Sunday, March 4, 2007

Stress and Illness

I really do believe that it is important for us to deal with stress in our lives. I also believe that too often stress is a forgotten factor in our health. I think stress can make us sick. This article says, “Long-term stress changes the hard wiring of our brains. It breaks down our immune systems and causes illness.” This article seems to agree with that statement, although it suggests that short-term stress might boost the immune system while long-term stress might undermine it.

There are many stressors in our lives, both positive and negative. Here are scales for adults and children that may help you evaluate how much stress you have in your life.

I remember when I stopped smoking. That was stressful process. Stopping smoking involved learning to deal with the stress of wanting to smoke – but learning to deal with it in a healthy way, i.e., by not giving into it – learning to lower my stress level without using a cigarette to temporarily lower my stress level.

We are all subjected to stress on a daily basis. According to this article, “Stress can cause migraines, stroke, eczema, a weak immune system, and many other diseases.” So as you can see, it is very important that we all learn to deal with or manage our stress.

I have thought about self-hypnosis and biofeedback for a long time. I may investigate them further to see if they might help me deal with stress in my life.

BTW, when Dr. Dean Ornish talks about reversing heart disease, one of the major components of his program is stress management.


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1 comment:

Heart_Man said...

For over 30 years I experienced several life threatening chronic illnesses. Through the Grace of God I was lead to several people and organizations that aided me in understanding, positively dealing with and transforming these illnesses. For the past few years I have devoted my life to sharing what I have learned with others. The two most impactful organizations I was lead to are The Institute of HeartMath - www.emotionalmastery.com and Landmark Education - www.landmarkeducation.com.

The American Institute of Stress and The Centers for Disease Control have both reported that up to 90% of all illnesses are due to stress. I was lead to The Institute of HeartMath in 1997 and discovered that all of my illnesses were due to stress I had been experiencing in my life. Through learning and practicing HeartMath’s tools and technologies, I am able to prevent, manage and reverse the effects of stress, in-the-moment, achieve better health, more energy, improved mental and emotional clarity, and improved performance and relationships. HeartMath’s tools and technologies are scientifically substantiated; they literally saved my life.

Landmark Education provided me with the knowledge and tools to identify and put in my past, barriers that were stopping me from living a powerful life and a life I love. Through this Education, I have reached an unshakeable Faith.