Though the term mind-body connection is one that seems a bit new-agey or even esoteric to some, the concept is a simple one.  The things that we feel emotionally affect out bodies as does the experience in our physical body affect the way we feel emotionally or mentally.  But how exactly do they affect one another and what is the mechanism for their relationship?

Recent research has found that each and every cell contains a tiny clock called a telomere, which shortens each time the cell divides. Cells which have short telomeres are linked to a range of diseases, including HIV, osteoporosis, heart disease and aging.

Certain enzymes within the cell, called telomerases, keep immune cells young by preserving their the length of the telomere clock and ability to continue dividing.  What scientists have found is that the stress hormone cortisol suppresses immune cells' ability to activate their telomerase which may be why the cells of persons under chronic stress have shorter telomeres.

 This explains how how stress makes people more susceptible to illness. The more cortisol they produce when under stress, the shorter those telomeres and thus the more vulnerable you would be to getting sick?
These findings also suggest a potential drug target for preventing damage to the immune systems of people under long-term stress, such as caregivers to chronically ill family members, as well as astronauts, soldiers, air traffic controllers and people who drive long daily commutes.  When the body is under panic or stress, it boosts production of cortisol to support a fight or flight response and if the hormone remains elevated in the bloodstream for long periods of time, though, it wears down the immune system.

So scientists are testing therapeutic ways of enhancing telomerase levels to help the immune system ward off cortisol's effect. How’s that for a mind-body connection?  In the meantime, relaxation techniques such as medication can do wonders for reducing cortisol levels and thus protecting yourself from disease.