Recent neuroscience shows when we perceive ourselves to be under constant emotional threat, brain/body respond to those stressors as if they are biological pathogens, upping ⬆️ inflammatory hormones and cytokines that harm immune health.
We need to feel socially & emotionally safe in order for our brain (which cross chats with our body's immune system) to function optimally. Happily we have a lot of agency in terms of how we manage our stress-immune response. Micro-choices matter if we're to flourish in crisis.
There are many positive actions we CAN’T take right now (seeing friends, holding loved ones). So we have to get creative and double down on 💯positive experiences that we CAN take to ⬇️our stress threat response, spend more of our day actively stacking in positive experiences.
Here is some of what I'm doing to ⬇️ my threat-stress inflammatory response and ⬆️ healthy stress hormones like oxytocin.
#HelloBrain: Let's do Hanami (Japanese art of blossom viewing watching light and wind play on blossoms while contemplating the transient quality of life).
#HelloBrain: Let's do Hanami (Japanese art of blossom viewing watching light and wind play on blossoms while contemplating the transient quality of life).
#HelloBrain: Let's do a little daily Qi Gong to ⬇️ our threat-stress inflammatory response and ⬆️ healthy stress response for healthy immune regulation:
#HelloBrain: Let's put our hands in the dirt & plant vegetables and ⬆️ healthy stress response while also getting good nutrition. And while we're at it let's plant pots of starter violets to leave on the porches of our elderly neighbors. Giving to others ⬆️ healthy immunity too.
P.S. For more of the deep in the weeds science on how our brain is in an intricate moment by moment dance with the world around us in ways that shape our immune response and well-being, here's my article in @WIRED: wired.com/story/the-tiny… from my book, The Angel and the Assassin.
