• Stress is recognized as the number one proxy killer disease* today. The American Medical Association has noted that stress was the basic cause of more than 60 percent of all human illness and disease .

• It is estimated that American businesses lose approximately $200-$300 billion dollars per year to stress related productivity loss and the treatment costs.

• Every week, 95 million Americans suffer some kind of stress related symptoms for which they take medication.    

• A 20-year study conducted by the University of London concluded that unmanaged reactions to stress were a more dangerous risk factor for cancer and heart disease than either cigarette smoking or high cholesterol foods.

• A survey of 201 U.S. corporations revealed that 60% of all managers felt that stress related illness was pervasive among their workers and decreased productivity at an estimated cost of 16 days of sick leave and $8,000 per person per year.

All these and thousands of similar studies point to the huge negative impact stress has on individuals and the society as a whole. The implications of these stress facts are too real and harsh to be ignored! Stress speeds up the ageing process and produces conditions in younger people that are more commonly associated with growing old. Virtually no part of the body can escape the ravages of stress. It becomes imperative on our part to take positive and effective steps to tackle this silent proxy killer TODAY!

American Journal of Health Promotion published a study by Steffi B et al (1986) where Biofeedback and muscle relaxation training was offered to workers at a public works department in an effort to reduce work-related injuries. In follow up studies, participants of the programme had significantly fewer injuries than non-participants. Since then, many successful business houses have incorporated Stress Management Programs as an integral part of their employees’  welfare plans.

Most people know what stress is and realize how dangerous it is. But majority goes around nonchalantly doing nothing about it! Spreading the word about stress facts will definitely help in creating awareness about this proxy killer disease.

Why is stress the number one proxy killer disease?

Stress plays an important role in modulating the psycho-neuro-immunological players of the body. Thus it is behind the initiation, exacerbation and maintenance of most killer diseases like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, mental illnesses etc. Hence, stress is known as the number one proxy killer disease. Proxy because most often than not, stress as the real cause of the illness goes unnoticed!