|
Stress
Stress is a serious problem that affects the health of most Americans.
Many things cause stress including overweight, overeating, overwork,
noise, and being burdened by any kind of emotional or mental problem.
Mental problems unrelieved by physical exercise are a strong cause of
stress.
Overweight a Stress
Overweight is a major stressor, the stress being recognized by the physical
body, the skeleton, and the muscles; as well as the emotions and one's
sense of propriety, or self-image. The stress on the bones causes them
to react by taking up additional calcium, a very small item, but it
adds to the total metabolic load on the body. Were the physical stress
which is directly seen the only problem, that would be considerable,
but there is also the matter of nourishing and cleansing all the extra
flesh. With the acquisition of each five pounds of extra weight, four
miles of blood vessels must be grown, and sufficient blood produced
to fill the blood vessels. Wastes must be cleared away from this extra
flesh, and nutrients manufactured in the liver to maintain it. Stress
is piled on top of stress.
Chemical Stress
Overeating puts stress on chemical systems. Large quantities of chemicals
and enzymes must be made to digest the food, energy must be mobilized
to operate the pumps used in absorbing the nutrients, and much additional
work falls on the liver. As stress is experienced by the liver, an
acceleration of aging ensues, and nutrients and wastes back up in the
blood. This condition results in blood having properties that make
it more difficult to be pumped into the smallest blood vessels. The
heart then begins to participate in chronic stress. The accumulation
of various waste products, nutrients, and metabolites eventually causes
high blood cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood sugar, high serum
iron and salt, higher blood kidney wastes, and even an increased number
of blood cells. The elevation of these substances in the blood is a
feature of the aging process. When it occurs in young people, it must
be labeled accelerated aging.
Since no one understands what stress to the liver or other organs of
metabolism really feels like, the individual begins to feel as if he
is tired. Weakness and fatigue are probably the commonest complaints
a physician gets from his patients. much of weakness and fatigue have
their origin in overeating and its twin sister, under- exercising.
The treatment of choice for fatigue due to stress is cutting down on
food and picking up on exercise. Concentrated foods, those having high
nutrient density, especially should be cut down. That would include foods
high in fats, salt, sugar or honey, nuts, seeds, and all dairy products,
eggs, and meats.
Mental Stress
Prolonged mental activity if unrelieved by physical exercise can result
in stress. Since the general direction of electrical currents of thoughts
in the brain is on a horizontal plane, simplistically speaking, and
the general direction of electrical impulses coming up from the muscles
in physical exercise is in a vertical plane, the horizontal electrical
impulses are interrupted by the vertical, relieving the stress produced
by long periods of thought. To increase one's physical exercise decreases
the wear and tear on the circuits of the brain brought about by dwelling
on any subject. Worrying tends to injure the mind when it is long continued
to the exclusion of other electrical activity of the brain.
Accelerated Aging
We have already alluded to the fact that accelerated aging can result
from stress. This condition is what Hans Selye called the "general
adaption syndrome." Stress begins, as Selye pointed out, by a
minor adaption to a stressful or injurious condition. The body diverts
some of its excess energy to adjusting to the injury. If this condition
continues, the body settles down to permanently diverting some of its
energy to making the adjustment to stress. If the continued stress
is of such a nature that enough of the excess energy of the body is
taken up in making the adaption, the time will finally come when one
simply gives out of energy and oversteps one's ability to make continued
adaptations to the stresses of life. At this point, we have a general
breakdown in the metabolic and even emotional systems. The reaction
may result in the sudden onset of allergies, infections, pain, neuroses,
or even a "mental breakdown."
Noise
Noise has been shown to increase the stress level of those continually
exposed to it, to the point of shortening life, and making the quality
of life less than expected. Those who work 20 years or more around noisy
equipment have a life span 5 years shorter than those working in quieter
areas of the same firm.
Television
Television almost consistently raises the catecholamine (stress hormone)
level in the blood regardless of the programming. Wilhelm Raab reported
on an investigation of movies in which he showed an elevation in urinary
stress hormones for several hours after beginning to watch. Rock music
has also been shown to affect the body systems adversely.
Treatment
One should handle stress by getting rid of the stressing agent as much
as is possible. If this is not possible, then one should use other
mechanisms to attempt to compensate. Taking physical exercise will
combat emotional stress. Prayer can help one to have wisdom as well
as peace. We recommend that one be keenly attuned to stress, and that
it not be allowed to continue unopposed. To do so is making an appointment
with a general breakdown of one's body systems.
|