Unit 10 Emotions and Health新编大学英语第二版第二册课文翻译.doc

Unit?10?Emotions?and?Health The Secrets of Good Health [1] Exercise. Eat right. Dont smoke. These are some of the most words of advice to people who wish to stay healthy. But a growing amount of scientific research shows that there is another, equally important, aspect to staying well, peace of mind. Exercise. Eat right. Dont smoke. These are some of the most common words of advice to people who wish to stay healthy. But a growing amount of scientific research shows that there is another, equally important, aspect to staying well, peace of mind. [2] Think about how your heart races while you are waiting to be called into the doctors office or how unhappy a bad headache can make you. There is a two-way connection between mind and body. When one is bothered, the other feels it. At the heart of the communications network are brain chemicals called neurotransmitters which communicate messages not only within the brain, but also within the body. One key receptor, the immune system, is a network of cells and organs that work to fight off viruses and bacteria. When you experience joy, fear, or relaxation, the immune system may increase or decrease production of disease-fighting cells, thus helping or hindering you in fighting diseases such as the flu, or even some cancer. [3] By now, how the immune system is affected by stress has been well documented. In one study involving newlywed couples, for example, those who showed hostile behavior during a 30-minute discussion about marriage problems had lower immune functioning for the 24-hour period following the experiment than people who showed less negative behavior. It is not just stress that can do damage. One researcher thought that if the same cold virus was put under two different noses, the person who is depressed or anxious or pessimistic would be more likely to develop the cold. [4] What is it about stress and related emotions that can encourage poor health? These feelings can cause the production of substances that