Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology in Kingston
Rejuvenate Your Health in Mind and Body
Psychoneuroimmunology Kingston is the advanced scientific discipline that explains how the mind (psycho-), the nervous system (neuro-) and the immune system (immunology) interact and communicate over a complex series of molecules and pathways. Clinical psycho-neuro-immunology (cPNI) is the application of this knowledge in a clinical setting. It focuses on restoring the body and mind back to balance (health) by focusing on the interplay, or ‘cross-talk,’ between the mind and nervous, immune and hormonal systems.
A Basis in Human Evolution
cPNI is a therapeutic practice informed and directed by human evolutionary biology. Insights into ancestral living patterns help us to understand the nature of chronic inflammatory conditions by recognising how body mechanisms designed to protect us from danger and harm actually developed through the course of evolution. With these insights we can begin to understand the impact the modern environment has on physiology and health – and where ‘stress’ and ‘stressors’ fit in.
Stress and Your Body
We think of stress as psychological overload. But there are many different forms of stress that act as ‘stressors,’ all of which can overload the body’s ability to stay in healthy balance. Stressors include everything from a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle to the chemical soup our bodies have to detoxify daily. For example, body care and household cleaning products, polluted air and water supply and pesticides in non-organic food. Consequently, that ancient inbuilt defence (immune) mechanism is readily switched on to deal with the perceived ‘threat.’ This is more commonly known as the ‘fight or flight’ response.
Regenerate Your Immune System
Treatment is aimed at reinforcing the internal barriers of the human body (skin, mouth, intestines) resulting in the regeneration of immune tolerance, switching off the ‘hyperactive’ immune system and freeing up much energy for use by the brain and (heart) muscle tissue. An activated immune system may use up as much as 58 percent of total energy intake (1000 kcal per 24 hours) and 3 percent of total energy while at rest.
The switched-on immune system uses glucose and certain proteins, ‘snatching’ these away from the brain, muscles and reproductive system and disturbing the normal functioning of the brain (attention disorders, mood swings, depression, inflammation) and causing loss of fertility and libido, as well as damage to the musculoskeletal system. Reinforcing barriers requires a comprehensive treatment, at both the dietary level and at the level of supplementation.
Are Supplementation and Phytotherapeutics Necessary?
Living in modern Western societies can place great demands on the body. To function well, your body requires many essential nutrients. Due to intensive agriculture in the last decade, however, the quality of our food has seriously deteriorated. Consequently, our modern diet is not sufficiently rich in nutrients in most cases, even when a healthy diet is adopted. Therefore, nutritional supplements and are essential – they help you obtain optimal health and can be used to prevent and treat common ailments.
