29/09/2025

MONDAY | SEPT 29, 2025

26

HEALTH

T HE late nights and the constant hustle. Pushing through exhaustion under stress can feel normal as everyone gets overwhelmed. But what sits behind the fatigue, brain fog and irritability may be something deeper: chronic inflammation. Everyday stress is temporary. Once the stressor is gone, your body resets. But long-term stress, whether from financial worries, unresolved trauma or work pressure, keeps your stress-response system switched “on”. This triggers inflammation, weakens immunity and raises health risks. Growing national concern Stress is no longer just personal, it is national. The National Health and Morbidity Survey revealed depression cases in Malaysia doubled between 2019 and 2023. Experts link this to chronic stress and burnout. Rising costs, job insecurity and long hours leave many stuck in survival mode. The signs may not be obvious. You may chalk them up to being “just tired”. But these can be early signals that inflammation is taking hold. When stress is constant, your adrenal glands keep pumping cortisol. In small amounts, cortisol keeps you alert. But prolonged elevation disrupts balance and damages health. inflammation Chronic stress does not just drain energy, it depletes nutrients and changes how you eat. Stress shows up in different ways, but for many Malaysians, it often starts with the gut like acid reflux or irregular bowel habits. Fatigue is another big one, especially for working adults who are constantly balancing multiple responsibilities. We also see a lot of sleep issues, whether it is struggling to fall asleep or waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to rest. One of the most common signs that the body is under stress is tension headaches or migraines. Beyond the aches and fatigue, From cortisol to chronic

One of the most common signs that the body is under stress is headaches or migraines. – 123RFPIC

Is stress silently hurting your health?

0 Pause for two minutes of deep breathing. 0 Eat regular, balanced meals. 0 Reach for nutrient support. 0 Wind down without screens. Stress is unavoidable. By listening to your body and making small, consistent choices, you can shift from reacting to stress to managing it. This article is contributed by The Pillars Psychological Services founder Joanne Ng and LAC consultant nutritionist Malaysia Cynthia Jetan. delay healing and recovery from pain. As reported in Nature Communications , researchers have now found that a specific protein on the surface of prostaglandins, the EP2 receptor, is responsible for causing pain but not inflammation. Delivering drugs to silence only the EP2 receptor removed pain responses in mice without affecting inflammation, they found. “Inflammation can be good for you. It repairs and restores normal function,” study author Pierangelo Geppetti of New York University’s Pain Research Centre said. “To our great surprise, blocking the EP2 receptor... abolished prostaglandin-mediated pain but the inflammation took its normal course. We effectively decoupled the inflammation from the pain,” Geppetti said. The researchers said they are exploring whether drugs that target the EP2 receptor could be used to treat pain in conditions like arthritis that would usually be treated with NSAIDs. – Reuters

antioxidants, nutrients your gut bacteria need to produce anti-inflammatory compounds. Without these nutrients, even minor issues take longer to heal. Colds linger, gut discomfort persists, and energy never fully returns. Over time, the damage deepens, with recurring infections, hormonal imbalances, skin issues and greater risk of chronic disease. The good news? You do not need an overhaul. Small, consistent steps can pull your body out of stress mode. Here’s where to start: 0 Take a 10-minute morning walk.

o Long-term tension can trigger inflammation, weaken immunity

quick-energy foods, often high in sugar, refined carbs and fat because your body is bracing for “fight or flight”. And the average Malaysian diet does not help. A total of 95% of Malaysians do not eat enough vegetables. Meals are heavy on rice, noodles and protein, but light on vegetables, fruits or legumes. That means less fiber and

stress takes a toll on nutrition too. It changes how your body absorbs and uses nutrients, which affects how well you recover. Stress quickly uses up nutrients faster and can also reduce absorption. Without them, your body struggles to manage inflammation and repair itself. It also drives cravings for

Killing pain without impeding immune response REPLACEMENTS for common

Transforming use of medicines via pharmacogenomics THE human body is complex and so is the science of treatment. Today, the field of medicine has become ever more targeted and specialised, with pharmacogenomics providing greater insights into therapy than ever before. Pharmacogenomics is the study of the genes that might affect how an individual responds to medicine. The study of genomics is well established but was largely limited in the past due to the high cost of gene sequencing technology. already looking into its vast potential as a gamechanger in medicine. At present, any medical professional may pursue their interest and further study in this area, and pharmacists in particular are well-placed to delve into pharmacogenomics, owing to their training in how medicines work and how people respond to them. doctors on the right medications and dosage for each patient and help patients understand what their test results mean. Based on the principles of “five rights” – the right patient, the right drug, the right time, the right dose and the right route, pharmacogenomics will change the way healthcare professionals practise medicine. With conventional

over-the-counter painkillers might someday control pain without impeding potentially helpful inflammation, researchers suggested in a paper that could lead to changes in the way pain medicines are designed. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, which include aspirin and ibuprofen, are among the world’s most commonly used pain medications. They block enzymes that produce prostaglandins, which work with the immune system to promote inflammation by dilating blood vessels, increasing blood flow and attracting white blood cells to the site of injury. Prostaglandins sensitise nerve endings, making them more responsive to pain signals. Scientists have generally believed that preventing or reducing inflammation is what treats the pain. But inflammation – the immune system’s response to injury or infection – is sometimes beneficial and inhibiting it might

With their comprehensive training in medication, pharmacists can interpret genetic test results that guide the use of medicine, tailor medication regimes based on a patient’s genomic findings, advise

methods, therapy is guided by a framework. Now, therapy can be guided based on what patients will respond to. With prior knowledge of their patients’ genetic makeup, doctors can prescribe medicine with more confidence, tailoring treatment plans that are more suitable for their patients. This reduces the likelihood of side effects, saves time and expense for the patient in trying different drug or drug combinations, and improves outcomes by ensuring they receive the medications that work best for them, based on their genetic makeup.

While pharmacogenomics is not yet a gazetted medical speciality, international and local bodies are

This article is contributed by IMU University Institute for Research, Development and Innovation deputy director Prof Dr Mai Chun Wa.

Pharmacogenomics is already making waves globally in areas such as cancer therapy, cardiology, psychiatry, infectious disease and pain management.