If you’re living with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), you’ve probably been told your condition is “random” or “idiopathic.”
But what if it’s not as random as we think?
There is a powerful — and often overlooked — connection between stress, inflammation, and autoimmune disease. And for many ITP warriors, understanding this link can change everything.
Because the chain reaction looks like this:
Chronic Stress → Chronic Inflammation → Immune Dysregulation → Platelet Destruction
And that chain reaction matters.
My ITP Wasn’t Random
Before I understood this connection, I thought my ITP came out of nowhere.
But it didn’t.
My diagnosis followed one of the most emotionally toxic, high-stress seasons of my life. At the time, I didn’t connect the dots. I didn’t understand how deeply emotional stress could inflame the body and dysregulate the immune system.
Now I do.
And I wish someone had explained this to me sooner.
Why Inflammation Should Matter to Every ITP Warrior
Inflammation is not always bad.
Short-term inflammation helps us:
- Fight infection
- Heal injury
- Destroy pathogens
But when inflammation becomes chronic — from ongoing stress, poor diet, toxins, or unresolved trauma, — it stops protecting and starts damaging.
Chronic inflammation has been linked to:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes complications
- Neurological disorders
- Metabolic dysfunction
- Cancer
- Autoimmune disease
Including immune-mediated platelet destruction.
When inflammation doesn’t resolve, the immune system can become confused, reactive, and destructive.
For ITP warriors, this is critical.
What Stress Actually Does Inside the Body
Your nervous system has two primary modes:
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) — “Fight or Flight”
- Releases cortisol
- Raises heart rate and blood pressure
- Diverts energy away from digestion and repair
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) — “Rest and Digest”
- Repairs
- Regulates
- Restores
Most of us are living in fight-or-flight mode far more than we realize.
Maybe you’ve felt it too.
Your body never quite settles.
Even when you sit down, your mind keeps racing.
Even when you sit down, your mind keeps racing.
When this state becomes chronic, inflammation rises.
Cortisol: Helpful… Until It Isn’t
Cortisol is not the enemy. In healthy rhythms, it:
- Peaks in the morning
- Gradually declines throughout the day
- Helps regulate immune activity
- Acts as a natural anti-inflammatory
But chronic stress disrupts that rhythm.
Instead of a healthy rise and fall, cortisol can flatten. Research shows that flattened cortisol rhythms are associated with:
- Increased disease risk
- Suppressed immune regulation
- Increased inflammation
Too much cortisol over time dysregulates the immune system.
And immune dysregulation is at the core of ITP.
Acute Stress vs. Chronic Stress
Interestingly, short bursts of stress can temporarily boost immune function.
But chronic stress?
That’s where the damage happens.
Long-term stressors like:
- Financial pressure
- Ongoing health concerns
- Social isolation
- Relationship conflict
- Feeling out of control
Lead to:
- Reduced natural killer (NK) cell activity
- Decreased immune resilience
- Increased inflammatory markers
In research where participants were exposed to a cold virus:
- Acute stress did not increase illness risk
- Chronic stress lasting more than one month doubled the risk
- Stress lasting over two years made participants four times more likely to get sick
It’s not the one hard day.
It’s the unrelenting season.
And many ITP warriors know exactly what that feels like.
The Real Difference Between Who Gets Sick and Who Stays Well
When researchers study long-term illness patterns, one theme consistently rises to the surface:
It’s not whether stress exists.
It’s how well the body can recover from it.
Two people can experience the same stressor.
One adapts. One inflames.
One adapts. One inflames.
Over time, the person who cannot downshift out of fight-or-flight is more likely to develop chronic inflammation — and chronic inflammation fuels autoimmune disease.
For ITP warriors, stress management isn’t optional.
It is protective.
Stress, Sleep, & Immune Health
Sleep deprivation:
- Increases cortisol
- Suppresses immune function
- Increases inflammatory markers
- Impairs brain detoxification
And when you’re exhausted, stress feels heavier.
