The Hidden Cost Of Modern Life: Insights From Biestmilch Founder On How Stress, Inflammation And Immunity Intersect

Chronic illness is becoming an ever more familiar part of the collective experience thanks to the fast-paced modern world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 60% of adults in the U.S. suffer from at least one chronic condition, such as diabetes, hypertension, or autoimmune disorders, and nearly 40% live with two or more. Yet beyond these stark statistics lies a quieter epidemic: a pervasive, low-level sense of "not feeling well" that many accept as their normal, never quite ill enough for a diagnosis, but never truly healthy either.

Susann Kraeftner, founder of Biestmilch, a company dedicated to the health benefits of colostrum, believes this subtle malaise is rooted in a complex interplay of stress, inflammation, and immunity. Drawing on decades of clinical and personal experience, Kraeftner offers a nuanced understanding of how modern life fuels chronic illness and practical guidance on how to break the cycle.

"Stress is a very interesting subject," Kraeftner explains. "It's a complex phenomenon where the immune system, nervous system, and hormones all interact to maintain balance in the body's metabolism." Whether the stressor is psychological trauma, infection, or environmental toxin, the body's response follows a universal pattern aimed at restoring equilibrium.

At the heart of this process is inflammation, often misunderstood as purely harmful. Kraeftner stresses the paradox of inflammation: "There is no life without inflammation. It is essential for healing and holds us together physiologically. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury or infection; it's the first step toward recovery."

The problem arises when this inflammatory response becomes chronic. "If the cycle of inflammation is disturbed, if the body can't heal properly, then inflammation persists and shifts into chronic illness," she says. This can manifest as fatigue, autoimmune disease, or other long-term conditions that sap energy and degrade quality of life.

Kraeftner points out that much of the current medical model focuses on labeling symptoms and prescribing medications to manage them rather than addressing the root causes. "Diagnosis is a way to calm people down, to give them control by naming the problem," she says. "But it often leads to treating symptoms with drugs without understanding or resolving the underlying stress and inflammation."

What is driving this rise in chronic inflammation and illness? According to Kraeftner, the answer lies in the lifestyle factors that dominate contemporary living. "Sitting is our enemy," she states. Humans evolved to move daily, and the modern sedentary lifestyle starves the body of the necessary physical signals to maintain health.

Furthermore, modern food is often refined and stripped of nutrients, failing to provide the digestive and metabolic stimulation the body needs. "We don't eat the diverse molecules our bodies evolved to process," Kraeftner says. This contributes to conditions like obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.

Not just environmental pollution but also toxic relationships and psychological stressors play a crucial role. "People don't realize how much the social environment affects their health. Toxic people, toxic environments—they all add to the body's burden," Kraeftner states.

To add to the above external factors, Kraeftner emphasizes that many people have lost touch with their own bodies. She says, "Body awareness is something most people lack. They don't recognize the signs their bodies give about what's wrong or what needs to change."

She acknowledges the difficulty of change. "We all know what we should do: eat better, move more, detox our lives, but there's a blockage," Kraeftner says. "Change requires discipline and consistency, and that's hard in a world of instant gratification."

That is why Kraeftner established Biestmilch, her lifelong passion. Colostrum, the first milk produced by mammals after birth, is a complex, evolutionarily perfected substance rich in molecules that support immune function and cellular communication. Kraeftner describes it as "food with a high value for nurturing the body," containing a diversity of components impossible to replicate in single-molecule supplements.

Biestmilch products do not promise instant cures or miracles. Instead, they aim to restore balance to support the immune system, modulate inflammation, and promote the body's natural healing abilities. Suitable for endurance athletes, people with autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, or anyone under stress, Biestmilch fits seamlessly into a lifestyle focused on prevention and well-being. "You can't do anything wrong with it," Kraeftner says. "You take a dose, typically in the morning, with breakfast or coffee. It's safe, preventive, and without side effects."

She also points out a major challenge: "People are so used to feeling unwell that they think it's normal. Prevention is hard to appreciate if you don't feel a difference." But with consistent use, changes often become noticeable within three to four weeks.

Kraeftner's approach goes far beyond any supplement. She advocates for developing self-awareness about stress levels, body sensations, and emotional states as the foundation for healing. In her German book Inflamed!: The Silent and Dangerous Triggers of Allergies, Obesity, and Tumors – and What We Can Do About Them, she provides tools to track stress and inflammation signals daily.

"The key is to become sensitive to your own body, to learn what makes you feel better or worse. This insight is the first step to breaking free from the chronic stress-inflammation cycle," Kraeftner remarks.

She encourages people to detox from not only physical toxins but also negative relationships and mental habits that reinforce fear and anxiety. "Fear is a huge problem," she adds. "If you can make the mental leap to overcome fear, it gives you freedom."

Kraeftner is optimistic, saying: "Change is always possible. Even if you're 90 years old, you can alter your lifestyle and your being in the world. It doesn't take years. You can feel the difference in weeks."

Kraeftner's perspective challenges the conventional narrative around chronic illness. She warns that many so-called "diseases," such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, are symptoms, not root problems. "We are stuck in a Newtonian mindset of cause and effect in a linear way, but the body is a complex communication network between cells, organs, and systems," Kraeftner notes.

By focusing on labels and medications rather than systemic balance, modern medicine may inadvertently contribute to chronic illness. "Statins and blood pressure meds can make people sick because they don't address the underlying cause. They just mask symptoms," she warns.

Ultimately, Kraeftner's message is one of holistic balance, recognizing the essential role of inflammation, stress management, nutrition, movement, and microbiome health. She states: "There is no life without inflammation. There is no life without microorganisms. We have trillions of microorganisms in our bodies, and they're a vital network."

In an age when chronic illness is becoming commonplace and low-level malaise is normalized, Susann Kraeftner offers a vital reminder: health is about balance, self-awareness, and reconnecting with the body's innate wisdom. Through Biestmilch and lifestyle change, she invites people to step out of passive resignation and reclaim well-being, one small, consistent change at a time. As Kraeftner puts it: "The body wants to heal itself. Our job is to support it, reduce inflammation, and break the cycle of stress. That's where true health begins."

This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.