StemCell Therapy

(Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part letter.)

The health and safety of our island community should be the number one priority of our government. The focus must include our physical and our too often overlooked psychological well-being. We are all the recipients of the current health directives - wear a mask, practice reasonable social/physical distancing and proper hygiene. These are efforts at protecting ourselves. There is something else equally important we can do. We also need measures to prevent severe illness if we do get infected.

We need to keep our immune systems functioning at peak performance. After almost all COVID-19 related deaths, we learn that the patients had other illnesses or conditions that weakened their ability to fight the infection and we refer to these as comorbidities. Even if we are in the greatest of shape physically, we should strive to boost our immune system, our internal defense system, to potentially help our bodies fight infections, especially COVID-19. I am not about to ask you to buy some sort of hocus-pocus immune booster concoction for $39.99 plus shipping. The reason those types of advertisements appeal to so many is that we are not often told of the immune boosting things we can do on our own. Much research has arrived at the same conclusions and recommended the same thing: managing our daily stress, getting enough sleep, eating a well-balanced diet and daily physical exercise.

The immune system is an armamentarium of cells and proteins that defend our body against infection. It safeguards us from invaders including viruses, bacteria, fungus and foreign bodies. Our internal warriors are composed of battalions of defenders, armies and specialized soldiers that attack the invaders. This is a truly complex intricate network of cells, antibodies and molecules which are labeled with names that look like highly secure passwords, such as CD8+, IL-1, IFN-, TNF-, TGF-.

Excess stress weakens the immune system. The science behind that statement is a mountain of research that supports the concept of small amounts of chemicals being released from the brain during stress. The weakening of our immune system from the released chemicals can be silent. The impact of the stress chemicals can be physical and thus more evident. Many have experienced this as acid reflux during stressful times at home or work. The brain sends the stress-related neurotransmitters (tiny chemical signals) to the nerves that control the muscle that keeps acid in the stomach. The signal causes the muscle to malfunction and the patient feels it as heartburn. Yes, clearly stress can have a significant impact on the function of our bodies. The silent impact on the immune system can be much worse than heartburn or stress-induced headaches.

All of us, to some degree, are stressed just by living during this COVID-19 pandemic and have been for the many months it has been around. Most are at least a little worried about themselves or a loved one contracting and dying from the virus. This is compounded by the plethora of the psychosocial and economic impacts of the pandemic we see every day. Most are making this worse by checking their phones for updates several times a day or more. The additional burden of unemployment, piles of unpaid bills, social isolation and increasing marital discord are felt in many homes. Current data show that divorce rates in the U.S. have soared by 34% during the COVID-19 pandemic with marriages starting to crumble just three weeks into quarantine. Newlywed separation has doubled. The overall prevalence of anxiety, depression, insomnia and harmful alcohol use has increased. There are numerous reports in the psychiatric literature regarding COVID-19 related suicides. Social isolation and difficulty getting help have increased suicides rates in the USA and other countries. The Office of the Guam Chief Medical Examiner has recorded 26 suicides from January to August - more than have died from COVID-19. It may be getting worse as 15 suicides were recorded in the last 3 months alone.

Stress management does not need to be painful, overwhelm our schedules or ruin our budgets. A daily 10-minute walk is a great place to start. Dont set an unrealistic goal. Just take a 10-minute stroll every day and take it from there. It is a good idea to avoid caffeine and alcohol. I am concerned about the use of alcohol to self-treat stress and using caffeine as a substitute for sleep. Nicotine consumption here I am actually saying that the goal is zero. Smoking is a surefire way to weaken your immune system. If you are having trouble quitting, get help. Finally, talk to someone you trust. The more you communicate your frustrations of daily life, the better you will be able to handle them and the less likely your stress will negatively impact your immune system.

Dr. Ramel Carlos is a board-certified neurologist practicing in Guam for 18 years and a specialist in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. He is also a pediatrician, a diplomate of the American Board of Disability Analysts and the editor-in-chief of The Guam Medical Association Journal.

See the rest here:
A doctor's Rx: How to boost our immune system during the pandemic, part 1 - The Guam Daily Post

This entry was posted on September 10, 2020 at 2:57 am and is filed under Immune System. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |