These days were grown accustomed to warning labels advising us to the health risks of substances like alcohol and cigarettes. Medical researchers speculate that another component of twenty-first century living also warrants a waning: stress. In recent years, an ever-growing number of studies have implied stress as a culprit in a range of medical problems. Mental stress, according to recent investigation, may even kill. In individuals with heart disease, severe mental stress, which increases oxygen demand by causing elevation in blood pressure and heart rate, can trigger a lack of blood flow to the heart and increase the risk of dying.



Stress triggers complex changes in the bodys endocrine, or hormone-secreting, system. Your muscles tense, your breathing quickens, and your brain becomes extra alert. And because theyre nonessential in a crisis, your digestive and immune system practically shuts down.

Cortisol, one of the stress hormones, speeds the conversion of proteins and fats into carbohydrates, the bodys basic furl, so that we have the energy to fight or flee from a threat. However, stress increases the amount of time requires to clear triglycerides, a type of fat linked to heart disease, from the bloodstream.

Cortisol, will send you searching desperately for ice cream or other high-calorie foods to replenish the energy your body believes it spent handling the stressful event. This system worked well for our ancestors, who expended lots of energy evading physical threats and needed extra calories to replace those they spent. But modern stressors don't usually involve charging across a savanna, so we end up taking in more calories than we burn.

This, cortisol can cause excessive central or abdominal fat, which heightens the risk of disease such a diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. Even slender, pre-menopausal women faced with increased stress and lacking good coping skills are more likely to accumulate excess weight around their waists, thereby increasing their rick of heart disease and other heath problems

In addition, chronic stress tells your body to keep churning out cortisol, causing you to continually reach for sugar- and fat-laden foods. And cortisol signals your body to store fat--particularly at your middle--so you have a reserve for the next panic-worthy situation. This cortisol cue can make you pack on the pounds even if you have a stellar diet. These fat cells settle deep inside your abdomen, increasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Very prolonged or severe stress can damage the brains ability to remember and can actually cause brain cells, or neurons, to atrophy and die.

Hundreds of studies over the last 20 years have shows that stress contributes to approximately 80 percent of all major illnesses: Cardiovascular disease, cancer, endocrine and metabolic disease, skin rashes, ulcers, ulcerative colitis, emotional disorders, musculoskeletal disease, infectious ailments, premenstrual syndrome, uterine fibroid cysts, and breast cysts.

Stress also had effect on your Immune system. Powerful chemicals triggered by stress dampen or suppress the immune system the network of organs, tissues, and white blood cells that defend against disease. Impaired immunity makes the body more susceptible to many diseases, including infections (from the common cold to tuberculosis) and disorders of the immune system itself.

Research has shown that traumatic stress, such as losing a loved one though death or divorce can impair immunity for as long as a year.

Even minor hassles take a toll. Research by Lazarus has shown that the daily hassles a person experiences can be more harmful to our health than significant life changes. He believes that these daily events are damaging to our health because of how frequently they occur.

Moreover, Stress has negative effects on your digestive system as well. Do you ever get butterflies in your stomach before giving a speech in class or before a big game? To avoid problems, pay attention to how you eat on the run, gulping food, or overeating results in poorly chewed foods, an overworked stomach, and increased abdominal pressure.

Some simple strategies can help you avoid stress-related stomachaches. By drinking plenty of water, you replenish lost fluids ad prevent dehydration. Fiber-rich foods counteract common stress-related problems, such as cramps and constipation. A regular intake of protein and complex carbohydrates is important, especially in times of stress. Try not to skip meals. If you do, you are more likely to feel fatigued and irritable.

Be wary of overeating under stress. Some people consume more because they eat too quickly. Others reach for snacks to calm their nerves or comfort themselves. Watch out for caffeine. Coffee, tea, and cola drinks can make your strained nerves jangle even more. Also avoid sugary snacks. They will send your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride up one minute, down the next.