SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Stress and Illness

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - September 3, 2002: Stress and Illness

By Cynthia Kirk

VOICE ONE:
This is Sarah Long.
VOICE TWO:

 

And this is Steve Ember with Science in the News, a VOA Special English program
about recent developments in science. Stress is a condition of mental or emotional
tension. Today, we tell about the effects of stress on people’s health.

((THEME)
)
VOICE ONE:
Many people suffered mental and emotional problems after the September Eleventh

terrorist attacks in the United States last year. Terrorism creates fear and fear often

leads to severe stress. Studies suggest that stress can reduce the body’s ability to
fight disease and can lead to serious health problems.

Stress affects everybody every day. It is your body’s reaction to physical, chemical, emotional or environmental
influences. Some stress is unavoidable and may even be good for us. Stress can keep our bodies and minds
strong. It gives us the push we need to react to an urgent situation. Some people say it makes them more
productive at work and gives them more energy.

VOICE TWO:

Too much stress, however, can be harmful. It may make an existing health problem worse. Or it can lead to
illness if a person is at risk for the condition. For example, your body reacts to stressful situations by raising your
blood pressure and making your heart work harder. This is especially dangerous is you already have heart or
artery¹ disease or high blood pressure. Stress is more likely to be harmful if you feel helpless to deal with the
problem or situation that causes the stress.

VOICE ONE:

Anything you see as a problem can cause stress. It can be caused by everyday situations or by major problems.
Stress results when something causes your body to act as if it were under attack. Sources of stress can be
physical, such as injury or illness. Or they can be mental, such as problems with your family, job, health or
finances. Many visits to doctors are for conditions related to stress.

The tension of stress can interfere² with sleep or cause uncontrollable anger or sadness. A person may become
more forgetful or find it harder to concentrate. Losing one’s sense of humor is another sign of an unhealthy
amount of stress.

Stress can lead to many other health problems if people try to ease it by smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs,
or by eating more or less than normal.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE TWO:

Chronic³ stress lasts a long time or happens often. Chronic stress causes the body to produce too much of the
hormones⁵ cortisol and adrenalin. Cortisol is called the “worry” hormone⁴. It is produced when we are afraid.
Adrenalin is known as the “fight or flight” hormone. It prepares the body to react physically⁶ to a threat.


People under chronic stress produce too much of these hormones for too long. Too much cortisol and adrenalin
can result in physical problems and even changes that lead to stress-related illnesses.

Cortisol provides high levels of energy during important periods. However, scientists have become concerned
about the hormone’s long-term effects on our health. Evidence shows that extended periods of cortisol in the
body weakens bones, damages nerve cells in the brain and weakens the body’s defense⁷ system against disease.
This makes it easier to get viral and bacterial⁸ infections.

VOICE ONE:

Chronic stress has been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. Research suggests that people who are
easily stressed develop blockages⁹ in their arteries¹⁰ faster than other people who are more calm. A recent study of
women was carried out in Japan. It found that women who reported high levels of stress were more than two
times as likely to die from stroke and heart disease as other women.

High stress levels have been found to cause asthma¹¹ attacks that make it difficult to breathe. Stress is also linked
to mental conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders¹².

Research also shows that chronic stress reduces the levels of the hormone estrogen in women. This might put
some women at greater risk for heart disease or the bone-thinning disease, osteoporosis.

Experts say long-term stress also can weaken your resistance to infections such as colds and influenza¹³, as well as
your ability to recover from these diseases. Extended periods of stress are also linked to headaches, difficulty
sleeping, stomach problems and skin problems.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE TWO:

Mental and health experts believe personality is an important part in how we experience stress. Personality is the
way a person acts, feels and thinks. Many things influence the development of a person’s personality, including
genetics and experience.

Some people, for example, are aggressive and always in a hurry. They often become angry when things do not
happen the way they planned. They are called “Type A”
personalities¹⁴. Studies suggest that these people often
get stress-related illnesses.

The “Type B” personality is a much more calm person. These people are able to deal with all kinds of
situations more easily. As a result, they are less affected¹⁵ by stress.

VOICE ONE:

Studies show that men and women deal with stress differently. Women usually have stronger social support
systems to help them in times of trouble. These social supports may help explain why many women seem to be
better able to deal with stress than men are. However, experts say women are three times more likely to develop
depression in reaction to the stress in their lives.

VOICE TWO:

Chronic stress is most common among people in the workplace, especially among women. Scientists studying
stress in the workplace say many working women are under severe stress because of the pressures of work,
marriage and children. Some experts say that pressure can cause a chemical imbalance in the brain that can lead
to depression. More than thirty-million American women suffer from depression. These problems are linked to
their stress-filled lives and constant hurrying.

VOICE ONE:

People who care for family members who are old or sick also suffer from high levels of stress. Most caregivers in
the United States are women. Several studies have been done on people who care for family members with
Alzheimer’s disease. The studies showed that the caregivers had high cortisol levels in their bodies. This greatly


weakened their immune systems against disease.

For example, one study in the United States found that women who cared for family members with Alzheimer’s
took an average of nine days longer to heal a small wound. The researchers found that the blood cells from the
caregivers produced lower amounts of substances that are important for healing and for fighting disease.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE TWO:

Experts say there are several ways to deal with stress. They include deep breathing and a method of guided
thought called meditation¹⁶. They also include exercise, eating healthy foods, getting enough rest and balancing the
time spent working and playing. Doctors say people should limit the amounts of alcohol and caffeine in their
diets. People who have many drinks with caffeine, like coffee, experience more stress and produce more stress
hormones.

Experts say exercise is one of the most effective stress-reduction measures. Running, walking or playing sports
causes physical changes that make you feel better. Exercise also improves the body’s defense system against
disease. And a recent study has found that it helps protect against a decrease in mental ability.

Doctors say deep, slow breathing is also helpful. And many medical studies have shown that clearing the mind
through quiet meditation helps you become calm. This causes lower blood pressure, reduced muscle tension and
decreased heart rate.

VOICE ONE:

Experts also say keeping stress to yourself can make problems worse. Researchers have linked the inability to
identify and express emotions to many health conditions. These include eating disorders, fear disorders and high
blood pressure. They say expressing emotions to friends or family members or writing down your feelings can
help reduce stress. Experts say people should try to accept or change stressful situations whenever possible.
Reducing stress may help you feel better and live longer.

((THEME))

VOICE TWO:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written and produced by Cynthia Kirk. This is Sarah Long.

VOICE ONE:

And this is Steve Ember. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of
America.

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1 artery   

n.干线，要道；动脉

参考例句：

• We couldn't feel the changes in the blood pressure within the artery.我们无法感觉到动脉血管内血压的变化。
• The aorta is the largest artery in the body.主动脉是人体中的最大动脉。

2 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

3 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

4 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

5 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body. 这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。

6 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 bacterial   

a.细菌的

参考例句：

• Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
• Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。

9 blockages   

n.堵塞物( blockage的名词复数 )；堵塞，阻塞

参考例句：

• The storms could increase the risks posed by river blockages. 暴风雨会增加因河道堵塞所造成的危险。 来自互联网
• An angiogram shows the location and severity of blockages in blood vessels. 冠状动脉造影能够显示血管内的阻塞位置以及阻塞的严重程度。 来自互联网

10 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

12 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

14 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

15 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

16 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。