A small thread on stress and immunity. And how the former causes more damage than we care to acknowledge. Let us start with the simplest axis - the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal axis. Will try and keep things simple. 
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So, there is a stressor. Physical or psychosocial. A few things happen straight away – the hypothalamus releases Corticoid Release Hormone [CRH] into the Pituitary, the Sympathetic Nervous system [autonomic – SNS] fires up, Parasympathetic NS [autonomic - PNS] down-regulates
So, there is a stressor. Physical or psychosocial. A few things happen straight away – the hypothalamus releases Corticoid Release Hormone [CRH] into the Pituitary, the Sympathetic Nervous system [autonomic – SNS] fires up, Parasympathetic NS [autonomic - PNS] down-regulates
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..the Pituitary releases ACTH into the adrenal gland which in turn starts flooding the circulatory system with glucocorticoids. Biology 101 that most of us know.
..the Pituitary releases ACTH into the adrenal gland which in turn starts flooding the circulatory system with glucocorticoids. Biology 101 that most of us know.
At this juncture, let us remember that neurotransmitters are fast acting, mediating and switch off when the stimulant dampens down. Unless of course, thought/rumination keeps the circuit lit up like a Christmas Tree.
Hormones [Cortisol] on the other hand, release a bit later, act slowly [comparitively], spread all over & act on multiple cells in multiple regions of the body [remember, no cell in the body is more than a few cells away fm a blood vessel/capillary] & take much longer to fade out
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Typically, CRH action will get triggered within a second, will last a few seconds or minute and when the stressor goes, it will take a few seconds or a minute to die out. Threat is over, lion [real or metaphorical] has gone, job done!
Typically, CRH action will get triggered within a second, will last a few seconds or minute and when the stressor goes, it will take a few seconds or a minute to die out. Threat is over, lion [real or metaphorical] has gone, job done!
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Hormones on the other hand, will start flooding the blood a minute or two later, will spread all over, act in multiple areas and will typically take a couple of hours to be cleaned up after the CRH release halts.
Hormones on the other hand, will start flooding the blood a minute or two later, will spread all over, act in multiple areas and will typically take a couple of hours to be cleaned up after the CRH release halts.
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Remember, it is a rare human indeed who is chased by a lion [ a new one each time] every 3 hours, 24 hours a day, 30 days a month, 365 days a year. For 3 years. Unheard of actually.
Remember, it is a rare human indeed who is chased by a lion [ a new one each time] every 3 hours, 24 hours a day, 30 days a month, 365 days a year. For 3 years. Unheard of actually.
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Yet, it is not a rare human being who brings on Stress Response to every argument, every difference, every perceived insult, every perceived feeling of scarcity [I own a 3 year old Samsung, she has a brand new Iphone10!]…..intermittent, low intensity stressors ...
Yet, it is not a rare human being who brings on Stress Response to every argument, every difference, every perceived insult, every perceived feeling of scarcity [I own a 3 year old Samsung, she has a brand new Iphone10!]…..intermittent, low intensity stressors ...
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...which on account of poor emotional and thought regulation, trigger stress response that works well when one is being chased by a Lion across the Savannah for 45 seconds!
...which on account of poor emotional and thought regulation, trigger stress response that works well when one is being chased by a Lion across the Savannah for 45 seconds!
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So basically, when you are bringing on psychosocial stress on yourself, you are triggering the same response system that kept you safe from a lion chasing you thousands of years ago. All growth and protection systems shut down as the body focused on survival. Excellent.
So basically, when you are bringing on psychosocial stress on yourself, you are triggering the same response system that kept you safe from a lion chasing you thousands of years ago. All growth and protection systems shut down as the body focused on survival. Excellent.
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Not so excellent if the stressor is chronic [as psychosocial stress can often b in many people]. Your body is swimming in cortisol - and all other systems including digestive, respiratory,cardiovascular, immune, reproductive etc are compromised. You are a dis-ease magnet now!
Not so excellent if the stressor is chronic [as psychosocial stress can often b in many people]. Your body is swimming in cortisol - and all other systems including digestive, respiratory,cardiovascular, immune, reproductive etc are compromised. You are a dis-ease magnet now!
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Let me introduce the food element into the equation now. Nutrient class, what happens when those are broken down, which enzyme does what, how do cells store excess, how it is recalled in times of crisis etc. Basics, absolute basics.
Let me introduce the food element into the equation now. Nutrient class, what happens when those are broken down, which enzyme does what, how do cells store excess, how it is recalled in times of crisis etc. Basics, absolute basics.
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Attaching a snip from a paper i have written for clients to get a grip on the foundational elements involved. It is not a science paper, not by a long shot,so excuse the simple explanation.
Food,Cells,Enzymes,Storage,Retrieval, What comes in the way of effective functioning.
Attaching a snip from a paper i have written for clients to get a grip on the foundational elements involved. It is not a science paper, not by a long shot,so excuse the simple explanation.
Food,Cells,Enzymes,Storage,Retrieval, What comes in the way of effective functioning.
14/ continued from last image.
A ruined immune system will often lead to some sort of autoimmune disorder wherein a completely crazed immune system can’t figure out what is self and what is not self – so it might just start attacking healthy cells thinking those to be enemy.
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..Like a wreck often attacks a friend thinking him to be an enemy. Many more such complications, for instance immunosuppression is also a possibility – I will spare you the details on the histamine complex and receptors etc , since i promised to keep this thread very basic.
..Like a wreck often attacks a friend thinking him to be an enemy. Many more such complications, for instance immunosuppression is also a possibility – I will spare you the details on the histamine complex and receptors etc , since i promised to keep this thread very basic.
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The purpose of this thread was to shed some light on why this entire narrative on elderly people being vulnerable to #covid19 is too simplistic. While age is generally associated with weakened physiology, age is not the ONLY determinant for the health of one's immune system
The purpose of this thread was to shed some light on why this entire narrative on elderly people being vulnerable to #covid19 is too simplistic. While age is generally associated with weakened physiology, age is not the ONLY determinant for the health of one's immune system
Wow!
Imagine the mental state of those who are fueling and falling for these conspiracy theories.
theverge.com/2020/4/4/21207…
Imagine the mental state of those who are fueling and falling for these conspiracy theories.
theverge.com/2020/4/4/21207…
This is just brilliant. Science, Wrapped in humor and delivered with precision.
A conversation between SARS-COV-2 buggers on the biggest challenge they are facing 🤣
Source: xkcd.com/2287/
A conversation between SARS-COV-2 buggers on the biggest challenge they are facing 🤣
Source: xkcd.com/2287/
