most of it. All that remains is to apply all this in life. And you will have good health and excellent immunity.

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Types of stress

Stress is usually divided into:

• Psychological (emotions, experiences, excitement, discomfort);
• Physiological (physical activity, environmental influences, fatigue);
• Spatial (associated with changing time zones, getting used to a new biorhythm, a sudden change in work schedule);
• Nutritional (digestive upset or a sudden change in the usual diet);

Stress can also be positive and negative.

The latter is called distress.
It is associated with inhibition of body systems (nervous, digestive, cardiovascular, etc.) and can provoke diseases
. The effects of prolonged distress can be detrimental to a person.

Positive (“stimulating”) stress includes a state of excitement that a person is able to cope with independently, without harm to health. Having overcome this condition, people become stronger, this strengthens us without harming the body.

Remember how worried you were during the first days at your new job, what discomfort you felt, how difficult it was at first. And now you have settled in, you feel like a fish in water. You survived this stress, got used to new conditions, overcame the test and became stronger.

What diseases are caused by stress?

Conditionally, such diseases can be divided into the same subgroups as types of stress. In other words, each type of stress provokes its own separate group of diseases and disorders. They can overlap, be interconnected, and have blurred boundaries.

Psychological

– irritability, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, apathy, depression, anxiety, loss of appetite, suicidal tendencies, anger, imbalance, phobias, nervousness, inappropriate behavior.

Physiological

– breathing disorders, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, accelerated development of tumors, hair loss, premature aging, menstrual irregularities in women, problematic pregnancy, miscarriage, disorder of the sexual function of the body.

Spatial

– insomnia, insufficient sleep syndrome, morning headache, drowsiness, lethargy, chronic fatigue syndrome, apathy, irritability, blood pressure disorders.

Food

– intestinal upset, belching, heartburn, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation, excess weight or sudden weight loss, exacerbation of gastritis, stomach ulcers.

The greatest danger is the ability of stress to aggravate chronic diseases

. This could be allergies, asthma, tonsillitis, pancreatitis, osteochondrosis, hemorrhoids, enuresis and even cancer. Severe stress is often a trigger for a stroke or heart attack.

It is impossible to predict exactly how such conditions will affect a particular person. People are different: with different health, different immunity, different capabilities. The consequences of negative environmental influences vary from person to person.

Medicines and drugs

In general, officially there are no drugs in medicine that are guaranteed to boost immunity. Many companies simply make money from the illiteracy of the population.

Be carefull. Only you, heredity, lifestyle and nutrition influence your own health.

The first immune balance comes to us with mother's milk. This is why it is so important to breastfeed your baby. A nursing mother passes on her immune cells to her baby and thus protects him.

It often happens that immune cells “go crazy” and begin to attack the body themselves. The reasons for this are not yet fully known. All kinds of allergies are the beginning of strange behavior of immune cells.

Why is there a weakened immune system?

Causes of weakened immunity

• Chronic stress and lack of sleep.
• Products stuffed with unimaginable chemicals in huge quantities.
• Lack of vitamins and microelements.
• Long or uncontrolled use of antibiotics.
• Infections, bacteria, microbes.
• Diets sometimes cause irreparable damage to the immune system.

When a diagnosis of immunodeficiency in chronic or low-grade inflammation, severe weakness of resistance is made, drugs are often prescribed:

• Herbal tinctures, syrups based on medicinal herbs;
• Bacterial solution granules or tablets produced from enzymes secreted by opportunistic microorganisms;
• Nucleic acids;
• Interferons;
• Immunostimulants.

The doctor will determine what is best to choose to restore resistance based on the individual characteristics of the patient.

How does stress affect immunity?

Stress and the immune system are closely interrelated. It is immunity that is a kind of shield between external irritants and our health.

