Essay about Chronic Inflammation and Glycation

In an acute stressor, the immune system is heightened. But is suppressed in a chronic stressor. In this situation the cortisol levels rise, and weaken the immune system. This weaken system can make the human body more susceptible to serious disease, infections

They have also found that there are strong links between prolonged stress and disorders, mentally and physically. Kiecolt-Glaser et al 1995 also carried out research into the relationship between Stress and the Immune System. Kiecolt-Glaser et al 1995 = == ==

The biological purpose of the stress response is to help the body to survive either some sort of attack or a serious illness like a stroke or heart attack. During the stress response glucocorticoids divert the bodies energy to the areas necessary for survival like the muscles and the brain and it shuts down the areas that are not necessary for survival like the digestive and immune systems (Sopolsky, 2009). Chronic Stress in this context, is to experience this physical effect on regular or long term basis. This has become a public health issue for humans because we experience this chronic biological response on a too frequent a basis for psychological reasons (Stress, 2008).

Most studies of the relationship between stress and the immune system have focussed on acute(i.e. short lived) stressors and have found a decrease in immune cell function.

Kramer, Roberts, and Zygun (2012) conducted a level I systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess whether tight glycemic control reduces mortality and improves outcomes in neurocritical care patients. A thorough search was conducted through Ovid interface, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The search terms used were: “intensive glycemic control”, “neurocritical care”, and “clinical trials”. After the initial search, 3,040 references were identified. However, only sixteen studies were included. These sixteen studies involved 1,248 patients total, 654 patients treated with intensive glycemic control vs. 594

The immune system contributes to homeostasis as it protects and defends against invaders that pose a threat to the body’s balance. Homeostasis is an internal balance that is maintained by multiple factors within the body. The immune system is responsible for avoiding and limiting infections in the body. It prevents and heals damage that invading pathogens may cause to the body. In this way, it helps maintain homeostasis by eliminating pathogens and the imbalances they cause in the body. A first defense, known as the innate immune response, activates as soon as the body is infected. It is the same regardless of the invader. Examples include skin, chemical secretions, and linings.

When injury or infection occurs inflammation ensues. Inflammation is a defense response of the body that signals for the immune system to manage/fight off infection. White blood cells and macrophages are key components of this process. On a cellular level, immunity is created by exposure to foreign antigens. When the body encounters the foreign antigens it produces antibodies to destroy the antigens. B cells, a type of white blood cell, produce these antibodies. The antigen is then stored in the memory of the B cells so that when the same antigen is encountered in the future, our body can fight off the pathogen

While a natural response to pain and injury, inflammation is also related to some debilitating conditions and diseases. The tame end of symptoms include headaches, weight gain, and joint pain. But heart disease, Crohn’s disease, and even some types of cancer are also related to chronic inflammation. And chronic inflammation wasn't something treatable fifty years ago, before the advent of Systemic Enzyme Therapy. Now there is Heal N Soothe.

Getting sick is another negative factor of being overly stressed. Chronic stress compromises your immune system and stress hormones affect the body’s ability to fight off illness due to the fact that thymus’s ability to stimulate and coordinate the white blood cell activity.

Inflammation is a kind of protective immune response of body towards the hazardous stimulants like pathogens, irritants or even dead cells. The components of this protective immune response include blood vessels, mast cells , tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), tryptase, chemokines, reactive oxygen species (ROS), histamine, bradykinin, prostaglandin and leukotrines, interleukin-1. The inflammatory process is associated with stoppage of harmful stimuli, clearance of damaged tissues and repairing of injury. Inflammation is strictly regulated by the body. The extent of this response determines its positive or negative effect on body. Extremely low level of inflammation can’t stop tissue damage where as chronic inflammation frequently becomes the cause of disease itself.

Based on numerous studies, chronic stress is linked to poor health and risk factors, such as cardiovascular disease and poor immune function. One study observed the impact of stress by modulating cellular aging. Evidence shows that psychological stress, perceived stress and chronicity of stress, is associated with “higher oxidative stress, lower telomerase activity, and shorter telomere length, which are known determinants of cell senescence and longevity” (Epel). Chronic stress can actually promote pathophysiology through the same systems that are dysregulated (McEwen 1).

Stress has been linked to many diseases or malady conditions. Stress hormones that act on the heart, blood vessels, and lungs may contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, and asthma (Feldman, 17). Diseases of the stomach and intestines are often associated to stress because blood leaves these organs and moves to muscles used in running and fighting. Another difficulty is the prolonging increase of blood sugar can influence the development of diabetes. Stress also appears to influence the development of cancer.

With age, changes to the body may result in slower heart rate as the heart muscles degenerate slightly.

      Stress can cause many things that affect a healthy body.  Stress causes quick yet shallow breathing in which case, the body's cells are being deprived of oxygen.  Stress will increase cholesterol levels and can also cause indigestion, heartburn, a decreased sex drive, and also arteriosclerosis (the hardening of the arteries).  While these symptoms may seem minimal, stress can decrease the activity of white blood cells.  Since the white blood cells fight off sicknesses and diseases, the immune system is affected by stress and can make the body more susceptible to colds, viruses, flues, and diseases (Morrison 2).

“Inflammation is a nonspecific, defensive response of the body to tissue damage” says J.Tortora & Derrickson (2011), it is an effort