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Stress

 

             What is meant by the term "stressor", "immune system" and "cardiovascular disorder"?.
             A stressor is a physical or psychological stimulus which threatens an individual's psychological and / or physiological well-being. (Something that causes stress, e.g. moving house, a new job, first day of school.) Stressors ca be different for different people, you have to consider an individuals perception of stress, as it will differ from person to person. You also have to look at their ability to cope. .
             The immune system protects the body from disease. It should act like a system, identifying and killing any intruders to the body. It consists of cells distributed throughout the body that fight disease. A simple case: a virus attacks the body. It gets into the bloodstream and circulates the body. The immune system is designed to identify the virus, seek it out, and destroy it. There is increasing evidence that stress can cause illness by impairing the workings of the immune system. The immune system is easily affected by stress. It will lower the body's resistance to virus and bacteria. (Asthma, Colds and Fu, Cancer, Depression, Heart Disease, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Stomach ulcers) The incidence of cancer has been correlated with high stress levels. Jacobs and Charles (1980) found that cancer patients - for example, child cancer parents, often suffered high levels of stress before the diagnosis of their illness. Tache et al (1979) found the incidence of cancer to be higher in those with poor "social support network" such as the widowed, divorced or separated. .
             Cardio vascular disorder refers to illnesses caused by the narrowing of the arteries which supply the heart with blood. This process is known as atherosclerosis. It is caused by fatty materials being deposited on the walls of the arteries. A narrowing of the arteries reduces flow of oxygen carried in blood to the heart. Stress has been linked with CHD but there a lot of other factors too, such as, gender, age, smoking, diabetes and diet.


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