Before you even manage to start your day, the majority of us experience what Doctor Howard Murad calls, Cultural Stress – the stress of modern living. This is a type of stress we experience daily and is having huge implications on our health. Today, we ask Doctor Murad why he calls Cultural Stress the ‘silent killer’ and how we can take control and combat the stress of modern living.
Q: Doctor Murad, can explain what Cultural Stress is and how it differs from more traditional stress.
A: Cultural stress is a type of stress that is constant, pervasive and ever-increasing. It is the rules and regulations, unachievable expectations, growing traffic, all-consuming pollution and even stretches as far as the cause of a lot of the anger we are seeing in society. It differs from traditional stress which I define as stress caused by something like a broken leg or a death in the family. While this stress is painful at the time, does eventually subside and our bodies are designed to cope with it. Cultural Stress, on the other hand, is a type of stress that our biological systems are ill-adapted to handle.
Q: You call Cultural Stress the silent killer. Can you in explain in more depth what you mean by this comment?
A: Cultural Stress affects every single one of us. It has become increasingly prevalent over the past decade and it has snuck up on every single one of us – that is why I call it the silent killer. While I do not deny that a little bit of stress can indeed help, for example; studying for an exam or getting you through that all-important presentation, Cultural stress is wreaking havoc on our whole body as goes unseen and is continual. While both traditional and Cultural Stress release the same hormones (e.g. cortisol), different things happen. Scientists have known for years that elevated cortisol levels can cause a whole list of health problems but the continuity of cortisol from Cultural Stress is widening the breath of illness. I have seen two devastating consequences as a result of this stress.
Living in our ‘always on’ environment of digital technology means that we are slowly isolating ourselves from human contact. We are spending significantly more time with our devices than physical contact and we are also under immense pressure to reach perfection. This unattainable pressure results in being becoming either more insular, withdrawn or angry. Since we know emotions are contagious, we are projecting these emotions at an alarming rate into society and they are spreading rapidly. This is creating a very challenging environment for today’s society.
Sedentary lifestyle. The stress caused by Cultural Stress means that we are basically spending far less time moving. Ask yourself, how long you sit in a car a day, in front of your computer or watching Netflix, and I suspect you will begin to see the outcome? Or how about how much processed food or ‘on the go’ food you are consuming? While the health implications may be obvious, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, heart disease, we also see the emotional outcome. Sedentary lifestyles lead to a more hostile attitude and something which truly terrifies me in today’s society.
Q: What are your top 3 tips for fighting Cultural Stress?
“Be imperfect, live longer” – Perfectionism is all consuming and is ever increasing. Be kind to yourself and do not focus on everything always being perfect. 2. Have gratitude. It is much easier to always focus on the negative but try and focus on the positives and have gratitude for what is good in your life. 3. Try something new. Do not be afraid to fail. In order to create change, you have to take a risk and try something new.
My best advice however is… behave like a toddler! When we were younger, we were carefree and thus stress-free (or at least the majority of us were). Stress also decreases cellular hydration and when you were a toddler, you were the most hydration you ever have been in your life. I believe that cellular hydration is the key measure of good health. If I could give just one tip, I would say, find your inner toddler and let them loose. Laugh more – really enjoy a belly laugh a day. Dance even though you cannot hear the music, color outside the lines and make sure you do not limit yourself. I honestly believe that this is the best tip, I could ever give you.
Q: Does Cultural Stress affect your skin?
Yes. When you are not sleeping, you have dark circles under your eyes and stress causes your skin to become drier and more susceptible to inflammation. Every organ is connected to your other organs, and everything is connected – that is why I teach a holistic, whole person approach to skincare called Connected Beauty. When stress hormones are released, they dehydrate your skin. Under stress, your skin becomes thinner, more fine lines appear, you see an increase in breakouts. Stress also causes you to eat more processed foods and these foods have a huge impact on your skin. See, everything is connected.
Q: What is your hero product to achieve stress-free skin?
I would have to say Retinol Youth Renewal Serum. Stress causes dehydration and dehydration results in diminished circulation. Retinol creates an incredible boost to your circulation. This potent, yet gentle, formula quickly and visibly minimizes lines and deep wrinkles, firms, evens skin tone and boosts radiance for more vibrant, youthful-looking skin. Used as part of a holistic approach to stress, retinol is my hero product.
Thank you, Doctor Murad, for your time.
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