It becomes a cycle:
Stress disrupts sleep.
Poor sleep increases stress.
Inflammation rises.
Stress disrupts sleep.
Poor sleep increases stress.
Inflammation rises.
Breaking that cycle is powerful.
How I Manage Stress and Lower Inflammation
This isn’t about eliminating stress completely.
That’s impossible.
It’s about teaching your body how to return to calm.
Here are two foundational tools I personally use and teach.
1. Using Essential Oils to Regulate the Nervous System
Stress often begins in the mind.
Rumination — repetitive negative thought loops — keeps the nervous system activated.
One of the simplest ways I interrupt that loop is through aromatherapy.
Scent communicates directly with the limbic system — the emotional center of the brain. Inhaling specific essential oils can signal safety and help shift the body from fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest mode.
I often pair oils with:
- Prayer or meditation
- Gentle movement
- Journaling (“mental parking lot”)
- Affirmations
For someone managing an autoimmune condition, small nervous system resets throughout the day can make a significant difference over time.
If you’d like to learn which oils I personally use for stress support, you can connect with me through my website.
2. Reducing Inflammation Through My 14-Day Reset
Stress is one side of the inflammation equation.
Food is the other.
I found a protocol that combines nutrition, water, exercise, and a platelet-friendly antioxidant supplement. Together, these components of the 14-Day Reset calm internal inflammation by eliminating common triggers such as:
- Gluten
- Dairy
- Refined sugar
- Corn
- Seed oils
- Highly processed foods
When you reduce inflammatory inputs while also regulating stress, the immune system often becomes less reactive.
This isn’t about dieting.
It’s about lowering your total inflammatory load.
If you’re ready to calm the internal fire and support your immune system naturally, I’d love to share more about the 14-Day Reset with you.
Click RESET for a quick info guide.
Natural Ways to Reduce Stress and Inflammation
If you’re not sure where to begin, start here:
- Establish consistent sleep and wake times
- Take mini stress breaks throughout the day
- Move your body (walking, yoga, Tai Chi)
- Strengthen social connections
- Practice gratitude journaling
- Shift your perception of stressors
- Support your nervous system with aromatherapy
Small steps matter.
Consistency matters more than intensity.
Final Encouragement for ITP Warriors
If you’ve noticed your platelets drop after a stressful season…
You’re not imagining it.
Your body isn’t fragile.
It’s responsive.
The difference between those who spiral deeper into chronic illness and those who build resilience often comes down to one thing:
Stress recovery.
And that is something you can learn.
If you’d like support reducing inflammation, calming your nervous system, or learning how to integrate essential oils into your daily routine, I’d love to walk alongside you.
You can:
- Learn more about the 14-Day Reset
- Ask about essential oils
- Join one of my classes
- Or simply start a conversation
Visit www.ninacesena.com for more information.
Your body was designed to heal.
Sometimes we just have to quiet the silent trigger.
If you had told me ten years ago that essential oils would become part of my daily wellness routine, I probably would have laughed.
And yet… here we are.
This month, I’m quietly celebrating 10 years of what I lovingly call “crunchiness.” Not perfection. Not a magic cure. Just a steady, intentional shift toward supporting my body instead of constantly fighting it.
Remission Isn’t the Same as Wellness
Ten years ago, my platelet count was considered normal. I even used the word remission.
But looking back, I can say this honestly: I wasn’t truly healthy.
I was a classroom teacher. I had kids in school. And I caught every single germ that went around.
My immune system was constantly on high alert, and stress was simply part of life. I didn’t question it—I just powered through.
I Didn’t Set Out to “Rewire” My Immune System
When I was first introduced to essential oils, I wasn’t trying to fix my immune system.
I wasn’t chasing perfect health. I was just looking for simple support.
I began using single oils for things like:
- Stress and emotional support
- Immune wellness
- Hormone balance
- Digestion
- Sleep
And then something unexpected happened.
