Dr. Honora
Simon Contact Dr. Simon
| Site
Map
Stress Information
|
More on Stress
|
Stress Myths
|
Mind/Body Balance
Emotions/Immune
System |
S.A.D.
Treatment
Can Emotions Affect Our Immune System?
They believe the field of psychoneuroimmunology holds great promise for improving health. This field points to the role our emotions play in regulating our immune systems and our health. The chemistry of the stress response has been found to lower immune system functioning.
Recent studies on medical students experiencing test anxiety indicates a significant drop in the activity of natural killer (NK) cells as well as in the numbers of NK cells (NK cells are a key in fighting cancer cells and viruses) and a significantly lower percentage of T-helper cells in the blood (the cells that arouse the immune response to fight off an infection).
A study of the effects of stress on salivary immunoglobulin (S-IgA, the antibody that fights infections in the mouth and throat) found that a higher frequency of daily hassles was significantly associated with lower levels of S-IgA. However, the effects were less severe in people who scored higher on a scale measuring sense of humor. This suggests that a sense of humor can counter the negative effects of stress on the immune system.
If we change from a negative perspective to a positive one we can learn to mobilize a healing process instead of a stress response. Using this perspective, we include the role of the mind with the body as they together effect health, illness, and healing to improve our total well being.
Today's growing health consciousness places great emphasis on the body. When we focus mainly on the body, we begin to think of health as an end in itself. We spend all our time eating the right foods, taking the right vitamins, doing the right exercises. We become obsessed with our body and have a narrow focus on physical goals.
The healthy body includes a balanced communication between body/mind/spirit. Physical health is only the beginning in achieving this balance, not an end in itself. We also need to include living in a meaningful way, including others beyond ourselves, having a sense of purpose and having healthy thoughts.
We need to understand how to focus the mind. When people are consumed with fear--are fearful of the events in their life--they can lose control over their perception of what's really happening around them.
On the other hand, if we learn to quiet our mind --if we learn use acceptance instead of fear--we can keep the body/mind communication in balance.
Nature has a way of keeping a natural balance within all living things. In order to participate in this balance we need to shift our focus away from fear, and from past negative preconceptions. Away from the anger toward ourselves, our parents, doctor, boss or whoever we blame for getting us into our predicament.
By shifting our focus to the present and using this time to accept rather than cast judgment and to offer help rather than seeking help from others, we increase our ability to regain health and a quiet calm mind.
We carry less stress within and produce less stress hormones when we are in harmony with others and learn to communicate with our body in a positive way.
Visit 1-800-Patches.com for innovative approaches to wellness and anti-aging aides. At Physicianschoice.net, you can select products to support your wellness program.
Medlineplus.gov
and healthfinder.gov
are gateways to hundreds of useful health topics and directories that
include prevention, screening and treatment information. At cspinet.org,
you'll find issues of the Nutrition Action Newsletter with useful
articles on diet, health and food.
What are Free
Radicals? Chinese Studies Prove Antioxidants Protect
Against Cancer Site Map 
