If we surveyed people around the globe, without a doubt, we would learn that above 90% would say that they are presently experiencing some tense moments in their lives or have recently been through a stressful episode. As we alluded in a recent article, all stress is not “toxic”. However, we also implied that stress is probably a factor in contributing to the cause of many of our common diseases. We have long believed that stress contributes to the development of hypertension, obesity, heart attacks and other illnesses. In a separate article we implied that this is a factor in the development of some cancers.
Since it is accepted in many scientific circles that the development of and certainly the response to the diagnoses of malignant disease, stress is associated with the evolution of cancer and the exacerbation of other diseases.
But, the wider question in this article is what influence stress has on “aging”. By and large, we are a vain society, and for many people, the process of aging is much more unsettling than the fear of cancer. If we stress over the fact that we are becoming older, depending on the vanity of the individual, this can be “very toxic”.
How does “toxic stress” affect aging? To answer this question, we must first accept the fact that we are “aging” from the time of conception. The life-cycle of the human being is the timely advancement through the process of “getting old”. People who love to celebrate birthdays love the fact that they are progressively becoming ancient.
One theory of how stress can affect aging is supported by the work of Richard Cauthon of the University of Utah and Elissa Epel, University of California. Research shows that the effects of stress are apparent at the cellular level. The mechanism appears to be damage to a structure called a telomere, which holds our chromosomes together. It is believed that the injury to this telomeric DNA leads to the death of millions of cells, which lead to signs of physical aging. This is reflected in illnesses which are more prevalent, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and possibly some cancers.
Eva Selhub, of the Mind/Body Medical Institute in Boston, believes that stress does not have to be “toxic”. There are recommendations from the institute that are simple, powerful techniques to control stress. We repeat, and this may sound like a broken record of health recommendations, but, to relieve stress one should:
1. Get regular exercise
2. Find time to meditate or pray
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