From Stress to Inflammation: The Hidden Link Shaping Your Health

By Founder, Owner, and Nurse Practitioner Adrienne Garbarino

I say it all the time to my patients: “You need to work on stress management.”

Easier said than done, right? I’d know — I’ve been working on it myself for years.

But I often wonder: if we truly understood the impact stress has on our bodies, would we take that advice more seriously? We tend to think of stress as something that lives in our minds — the racing thoughts, the tight chest, the worry that keeps us up at night. What we don’t always realize is how those same mental and emotional pressures ripple into our physical health and leave lasting damage.

It’s not always easy to connect the dots between automatic thoughts and feelings and the symptoms we see in the body — things like high blood pressure, stubborn fatigue, autoimmune flare-ups, or even changes in weight and hormones. But the truth is, stress doesn’t just make us feel overwhelmed.

Traumatic events and long-term periods of high stress literally cause disease.

So how exactly does stress turn into disease? The answer might surprise you: Inflammation.

Stress, the Immune System, and Inflammation: More Than Just Fighting Germs

Most of us know the immune system as our defense against invaders like bacteria and viruses. But have you ever wondered how the body fights off sickness? Through inflammation. When a threat shows up, the body triggers a cascade of events, ultimately unleashing inflammation to fight off the invader. That’s helpful — and even lifesaving — when it comes to infections.

But here’s the part most people don’t realize: the immune system also responds to psychological stress. The brain and body don’t really distinguish between an unhealthy relationship, a looming deadline, a painful memory, or a viral infection.

To your biology, stress = danger.

That “danger” signal kicks off immune reactions, including the release of chemical messengers called cytokines. In small doses, this response helps the body rally its defenses. But when stress is constant or unresolved, cytokines keep circulating. The result? Chronic inflammation that slowly chips away at your health.

PTSD Is the Extreme — But It’s Not the Only Story

One of the clearest examples of this mind-body connection is PTSD. Research shows that trauma can rewire the nervous system, driving higher levels of inflammation in the body. If you’ve ever known someone with PTSD, you’ve likely seen how it affects not just their mood, but their physical health as well.

But here’s what often gets overlooked: you don’t need a life-altering trauma like combat to see this effect. Often, the things we’ve learned to ‘normalize’ are actually traumatic to the brain. Growing up with overly critical parents, working under a toxic boss, or feeling emotionally unsupported are all experiences that can leave lasting marks.

Even environments that don’t seem traumatic at first glance — like caring for an aging parent, managing constant financial strain, or simply living with the emotional weight of always being “on” — can quietly create the same physiological stress response.

Do you recognize yourself in any of these?

Day after day, year after year, that stress load builds up. And while PTSD is the most well-studied example, everyday stressors can activate the same pathways — even if they don’t feel “headline-worthy.”

The Inflammation Connection

When stress leads to chronic inflammation, it shows up in ways that feel frustratingly vague: fatigue, brain fog, weight changes, sleep disruption, hormone imbalances, digestive issues, and flare-ups of autoimmune conditions.

These aren’t just random annoyances. They’re your body’s way of saying: “Something deeper is going on.”

And the deeper issue is often inflammation — driven not only by diet or environment, but by the stress we carry, often silently.

The Hidden Consequences of Inflammation

Scientists now understand that unchecked, elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines are linked to a wide range of chronic conditions, including:

• Cardiovascular disease — heart disease, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, heart attacks, and strokes.

• Autoimmune disease — conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto’s thyroid disease, and psoriasis.

• Hormone disruption — thyroid problems, infertility, irregular periods, low testosterone, and stubborn weight gain.

• Mood and brain health — depression, anxiety, memory problems, and brain fog.

• Accelerated aging — faster joint wear and tear, osteoporosis, wrinkles, and increased risk of chronic illnesses that typically show up later in life.

This is why unchecked inflammation is often called the root of so many modern health problems.

Addressing stress isn’t optional. It’s a medical necessity.

And let’s be honest: as women, we’re often excellent at caring for everyone else, but we treat our own wellbeing like a luxury we need to justify.

The irony is, the more we give ourselves permission to slow down and prioritize our health, the stronger and healthier we become — not just for ourselves, but for the people who depend on us.

Why Measuring Matters

Here’s the encouraging part: the impact of stress on the body isn’t invisible anymore. Advances in testing now, specifically the Trauma Autoimmune Indicator ™ by iXpress Genes, allow us to measure those specific markers of inflammation and immune activation that are linked to psychological stress and trauma.

Testing gives you clarity.

Are your symptoms being driven by stress and trauma? If so, we can focus our treatment plan on proven strategies that calm the immune system and lower those inflammatory cytokines we talked about earlier. 

And while there’s no “magic pill” to make stress disappear, there is a way forward. When we can see what’s really happening inside your body, we can design a personalized plan — from small, sustainable changes to advanced therapies — that not only restores balance, but helps you feel stronger, calmer, and more resilient than ever before.

Just as importantly, we can track these markers over time, so you can see real, objective proof that your efforts are working. That kind of clarity turns “stress management” from a vague idea into a powerful, trackable step toward healing.

Because stress may start in the mind, but it doesn’t end there. It leaves real, measurable changes in your body — and once you can see them, you have the power to change them.

Want to learn more about how we can measure the impact of stress and inflammation in your body? Click here.