SANTIVIA BLOG

Chronic stress can really take a hit on your immune system.
When I was in my 20’s, in the early stage of my career, I had a new boss whom I found unreasonable and unfair and at complete odds with me. Up to this time I really enjoyed my job and had 2 prior very supportive and encouraging bosses. I was very miserable and could not sleep well.

During that year, I was constantly sick with the flu and this developed into chronic sinusitis. I stuck with the situation for almost a year and then resigned without a job. What happened to this normally very healthy and happy girl?

Chronic long-term stress weakened my immune system. It took me a long time to get my health back on an upward trend. Can you relate to this scenario of an unhappy job situation?  I am sure many of you can.

Chronic stress from caring for an aged loved one or special needs child
Some of you may be suffering, being the long-term carer of aged sick parents, watching the deterioration and feeling tired and helpless.  Or maybe you have a special needs child which is a constant worry? I have been through this and the chronic stress wears you down.

The stress hormone and the havoc it wreaks
When long-term stress becomes chronic, many systems in the body are affected. Chronic stress results in high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Over the long term, mental and physical damage may develop. Symptoms of anxiety, depression and sleep problems can occur. Physically, there is the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and digestive problems.

A weakened immune system can result from chronic stress
Your immune system is the body’s form of defence. It is comprised of organs, tissues, cells and cell products that all work together to fight harmful substances like the pathogens that cause infection and disease.
There are two main ways that stress, via cortisol, has a direct, negative effect on the immune system:

• It creates chronic inflammatory conditions
• It lowers the immunity, increasing the risk of infection and auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and lupus.

Mode of Action of the Stress Hormone, Cortisol
The release of cortisol, due to stress, suppresses immunity by attacking and destroying cells engaged in cellular communication, disrupting the cytokine messenger pathway so the immune system is without the appropriate direction.

How can Santivia Immune help to counter the effects of Cortisol?
Santivia Immune supplies these communication molecules and hence supports a competent, balanced immune system.

I have been very disciplined caring for my immune system for over 10 years, taking my supplement daily. I am sure that is the reason I feel healthy, active and I feel much younger than my 70 years chronological age. 

I hope this for all of you too! Please share this post with people you care about who are undergoing stressful times.