By Dr. Dominique M. Carson, LMP, MMP, H.C
Chronic stress can lead to an overactive immune system, which can then attack healthy cells and tissues, resulting in autoimmune disorders. That is the #1 cause said trauma expert, Dr. Gabor Mate, adding that 80 percent of all autoimmune diseases happen to women.
His theory, as he has stated on the Mel Robbins Podcast show, explained how four stress factor characteristics in women are associated with the disorders and contribute to the attack on the immune system by stress, versus protecting it from unknown pathogens. Chronic stress can lead to an overactive immune system, which can then attack healthy cells and tissues, resulting in autoimmune disorders.
Dr. Mate noted that 1) Women tend to prioritize the needs of others over their own, identifying more with their roles and duties in the world than with their own needs. 2) Women often appear friendly all the time, which can be a healthy expression of repressed anger.
3) Women frequently internalize responsibility for others' feelings about them.
4) Society is to blame for teaching women to prioritize others' desires. He further explained that societal pressure often leads women to say yes to the world's demands, adding unnecessary stress and compromising their immune system. Recognizing and challenging these societal expectations is a crucial step in managing stress and maintaining a healthy immune system. Understanding the role of societal pressures in compromising immune health can help women feel validated and understood in their experiences.
Women are often more frequently diagnosed with autoimmune disorders, and a significant underlying factor is stress. Whether physical stress from illness or injury, psychological stress from work or personal issues, mental stress from excessive worry, or emotional stress from complex relationships, the body activates the "fight-or-flight" response. This natural survival mechanism enables the body to respond to threats. This response triggers the release of hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, which prepare the body to react to perceived threats.
However, when stress is prolonged or chronic, it can lead to an imbalance in the body's systems. Sustained high levels of cortisol can impair its ability to regulate inflammation in the body. This impairment can further contribute to the progression of autoimmune disorders, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. Recognizing the role of stress in these conditions is essential for understanding and managing autoimmune disorders effectively.
This understanding can help individuals, both women and men, recognize the impact of stress on their health and take proactive steps to manage it, leading to a sense of enlightenment and awareness.
Nerve-racking situations can be associated with flare-ups, which can lead to chronic inflammation and tissue damage, also known as autoimmunity.
Dr. Ruthie Harper discusses the long-term effects of stress on our bodies when it remains unaddressed and how it damages our physical well-being. She says, "Stress accounts for 75% to 90% of all primary care doctor visits in the US. If you experience constantly elevated cortisol levels caused by chronic stress, you are compromising your immune system and significantly increasing your risk of autoimmune disease."
Therefore, Dr. Harper indicates stress is an avoidable root cause for autoimmune disorders
and incorporates healthier habits into your everyday life to lower the chances of being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. There are alternative approaches to managing autoimmune diseases, including a balanced diet, prayer/ mindfulness meditation, regular physical activity, and self-care practices. These practices will encourage others to prioritize stress management, and reducing stress can lead to restoring balance and longevity in health.
This impairment can further contribute to the progression of autoimmune disorders, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. Recognizing the role of stress in these conditions is essential for understanding and managing autoimmune disorders effectively. This understanding can help individuals, both women and men, recognize the impact of stress on their health and take proactive steps to manage it, leading to a sense of enlightenment and awareness. Nerve-racking situations can be associated with flare-ups, which can lead to chronic inflammation and tissue damage, also known as autoimmunity. Dr. Ruthie Harper discusses the long-term effects of stress on our bodies when it remains unaddressed and how it damages our physical well-being. She says, "Stress accounts for 75% to 90% of all primary care doctor visits in the US.
If you experience constantly elevated cortisol levels caused by chronic stress, you are compromising your immune system and significantly increasing your risk of autoimmune disease."
Therefore, Dr. Harper indicates stress is an avoidable root cause for autoimmune disorders and incorporates healthier habits into your everyday life to lower the chances of being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
There are alternative approaches to managing autoimmune diseases, including a balanced diet, prayer/ mindfulness meditation, regular physical activity, and self-care practices. These practices will encourage others to prioritize stress management, and reducing stress can lead to restoring balance and longevity in health.