03/28/2026
In many of the Health Plus minutes I have talked about the concept of Health Related Quality of Life.
It is a term used to describe well being. A state of well being in which the social, psychological and physical aspects of self…of your life… are integrated.
The term “stress”, was coined by Hans Selye in 1936, who defined it as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change”.
What we know from research is that a certain amount of stress is beneficial. Think of exercise. If I stress my body, I create a tissue reaction, which promotes a strengthening of the tissue.
Stress is often considered a bad thing. Man is she stressed out! What a stress case! Is stress BAD for you?
A 2012 study at from the University of Wisconsin on 30,000 adults asked the question, “How much stress do you have in your life?” Each participant was asked to rate how stressful his or her life was.
First, the bad news: Findings: Excessive stress can increase your chance of dying by up to 40%. Over the 8 years of the study the number of deaths in the US related to stress would have ranked in the top 15.
Here is where it gets interesting. When the study asked… “Do you think stress is bad for you?” the answer affected the outcome. If you had stress but did not believe, it was bad you had the healthiest outcomes.
How you view stress changes its physical effects.
I read a book this year called the “Biology of Belief.” In summary, the author shared that our thoughts directly influence how are brains control the body’s physiology.
This piece of research supports his statement. Is stress killing you? The way you look at it affects the way it affects you.
If you have questions about stress and how to deal with it. Give us a call. 509-573-4816
