This month I wanted to do the newsletter on Psychoneuroimmunology which is a relatively new science which is all about how our minds influence our immune system. Basically what we think has a profound effect on us. I believe we ignore this valuable piece of information. I tell my clients that all thought is prayer because we become what we think. This is a series of articles I have written on Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) and it is my hope that each reader gets something valuable from it.
Psychoneuroimmunology Health and Emotions
It just worried me sick. It ate through me like a cancer. It cut me like a knife. It’s killing me. These are expressions we use that hint at the mind/body connection. Have you ever wondered if there really is any basis for these sayings? Can our thoughts and feelings actually influence our health? Can the death of a spouse, unemployment or other environmental situations cause problems for your immune system?
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is telling us yes, our emotions can effect our immune system causing illness. PNI by definition is a multidisciplinary field, involving psychologists, neuroscientists and immunologists. This field looks at the scientific data on the interaction of the nervous and immune systems as well as the impact of behavior and psychological functioning. In short, PNI is based on we are what we think.
Human beings are the only creatures on earth that can change their biology by what they think or feel. According to research, exposure to stressful life experiences has been associated with changes in the immune system. Viral and bacterial infections, auto-immune diseases, cancer, heart disease, and HIV-related illness have all been linked to immune system changes associated with stressful events and psychological responses.
Experts have noticed that illness has many positive rewards. Ever notice when someone becomes sick they receive cards, flowers and gifts. Often people who are ill will gain praises from family and loved ones. In fact, sickness gives us permission to do things that we would not do otherwise. It makes it easier to say no to unwelcome people, burdens, and job demands in our lives. Being sick, or not feeling good allows us to take time to rest, stay in bed, meditate, reflect, and gives us permission to relax. It also gives us permission to be loved because we attain a great amount of emotional support.
For example, immunological changes have been observed in response to major life change events such as a marital separation, the death of a loved one, caring for a sick spouse, people who suffer from chronic stress, and being unemployed. In a series of studies done over the past ten years, the relationship between psychological stress and illness has been linked together. People with chronic stress are prone to acute infectious respiratory illness, heart and liver disease, chronic headaches, Irritable Bowel syndrome, back- aches, and joint problems. In fact, in a recent study done at UCLA, studies showed that 90% of illness had an emotional root.
In addition, according to new evidence, healthy self-esteem is one of the best preventative measures we can utilize for both psychical and mental health. In fact, strong self-esteem can help boost the immune system and protect against heart disease, and aid in healing.
A growing body of evidence is showing that some people with low self-esteem suffer from chronic pain, headaches, respiratory infections, and digestive problems such ulcers, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, heart disease, cancer, and chronic fatigue.
Researchers in psychology and psychoneuroimmunology stress that Self-efficacy is one of the major components to self-esteem. Self-efficacy is your perception of your own abilities. It is your belief in yourself and how you rate yourself. A study at UCLA showed that self-efficacy actually causes a chemical change in the brain that releases a chemical called catecholamine, which triggers a set of physiological reactions.
Suppressed or unsuppressed anger can also cause a wide spread effect on the body. To fully understand the process of anger, it is important to sense what happens to the body when one becomes angry. In a moment of anger, people may experience muscle tension, grinding of teeth and teeth clenching, ringing in the ears, flushing, higher blood pressure, chest pains, excessive sweating, chills, severe headaches or migraines.
With chronic anger people can experience peptic ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, intestinal cramping, hiccups, chronic indigestion, heart attacks, strokes, kidney problems, obesity, and frequent colds. Medical experts have found that the heart muscle is effected by anger and can actually reduce the hearts ability to pump properly.
The results of prolonged anger can actually cause harm to the body’s largest organ, the skin. Many people who hold their anger in often have skin diseases such as rashes, hives, warts, eczema, and acne. Researchers have studied anger and skin disorders and discovered that when the person resolved their deep buried anger, skin disorders dramatically improved.
One of the major effects anger has on the body is the release of chemicals and hormones, primarily the adrenaline and non-adrenaline. The adrenaline act on all organs that reach the sympathetic nervous system stimulating the heart, dilating the coronary vessels, constricting blood vessels in the intestines, and shutting off digestion.
There are many ways people can control their anger, relive stress, and gain self-esteem.
*Meditation. You hear it all the time, take a deep breath and count to ten. Meditation can allow you to take some time breathe, relax, and to reflect on the situation and take a critical look at what is happening with you. It can also slow down the metabolism of the body allowing it to heal.
