Stress压力.docVIP

PAGE  PAGE 5 Stress压力 by Ken Dychtwald, adapted from Issues Trends in Health, 1987 America is experiencing a major epidemic today. Unlike epidemics of the past, it is a disease transmitted by bacteria or viruses. This epidemic is an increase in diseases and problems related to stress, and it touches all of our life. 如今的美国正流行一种重要的疾病。不同于以往的流行病依靠细菌或病毒传播。这种流行病就是压力相关的疾病和健康问题，它贯穿于我们的生活当中。 In 1990 the average life expectancy in this country was 47, and the major killer disease included tuberculosis pneumonia, influenza, cholera, typhoid, and smallpox — infectious diseases which struck people of all ages, regardless of the lifestyle. 在1990年，这个国家的平均期望寿命是47岁，主要的死因包括肺结核、流行性感冒、霍乱、伤寒和天花——那些侵袭各种年龄和生活方式的传染性疾病。 Today, on the other hand, life expectancy has been extended to 74, thanks in large part to the conquest of the acute infectious diseases through improved sanitation, better distribution and storage of foods, and the introduction of immunization and antibiotics. People today are dying of different diseases than they did at the turn of the 20th century, and the principal causes of death today are heart disease, stroke, cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, and diabetes. These noninfectious, chronic diseases have been shown to be directly related to the way we live, and one of the dominant factors in their development is stress — an element of modern life which is taking an increasing toll on our physical and mental well-being. 如今，另一方面，美国人的期望寿命已经提高到74岁，这很大程度上归功于依靠先进卫生设施而攻克的急性感染性疾病的诊治，改进的食物运输和储存，以及免疫方法和抗生素的应用。如今人们的死因不同于20世纪初，而主要是心脏病、吸烟、癌症、肝硬化和糖尿病。这些非传染性慢性疾病被证实与我们的生活方式有着直接关联，其中一个主要成因就是压力——在现代生活中对我们的身心健康发挥着越来越重要作用的因素。 Technically speaking, stress is physiological state of the body, a state of arousal in response to a perceived danger or threat. We are all familiar with the physical signs and symptoms of the stress state. Think about how you felt that last time you had to swerve to avoid a collision while driving: your heart raced, your palms became sweaty, your muscles tensed,