Grief is the painful experience of the loss of a loved one. The resulting period of all-permeating grief not only has a devastating effect on your emotional health, it also has a huge impact on your physical health. By understanding how seriously your health can be affected during time of bereavement, this insight could assist you to consciously and mindfully look after your health. A healthy body will provide you with a solid foundation to better deal with the emotional issues during this trying time.
How grief affects the body:
The strong emotions evoked by grief result in high levels of stress in the body, as part of the natural and age-old “fight-or-flight” response to perceived threats. No wonder that grief has been described as being similar to feelings of intense fear. The stress from grief triggers a chemical reaction in the body. The pituitary gland in the brain is stimulated into a “protective” reaction, similar to preparing the body for battle, by producing the adrenocorticotrophin hormone (ACTH). The ACTH travels to the two adrenal glands situated on top of each of the kidneys, where it triggers a chemical reaction to produce the steroid hormone cortisol. Increased levels of cortisol provides the body with the energy that is required to escape from danger.
Normally, the body’s relaxation response would be activated to keep cortisol levels healthy and under control after the fight or flight response, resulting in the production of ACTH tapering off. When grief continues over an extended period of time, the high levels of stress would continue and the production of ACTH continues. This results in abnormally high levels of cortisol circulating in the blood stream over this extended period, which have dire effects on the functioning of the immune system and other organs.
Normally white blood cells are the “soldiers” of the body’s immune system. They “fight and destroy” invading germs, bacteria and viruses – and even pre-cancerous cells. When the white blood cells are compromised by the high cortisol levels, the body becomes vulnerable to all kinds of disease carrying bacteria and viruses, as well as the most common germs. Ineffective white blood cells also result in increased levels of inflammation in the body. Persistent chronic inflammation has been linked to many major diseases, including heart diseases, diabetes, depression, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer.
The stress hormones also affect the cardiovascular system. Grief has an elevated risk of heart attack and more so if you have previously been identified with known cardiac risk factors and deemed to be at high risk, in which case you may have a 20% more chance of a heart related death during this time of bereavement. The elevated risk lasts for at least a month and will gradually reduce over time.
High levels of stress have been linked to changes in heart muscle cells and/or coronary blood vessels that may prevent the left ventricle of the heart from contracting effectively, says Dr. Maureen Malin, a geriatric psychiatrist with the Harvard-affiliated Mclean Hospital. This condition is known as the broken-heart syndrome, and in medical terms the condition is called stress-induced cardiomyopathy.
Dealing with your health during periods of grief:
It is important during time of grief to take care of and protect your health. According to Dr. Malin it is fine to just go through the motions at first, she calls it “fake it till you make it!”
Dietary changes are important for lowering cortisol levels. You may not have much of an appetite during time of bereavement, but it would help to consciously eat regularly, every few hours. Your body needs the calories in order to function properly. What you eat is crucial to lower cortisol levels and it is advisable to follow a diet that is higher in lean protein and fiber, and lower in carbohydrates. The Mediterranean diet is an excellent example of such a diet. Also remember to drink ample amounts of water and to spend some time outside in the sunshine.
Fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds and even beverages such as coffee, cocoa and green tea can all contribute to a reduction in the levels of chronic inflammation in the body.
In terms of what not to eat, let GPS guide you – avoid overly Greasy, highly Processed and super Sweet foods. These types of food contribute to inflammation and are incidentally also deemed to be bad for other aspects of health, such as weight gain, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Daily exercise is probably even more important than diet for lowering cortisol levels. You may not have the emotional or physical energy to exercise, but even five minutes of walking would be a good start and the time, distance and intensity of your exercise routine could gradually be increased.
Relaxation techniques and mind-body techniques would also assist to lower stress levels. Activities such as meditation, yoga, breathing exercises or even listening to music would be helpful to relax the body and the mind.
Also beware of harming your health any further by smoking or the excessive use of alcohol as a crutch.
Social interaction with friends and loved ones during this time of bereavement plays an important part in maintaining good health.
This is a time not to neglect your health.
Sources:
Grief can hurt – in more ways than one. Published in the February 2019 edition of the Harvard Health Letter. Harvard Medical School. (www.health.harvard.edu)
Grieving? Don’t overlook potential side effects. Harvard Health Blog posted 4 January 2019. Harvard Medical School. (www.health.harvard.edu)
How grief can make you sick. Published online and last updated 3 October 2015. Everyday Health. (www.everydayhealth.com)
Physiological correlates of bereavement and the impact of bereavement interventions. Published June 2012 in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. National Institutes of Health. (USA). (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The role of cortisol in the body. Published online and last reviewed April 2018. Health Direct. (www.healthdirect.gov.au)
How to recognize high cortisol symptoms. Published online 16 August 2018. University Health News. (www.universityhealthnews.com)
Use food to reduce inflammation. Blog, October 2018. Health Insight. (www.healthinsight.co.za)
Use food to reduce inflammation. Blog October 2018. Health Insight. (www.healthinsight.co.za)
HEALTH INSIGHT
February 2019