Stress and the Human Immune System.

23 PAGES (2631 WORDS) Physiology Seminar
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Hans Selye defines stress as the wear and tear of the body. Prolonged stress or chronic stress can lead to the wear and tear of the immune system. In his model, which is known as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), he described the body’s response to stress in three stages which are:Alarm reaction, Resistance And Exhaustion. The first stage is what stirs the body for fight-or-flight response. The second stage is due to the recurrence of the first stage and if it persists, cortisol (the primary stress hormone) and corticosteroids level in the blood becomes excess and this leads to impaired antiinflammatory effects on the immune system, which has the several detrimental effects on human health. This condition is known as chronic stress.Some ways to know if you are under stress is if you have poor emotional management, migraines, and bad appetite. This can be prevented or managed by a number of ways including regular exercising, getting enough rest, having a good diet, therapy and meditation.

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