PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — In their weekly conversation KYW's Michelle Durham and KYW Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough discuss the significant impact of stress on health. McDonough predicts stress will increasingly contribute to various diseases.
"I think what we're going to find — and this is my prediction, I don't think I'm a genius by saying this, I think a lot of people have said it — but in the next 20, 30 years, we are going to see that stress has a major role in contributing to not just heart disease, not stroke and cardiac things, but also cancer, infections, all of those things," he said.
He explains that stress triggers the immune system, inflammation, and cortisol release, which can lead to long-term health issues. He notes that modern stressors, such as social media dependence, lack of exercise, and financial concerns, particularly affect younger generations.
McDonough emphasizes the importance of reducing stress through physical activity, as our bodies are wired to release stress through movement, not sedentary activities.