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.