Your mental state has a lot to do on the physical state of your body. When we stress our brains release a surge of hormones including adrenaline and cortisol into the body. Adrenaline raises our heart rate and increases blood pressure. Cortisol releases glucose into the bloodstream. If you are under constant stress then we get an overload of these hormones and this can disrupt almost all your body’s processes. Some common signs of stress include anxiety, depression, digestive problems, heart disease, weight gain and a weakened immune system. This decreases the body’s ability to fight disease and loses the ability to kill cancer cells.
Everyday our bodies are exposed to carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) in the air, food, and water and our immune system recognises those abnormal cells and kills them before they get out of hand. When stressed, the body actually sheds vitamin C, weakening the immune system even more. This is why you need to take an extra dose of this vitamin in times of stress to help prevent yourself from becoming physically ill or run down.
We need to keep our immune system as strong as possible by giving it the fuel it needs to run a tight ship, especially in times of stress. And by fuel I mean plant-based whole foods packed with phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals that boost your immune system and keep you healthy.