Recent research done in England studied more than 10,000 government workers and found that those who reported the highest levels of stress at work also had a 68% higher risk for heart problems.
Chronic stress can double the speed at which cancer returns. Studies at the University Of Rochester Medical Center in New York and Stanford University School of Medicine in California looked at 94 women who had successfully treated for advanced breast cancer. After treatment, those who had experienced a lot of stress in the past, such as physical abuse or divorce, remained cancer-free for an average of 31 months. Those who hadn’t experienced that level of stress remained cancer-free for 62 months, on average. This report was published in the September 2007 issue of Journal of Psychosomatic Research.
What about diabetes and chronic stress? Researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland reported that women who had frequent feelings of anger, tension or stress were 20% to 60% more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, which is a pre-diabetic condition that is characterized by increase blood sugar, increased blood pressure, high triglycerides or fat in the blood, low HDL or good cholesterol and overweight.
Many of our older patients in the practice complain in a joking manner that they think they’re getting Alzheimer’s because they can’t seem to remember things anymore. Well it just so happens that stress may have something to do with this aging phenomenon. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, studied 91 healthy people with an average age of 79. The higher their levels of stress, the worse their memories were. Those unfortunate enough to also have a particular gene that has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease had the worst memory of all.
Remember what I said about your immune system earlier. Scientists at the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University reviewed decades of research on stress and the immune system. They found that chronic stress decreases the activity of infection-fighting natural killer cells. Chronic stress decreases the
number of white blood cells called lymphocytes. Chronic stress also increases the production of antibodies which increases the risk factors for allergies and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Chronic stress can even reactivate old viral infections, such as shingles which is the chicken pox virus stored in the nerves. When your immune system becomes weakened there are severe consequences for your health. Some of those are: slower healing, lowered resistance to any number of different diseases and the development and progression of cancer.
If all this wasn’t bad enough chronic stress can also shorten your life. The same researchers mentioned directly above also found that chronic stress such as that experienced by spouses and children who care for people with Alzheimer’s disease can shorten the caregivers’ lives by 4 to 8 years, compared to similar non-caregivers. In fact, the researchers found that this type of chronic stress actually shortened and damaged telomeres which are a type of genetic material linked to longevity. Unfortunately, it’s the longer and stronger telomeres that are connected with longevity.
Easing Your Stress
If you can remember the word S.E.L.F., then you can remember how to help ease the onslaught of chronic stress that attacks so many of us.
S. is for Serenity. A simple technique called the “relaxation response” is one of the best ways to achieve a greater degree of stress-reducing serenity. All you have to do is find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Close your eyes. Choose a calming
word or short phrase such as “letting go” or “all is well.” As you slowly exhale, repeat the word of phrase over and over. With practice, you will be able to settle into a deeper peace with each inhalation. If you have distracting thoughts, imagine that they are clouds blowing by and focus back on the word or phrase. Repeat this process over and over for 5 to 10 minutes at least once a day. Singing, praying, petting your dog or cat or watching something funny on TV can also be helpful.
E. is for exercise. You don’t have to get sweaty for it to be stress-relieving. In fact, any kind of movement like walking your dog, dancing, or doing yoga will qualify as exercise.
L. is for Love. Family and friends will usually take care of the love part of stress reduction. The problem here usually lies in the fact that we don’t spend enough time communicating and being with the ones we love. Date nights for spouses are a great idea. Lunches and movies with friends or even sending an e-mail or letter can do a lot to reduce the negative effects of stress.
F. is for food. Healthy food is a great prescription for fighting off the effects of chronic stress. Good food can help improve your mood, help you sleep better and increase your vitality. Some recommendations that can be made here are: at least once a week, eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring. Omega-3’s have been shown to nourish brain cells and have been shown to ease stress and reduce hostility and depression. Other foods that help to reduce stress are broccoli and blueberries and other fruits and vegetables that are rich in cell-
protecting antioxidants. Chicken and bananas are high in vitamin B-6. B-6 can increase the production of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that helps relax and heal the body.
Along with the good foods there are of course foods that you should try to avoid because they tend to aggravate stress. These foods include coffee and tea with caffeine, foods high in sugar and of course alcohol, which many people believe helps to relax or de-stress them but when the effects wear off you tend to feel even more anxious.
From my own experience treating a lot of patients that are challenged with stressful lifestyles there seems to be one common denominator. Stressed out people aren’t having anywhere near enough fun in their lives. They’re overworked and they don’t do the things that they enjoy nearly enough. It sounds like a simple formula but it’s hard for people to break a cycle they’ve been ensconced in for what is probably years. If you’re one of the stressed try picking specific times of the day or week to do what you enjoy. You’ll actually get more done while you’re improving your health. A simple formula. For a free consultation in our office, simply call 805-648-7987.
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