Stress in the World Today
Understanding the Stress/Health Connection
During stressful times, your body produces various chemicals, including cortisol, an immune-suppressing hormone. The more cortisol produced, the weaker your immune cells become and the more susceptible you are to illness.
Sidetrack Your Stress
No matter the source of your stress, it can produce physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that can affect any part of the body.
The Harmful Side of Stress
Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)
A heart attack occurs when one of more regions of the heart muscle experience a severe or prolonged lack of oxygen caused by blocked blood flow.
How to Fight Stress-Related Diseases
No one can avoid all stress -- and a certain amount actually is good for you. But it's always best to keep unhealthy levels in check when possible.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a condition that often follows a terrifying physical or emotional event—causing the person who survived the event to have persistent, frightening thoughts and memories of the ordeal.
Inflammation: The Body's New Bad Guy
Chronic inflammation damages the inside of coronary arteries and leaves them prone to plaque that clogs the blood vessels. That leads to clots that cause heart attacks.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
A person with IBS has a colon that is more sensitive and reactive than usual, so it responds strongly to stimuli that would not affect other people.
Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
Atopic dermatitis is a hereditary and chronic skin disorder that mostly affects infants and young children, but may last until a child reaches adolescence or adulthood.
Insomnia
If you experience difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or enjoying a restful night's sleep, you may be suffering from insomnia.