Dear Howard,
You asked if stress if a real medical condition or if it’s a recent ‘invention’ as you’re already in your 60′s you mention it’s only been referred to in the last few decades.

In brief the ‘stress response’ origionates from the work at Harvard from Prof Cannon where he researched the impact of adrenaline. Walter Bradford Cannon, M.D. (October 19, 1871 – October 1, 1945) was an American physiologist, professor and chairman of the Department of Physiology at Harvard Medical School. He coined the term fight or flight response, and he expanded on Claude Bernard’s concept of homeostasis. He popularized his theories in his book The Wisdom of the Body, first published in 1932. Cannon, was a Harvard physiologist who began to explore the biochemistry of fright. His research convinced him that fright was not all in the mind, but also stemmed from the adrenal glands. During experiments with barking dogs and caged cats, Cannon was able to isolate a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands of the frightened cats. When he injected that hormone into a second, perfectly calm cat, it touched off a physical reaction of fear. The cat’s heartbeat and blood pressure shot up, while blood flow to the muscles increased. Cannon dubbed this occurrence the “fright, fight, or flight” response. Currently, though, it’s known as “fight or flight” or the “stress response.”

This is known as the fright or flight response. But “Stress” is not the same as “Stressors” and Stress is a useless word to explain Stress. Stress is the abuse of your available energy. A better word to use is Strain. Being strained for too long causes mental and physical breakdown resulting in stress related disease.

Prof Seyle defined stress as G.A.S. Selye, was Hungarian: Selye János) born – January 26, 1907 — October 16, 1982) was an endocrinologist of Austro-Hungarian origin.
Selye did much important scientific work on the hypothetical non-specific response of any organism to stressors. Academia consider him the first to demonstrate the existence of biological stress in his General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) model

Stress can cause more than a short temper or an upset stomach. There is evidence that stress may influence a number of serious medical conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and gastrointestinal problems.

Stress can affect you in three categories:
A. EMOTIONALLY
1. Anxiety – Depression Spectrum
2. Bipolar disorders

B. PHYSIOLOGICALLY
1. Hypertension
2. Insomnia
3. Muscle spasm, Lower back pain, Migraines
4. Diabetes (B), Ulcers, IBS (Indigestion, Diarrhoea)
5. Skin irritations, blisters, rashes and eczema…

C. PSYCHOLOGICALLY
1. Psychiatric disorders
2. Memory and concentration problems (ADHD)

Being stressed-out chronically (too long) can end destroying the happiness in your life. Learning to become stress resilient can reward you with better health, greater peace of mind, and a smoother course through life. Our StressFit programmes are designed for preventing and reducing stress. This programme will give you the tools you need to defeat the negative cycle of stress in your life. Inside the report, you’ll discover:

• How stress takes a toll on your body
• Unhealthy responses to stress
• How stress can trigger health problems
• How to develop your personal plan for stress relief and build resilience
• Learn how to keep the unhealthy impacts of stress

Please call or reply if you have any other questions or if I can help with stress in your life.

Kindest regards,

Justin

Dr Justin J. Kennedy
B.Soc.Sci; MSBC; PhD
Tel: +27.82.370.2080
Email: justin@kennedy.co.za

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