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Wednesday, October 11, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Stress and the immune system
By Dr. Kim Hapke
Correspondent
As we head into cold and
flu season, many of us do so
with an increased level of
stress. Whatever particular
cocktail of events you find
stressful, it is likely you have
encountered at least some of
the ingredients in the last few
months. Stress can take a toll
on sleep, mood — and the
immune system.
Fortunately, there are ways
to help the body recover from
a period of stress that also
benefit the immune system.
During an event we find
acutely stressful, our brain
puts out a small amount of
adrenaline. Our adrenals pick
up that signal and amplify it,
providing us with the “flight-
or-fight response” of increased
heart rate, blood pressure and
blood to the muscles.
Longer-term stress is dif-
ferent. In response to long-
term stress, our adrenals put
out a hormone called corti-
sol. Rather than preparing us
for flight, cortisol tells the
body to hunker down for the
long haul. Long-term stress
for our ancestors was often a
period of famine. As a result,
cortisol has some less-than-
helpful messages for our bod-
ies under modern-day stresses.
It increases our appetite and
helps us put on weight. It
suppresses our immune sys-
tem, leaving us vulnerable to
infection.
Sleep is one of the top
interventions to help the body
recover from stress. When we
sleep, our body puts out cer-
tain proteins that help us fight
infection. Since rising cortisol
is the signal that wakes up in
the morning, raised cortisol
from stress can take a toll on
sleep patterns. If your sleep is
disrupted, note that blue light
from digital devices messes
with melatonin, the hormone
that induces us to sleep.
Turn off the TV and com-
puter (and the stressful infor-
mation on them!) at least two
hours before bed to aid proper
sleep induction. After a period
of stress your body may tem-
porarily need more sleep than
normal to recover.
A balanced diet can help
mitigate the effects of stress.
One of the roles of cortisol
is to help the body deal with
blood-sugar maintenance.
After insulin has dealt with
the influx of glucose from a
meal, cortisol is released to
pull sugar from cells to main-
tain blood glucose. If we are
taking in meals with lots of
sugar or simple carbohy-
drates our body puts out lots
of insulin, then lots of cortisol
when blood-sugar drops pre-
cipitously. This roller coaster
takes a toll on already stressed
adrenals. Include whole
grains, fiber from fruits and
vegetables, protein and good
fats with each meal to balance
out insulin and cortisol release
and provide optimal nutrition
for the immune system. (See
related story, page 15.)
Certain nutrients help the
body deal with stress. Vitamin
C is used by the adrenals in
greater amounts during stress
and is also necessary for
certain cells of the immune
system to function. The B
vitamins are also supportive
to both the adrenals and the
immune system.
Two classes of herbs are
especially beneficial in help-
ing the body deal with and
recover from stress. Nervines
are nourishing to the nervous
system and mildly calming
rather than sedative. Examples
that can be taken in tea or tinc-
ture are chamomile, oat straw
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/HYWARDS
Our adrenal glands release a hormone called cortisol in response to long-
term stress, which suppresses our immune system.
and lemon balm. Lemon balm
has the added benefit of hav-
ing anti-viral properties. Or,
support a sense of calm by
diffusing an essential oil like
lavender in your environment.
The other group of herbs
is known as adaptogens.
They help the body adapt to
stress, often by helping to
balance cortisol and blood-
sugar response, and support-
ing the adrenals and immune
system. Licorice is one of
the best herbs to aid recov-
ery of depleted adrenals. It is
nourishing, with constituents
similar in structure to adrenal
hormones, and has a naturally
sweet taste. Avoid licorice if
you have high blood pressure.
Astragalus is another adapto-
genic herb that balances corti-
sol and is especially known for
supporting the immune sys-
tem. Ashwaganda increases
the body’s ability to adapt to
stress and promotes stamina.
These interventions can
aid in recovering from an
unavoidable period of stress,
but if you are reaching for
them often it is time to exam-
ine your mind’s reaction to
events.
“Stress” is a blanket word
— its meaning differs from
person to person. It encom-
passes a wide range of physi-
cal, mental and emotional
reactions to the emotions, peo-
ple and events that take their
greatest toll on us. Though
it is long-term work to culti-
vate mindfulness and change
our way of reacting to events
outside our control, such work
also offers the greatest ben-
efit. There are many roads
to becoming aware of and
changing our patterns, from
seeking help from a practitio-
ner who focuses on changing
long-term patterns to practices
such as yoga, martial arts and
meditation.
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Sisters Athletic Club
Th e path to better health
starts with a single step —
call today
for a complimentary
two-week trial.
541-549-6878
www.sistersathleticclub.com
There are few bodily functions that exercise
doesn’t improve. Mental health, heart and lung
function, or skeletal integrity — exercise is inte-
gral to the healthcare equation. With a proactive
approach, one can improve or defeat many condi-
tions that plague our society. Heart disease, the
number-one cause of death in the USA, can be
improved with proper training. Diabetes can be
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Exercise isn’t only about curing chronic disease.
Finding the right exercises helps one feel good, be
challenged, and provides growth.
Sisters Athletic Club provides opportunities
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