The way we are programmed to react to stress is no match for the modern world. So many things trigger our stress response! When the stress response is rare, damage is minimal. When our bodies are flooded with stress hormones repeatedly, damage is unavoidable. Because stress increases our blood pressure and heart rate, cardiovascular strain results. Stress also slows down digestion, causing ailments including ulcers. Repeated suppression of the immune system, reproductive system and parts of the brain that deal with short-term memory also cause problems in those functions.

MANAGE YOUR STRESS VIDEOS

CHAPTER 1 What Causes Stress? When you face challenges that seem beyond your control, your body's stress response takes over. VIEW VIDEO

CHAPTER 3 Fight or Flight A perceived threat triggers this heart-pounding, muscle-tensing state of alertness. VIEW VIDEO

CHAPTER 8 (currently viewing) Stress Takes a Toll Over time, stress raises your risk of cardiovascular disease, digestive ailments and more. VIEW VIDEO

CHAPTER 10 Stress & the Growing Brain Babies and kids who endure traumatic events develop different brain structure as they grow up. VIEW VIDEO

CHAPTER 14 Your Genes & Stress Stress is one factor that can cause certain genes to switch on or off, affecting inherited traits. VIEW VIDEO

CHAPTER 16 Inherited Stress Damage There is growing evidence that some stress-induced changes in gene expression care passed on to children. VIEW VIDEO

CHAPTER 17 How Stress Ages Us Part of our chromosomes that protects our cells during cell division can be damaged by stress, causing speedier aging. VIEW VIDEO

CHAPTER 20 Coping with Stress You can't eliminate stress from your life, but you can minimize the harm by learning to manage it. VIEW VIDEO

CHAPTER 25 Meditation in Focus One method of stress-reduction, meditation, brings measurable physical and emotional improvements. VIEW VIDEO