Let’s be honest: we all get stressed from time to time. And no matter how much we try to avoid it, everyone goes through extremely stressful times. From changing jobs to big moves to major grief, stress seems to be an annoyingly part of the human condition.
but Dr. Lee Erin Connelly I want to alert all of us that our experience of stress and how we deal with it is more important to our physiology than we realise.
Dr. Connelly wrote in his book, The body keeps scoreThe basic premise of the book is that our bodies literally keep a “score” of our toughest experiences and how we did or didn’t survive those stressful experiences.
Maybe you’ve had a bad cough after working overtime at work, or just before visiting a family member far away, or in the middle of moving to a new country – all of these examples are stressful experiences for us, and sometimes that stress can manifest as illness.
Unfortunately, our bodies also keep a score for these ailments. Over time, our bodies may read the ever-increasing “score” and adjust their physiology to match what they think is a natural state of stress. This can result in elevated cortisol levels, weight gain, and increased symptoms of anxiety and depression.
But most importantly, it can cause cancer, Dr. Connelly points out.
As a thorough and sincere precaution Tick tock In the video, Dr. Connelly explains:
“The common symptom I see regularly in patients is that they’ve usually been through a very stressful event.”
“It could be harsh working conditions. It could be from children, parents, divorce, etc. But most often they’re under some sort of extreme stress, and we know that that affects the whole hypothalamic-pituitary axis and the secretion of cortisol. And extreme secretion of cortisol contributes to the growth and proliferation of cancer.”
In essence, whether we have cancer or not, stressful experiences make us sicker, and unless we practice positive self-control practices and take care to minimize external stressors, we are more likely to develop illnesses more serious than just the common cold.
You can watch the video here:
Connelly explained in the video’s caption:
“New research suggests that high cortisol and stress hormones appear to play an important role in increasing the risk of cancer development, metastasis and recurrence. In excess, these hormones may be directly carcinogenic by suppressing immune function, promoting inflammation and interfering with normal cellular function.”
“Treating and alleviating stress is a top priority in cancer care. Stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, increase upon the perception of a stressor. They are involved in the ‘fight or flight’ response, mobilize energy stores, increase heart rate and blood pressure, and help improve focus to deal with an immediate threat.”
“Stress hormones are absolutely necessary for the body to respond effectively to stressful situations and ensure survival.”
“Tip: Spend time in natural light as soon as you wake up and get plenty of sunlight. Make sure you’re getting enough essential nutrients, especially protein, fat-soluble vitamins, B vitamins, and vitamin C minerals.”
“Balance your hormones. Get enough sleep. Limit your exposure to toxins. Practice gratitude and mindfulness. Spend time hugging loved ones. Take frequent walks in nature. Find ways to express your creativity.”
Suddenly, some people were worried about all other TikTok users.
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Others agreed with Dr. Connelly’s logic regarding stress and cancer.
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Luckily, Dr. Connelly gave us some good news in another video.
Although this was specifically aimed at patients currently living with cancer and those in remission, Dr. Connelly shared key takeaways that we can all apply to our own health journeys.
Dr Connelly said:
“There is no finish line in health. You should always be optimizing your health.”
Whether you’re already in tip-top shape or feel like you can’t do a single push-up right now, there’s still time to improve your physical health. And if you’re just getting started, there’s always something you can improve or refine in your approach to health.
A fun way to do this might be to try a new path during your daily walk, try a new recipe, or try a new meditation. Each of these is a new and different approach to improving your health, but as long as you keep trying, you’re heading in the right direction.
The same is true for us. mental healthemotional control, stress levels, etc.
This entire conversation is an eye-opening reminder of how important it is to avoid stressful situations whenever possible, practice physical and emotional self-control, and participate in relaxing and rejuvenating activities.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, let’s think about how much stress is too much.