Why Do I Keep Getting Sick?

Written By Gabriela Z

From a Practical Herbalist in Training

As a practical herbalist in training and a passionate student of human biology, herbology, and the mind-body connection, I often ask myself: why do so many of us get sick so often?

In today’s world, where we live mostly in our heads, disconnected from our bodies, emotions, and the natural world, sickness has become more than just physical — it’s a signal. A whisper (or sometimes a shout) from our body asking for attention, presence, and care.

In this post, I want to explore some of the deeper, often-overlooked reasons why we fall ill — and how we can begin to heal, reconnect, and reclaim vitality.

1. Stress: The Silent Immune Suppressor

Stress is one of the most common and underestimated causes of chronic illness. When we live in a constant state of fight or flight, our body diverts energy away from essential systems — including the immune system.

Let’s look at what happens on a biological level:

  • The hypothalamus in your brain senses stress and signals your adrenal glands (perched atop your kidneys).

  • These glands release adrenaline and cortisol.

    • Adrenaline increases heart rate and blood pressure, giving you a burst of energy.

    • Cortisol suppresses non-essential systems like digestion and immunity and floods the bloodstream with glucose for quick energy.

This response is helpful for short-term survival — but if it never shuts off, it becomes toxic. Chronic cortisol production can lead to weakened immunity, inflammation, and eventually, disease.

🌀 We must bring our awareness back into the body.

We often avoid our emotional experiences — grief, rage, fear — and instead live “above the neck,” disconnected from our somatic wisdom. But that emotional backlog stays with us and can manifest physically.

Return to the Body:

  • Deep diaphragmatic breathing: Inhale through the nose, hold gently, exhale slowly through the mouth.

  • Grounding: Walk barefoot on the grass. Touch the bark of a tree. Let your skin feel the sun.

  • Presence: Turn off distractions. Experience your tasks with full attention. These practices down-regulate the nervous system and bring healing back online.

2. Food Sensitivities & Gut Inflammation

We often underestimate how much our gut health impacts our immunity. The foods we eat either nourish our body… or inflame it.

Many of us have low-level, undiagnosed food sensitivities that contribute to bloating, discomfort, fatigue, and systemic inflammation — all of which tax the immune system.

Try This:

  • Begin a gentle elimination diet: Remove common triggers like dairy, gluten, processed foods, and refined sugars.

  • Read labels: The longer the ingredient list, the more likely it’s working against your health.

  • Tune in to how you feel after eating. Food should energize, not exhaust.

Aim for whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, clean proteins, and healing herbs. Your gut will thank you — and so will your immune system.

3. Nutrient Deficiency

While not always the root cause, missing key nutrients can leave the body vulnerable and underpowered.

Watch out for:

  • Vitamin D: Crucial for immune regulation. Also tightly linked to depression — especially seasonal affective disorder.

  • Vitamin C & B-complex: Support immune resilience and energy production.

  • Omega-3 fatty acids (from fish oil): Anti-inflammatory and essential for brain and cellular health.

  • Magnesium: Aids muscle relaxation, stress recovery, and nervous system balance.

  • Zinc & Iron: Foundational minerals that support cellular health and oxygen transport.

Some nutrients, like vitamin B12, aren’t made by the body at all — meaning we must intentionally include them in our diets or supplements.

If you feel persistently tired, emotionally low, or easily overwhelmed, it might be time to get your levels tested and make targeted adjustments.

What I Use for Immunity Support
These are natural, non-toxic products I personally use or recommend:

4. Disconnection from Self, Nature & Stillness

We are part of nature, not separate from it — yet many of us live inside all day, glued to screens, overstimulated and undernourished by the world around us.

Your body was built to move, breathe, touch soil, rest in stillness, and be in rhythm with the earth.

Being constantly "on" — consuming content, multitasking, reacting — keeps our nervous system in overdrive, even if we’re not “doing much” physically.

Practices for Reconnection:

  • Daily stillness: 5–10 minutes of mindful silence

  • Sunlight exposure: especially in the morning

  • Natural environments: Parks, forests, beaches — even houseplants help

  • Ritual: Create small daily rituals to tune in (tea making, journaling, stretching)

Final Thoughts

If you keep getting sick, your body isn’t failing you — it’s communicating with you.

It’s saying:
“Slow down. Feel me. Nourish me. Listen.”

As someone walking the path of herbalism, I believe that true healing starts with embodiment, awareness, and gentle discipline.
Your health is not just about supplements or what you avoid — it’s about how deeply you’re connected to your own body, your emotions, and the earth that supports you.

So take a breath. Root into the ground. Choose what you consume — not just with your mouth, but with your mind and spirit.

Your wellness starts here.

This blog post contains affiliate links, which I may earn a small commision from, at no extra cost to you.

Thank you for reading:)

Gabriela Z
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