Jada Lewis
October 2, 2015
1. Describe how stress makes us more vulnerable to disease.
a) Disease can affect us in more ways than thought about but it turns out that stress actually makes us more vulnerable to disease. Within the body, we have lymphocytes which help secrete stress hormones. One of the major lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, play an important role in fighting bacterial infections while T lymphocytes help fight cancerous cells, viruses and foreign substances. When our body is under attack, in terms of stress-related issues, the lymphocytes take over and try their hardest to fight off the diseases and foreign substances. Furthermore, it was shown in studies that stress similarly depresses the immune system, which ultimately makes the body more vulnerable to illness. Stress on the body and internal organs can lead to
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Relaxation and meditation falls under the last two categories. Meditation is a body and mind practice. Mind and body practices focus on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior. There are many different types of meditation but most result in an increase in calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall wealth and well-being. NCCIH-supported studies are investigating meditation for: relieving psychological distress and improving physical health in people with type 2 diabetes, regulating emotions, relieving stress and enhancing management, reducing stress and improving sleep and psychological well-being to reduce the risk of heart disease. Relaxation and meditation, as a team, contribute to improving one’s health and stress levels. One can counteract the negative effects of stress by learning how to evoke the relaxation response, a state of deep rest that is the polar opposite of the stress response. As a result, one’s system becomes