In today’s fast-paced world, chronic stress is common. It can be caused by the increase in financial obligations, loss of job, overtime work, conflict with loved ones, and so on. Not all stress is bad. Short-term stress can be positive to improve body alertness and the ability to manage tough situations. The ‘right’ amount of stress and anxiety motivates you to perform better and stimulate creativity. However, long-term chronic stress brings harmful impacts on your body including fatigue, difficulty in concentration and sleep deprivation.

Indeed, it’s hard to stay calm amidst life’s stresses. Anxiety can arise quickly, leaving you feeling out of control and not knowing what to do. On top of that, prolonged stress and anxiety exert an immunosuppressive effect, causing immune system imbalance which leads to an increased rate of chronic disease and viral infection. Therefore, finding the right ways to cope with anxiety is the key to resilience in the face of whatever life throws at you. For instance, seek professional advice, practice meditation, yoga, listen to your favourite music, enjoy a soothing bath or take supplements that help you calm your mind.

Your immune system is the first line of defence from countless contagions, protecting the body at the first sign of trouble. In general, the immune system destroys foreign agents through two mechanisms, innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity is a rapid, but non-specific first response to invading pathogen. On the other hand, adaptive immunity performs through antigen recognition and secretes specific chemicals such as antibodies and cytokines to regulate the immune response. It has the capacity for memory and able to stimulate a more efficient immune respontse upon subsequent exposure to the antigen thereby providing long-lasting protection.

In fact, the immune system works hard behind the scene to keep up with your busy schedule. However, many aspects of a hectic lifestyle will bring negative impacts on the immune system, such as stress, unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol and lack of sleep.

A person with a weak immune system has a higher risk of being infected by viruses and bacteria, and therefore is more prone to infections such as common cold and flu.

‘Tired all the time’ is a popular complaint. According to international studies in general practice, 25–30% of the complaints were concerning fatigue. Fatigue is a feeling of constant tiredness or weakness in the form of physical, mental, or a combination of both. On a whole, fatigue may be caused by general well-being issues such as lifestyle, social interaction, and emotion. In fact, fatigue has distinct mental and physical components. Physical fatigue is the somatic sensation of fatigue while mental fatigue is a condition triggered by prolonged cognitive activity. It sends your brain into overdrive, leaving you exhausted, hampering your productivity and overall cognitive function.

Our organs, muscles, and cell metabolism all need various nutrients to support daily function. Nutrients may be directly converted to provide energy, or as coenzymes, that involved in energy production. Nutrient deficiency will negatively impact tissue repair and decrease energy levels which lead to chronic fatigue or diseases. Severe fatigue accompanied by numerous common symptoms such as headache, muscle pain and loss of concentration which last for 6 months or more can lead to chronic fatigue syndrome, a fatigue-specific medical disorder.

The vagina naturally hosts a diverse microbiome, primarily dominated by lactobacilli species. An imbalance in the vaginal microflora, also known as vaginal dysbiosis can make it vulnerable to harmful bacteria, potentially leading to discomforts and increased risk of urogenital infections. Several lifestyle factors such as hygiene practices, sexual activities, clothing, smoking, alcohol consumption, use of birth control and medication, hormonal fluctuations and stress can all influence the vaginal microbiome. Additionally, the vaginal and urinary tract microbiomes are interconnected, with one affecting the health of the other. Study has shown that vaginal dysbiosis may result in E.coli colonisation and prompt recurrent UTIs. Therefore, maintaining a healthy vaginal microflora is essential to prevent overgrowth of pathogen and reduce the risk of both vaginal and urinary tract infections.