Aging, Stress, and Disease

From the moment we’re born we begin to die. Sounds depressing, but the fact is that we begin the aging process at birth and become more susceptible to disease at middle age and especially as we reach 60 years old and beyond. Many diseases normally kept in check by a young, healthy immune system are more likely to overcome a body that can no longer keep up. According to Dr. Richard Morimoto of Northwestern University, “Aging and stress are two human conditions, that, when paired, can profoundly affect the quality of life.” At the root of the problem, says Dr. Motimoto, is protein folding, which causes toxic states that lead to disease.

Other researchers have found that an accumulation of negative life events over time increases the body’s production of free radicals. Still others have shown that when older people experience stress, they have a lowered lymphocyte count and a decrease in the hormone thymosin, both of which impair immune function. In fact, one study found that 90 percent of young individuals had antibodies against three different flu strains whereas only 63 percent of older individuals did.

Chronic diseases disproportionately affect older adults, and are associated with disability and diminished quality of life. The most recent statistics show that 80 percent of older adults have at least one chronic condition, and 50 percent have at least two. Where you live has a lot to do with the type of disease you get because of factors like diet, genetics, and exposure to chemicals and other toxins. Different cancers, for example, occur at higher rates in certain countries, but in general cancer increases exponentially after the age of 40.

As we age, our homeostatic mechanisms don’t work as well as they once did. We don’t absorb calcium as well, our digestive and excretory systems are not as efficient, our immune systems are weakened, and our hearts are not as strong. We become less tolerant of stress, both physically and emotionally, which is the reason we don’t adjust as well to changes in temperature or blood pressure. We typically recover more slowly from infections, but even less so when we’re stressed. HIV-infected patients older than 60, according to researchers, have levels of depression almost 13 times higher than the general population, which further increases the risk of other diseases.

Stress hormones may also contribute to formation of amyloid plaques in the brain and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at the University of California Irvine found that when animals were injected with stress hormones, the levels of beta-amyloid production in the brain increased by 60 percent. They also found an increase in the production of another protein called tau, which leads to the formation of tangles, the other signature effect of Alzheimer’s. After just one week of experiments, the scientists saw plaque formation in young brains equivalent to brains that were twice as old. According to Dr. Frank LaFerla, managing stress and reducing certain medications that contain glucocorticoids could significantly slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Scientists are getting close to discovering the genetic link to aging, which causes cell structure and function to deteriorate. Recent studies suggest that we are programmed to self-destruct, but that we can postpone that destruction through diet, exercise, and reducing stress. The process of aging itself can trigger various diseases. When a person thinks of aging as a stressful life event, the emotional upheaval will invariably lead to stress-related illnesses. The more stressful the aging process is perceived to be, the greater the probability that the stress will trigger disease. As a result, it’s not unusual to experience some sort of mental health problem as one gets older. Depression is common among the elderly, suicide is higher than it is for any other age group, and phobias and other mental disorders are also high due to four factors:

1. Because the immune system loses its capacity to fight disease, the elderly are more prone to infections and become chronically sick. This leads to preoccupation with mortality and the onset of emotional disorders. Depression and suicide increase when physical and mental activities decrease.

2. Sensory and motor functions decline, which frustrate older individuals. They are less likely to initiate a daily exercise program or to maintain healthful lifestyles because they feel as if nothing they do will help.

3. Continued stress reactions lead to negative conditioning. This habitual reinforcement strengthens the stress response and causes even more illness and disease.

4. The elderly typically decrease their social interactions. This is especially true after a spouse dies, following an illness, or when children move away. Rather than getting involved in activities that enhance the quality of life, they become isolated and depressed.

Despite the fact that we succumb to more diseases as we age, life expectancy has been rising steadily. Worldwide, the average lifespan is expected to extend another 10 years by 2050. In the United States, the numbers of adults over the age of 65 will more than double by 2030, as will the number of adults over the age of 80. The reasons are improved nutrition, more activity, decreased rates of smoking, and better health practices such as stress management that keep our immune systems working better and longer.

No matter what a few new age gurus might claim, no one has yet found that illusive fountain of youth and we are nowhere near a breakthrough that will reverse aging or stop the programmed end of life. What we can do is make sure that life ends naturally and not with a disease that could have been avoided. And we can condition the brain to help us slow the aging process, maximize life span, boost the immune system, and fight disease throughout life, no matter how old we are.

From: Stress, Disease & the Mind-Body Connection: Using the Power of the Brain for Health and Self-Healing by Dr. Andrew Goliszek