Stress Related Illnesses

Stress related illnesses are increasingly common in our modern world. Around 75% of all medical visits are attributed to stress. Some experts consider this a conservative estimate. They believe that, except for genetic disorders, 95% of health concerns are, at least in part,due to stress.

This may seem extreme, but when you consider that physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual stressors are regular parts of our lives, it makes sense. If a disease isn't caused by stress, it is often made worse when we're stressed.

A short list of stress related illnesses includes:

• cancer
• heart disease
• headaches, muscle tension and pain
• immune system conditions
• depression, anxiety, panic disorders
• insomnia
• cold or flu
• weight loss or gain

Stress and Disease

A main effect of chronic stress is a less active immune system. Your body has other priorities than your long-term health. This makes it easier for bacteria and viruses to escape detection and make you sick. A weakened or malfunctioning immune system is behind many health disorders.

A link between stress and disease is also suspect in some cancers. This disease is fast on the rise thanks to our modern lifestyle and/or a major trauma. Dr. Hamer, of the German New Medicine, discovered in his research that most of his cancer patients suffered an emotional trauma three years prior to their diagnosis.

How might stress contribute to a disease like cancer, diabetes or heart disease?

Our cells are stressed due to the many chemicals in our food, air, water and living environments. This creates a toxic environment for them to live in and inhibits their ability to function optimally.

Frequent mental stress encourages excess cortisol production instead of cell-repairing DHEA. It has many effects in the body including higher blood sugar, suppressed immunity and constricted blood flow to the torso.

In addition, our bodies routinely have to cope with the stress of poor eating and lifestyle habits which increases inflammation. Put all this together and you have a perfect recipe for disease.

But as you know, long-term effects of distress aren't limited to the body. If you suffer from obesity, anxiety, depression or insomnia, you are probably all too aware of the role stress and its accompanying thoughts and emotions play in keeping you in a spiral that often seems to get more powerful.

There is hope for improving all these stress related illnesses. Take responsibility for your health on every level. Make stress relief techniques a regular part of your health program.

Holistic MindBody Healing