*Practice forgiveness. Anger often times results in resentments. Resentments can be resolved through forgiveness. You do not necessarily have to forgive the person you are angry at face to face, you can forgive in any way that works for you.
* Creativity. Be creative in releasing your emotions. Screaming in a pillow, dancing, aerobics, pillow pounding, stretching exercises, tearing up old news papers, throwing rocks in a safe place, squeezing a ball of clay, kicking a ball or pillow, some sort of sport activity such as basket ball, racket ball, soccer or throwing a baseball.
* Avoid holding onto your feelings. Learn to express yourself. Talk to a friend, family member or counselor. Learn to talk and your health will benefit.
* Encourage others. By encouraging others you begin to believe in yourself as well as others.
* Begin to recognize positive traits in yourself as well as others.
* Do not set yourself up for failure. If you are setting goals, be realistic about your goals and allow yourself room to succeed. Do not set yourself up for failure.
Recognize your achievements! Achievements do not come in sizes. There are no small achievements, all achievements are BIG.
Most research thus far is showing that the immune system and the mind are
indeed connected. People really can be worried sick, or can psychologically be “eaten up” like a cancer. The medical field and psychology field can join together integrating both practices to ensure the best possible care.
By attempting to stay healthy, learning to give yourself permission to take time out for yourself, and building up your immune system, people have a head start in preventing illness and disease and can work towards stronger mental health.
Self Esteem and boosting the Immune System
It just worried me sick. It ate through me like a cancer. It cut me like a knife. It’s killing me. These are expressions we use that hint at the mind/body connection. Have you ever wondered if there really is any basis for these sayings? Can our thoughts and feelings actually influence our health? Can the death of a spouse, unemployment or other environmental situations cause problems for your immune system?
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is telling us yes, our emotions can effect our immune system causing illness. PNI by definition is a multidisciplinary field, involving psychologists, neuroscientists and immunologists. This field looks at the scientific data on the interaction of the nervous and immune systems as well as the impact of behavior and psychological functioning. In short, PNI is based on we are what we think.
Human beings are the only creatures on earth that can change their biology by what they think or feel. According to research, exposure to stressful life experiences has been associated with changes in the immune system. Viral and bacterial infections, auto-immune diseases, cancer, heart disease, and HIV-related illness have all been linked to immune system changes associated with stressful events and psychological responses.
Experts have noticed that illness has many positive rewards. Ever notice when someone becomes sick they receive cards, flowers and gifts. Often people who are ill will gain praises from family and loved ones. In fact, sickness gives us permission to do things that we would not do otherwise. It makes it easier to say no to unwelcome people, burdens, and job demands in our lives. Being sick, or not feeling good allows us to take time to rest, stay in bed, meditate, reflect, and gives us permission to relax. It also gives us permission to be loved because we attain a great amount of emotional support.For example, immunological changes have been observed in response to major life change events such as a marital separation, the death of a loved one, caring for a sick spouse, people who suffer from chronic stress, and being unemployed. In a series of studies done over the past ten years, the relationship between psychological stress and illness has been linked together. People with chronic stress are prone to acute infectious respiratory illness, heart and liver disease, chronic headaches, Irritable Bowel syndrome, back- aches, and joint problems. In fact, in a recent study done at UCLA, studies showed that 90% of illness had an emotional root.
In addition, according to new evidence, healthy self-esteem is one of the best preventative measures we can utilize for both psychical and mental health. In fact, strong self-esteem can help boost the immune system and protect against heart disease, and aid in healing.
A growing body of evidence is showing that some people with low self-esteem suffer from chronic pain, headaches, respiratory infections, and digestive problems such ulcers, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, heart disease, cancer, and chronic fatigue.
Researchers in psychology and psychoneuroimmunology stress that Self-efficacy is one of the major components to self-esteem. Self-efficacy is your perception of your own abilities. It is your belief in yourself and how you rate yourself. A study at UCLA showed that self-efficacy actually causes a chemical change in the brain that releases a chemical called catecholamine, which triggers a set of physiological reactions.
