The world is changing and expanding rapidly, but our physiology has not changed. The world moves faster than ever. New types of stress appear constantly in our lives. We’re attempting to juggle a huge variety of daily, constant, chronic stresses (work pressures and deadlines, financial and family responsibilities, insufficient rest, traffic, poor diet, and many more), and we’re trying to do that using a system not designed for it.

Being overstressed for days, weeks, months, and years is making us very, very sick.

Health Breakdowns Associated with Prolonged Stress:

Increases In:

• Muscle tension
• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Blood glucose
• Lipid and cholesterol levels
• Fear, frustration and angst
• Anxiety, Depression
• Degradation of muscle and other tissue
• Pain sensitivity, inflammation

Decreases in:

• Serotonin
• Growth hormone
• Cellular immunity
• Short-term memory
• Concentration
• Learning ability
• Patience
• Calmness
• Immune system function

Stress increases pain and inflammation. If there is a pre-existing problem, these issues often flare-up when we are under stress. We have had thousands of conversations with patients over the years about stress-related pain flare-ups.

Clearly this is a dangerous situation. But remember: these changes do not mean that something is wrong with our bodies! These changes are healthy and natural, they help us survive, and they only become dangerous when they’ve been present for a long time. These changes are not the disease. The disease is the chronically stressful work-and-home environments; too many people are struggling to survive these days, without working hard to keep themselves healthy.

We must take 100% responsibility for every aspect of our lives—especially our health.

Special thanks to Dr. Brian Morris for his contribution to this post.