It's been a crazy week, a very exhausting yet stressful working couple of days. It's one of the worst week of my working career, and I could barely cope with it. I'm down with suspected viral infection, but my immune system is fighting against these host of pathogens, trying to naturally heal without any drugs. I'm not sure if I still have the time to continue writing and keeping this blog alive, due to my new working requirement. I just don't have the motivation and passion to continue blogging. My work is killing me, too stressful, starting to hate my job!
Today, I would want to share with you probably the most important post of this whole series. What causes heart disease? Yes, the ultimate answer to this obsessed cholesterol hypothesis. After reading previous eight posts about cholesterol, saturated fat, statin drugs and its adverse effects, you must be wondering, what really causes heart disease? I'm not sure if I could have the time to write and squeeze the facts into this post, I might just resume another post to complete this cholesterol series.
Now, are you ready for the true cause of heart disease? The answer is STRESS! Yes, stress. I'm not talking about only mental or work stress. There are many types and layers of stress including environmental, mental, physical, relationship, nutritional and spiritual stress as well. You must be wondering, how could stress cause heart disease? Well, the question is, do you even know that there are so many types of stress which could bombard our body? Yeah, thats what I thought.
First of all, let me explain to you about stress. What is stress? Many people think of stress as a form of time pressure. Busy, busy, busy, so much to do, so little time for it. Others might think of stress as a type of constant worry, like money problems, incompatible boss at work, or even relationship issues.
I remember I told a friend of mine recently during lunch that I will write a comprehensive post about stress and cardiovascular health, particularly regulation of hormones and physical activities and exercise. He has a female friend who is into cardio exercise, long distance running, marathon trainings, etc. And guess what? His female friend has a degree in Sports Science. That raised my eyebrows as I wonder how could someone who has a degree in Sports Science, is not AWARE of oxidative stress, hormone regulation and how physical stress affects our human body. More importantly, adrenal fatigue. Well, same scenario when we have conventional doctors think that elevated cholesterol causes heart disease and it is alright to prescribe statins to patients.
Many people believe that stress is good for us, and without it we would just lounge about doin nothing at all. Firstly, we need to seperate out things that causes stress. What I would call it 'stressors', from the stress response. There are two basic stress response, healthy and unhealthy. I provide a sample list of both stress responses as below.
Physical stressors that create a healthy response:
- Exercise (not all of them)
- Competitive sport
- Massage
- Sauna
- Singing
- Bungee jumping
- Rock climbing
- Roller coaster rides
Phychological stressors that create a healthy response:
- Your soccer team winning
- Passing an exam
- Clinching successful business deal
- Organising an enjoyable social evening
- Giving well-received lecture
- A busy shift in hospital with no one dying
- Being a prime minister
Physical stressors that create an unhealthy response:
- Excessive, intense, forced exercise
- Being a fighter jet pilot
- Cocaine or heroine use
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Smoking
- Eating under pressure
- Major trauma/surgery
- Spinal cord injury
- Steroid use
Phychological stressors that create an unhealthy response:
- Suffering racism
- Money worries, long term debt
- Low status in social hierarchy
- Poor social network
- Non supportive, abusive, unloving spouse
- Soccer team losing
- Getting up on Monday morning
- Bullying boss
All of the above, are not the full list of 'stressor' responses. But, the list gives you the idea of different types of stressor responses which I'm talking about. Next, I will explain how unhealthy stress response causes heart disease. In order for me to explain to you, I need to introduce to you neurohormonal system. This hugely complex system consists of two parts, the hormonal part, and the nervous system part.
For every hormone in nuerohormonal system that fires you up, there is another one that calms you down. And for every set of fibers that revs you up, there is another network that relaxes you. Eastern philosophy call it Yin Yang, the internal balance of energy.
In my next and probably the last post for this cholesterol discussion, I will explain how autonomic nervous system response to stress and causes heart disease. Stay tuned folks.
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