Download Can Stress Cause Cancer? Part 3

CanStressCauseCancer?Part3
BySusanSilberstein,PhD
Inpreviousarticles,Italkedabouttheeffectofstressonimmunity,nervoussystemfunction,
hormonebalance,anddigestion,andhowthosechangescanleadtocancer.Besidesthese
fourmajorwaysthatlinkstressandcancer,therearesixotherwaysthatcancerandstressare
connected:Stresscanalsonegativelyaffectthebody’seliminatory,respiratory,circulatoryand
lymphaticsystems,damagecellularDNA,anddisturbacid-alkalinebalance.Andalltenof
theseaspectsofbodychemistryareinterconnectedandinterdependentandrelevanttocancer
protection.
Elimination–Thebodyhasseveraleliminatoryorgans,includingtheliver,kidneys,andcolon.
Theliverisamajorplayerinourdetoxificationprocesses,breakingdownanddeactivating
harmfulsubstances,andneutralizinghormonesandcarcinogensthatpromotecancer.The
kidneysfilterourbloodofwater-solubletoxicsubstancesandpreparethemforelimination.
Thecolonexcretessolidwastesandtoxinsthroughthefeces.
Stresscanimpairalloftheseeliminatoryfunctions.Stressimpedesbloodflowtotheliverand
increasesinflammatoryprocessesthatcauseliverdamage.Withoutahealthyliver,weareat
higherriskforcancer.Oxidativestress(anoverabundanceoffreeradicalsoftengeneratedby
stress)alsoproducesinflammationthatplaysaroleinkidneydiseaseandrenalfailure.Feeling
“pissedoff,”especiallyoveralongperiod,couldliterallycontributetopoorkidneyfunctionand
potentialkidneycancerorbladdercancer.Similarly,feeling“uptight”canleadto
constipation—ariskfactorforcoloncancer,breastcancerandprostatecancer.
Respiration–Haveyouevernoticedthatwhenyouareunderstressyousometimesfind
yourselfholdingyourbreath?Emotionalstresscaninduceirregularorshallowbreathingand
impairdeepdiaphragmaticbreathing.This,inturn,canpotentiallyloweroxygenlevelsatthe
cellularlevel,producinganenvironmentthatfavorsthegrowthofcancerscells.Malignantcells
functionwithananaerobicmetabolismandcannotsurviveinthepresenceofhighlevelsof
oxygen,accordingtoNobelPrizewinningbiochemistDr.OttoWarburg:"Depriveacell35%of
itsoxygenfor48hoursanditmaybecomecancerous."
Circulation–Chronicstressalsoimpairsthebody’scirculatorysystem.Theeffectofstressin
termsofrestrictedbloodflowtotheheartiswellknown,andwejustmentionedimpaired
bloodflowtotheliver.Thereisanotherconnectiontocancer.Withpoorcirculation,the
nutrientsandoxygenthathelpfightdiseasecannotgetintoourcells,andenvironmentaltoxins
andcellularwastescan’tgetout.That’sacancerwaitingtohappen!Inaddition,stress
specificallyimpedescirculationofwhitebloodcellsthatsupportimmunity.Accordingtothe
JournalofImmunology(1995),“Oneofthemostunderappreciatedeffectsofstressonthe
immunesystemisitsabilitytoinducesignificantchangesinleukocytedistributioninthe
body….Chronicstresssuppressesordysregulatesinnateandadaptiveimmuneresponses
throughmechanismsthatinvolvesuppressionofleukocytenumbers,trafficking,andfunction.”
Inmynextarticleonstressandcancer,Iwilldiscussthefinalthreemechanismsbywhichstress
cancontributetocancer.
References
http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/11/2135.full-GalleJ.OxidativestressinchronicrenalfailureNephrol.
Dial.Transplant.(2001)16(11):2135-2137
DhabharFS,MillerAH,McEwenBS,SpencerRL.Effectsofstressonimmunecelldistribution—dynamicsand
hormonalmechanisms.JImmunol1995;154:5511–27.
https://sites.google.com/site/ganodermareview/the-root-cause-of-cancer