Reducing stress critical to healing

DEAR DOCTOR K: I am recovering from breast cancer surgery. Unfortunately, my healing process is coinciding with several unexpected stressful events in my life. Can stress actually slow my healing?

DEAR READER: Stress does have far-reaching physical effects. There is plenty of research showing that stress – especially long-term stress, and the feeling that you cannot get control of your life – can harm your body.

It all starts with the body’s stress response. Our bodies are “wired” to respond to acute stressors. For example, our distant ancestors often had to deal with approaching predators. Their bodies had to be prepared to fight or to flee.

Life in the 21st century doesn’t expose most of us to the threat of being eaten by lions. But we do have our own version of such threats, like nearly getting run over by a speeding car.

What we probably have more of today than our ancestors on the Serengeti had is chronic stress – the drip, drip, drip of one challenge after another.

Such chronic stress releases stress hormones that raise your blood pressure and add fat to your body. These two effects of chronic stress, and others, increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Chronic stress may also suppress your immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections. Since the immune system appears to have a role in fighting cancer, chronic stress could theoretically make a person more vulnerable to getting cancer. For the same reason, it could make it harder for a person like you to heal from a cancer she’s been fighting.

Can stress reduction programs help a patient like you who is recovering from cancer? Studies have come down on both sides of that question. In my experience, patients generally feel they are a great benefit.

You can also take steps to reduce your stress by regularly practicing relaxation techniques. Mindfulness meditation, yoga and deep breathing are good places to start.