Dealing with stress can be difficult, and when a cold also enters the picture, it can add to our busy plates. But did you know that our stress levels are linked to our immune response? When our bodies are overloaded with our stress hormone, cortisol, it can have a negative impact on immune health.
Let’s explore the connection between chronic stress and our immune system, and how we can keep both under control.
Stress on the immune system.
Our bodies have certain systems in place that are constantly at work. Our immune system is responsible for fighting off infections, and when an intruder comes in, it jumps into action. During times of stress, our autonomic nervous system triggers our fight or flight response to control our heart rate, blood pressure and more. A player in the fight or flight response is cortisol, the body’s stress hormone. While maintaining healthy levels of cortisol is a natural part of the body’s daily functions, constant stress can overwhelm the body with high amounts of cortisol.
High cortisol levels impact the production of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays a role in our immune response to fight viruses. On the other hand, chronic stress can also lead to increased inflammation. This leaves us vulnerable to infections as our immune system is unable to function optimally.
3 ways to lower stress.
Tackling stress doesn’t happen overnight, but there are a few habits you can incorporate into your routine to manage your stress levels day by day.
Meditation
Meditating is a great option to turn to that can help bring a sense of calm, even when you’re on the go. You can start by following a meditation podcast, or take a seat, close your eyes and focus on controlled breathing.
Relaxing activities
Enjoying your favourite pastimes can help boost your mood and lower cortisol. You can cozy up and enjoy some alone time with a book or podcast, or spend time connecting with your friends, family or community.
Quality sleep
Sleep is a key player when it comes to our mood, memory and judgment. Poor sleep quality can lead to us feeling more irritable and stressed throughout the day. It’s important to aim for eight hours of sleep during the night to allow our bodies to unwind and reset for the next day.
Remember that dealing with stress looks different for everyone. Take your time and find out what works best to help you feel relaxed.
Stress-relieving and immune-boosting nutrients.
Our lifestyle plays an important role in our stress and immunity, including our diet. In addition to stress-reducing habits, building a plate that’s diverse in nutrition can help manage stress and boost our immunity. Here are a few different nutrients to look for.
Vitamin C
Citrus fruits are not only tasty but packed with vitamin C! This antioxidant helps reduce cortisol levels and boosts the immune system. Try incorporating oranges, kiwis and berries into your routine for sweet support.
Since this vitamin is water-soluble, it’s important to get your dose of vitamin C every day. CanPrev’s Zinc 50 Ultra Immune + Vitamin C provides 400mg of vitamin C and 50mg of zinc for extra immune support.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps support mood and the production of immune cells, while lowering inflammation. While the sun is a great source for vitamin D production, it can be unreliable during cloudy days. Alternatively, milk, egg yolk, and fortified orange juice are food sources you can add to your diet.
You can also reach for CanPrev’s D3 Drops containing 1000IU of vitamin D3 per drop to bring in the sunshine benefits even through dark winter days.
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids help boost serotonin to combat stress, reduce inflammation and support the immune response. Food sources include fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, and chia seeds.
Magnesium
Magnesium has been shown to lower cortisol levels and regulate overactive neurotransmitters to help reduce stress. Kale, spinach and other dark leafy greens are a great way to get your fill of magnesium.
CanPrev’s Magnesium Stress Release is specially formulated to help recover from long periods of stress. This magnesium formula includes ashwagandha, vitamin B5, B6 and C to help restore mental calmness, concentration and quality sleep.
Stress is a natural response when facing challenges in life, and dealing with stress is no easy feat. But chronic stress can overwhelm our immune system and leave us susceptible to infections and viruses. By incorporating support from calming activities and a stress-relieving diet, we can keep our immune responses strong.
Sources
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