Our body is wonderful
How do we strengthen our immune system?
Stress is a response of our body to save it in conditions of life or death. When a "temporary" situation threatens our life, our sympathetic nervous system changes the chemistry of the body to activate the mode of "running, fighting or freezing": the internal organs receive less blood (and at the same time less oxygenation) to channel that blood to the legs and arms; the adrenal glands release the hormone cortisol whose main functions are to increase the level of sugar in the blood (the favorite fuel of our cells and our brain) and to suppress the immune system; our conscious mind (frontal cerebral cortex) shuts down to give way to the instincts governed by the reptilian brain, and our body stops any healing or renewal process because the important thing is to get out of the emergency as soon as possible. Even if we are going through an infectious process, our body will prioritize the emergency, channel the blood to the extremities and suppress the immune system. This response is a wonderful example of the intelligence of the human body to efficiently harness energy and channel it to our survival. In fact, that's what our cells and organs are always doing: working to keep us alive. This response is a wonderful example of the intelligence of the human body to efficiently harness energy and channel it to our survival. In fact, that's what our cells and organs are always doing: working to keep us alive. This response is a wonderful example of the intelligence of the human body to efficiently harness energy and channel it to our survival. In fact, that's what our cells and organs are always doing: working to keep us alive.
Despite the fact that our body is a wonderful model for survival, the autonomic nervous system always responds to what happens in our mind. The body has no way of knowing if the situation we are going through - and that causes us stress - is real or is just our imagination. The activation of the response "run, fight or freeze" happens in the same way if a bear is chasing us, if we are anxious because we are going to be late for an important meeting, if we are arguing with our partner, if we are remembering painful events or if we are imagining an argument (which has not happened yet) with a co-worker. In all these situations, the autonomic nervous system prepares to enter a "sympathetic" mode and the most serious consequence is that, nowadays, we live stressed and with a weakened immune system. Sometimes it is hard to believe that stress has an impact on a physical level and on our immune system, but it is a vital practice in major surgeries - such as organ transplants - to administer medications to stress the body and prevent the immune system from attacking the organ. new.
To strengthen our immune system, it is not enough to eat healthy and exercise, it is also necessary to look for moments that activate the other side of the coin of the autonomic nervous system: the "parasympathetic" system that is responsible for the processes of digestion, rest and repair. Our body can only be in one of these two modes; or the sympathetic or the parasympathetic. This knowledge was used in ancient cultures to develop holistic practices that strengthen the relationship between body, mind and spirit and cultivate energy and the conscious mind, such as Qigong, Tai Chi and Yoga. A consistent practice helps to activate the parasympathetic system and improve oxygenation and, therefore, to have a stronger body and better prepared to face any disease of an infectious nature.
On the Internet, you can explore options that will help you make the transition from a stressful life to a healthy, conscious life in harmony with the world around you. I invite you to commit to the practice that you like the most and best suits you and, during it, keep your attention focused on the breath. You will find from personalized programs to very good teachers who offer free classes like Elena Malova who is a Yoga teacher and has a YouTube channel with hundreds of videos that cover many needs.
The important thing is that you know that there are tools that can help you improve your health, that it is up to you to start a conscious and consistent practice to live a life free of chronic stress and that you are the architect of your own destiny.