Suppressed or unsuppressed anger can also cause a wide spread effect on the body. To fully understand the process of anger, it is important to sense what happens to the body when one becomes angry. In a moment of anger, people may experience muscle tension, grinding of teeth and teeth clenching, ringing in the ears, flushing, higher blood pressure, chest pains, excessive sweating, chills, severe headaches or migraines.With chronic anger people can experience peptic ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, intestinal cramping, hiccups, chronic indigestion, heart attacks, strokes, kidney problems, obesity, and frequent colds. Medical experts have found that the heart muscle is effected by anger and can actually reduce the hearts ability to pump properly.
The results of prolonged anger can actually cause harm to the body’s largest organ, the skin. Many people who hold their anger in often have skin diseases such as rashes, hives, warts, eczema, and acne. Researchers have studied anger and skin disorders and discovered that when the person resolved their deep buried anger, skin disorders dramatically improved.
One of the major effects anger has on the body is the release of chemicals and hormones, primarily the adrenaline and non-adrenaline. The adrenaline act on all organs that reach the sympathetic nervous system stimulating the heart, dilating the coronary vessels, constricting blood vessels in the intestines, and shutting off digestion.
There are many ways people can control their anger, relive stress, and gain self-esteem.
*Meditation. You hear it all the time, take a deep breath and count to ten. Meditation can allow you to take some time breathe, relax, and to reflect on the situation and take a critical look at what is happening with you. It can also slow down the metabolism of the body allowing it to heal.
*Practice forgiveness. Anger often times results in resentments. Resentments can be resolved through forgiveness. You do not necessarily have to forgive the person you are angry at face to face, you can forgive in any way that works for you.
* Creativity. Be creative in releasing your emotions. Screaming in a pillow, dancing, aerobics, pillow pounding, stretching exercises, tearing up old news papers, throwing rocks in a safe place, squeezing a ball of clay, kicking a ball or pillow, some sort of sport activity such as basket ball, racket ball, soccer or throwing a baseball.
* Avoid holding onto your feelings. Learn to express yourself. Talk to a friend, family member or counselor. Learn to talk and your health will benefit.
* Encourage others. By encouraging others you begin to believe in yourself as well as others.
* Begin to recognize positive traits in yourself as well as others.
* Do not set yourself up for failure. If you are setting goals, be realistic about your goals and allow yourself room to succeed. Do not set yourself up for failure.
Recognize your achievements! Achievements do not come in sizes. There are no small achievements, all achievements are BIG.
Most research thus far is showing that the immune system and the mind are
indeed connected. People really can be worried sick, or can psychologically be “eaten up” like a cancer. The medical field and psychology field can join together integrating both practices to ensure the best possible care.
By attempting to stay healthy, learning to give yourself permission to take time out for yourself, and building up your immune system, people have a head start in preventing illness and disease and can work towards stronger mental health.
Self Esteem and boosting the Immune System
According to new evidence, healthy self-esteem is one of the best preventative measures we can utilize for both psychical and mental health. In fact, strong self-esteem can help boost the immune system and protect against heart disease, and aid in healing.
There are five major components that determine our self-esteem.
1. Appearance and how we dress and present ourselves.
2. Psychical abilities and determining what we can and can’t do
3. How confident we feel in a social setting
4. Our perceived intelligence
5. Self regard and how we feel about ourselves.
A growing body of evidence is showing that some people with low self-esteem suffer from chronic pain, headaches, respiratory infections, and digestive problems such ulcers, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Low self-esteem is a common denominator in stress prone people.
Researchers in psychology and psychoneuroimmunology stress that
Self-efficacy is one of the major components to self-esteem. Self-efficacy is your perception of your own abilities. It is your belief in yourself and how you rate yourself. A study at UCLA showed that self-efficacy actually causes a chemical change in the brain that releases a chemical called catecholamine, which triggers a set of physiological reactions.
What can you do to improve your self-esteem and boost your immune system? There are many ways people can boost their self-esteem. Here are just a few.
· Have faith in yourself. Otherwise, begin to feel confident about who you are and what you do.
· Encourage others. By encouraging others you begin to believe in yourself as well as others.
· Dress up! Go out on the town, let people see you. Dress up and feel good about your psychical appearance.
· Take a class or take up a hobby. Keeping ourselves occupied on an intelligent level helps boost self-esteem.
· Begin to recognize positive traits in yourself as well as others.
· Do not set yourself up for failure. If you are setting goals, be realistic about your goals and allow yourself room to succeed. Do not set yourself up for failure.
· Recognize your achievements! Achievements do not come in sizes. There are no small achievements, all achievements are BIG.
