Scientific Writing - Essay Example

Stress Management Stress management promotes health and improves the immune system. Stress destroys the immune system making the body vulnerable to infections. It is mandatory for everyone to manage stress in order to have a well functioning immune system, which leads to a healthy body. The immune system is the body system that protects the body from attacks of disease causing pathogens and the antigen that are harmful to the body. It has the mechanisms of recognizing pathogens and external materials as non-self and consequently mounts an immune response against them.

Categorization of the immune system is into, innate immunity and acquired immunity (Harrington 24). Innate immunity comprises mainly of the skin and mucosal surfaces. The main function of this immune is to prevent entry of specific non-self antigens. In many cases, compromising of innate immunity occurs and consequently pathogens gain entry into the body. The remedy then is the acquired immunity, which comprise the cellular immunity, (lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, and antigen-presenting cell) and humoral immunity (mediated by macromolecules).

It works by recognizing disease causing pathogens and triggering mechanisms that destroy them. (Weinstein 40)Many diseases that kill people in this century originate from stress as opposed to improper diet, and pathogen resistance to drugs. More investment on in making people less stressed than in pharmaceutical firms it to be considered by any nation that want healthy and effective citizens. An immune system in its right condition is able to keep pathogens at bay and maintain the body health.

Stress remarkably interferes the immune system by altering its functioning. It suppresses the immune system function and over time causes tearing down of this important system. Stress is the feeling of inability to deal with a life-threatening situation. It leads to emotional, psychological, and physical problems. The physical problems include heart disease, high blood pressure, chest diseases, and heart rate abnormalities (Harrington 26). The adrenal glands release adrenaline when someone is under stressful conditions.

It responds well to short term stress through fight or flight response. Adrenaline stimulates the heart rate, contracting blood vessels’ dilating air passages thus increasing a subsequent flow of blood to the muscles and the amount of oxygen intake in the lungs (Weinstein 43). These responses affect the digestive system by inhibiting the digestion. If stress is prolonged, the production of adrenaline continues. To cover for the time lost, digestion activity increases after the stress period causing ulcers.

Ulcers may cause colon cancer. Adrenaline function is short-term. However, when stresses continue the fight-or-flight response remains functional. The stress response is self-regulatory and goes down when the stressor disappears (Harrington 30). When stress is always present, adrenaline production continues and, the result is prolonged high heart rate contraction of blood vessels and its other effects. This causes hypertension, the cause of death of many people. Releases of cortisol hormone also occur during stress.

Its primary function is to increase blood sugar through glycogenesis, suppress the immune system, and help in protein, fats, and carbohydrate metabolism. It inhibits the production of components of the complement system of the immune system. For instance, down regulation of interleukin-2receptor found on the t-helper cells consequently interleukin-2 binding to t-helper cells inhibit the working humoral immunity (Weinstein 45). Prolonged action of cortisol leads to breakdown of much of the body proteins leading to muscle wasting.

Decreasing of bone formation and body weakness also occur. A stressful life style cause elevated blood sugar (diabetes) cholesterol and body fat level. These conditions set the stage for the common diseases in this modern life (Harrington 37).Many diseases are resulting from the inability of the immune system to work well. These diseases involve both the body and mind. Worry, uncertainties, anxiety, and family issues keep people awake at night. Disorders such as headache may result from lack of good sleep (Harrington 40).

In institutions of higher learning, many suffer from various illnesses prior to and during the examination. Evidence from research done on a volunteer student shows that the T-cell counts for the students is low during the exam. In times of normal studies, the t-cell count in the blood was high. T-cell represent the immune system condition whose proper function affected by stress. The investigation indicates that many health problems cause is not bacterial or viral. Stress works in a similar way of human immune virus in the depletion of the immune system (Weinstein 51).

Works CitedHarrington, Rick. Stress, Health & Well-Being: Thriving in the 21st Century. Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.Weinstein, Richard A. The Stress Effect: Discover the Connection between Stress and Illness and Reclaim Your Health. New York: Avery, 2004. Print.