Affect of Stress on Health

Cancer, diabetes, heart disease--these are all illnesses which people believe are at least partially caused by stress. Studies have shown that cell stress also leads to the development of these diseases. Although there are a variety of diseases which stress can cause, I believe all stress is positive in small doses. Research shows that a resistance against stress can be built, both mentally and physically, through some exposure to stress. This is healthy because stress is inevitable in our changing world; to have resistance against stress is better than to one day in the future face an onslaught of stress.

Stress, as described by Hans Selye, is a condition the body undergoes when it responds to various physical or emotional pressures. These various physical or emotional pressures are usually termed "stressors". Stressors can include something from an irritating bright light to an environmental change; both can cause changes in our bodies that indicate stress. Unfortunately, with stress comes the imminent thoughts of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. However, Selye's research has shown that the companion of stress is the adaptive responses of our bodies. He coined the theory "General Adaptation Syndrome" (GAS) which has three parts: the "Alarm Reaction", the Resistance Stage, and the Exhaustion Stage. The "Alarm Reaction" is characterized by the breaking down of tissue (tissue catabolism), low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), erosion of the stomach or intestines, and other symptoms--the body is in a state of alarm. The Resistance Stage is usually able to reverse these symptoms; this shows the adaptability of living organisms to cope with change. However, if the stressors continue to affect the body, the body goes into the...

... middle of paper ...

...to Ubc13. TRAF2 can then activate NF-κB, a transcription factor that can induce production of genes in immunity.

As one can see, our bodies do a lot to remain healthy and functional. I believe that even if our cells are not privy to stress, it is inevitable that there will be unfolded proteins due to mutations. Having a system like this would allow our cells to function better. I also believe that we can incorporate cell apoptosis into cancer research. If the mechanisms of cell apoptosis are confirmed, researchers will be able to combine those mechanisms with cancer therapy to kill the malicious cells. Therefore, although cell stress and "common" stress can lead to various diseases, I think the resistance we build up because of it is good for us. Of course, I don't believe a large amount of stress is good, but a small amount of anything usually is not bad for you.