The fact is that during experiences, discomfort or extreme situations, our body produces various hormones:

• Cortisol
  , secreted by the adrenal glands during stress and shock to improve brain function, can cause harm to the body. Elevated levels of cortisol in the blood cause insomnia, reduce libido, constrict blood vessels, and promote excess weight gain. Cortisol can cause thyroid dysfunction;
• Adrenaline
  mobilizes the body and spurs it to make quick decisions. Produced in extreme situations. “Invigorates” the body and mind, increases the heart rate, temporarily gives strength so that in a dangerous situation we can be stronger, faster, and more attentive. However, increased levels of adrenaline can provoke cardiovascular diseases, lead to problems with blood pressure, and cause insomnia;
• Prolactin.
  Produced in the pituitary gland. Regulates metabolism in the body. In a stressful situation, metabolism most often changes (usually accelerates). This allows us to receive more energy. But an increased level of prolactin in the blood is the cause of diseases such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome, anorexia, cirrhosis of the liver;
• Beta-endorphin
  is also produced in the pituitary gland. It has anti-shock, tonic and analgesic effects. But, like an excess of any endorphin, it can lead to uncontrollable emotions (tears, anger, despondency, laughter) and desires. For example, eating sweets, or “eating” experiences;

Of course, hormonal imbalances cause disruptions in the body's immune system. Chronic stress is especially dangerous.

It is often the cause of autoimmune diseases. It happens that a completely healthy person can develop psoriasis, dermatitis, and other diseases of the immune system.

An organism exposed to frequent stress becomes more vulnerable to infectious diseases. These also include seasonal ARVI and influenza. Prolonged or frequent “colds” are a direct consequence of a weakened immune system. Many people are familiar with the condition when, during long-term hard work, we suddenly “catch a cold,” which disrupts all our plans and throws us off schedule.

The human body is fraught with “dormant” diseases. Which in the normal state do not manifest themselves in any way. But when the body’s protective functions are weakened, they can awaken.

These are dangerous enemies of health. There are dormant mechanisms in our body that can trigger the formation of benign (lipomas, fibroids, chondromas, angiomas) and malignant tumors (cancer).

Long-term stress can lead to depression

, or to other, more severe mental disorders.

Why does immunity decrease?

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to cope with many serious diseases without antibiotics. These medications are highly effective in fighting bacteria, but at the same time, long-term use of them can have a very negative impact on the condition of the body.

Very often, after taking antibiotics, the immune system is greatly weakened. Sometimes it takes from several weeks to several months for it to normalize.

Various medications can help cope with reduced immunity. They should be taken only after consulting a doctor. Products containing nucleic acids, bacteria (Imudon) and plant components (echinacea, ginseng) have proven themselves to be effective. Biogenic stimulants (Phibs) are also useful.

If the patient cannot recover from a protracted and serious infectious disease, then doctors prescribe immunomodulators. Experts distinguish several types of such drugs:

1. Immunoglobulins. They are antibody proteins that remove viruses and bacteria from the body. They can also be used to treat children.
2. Immunoregulatory proteins. They are obtained from the bone marrow and thymus gland of animals.
3. Cytokines - influence the interaction of immune cells.
4. Interferons are also able to strengthen the immune system after illness.
5. Leukinferon is a natural interferon obtained from human blood leukocytes.
6. Polyoxidonium is a synthetic immunomodulator that removes toxins from the body.
7. Imunorix is ​​used, as a rule, for diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

After suffering a serious illness, it is important not only to take medications to boost immunity, but also to eat right. You can restore the body's defenses with 3-4 glasses of kefir per day. This fermented milk product is useful to drink before going to bed and in the morning (on an empty stomach). Children can be given yogurt with chopped fruits and berries.

The body's defense mechanisms are very unstable. They fluctuate under the influence of various factors. If a person has a strong immune system, he will get sick quickly and acutely, that is, with a high fever and severe symptoms. In people with weaker immune systems, the disease is sluggish, the symptoms are blurred, and recovery takes several weeks.

In modern civilization, we are faced with the following factors that reduce immunity:

• a diet poor in vitamins, leading to hypo- and vitamin deficiency;
• lack of proper sleep and wakefulness;
• incorrectly selected physical activity intensity;
• nervous overload and stress;
• increased background radiation;
• living near factories It is important to be in environmentally friendly areas
  and factories, in zones of environmental discomfort;
• bad habits;
• chronic diseases;
• oncology and chemotherapy;
• heredity;
• renal failure;
• HIV;
• chronic parasitic infestation;
• pregnancy;
• antibiotic therapy;
• operations, injuries.

If you want to be healthy, then you need to change your lifestyle. Stress has always been the main enemy of the immune system. You need to push all worries and anxieties away from yourself, trying to receive only positive emotions. The procedure for restoring the immune system must begin with proper nutrition. So, let's begin.