Remember that believing in yourself is the strongest weapon you have in promoting good health and living a long happy live. If you have problems with self-esteem, seek the help of a support group or therapist and learn important ways to help you feel good about yourself. Having good
self-esteem can be the best medicine.
Anxiety Psychoneuroimmunology
What is it that has 35 million Americans ingesting over 5 billion doses of tranquilizers each year? What could possibly be the underlining factor in syndromes like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowels? Anxiety!Anxiety is a far more common problem than researchers once thought. It can effect people from their teens through middle age and even later in life but the onset normally occurs in the late twenties and early thirties.
Besides anxiety creating physical syndromes such as chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, it can also create symptoms that include headaches, trembling, night sweats, nervous tension, heartburn, heart disease, and immune difficulties such as chronic infections and respiratory problems.
Common mental problems that are produced by anxiety include panic attacks, agoraphobia, social phobia, insomnia, preoccupation with physical illness, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Those who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also prone to panic attacks.
There is good news for the millions of Americans that suffer from anxiety and its effects. Good diet, herbs, vitamins, and relaxation techniques are proving to be extremely helpful.
Diet
Doctors are suggesting the people with anxiety problems and secondary symptoms eat more meals daily in smaller portions. In addition these dietary guidelines are suggested.
Eat more apricots, garlic, salmon, asparagus, bananas, avocados, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, yogurt, and to concentrate on high complex carbohydrates.
Foods that should be avoided are caffeine, refined sugars, carbonated drinks, and a reduction of animal products.
Herbs
Saint John’s Wort can help if taken in the proper dosages. In addition, kava kava has shown positive results. Other herbs that can be taken include valerian root, 5-HTP, passion flower, ginko biloba, and hops.
Vitamins
Calcium and magnesium is one of the best things you can take for reducing stress and anxiety. The B vitamins are also helpful with a focus on B-12 and a B complex. Zinc also has been suggested by holistic practitioners.
Things you can do.
· Exercise and body movement. Everyone balks at exercise however those with high levels of anxiety, who exercise, have reported a great reduction of symptoms. Those with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia have reported a notable improvement when they maintained light exercises such as walking, swimming, and bicycling.
· Seeking professional help from a loving caring therapist can help many people work through their anxiety and learn to control triggers that cause an anxiety attack.
· Take charge of your life! Having high anxiety, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia does not mean you surrender to the syndrome (these are all syndromes and not diseases}. Assert yourself with the anxieties and discomforts and take charge of your life!
· Other helpful resources for anxiety can be, bio-feedback, yoga, mediation, energy work, and massage therapy.
· Most importantly, take the time each day to relax, and nurture your body and its needs.
Often times people require medications for their anxiety and secondary disorders that go with it. Please be sure to consult at least two medical doctors before taking prescribed medications as over half of these medications are over prescribed and can cause dramatic side effects.
As always, consult your doctor or holistic practitioner before taking making any major changes in your lifestyle such as herbs, vitamins, exercise, and diet change.
Social Support and Your Health
Can social support and friendships actually help improve the immune system? Researchers are asserting that yes it can. Social interactions can reduce stress, build self-esteem, and act as a buffer from our environment, thus enhancing the immune system and protecting a person from illness and disease.The consequence of emotional abandonment can lead to a variety of
psychological problems such as, depression, suicidal ideologies, somatic disorders, addictions, and low self-esteem. Physical problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, immune infections, digestive disorders, and some researchers claim social isolation can increase the risk of cancer. In fact, researchers have discovered people with chronic illness normally have a small support system and weak social ties.
Social support is important to good health because it effects the number of T- lymphocyte cells. Researchers studied a group of people with a high social support system and compared them to those with very low or no social support. They found that T- lymphocyte cells were much higher in people who had adequate social ties and their overall health was satisfactory. Those who had low social support and no family or friends were stricken with far more illness and their overall health was poor.
There are numerous ways to increase social support and friendships.
*Look for social groups that share the same interests you do.
*Engage in some sort of support group. There are support groups for EVERYTHING these days.
*Volunteer for something. Find a cause that interests you and donate some time.
*Sign up for a class that interests you and attend. There are classes for art, music, sewing, mechanics, computers, and anything else of interest.
*Join a gym and gain social support while exercising.
*Get involved with a community project.
Having good relationships with people can increase health, and decrease stress. By surrounding ourselves with tender loving care, and having people we can confide in, we increase our chances of living a happier healthier life.
Until next month, be healthy and whole!
