Stress and Breast Cancer

Reuters Health reported late last month on the connection between young women with multiple life event stressors and breast cancer.

Researchers found that women “who had experienced two or more severe or mild-to-moderate life events were 62 percent more likely to have breast cancer.”

Read the article in its entirety here.

What constitutes a stressful life event?

The HOLMES-RAHE LIFE CHANGE SCALE is considered a Stress Test evaluator.

The higher the score, the more likely you are to experience injury or illness.

Score of 300+: At risk of illness.

Score of 150-299+: Risk of illness is moderate (reduced by 30% from the above risk).

Score 150-: Only have a slight risk of illness.

You can also take the test here and have it automatically tally up the number for you.

By becoming aware of your total score you can make changes to prevent stress-related illness such as cancer.

Check out the Battling Stress site here, or the Battling Cancer archives —Laughter Therapy and The Healing Power of Music— on stress for more information on how to deal with life event stress.