Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection - A Holistic Approach

In holistic health a better understanding of the relationship between stress and disease can be empowering. When was the last time you were diagnosed with a condition, and your doctor asked you about your stress levels? This may be a rare occurrence. Yet even in 1892, Sir William Osler, believed to be the father of medicine had realized that there may be a stress-related origin in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, highlighting a longstanding recognition of the mind-body connection in disease causation (Osler, 1892).

Evidence Supporting the Effect of Stress on Physical Responses to Disease

The impact of stress, whether acute or chronic, on physiological processes is increasingly recognized. In 1998 in a well-known study published in Psychosomatic Medicine, Marucha and colleagues examined wound healing in the setting of stress. Two punch biopsies were placed on the roof of the mouths of dentistry students to create an injury. The first biopsy was placed during the summer before dentistry school began. The second was placed just before taking the first examination of the term. Photos were used to measure healing. The researchers found that the wound created at the time of the examination took 40% longer to heal than the wound created during the summertime. Thus, even relatively benign stress, such as taking an important examination, can have significant physiological consequences. 

Renz et al. in Cancer Cell in 2018, published the effect of stress on mice that were genetically predisposed to developing pancreatic cancer. These cancer-prone mice did worse when placed in stressful environments: When these mice were placed in isolation and with more environmental deprivation, they developed tumors that grew faster than the mice placed in normal housing conditions. Additionally, when these tumor-producing mice were given beta-blockers, which block stress hormones such as adrenaline, they survived longer with chemotherapy treatment than mice given chemotherapy alone. Therefore, stress may influence our body’s ability to respond to cancer.

Further Reading Recommendations

In his 2011 book, When the Body Says No, Exploring the Stress Disease Connection by author and physician Gabor Maté, provides evidence for the role of stress in diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome multiple sclerosis, and cancer. “Disease [manifestation] may be the breaking point to what the mind cannot acknowledge.” Dr. Maté has more recently published in 2022 The Myth of Normal where the concept of stress from our early traumas may alter our future physical health.

Psychoneuroimmunology

The field of psychoneuroimmunology, the study of the relationship between immunity, the endocrine system, and the central and peripheral nervous system, has been gaining momentum over the past few decades. By adopting a whole-person approach that addresses mental, emotional, and physical well-being, we can empower individuals to take an active role in their health journey. In considering all possible ways to improve our health, taking the time to do the work of working through and accepting our past that may be influencing our emotional health is paramount. By doing this work, acknowledging the past, we may heal along our psychoneuroimmunological axes, which may improve our physical conditions and health.

Take-Home Points:

The exploration of stress and disease underscores the importance of a holistic perspective in healthcare. By acknowledging the influence of stress on physiological processes and disease progression, we can pave the way for innovative interventions that prioritize resilience and well-being. As we continue to unravel the complexities of the mind-body connection, let us remain committed to a future where holistic health underscores all of medicine.