Am I sick ? You & Your Body

Subject: Am I Sick?

Hello,

In or last blog , we talked about your

amazing immune system and how it protects your

body against foreign invaders.

Today, we’ll talk about how to tell if that

immune system has been overpowered. In other

words, are you coming down with something?

Here are some early warning signs that you or

your kids might be getting sick:

•Fatigue: This is one of the first and most

significant signals that your body is fighting

off sickness.

It’s different from that mid-afternoon slump or

the feeling you get when you skimp on a little

sleep.

We’re not sure exactly what causes the fatigue – maybe

your body is shunting all the energy to the immune

system or perhaps the cells under attack are

sending signals to the rest of the body.

But for whatever reason, if you’re coming down

with something, you’re probably feeling like you

want to just crawl back into bed and pull the

covers back up over your head.

•Change in Color: When you’re first getting sick,

your body tries to maintain its usual balance,

called homeostasis, by using the “fight or flight”

system.

Your body shuts down or constricts blood flow to

the peripheral arteries in your face, fingers,

and toes so most blood flow goes to the essential

organs.

This can cause paleness or pallor and even a cool

temperature in the face, hands and feet. This can

often be the first visible sign, so if someone tells

you that you look pale, ask yourself if you may be

coming down with something.

•Dark Circles: This is especially common in kids

and young adults, and usually signals some sort

of sinus trouble.

In response to inflammation or infection, the

tissues and blood vessels near the eyes become

swollen with fluid and the smaller vessels darken

in color.

•Loss of Appetite: When you’re sick, your body

shunts more energy to the immune system and less

to the digestive system, so you usually don’t feel

much like eating.

•Mood Changes: It’s not a coincidence that folks

get extra-grumpy when they’re sick. It’s not just

a matter of not feeling yourself, either.

Viruses can actually interfere with the production

of our “feel good” neurotransmitters like dopamine

and serotonin.

In our next blog we’ll talk about some

biomarkers to watch for with your immune system

(and some foods that will help out).

Until Then,

Much Love

Marie Jane Lewin "The Beauty Alchemist "