There are very complicated associations between education, economic status, social class and one’s health and life expectancy. The higher up the ladder an individual is the lower risk of multiple diseases such as hypertension, various cancers, accidents and malnutrition. There are literally thousands or millions of factors that play into the overall status of an individual but we can pick out a few patterns that release people from at least a few stressors in life.
Stress is a divine gift, a chemical and physical mechanism that connects the emotions to the mind and the body. When triggered by some knowledge or situation the adrenal glands release cortisol which helps the brain make more efficient connections therefore allowing you to acutely focus on tasks or thoughts, to work out solutions quickly and accurately. Cortisol enhances your response systems and abilities. The catch however, is that when the problem is solved, stress is relieved and the cortisol goes away, but for those under constant stress due to economic, health and social circumstances the cortisol levels remain high for extended periods of time.
When cortisol levels remain high in the body for extended periods of time they have almost the inverse effect on the body. The brains pathway connections are interrupted and thinking is often clouded or slowed, illnesses increase dramatically. Those under such unfortunate circumstances become more prone to accidents in any activity as well as higher rates of terminal diseases, such as cancers and heart defects. While eating right can solve some health problems this is a completely different look inside the body and cannot be completely combated by exercising and eating healthier meals.
Roy sees the environment as "all conditions, circumstances and influences that surround and affect the development and behavior of the person" So here is the great questions for all of us. Depending on your state of being and understanding that you need intermittent healthy stress but not ongoing chronic stress. How can you change some or many of those influences in your life or the lives of others to increase health and decrease accidents?
Once again we see another angle of the concept of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. I'm not trying to say anything for or against political policy, but I am saying that this is a reality in society and looking for ways to stay on the upside is in your favor. I hope I have also provided some inspiration for you to take a look at your life to see where you can make appropriate changes to build a better life for you and possibly assist someone else as well. I wish you the best as you attempt to control your cortisol releases.