1. Nutrition

From birth, human resistance is capable of resisting a variety of pathogens. The body's resources are incredibly huge, but constant increased activity of immunity leads to a deterioration in reactions and functions.

In immunology, weakening pathways are divided into two categories.

The first is internal disorders:

• Violation of metabolic processes;
• Exacerbation of chronic conditions;
• Emotional instability, stress;
• Immunodeficiency, HIV;
• Oncology;
• Infectious diseases;
• Autoimmune processes, syndromes;
• Tendency to allergies;
• Natural age-related changes.

The second is external reasons, features of the body’s condition:

• Pregnancy, childbirth;
• Injuries;
• Parasitic infestations;
• Bad habits;
• Low physical activity;
• Physical and mental fatigue;
• Lack of proper rest;
• Use of antidepressants, antibiotics;
• Unfavorable environment;
• Poor nutrition;
• Radiation therapy;
• Surgical operations, consequences.

How to avoid stress?

In confronting stressful situations, the first allies are:

• Healthy lifestyle;
• Rejection of bad habits;
• Proper nutrition;
• Sports or physical activity;
• Positive life attitude;
• Healthy sleep;
• Breathing exercises;
• Yoga;
• Self-discipline, self-control, self-confidence;
• Change the situation to a positive one;

There are many recommendations that can be given for each point. And we will definitely do this in separate articles. But now let's focus on the main thing...

Surely many of us have noticed how we begin to get sick more often when we are exposed to frequent or prolonged stressful situations. Have you noticed that calm, positive, friendly and kind people are much less likely to get sick?

This is not a random pattern. In order to resist negativity, you need to develop protection from them within yourself.

Our psycho-emotional state plays an important role in confronting experiences, anxieties, and dangers. Learn to control your negative emotions:

• Do not accept negativity
  , but let it pass through yourself. You were insulted, accidentally pushed, or witnessed unpleasant events. Don't accumulate or keep these emotions to yourself. Remove yourself from the situation;
• Learn to let go of a situation if you are powerless in it
  . For example, don’t get nervous in a traffic jam, because your emotions cannot clear the traffic jam, which means it’s pointless to worry, nothing depends on you);
• Almost all failures, falls, adversity are not fatal
  . In a year you will forget how you were fired from your job or how your loved one left you. So why can’t we make him forget about it now? It is in your power to “speed up” these processes, and not worry. There will be a new job, there will be new relationships;
• Learn to see new opportunities in challenges.
  Got into an accident? Unpleasant. But now you have learned how to fill out documents in case of an accident, communicate with traffic police officers and insurance companies. Resolve conflict with your opponent. Next time you will feel more confident in a force majeure situation;
• Find the strength to overcome the situation.
  Do not binge, do not drink (alcohol) your experiences. This will only make your condition worse. Having overcome an unpleasant situation on your own, you will gain “immunity” to it;
• Learn to treat problems as temporary phenomena.
  It is important to give yourself the attitude that “this is not forever.” That behind the black stripe there will be a white one.

In extreme cases, you can take natural sedatives. They will help you survive anxiety, dull acute feelings or anxiety. Will help you fall asleep faster if you have trouble sleeping.

Of course, in case of any complications, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Immune response after illness

As a rule, the disease, along with its departure, leaves a reduced immune response. This is expressed in the form of poor health, lethargy, apathy, general weakness, and, of course, susceptibility to new infections.

It is important to restore the immune system after an illness, and to prevent your body from being captured by the disease again, which is why it is so important to know how to strengthen the immune system. A reduced immune response risks developing into a new infectious disease.

Given the number of infections, this is not surprising. Their number is simply colossal - at least 3 thousand varieties.

There are two types of disorders of the human immune system:

• Congenital, which are caused by genetic disorders;
• Acquired, which appear after illness or after antibiotic therapy.

The body of a child or adult that has been exposed to an infectious agent and has been struggling with the disease for a long time requires special attention. According to Komarovsky, a famous pediatrician, the fundamental therapy for strengthening resistance is the rules of a healthy lifestyle.

How to quickly restore immunity after illness:

• Spend more time outdoors;
• Get enough sleep, have a full rest;
• Do not neglect physical activity;
• Eat right;
• Drink more fluids;
• Harden using temperature contrast.

Adults should stop smoking and drinking alcohol.