When our health suddenly deteriorates, there are often signs and symptoms that can help us pinpoint what is wrong.
From there, we can figure out what elements of our lifestyle make us more susceptible to disease — and, according to this doctor, the same is true when it comes to cancer.
US-based Dr Lee Erin Connelly is an expert who focuses on “treating the whole person, not just the illness”, always researching common triggers and tracking specific behaviours.
She’s been practicing medicine since 1986 and founded the Center For New Medicine in Irvine, California in 1992, where she still serves as medical director, so she certainly knows a thing or two.
Dr. Connelly: Cancer RevolutionShe describes it as “an integrated approach to cancer treatment (and prevention) with practical programs and strategies that have proven incredibly successful, based on six revolutionary discoveries.”
Over the years, the doctor has noticed a common symptom among many patients diagnosed with the deadly disease.
The board-certified doctor made it clear in a TikTok video that he believes a person’s mental state greatly impacts their physical health, and that the brain and body are more deeply connected than people realise.
“The common symptom that I see regularly in patients is that they’ve usually been through a very stressful event,” Dr. Connelly explained in the video.
Dr Lee Erin Connealy warned that prolonged stress can lead to illness. (TikTok/@connealymd)
“It could be harsh working conditions, it could be a child, it could be a parent, it could be a divorce,” she continued.
“But they are typically exposed to extreme stress, which we know affects the entire hypothalamic-pituitary axis and the production of cortisol. And extreme production of cortisol contributes to the growth and proliferation of cancer.”
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a communication system between three organs: the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands located above the kidneys.
Stress activates the HPA axis, and when it’s due to a situation outside of your control or a traumatic one, your daily cortisol release is higher than normal.
And when you’re stressed for long periods of time, that essentially means your fight-or-flight response never stops. That’s bad news, because research shows that too much cortisol can make you feel bad.
It can increase your risk of health problems like heart disease, lung disease, obesity, anxiety, and depression, and it can also cause stress-related skin conditions due to overactivity of HPA axis hormones in the brain.
![She argued that many of her patients had experienced trauma before they were diagnosed. (Getty Stock Image)](https://images.ladbible.com/resize?type=webp&quality=70&width=3840&fit=contain&gravity=auto&url=https://images.ladbiblegroup.com/v3/assets/bltcd74acc1d0a99f3a/bltff85c449b126a2db/6683d52a9232e233ae2f9c2a/cancer-doctor-common-symptom.jpg)
She argued that many of her patients had experienced trauma before they were diagnosed. (Getty Stock Image)
When HPA is triggered regularly, it can disrupt the immune system and affect its ability to destroy harmful cells, including cancer cells.
In addition, regular stress and excess cortisol can lead to chronic inflammation and damage your cells and their functions.
According to Dr. Connelly, these two factors “play a significant role in increasing the risk of cancer development, metastasis and recurrence.”
She further elaborated on her knowledge in the caption, saying, “In excess, these hormones may be directly carcinogenic by suppressing immune function, promoting inflammation, and interfering with normal cellular function. Treating and reducing stress should be a high priority in cancer treatment.”
“Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline increase when we sense a stressor. They are involved in the ‘fight or flight’ response, mobilising energy stores, increasing heart rate and blood pressure and increasing focus to deal with the immediate threat,” the oncologist said.
“Stress hormones are absolutely necessary for the body to respond effectively to stressful situations and ensure survival.”
She advised people to get plenty of sunlight, get all the nutrients and vitamins they need from their diet, get enough sleep, limit exposure to toxins, and take frequent walks to relax.
Experts disagree about the extent to which stress increases cancer risk and whether it directly causes cancer.
Professor Melanie Flint said: University of BrightonI think there is definitely a connection between the two.
She is now investigating how behavioral stress affects cancer development, progression and response to drug treatment, after demonstrating that stress damages DNA, leading to cellular changes.
However, on the other hand, Cancer Research They say stress “does not directly increase cancer risk.”
But the report added: “However, for some people, stressful times may make it harder to maintain their health, which could result in an increased risk of cancer.”
“The best studies have followed large numbers of people for several years and have found no evidence that more stressed people are more likely to get cancer. Some people wonder if stress causes breast cancer.
“But overall, the evidence on this is scarce. A large study of more than 100,000 women in the UK in 2016 showed no consistent evidence of a link between stress and breast cancer.”
If you are struggling with these issues and would like someone to confide in, contact the Macmillan Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, open daily from 8am to 8pm..