Stress, be aware!

www.graj2.com

"Stress is not just a state of mind, but something measurable and dangerous."

Stress acts on two hormones in our brain, adrenalin and glucocortcoid. Glucocorticoids are steroids that can drive down certain aspects of the immune system. Adrenalin, also know as epinephrine is the substance that secretes from the adrenal gland in moments of crisis. This prepares us for fight or flight, working the heart up to produce the changes that ready's the body for an emergency. The fight of flight response is our bodies answer to the call of stress. It involves hyperventilation, increased blood pressure, pounding heart, brain chemistry that goes out of whack, and heart disease. The mid-brain houses the hippocampus which is responsible for memory. Over secretion of stress hormones through the hippocampus blotches memory, this can cause chronic stress. Chronic stress over time kills brain cells. This is documented in the film "Stress Portrait of a Killer" the film features Dr, Robert Sapolsky a professor at Standord University. It posits that Stress is not just all in our head but a quantifiable threat!

Social, psychological and physical tumult is brought on by stress. Fetal stress impacts the unborn child leaving negative imprints that last an entire life time. Atherosclerosis and peptic ulcers are brought on by stress, even typical daily routines and how we relate with each other take a beating from stress. Stress can change how fat is distributed on our bodies. Accompanied with hypertension stress can damage us before we become aware of it by distributing fat on and around our vital organs. In 1980 bacteria was thought to be the major cause of ulcers, but a few years later it was discovered that when we are stressed the immune systems shuts down rendering the body unarmed in its fight against disease, thus enabling sickness and giving life to the disease.

Ultimately, Stress messes up practically every system associated with our being. It can suppress the immune system, upset the digestive and reproductive system, increase risk of heart attack and stroke, and speed up the process of aging.

Stress is a Killer, not just a disposition but a quantifiable threat!