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Page 27
| gens with similar properties are Siberian ginseng, schizandra from China and ashwaganda from India (sometimes called Indian ginseng). The Chinese herbs rehmannia and reishi mushroom also have adaptogenic properties, at least in regard to the adrenal glands. |
| Stress |
| The relationship of CFS to both the immune system and to the HPA axis brings us to the subject of stress. It is obvious to anyone who has CFS that stress precipitates the symptoms and it may trigger the disease in the first place. It makes sense, considering that stress lowers immunity and affects the HPA axis. Many people with CFS have experienced severe stress during the year before they get sick. According to a study reported in the journal Immunology Studies, if the disease comes on gradually, the patient is more likely to have had stressful experiences before getting sick. |
| When the body floods with adrenaline in response to excitement, anxiety or a single stressful situation, such as a threatening dog or a near traffic accident, the nervous system reactions heighten: the heart pumps faster, blood rushes to the face, the eyes dilate, the digestion stops and muscles flood with energyall in the matter of a few seconds. The body even begins to sweat to keep cool during the crisis. After the crisis has passed, the body returns to normal. However, the continual everyday stress eventually drains and exhausts the adrenal glands. Once exhausted, they no longer produce enough adrenaline, cortisone or cortisol hormones. This can make itself |
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