The Clinic of Dr. Arrigo

Various studies indicate that stress events or breakdown of psychological defenses are related to the onset of allergic, autoimmune, infectious, cancer, digestive, heart and circulatory, and other illnesses. The decline of immune function through stress may be responsible for the ability of pathogens and toxins to cause infection or of a genetic trait to become expressed as an actual disease. Abnormal activation of the sympathetic nervous system (the “get-up-and-go” nervous system) in response to stress negatively affects the digestive tract and then affecting the defense system of the digestive tract and the immune system in general.

Over-stimulation of the hormonal system (living in a state of constant arousal to stress) can lead to the exhaustion of the adrenals (the glands that are essential for the proper biological response to stress). This throws the hormonal system out of balance and puts stress on the other hormones. This situation can lead to the suppression of the thymus (one of the major immune glands of the body) and the immune system.