I made it through fall and winter without taking a single sick day.
That had never happened before.
Stress, the Immune System, and ITP
Here’s something I wish I had understood earlier in my ITP journey:
Chronic stress and immune imbalance go hand in hand.
Stress doesn’t just affect our mood—it impacts inflammation, hormone signaling, sleep, digestion, and immune regulation. When the body stays in fight-or-flight mode long enough, it loses its ability to self-regulate.
Supporting the nervous system became one of the most important pieces of my healing puzzle.
Because stress was a large factor in the underlying cause of my ITP—calming the body helped it function the way it was designed to.
The Oils I Reach For Most
When people ask where to start, I often share that I didn’t figure this out alone. I began with a starter bundle that gave me a solid foundation—and from that point, I learned which individual oils my body responded to best. Even after ten years, these oils are still at the top of my list.
Lavender
Known for its calming properties, lavender supports relaxation, sleep, and emotional balance—key components of nervous system regulation.
Known for its calming properties, lavender supports relaxation, sleep, and emotional balance—key components of nervous system regulation.
Frankincense
Often called the “king of oils,” frankincense has long been used to support cellular health, grounding, and overall wellness.
Often called the “king of oils,” frankincense has long been used to support cellular health, grounding, and overall wellness.
Peppermint
Invigorating and clarifying, peppermint can support digestion, mental focus, and energy—especially helpful during fatigue-heavy seasons.
Invigorating and clarifying, peppermint can support digestion, mental focus, and energy—especially helpful during fatigue-heavy seasons.
These oils don’t override the body. They support it.
Quality Matters (More Than Most People Realize)
Not all essential oils are created equal.
When choosing oils—especially if you’re managing an autoimmune condition—it’s important to consider:
- Plant sourcing and growing conditions
- Distillation methods (low heat, proper timing)
- Purity and transparency
- Whether the oil has been diluted, altered, or synthetically enhanced
Essential oils are highly concentrated plant compounds. How they are grown, harvested, and distilled directly affects how the body responds to them.
Quality isn’t about brand loyalty—it’s about respecting the intelligence of the body.
What I Wish I’d Known During My Platelet Battle
I often say this gently, because hindsight is always clearer:
I wish I had known how much supporting my nervous system mattered.
I wish I had understood that healing isn’t just about what we take—but about creating an environment where the body feels safe enough to repair.
And while essential oils weren’t the only piece of my journey, they became a powerful tool—one I still use daily, ten years later.
If You’re an ITP Warrior Reading This
You don’t have to do everything at once.
You don’t need a shelf full of oils.
And you certainly don’t need perfection.
Sometimes the most meaningful shifts come from small, consistent choices that support peace in the body—one breath, one habit, one step at a time.
That’s not being a “crazy oil lady.”
That’s learning how to listen.
From Personal Healing to Becoming a Certified Aromatherapy Coach
As this journey unfolded, my curiosity turned into education.
What started as personal experimentation and lived experience eventually led me to become a certified aromatherapy coach—not because I wanted another title, but because I wanted to teach responsibly.
Essential oils can be incredibly supportive, but let’s be honest:
- They can feel overwhelming at first
- Quality can be difficult to discern
- And knowing how and when to use them matters—especially with autoimmune conditions like ITP
That’s where I come in.
I love helping people simplify oils, understand quality and safety, and learn practical, gentle ways to use them without fear or confusion. You don’t need to know everything—you just need a trustworthy starting point.
A Resource I Wish I’d Had During My ITP Battle
One thing I often say with a mix of gratitude and reflection is this:
I wish I had known about essential oils when I was actively battling ITP.
That’s why I created a short video sharing a few of my favorite oils and exactly how I would have used them back then to support stress, immune balance, and overall wellness.
If you’re navigating ITP—or simply looking for gentle, natural ways to support your body—you can watch that video here:
My heart is always to educate, empower, and encourage—so you can make informed choices that support your body with confidence and peace.
