Chapter 3:Chapter 3:Stress and DiseaseStress and Disease

By comprehending that human By comprehending that human beings are energy, one can begin to beings are energy, one can begin to comprehend new ways of viewing comprehend new ways of viewing health and illness.health and illness.

- Richard Gerber M.D.- Richard Gerber M.D.

Relationship Relationship between stress and disease?between stress and disease?

Science has not been able to demonstrate a Science has not been able to demonstrate a concrete connection between stress and concrete connection between stress and disease.disease.

However, this chapter presents various However, this chapter presents various scientific views and explanations of scientific views and explanations of hypothesized relationships between stress hypothesized relationships between stress and disease.and disease.

Stress and disease connectionStress and disease connection

The current focus on the stress and The current focus on the stress and disease phenomenon is directed disease phenomenon is directed toward the interactions of the:toward the interactions of the:

– immune systemimmune system– the CNSthe CNS– human consciousnesshuman consciousness

Disease and illness relationshipDisease and illness relationship

Current research has indicated Current research has indicated that between 70 to 80 percent of that between 70 to 80 percent of health-related problems may be health-related problems may be precipitated or aggravated by precipitated or aggravated by stress.stress.

Stress and diseaseStress and disease

To understand the relationship between stress and To understand the relationship between stress and disease, one needs to consider that several factors disease, one needs to consider that several factors act in unison to create a pathological outcome, act in unison to create a pathological outcome, including the:including the:

cognitive perceptions of threatening stimulicognitive perceptions of threatening stimuli– consequent activation of the nervous systemconsequent activation of the nervous system– endocrine systemendocrine system– immune systemimmune system

PsychoneuroimmunologyPsychoneuroimmunology

Pelletier defines psychoneuroimmunology Pelletier defines psychoneuroimmunology as the study of the intricate interaction of as the study of the intricate interaction of consciousness (psycho), brain and consciousness (psycho), brain and central nervous system (neuro), and the central nervous system (neuro), and the body’s defense against external infection body’s defense against external infection and internal aberrant cell division and internal aberrant cell division (immunology).(immunology).

Four theoretical modelsFour theoretical models

The Borysenko ModelThe Borysenko Model The Pert ModelThe Pert Model The Gerber ModelThe Gerber Model The Pelletier PremodelThe Pelletier Premodel

The Borysenko ModelThe Borysenko Model Borysenko outlined a dichotomy of stress-Borysenko outlined a dichotomy of stress-

induced dysregulation and a matrix induced dysregulation and a matrix describing the “immune balance” describing the “immune balance” regarding four classifications of disease.regarding four classifications of disease.

He suggests that when the autonomic He suggests that when the autonomic nervous system releases an abundance of nervous system releases an abundance of stress hormones, several physiological stress hormones, several physiological repercussions can result, among them, repercussions can result, among them, migraines, ulcers, and hypertension.migraines, ulcers, and hypertension.

Borysenko’s stress and disease Borysenko’s stress and disease dichotomydichotomy

Autonomic Dysregulation (overresponsive ANS)

Immune Dysregulation

migraines peptic ulcers irritable bowel syndrome hypertension coronary heart disease asthma

infection (virus) allergies AIDS cancer lupus arthritis

Borysenko’s immune activity Borysenko’s immune activity matrixmatrix

Over-reaction

Under-reaction

Exogenousactivity

Allergies Infections (colds & flu)Herpes

Endogenousactivity

ArthritisLupus

Cancer

The Pert ModelThe Pert Model

Pert’s model cites research findings linking Pert’s model cites research findings linking the nervous system with the immune the nervous system with the immune

systemsystem Various cell tissues comprising the immune Various cell tissues comprising the immune

system can synthesize neuropeptides system can synthesize neuropeptides to to alter immune functionalter immune function

Emotions can suppress or enhance immune Emotions can suppress or enhance immune functionfunction

The Gerber ModelThe Gerber Model

Gerber uses an holistic approach or systems -Gerber uses an holistic approach or systems -theory approach - mind as conscious and theory approach - mind as conscious and unconscious thought exists as energy that unconscious thought exists as energy that surrounds and permeates the body, surrounds and permeates the body, influencing a host of corporal biochemical influencing a host of corporal biochemical reactions.reactions.

Gerber ModelGerber Model

Gerber’s model states that the mind Gerber’s model states that the mind consists of energy (bioplasma) consists of energy (bioplasma)

surrounding and surrounding and permeating the body.permeating the body.

Disease, then, is disturbance in the human Disease, then, is disturbance in the human energy field, which cascades through energy field, which cascades through

the the level of the subtle energy to the body level of the subtle energy to the body via via chakras and meridians.chakras and meridians.

Gerber ModelGerber Model Stress-related symptoms that appear in the Stress-related symptoms that appear in the

physical body are the manifestation of physical body are the manifestation of problems which have occurred earlier as problems which have occurred earlier as a a result of disturbances at higher result of disturbances at higher energy energy level.level.

Thoughts, perceptions, and emotions, which Thoughts, perceptions, and emotions, which originate in various layers of subtle originate in various layers of subtle

energy, energy, cascade through the mind-body cascade through the mind-body interface interface and are decoded at the molecular and are decoded at the molecular level to level to cause biological changes in the cause biological changes in the body.body.

The Gerber modelThe Gerber model

The Pelletier Pre-ModelThe Pelletier Pre-Model

Pelletier believed that a number of issues Pelletier believed that a number of issues must be addressed and understood must be addressed and understood before a stress-disease model can be before a stress-disease model can be developed.developed.

These issues include disease states in These issues include disease states in people with multiple personality people with multiple personality disorder, spontaneous remissions, disorder, spontaneous remissions, hypnosis, placebos/nocebos, cell hypnosis, placebos/nocebos, cell memory, memory, subtle energy, and subtle energy, and immune-immune-enhancement.enhancement.

After reviewing the medical After reviewing the medical literature Pelletier believed:literature Pelletier believed:

the only logical approach to the only logical approach to understanding the stress-disease/understanding the stress-disease/mind-body phenomenon is an mind-body phenomenon is an approach in which the individual is approach in which the individual is considered greater than the sum of its considered greater than the sum of its physiological parts.physiological parts.

Nervous System-Related Nervous System-Related DisordersDisorders

bronchial asthmabronchial asthma tension headachestension headaches migraine headachesmigraine headaches temporomandibular temporomandibular

joint dysfunctionjoint dysfunction

irritable bowel irritable bowel syndromesyndrome

ulcers and colitisulcers and colitis coronary heart coronary heart

diseasedisease

Temporomandibular joint Temporomandibular joint dysfunctiondysfunction

Immune System-Related Immune System-Related DisordersDisorders

the common the common cold and cold and influenzainfluenza

allergiesallergies rheumatoid rheumatoid

arthritisarthritis

lupuslupus cancercancer AIDSAIDS

"It is the commonest of mistakes "It is the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive."limit of all there is to perceive."

-C.W. Leadbeater--C.W. Leadbeater-