There are many different factors that may contribute to developing an autoimmune disease. Some of these include enviornment, heredity, illness and stress. In fact, a recent study concluded “Stress related disorders were significantly associated with risk of subsequent autoimmune disease”.
This Swedish register-based retrospective cohort study included 106 464 patients with stress-related disorders, 106,464 matched unexposed individuals, and 126 ,652 full siblings. Exposure to a clinical diagnosis of stress-related disorders was significantly associated with an increased risk of autoimmune disease (incidence rate was 9.1 per 1000 person-years in exposed patients compared with 6.0 and 6.5 per 1000 person-years in matched unexposed individuals and siblings, respectively).
You can read the full study here: JAMA. 2018;319(23):2388-2400. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.7028s
Short bouts of stress followed by an adequate period of recovery are no big deal. Unfortunately many of us live in a constant state of stress which then contributes to the body breaking down as shown in this graph:
Chronic stress also leads to exhaustion and fatigue, which is one of the major complaints that cause people to visit their doctor. Stress causes physiologic changes in the body, disrupting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the autonomic nervous system. These both influence multiple body systems including immune function. In addition to stress causing autoimmune disease, the disease itself also causes stress. This leads to a vicious cycle of increased symptoms and decreased quality of life.
Many things can contribute to stress, which then cause autoimmune disease symptoms to get worse. Some of these things include: poor nutrition, low energy intake, intense exercise, work stress, relationship stress, caregiving, financial stress, loneliness, negative emotions, environmental stress, alcohol and drug use and illness and injury. Notice how even though exercise can be a good way to deal with stress, it can also contribute to it. The question then becomes how can we begin an exercise program that doesn’t add to the stress on the body but instead contributes to recovery. The answer is to begin slowly, work at a level that doesn’t cause you pain, and balance exercise sessions with recovery exercises such as deep breathing, windmill taps and posture exercises.
My new Autoimmune Starter Program is the perfect mix of these recovery activities and exercise. It includes both strength training activities and cardiovascular activities, and the guidelines are simple to follow. You don’t need any expensive equipment or hours a day to accomplish it either. By the end of the 21 days you will have not only increased your fitness level and prepared your body to take on new challenges, you will also have established a habit of daily exercise and stress management. Daily checklists will be submitted directly to me so that I can track your progress and answer any questions. I am launching this program for only $97 so that I can help as many people as possible. If you have previously joined a gym or vowed to get in shape and then not been able to follow through because of pain or lack of knowledge this is the program for you. I’ve also included recommendations on helpful supplements and dietary changes. I am uniquely qualified to give this advice based on my experience as a pharmacist, personal trainer, and Precision Nutrition Coach.
If you are interested in learning more about this program or discussing it further reach out to me at 732-241-2001. Stop waiting for the perfect time to get started and reach out today!