The impact of stress and health - Essay Example

The Impact of Stress and Health Although stress has many definitions, stress generally refers to psychological or physiological feeling experienced as the different body system try to restore the normal body functioning due to effect of stressors. A mild stress is good because it makes one alert and adds onto the energy needed to accomplish tasks. Stress is caused by factors known as stressors. A stressor can be both positive and negative causing excitement to the person or deep sadness. Examples of stressors in life include frustrations, heavy workload, unemployment, or unreasonable supervisors.

Such stressors affect our emotions life, spiritual life, and eventually our physical life.To fight stress, the body adopts a fighting mechanism after the brain senses a stressor. It records stress after the nervous system reacts to a stressor too large for the body to handle. Stress disrupts the normal functioning of the body because it causes an out of balance. An out of balance occurs when the automatic alert system receives responses from the stressor releasing stress hormones to help the body cope with stress.

Acute stressors result to elevated levels of stress hormones, which is harmful to the body. Additionally, the body requires rest to allow rejuvenation of cells in all organs. This is not possible in a stressful atmosphere. Stress results in an increase in host molecules dangerous for optimal health of our hearts. Statistics show that stress causes low-density lipoproteins that delay the clearance and processing of fats in the heart. Such persons fall under very high risk of cardiac arrest. Other persons under stress become obese as they result to obsessions, or get high blood pressure.

Some basic practices prove effective in reducing stress and promoting the healing process. Learning these simple skills will help in maintaining a balance in the midst of demanding lives. Although sleep alone will not solve problems, good sleep is a therapy that can kill stress. It is necessary to adopt good practices of solving problems, setting limits, practise flexibility, and be a good time manager.Swollen GlandsThe term “Swollen glands” refers to an enlargement of lymph glands above their normal size.

A normal size of a lymph gland is about a half an inch. When swollen, they become two to three times bigger. Lymph nodes are small, soft, and oval shaped structures with interconnectivity throughout the body. Lymph glands can be felt with the fingers in the armpits, groin, neck, behind the years, and behind the back of a head. Others lie deep in the tissues and cannot be felt or seen. They play an important part of our immune system because they help the body fight germs, infections, and other foreign substances through a group of cell in them called lymphocytes.

Lymphocytes produce antibodies, a substance that destroys the foreign substances or germs. A lymph gland will not swell without a reason. First, a swollen gland will depict an increase in the number of lymphocytes due to an infection or an illness. This will cause a bigger requirement of antibodies to fight the germs in the body. If an infection is not treated, a pus-containing cavity can ensue requiring an incision drainage or use of antibiotics. At times, swollen glands from infection may become very large, compressing other parts of the body.

Such a case requires a surgical operation. Secondly, a lymph gland can swell because of a tumour. Swollen glands can depict a tumour if the swollenness takes time to heal, show no signs of inflammation, and the gland appears reddish. Thirdly, a gland can swell because of an inflammation of the surrounding tissues.