Stress can have a bigger impact on health than what was once believed. As more and more research has been found to support their findings, experts such as Timothy Olds urge the community to seek a better understanding of the effect stress has on their bodies and find ways to mitigate it. At the upcoming ADS/ADEA Annual Scientific Meeting, Professor Olds who is from the department of Behavioural Epidemiology at the University of South Australia will highlight how he believes life stresses have the potential to manifest into non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, stroke, asthma, heart disease, depression and osteoporosis.
He uses the allostatic model to help explain the origins, nature and possible remedies for the treatment of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes in a simple way. Professor Old’s session Stress, Lifestyle and Diabetes translates cutting edge scientific research into a useful narrative for understanding how frequent activation of the human stress response can cause long-term damage to the human body.
“We are all, to different extents, subject to life stresses. Whether that’s relationship or money worries through to exposure to viruses and injuries. These stresses lead to a state of inflammation, the body’s natural response to stress, resulting in increased blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fats and stress hormones released into the bloodstream to provide emergency fuel.
“Eventually, all of this manifests permanently as high blood fats, blood pressure, insulin resistance and airway inflammation – this is the allostatic load. Sustained for long enough, a high allostatic load will translate into overt diseases such as diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease, asthma and perhaps even osteoporosis and dental problems,” said Professor Olds. Professor Olds will be presenting prevention methods that are likely to treat symptoms and diseases more effectively.
The ADS/ADEA Annual Scientific Meeting will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on 26-28 August.
