Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have recently shed some light on the mechanisms behind the ability of mental stress to exacerbate tumor growth.

The team noted that the link between stress and poor physiological health – including cancer prognosis – has long been established. But recently, they found that psychological factors can lead to an increase in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression – a protein that is known to promote tumor proliferation.

When examining the mental and physical health of 37 individuals who had just been diagnosed with head or neck cancer, the researchers found that those with the most stress had the least chance of survival.

“Our analysis indicated that higher levels of perceived stress and depressive symptoms were associated with greater VEGF expression in the tumor tissue of these patients,” said co-author Caroline Fang.

Authors said that stress management techniques may be most helpful in patients who are in early stages of the disease, when psychosocial intervention was shown to be most effective.

Results of the study suggest that hospitals and cancer centers may want to consider stress-relieving tools not just for doctors and nurses, but for patients, too.

Employee wellness programs have been shown in multiple studies and workplaces to effectively improve staff health, and in turn, help reduce costs stemming from employee health benefits.

In fact, a University of Michigan study from last year revealed that a wellness program helped a company in the Midwest save an estimated $4.8 million in healthcare expenses during a nine-year period.

An article on EmployeeWellnessMagazine.com reports that there are several reasons that organizations reject such programs, and provides counterarguments for those excuses.

Many employers say that the cost and resources associated with wellness programs are not feasible for their business. However, the news source says that returns on the investment often pays for the programs themselves, and that a well-organized wellness company should do most of the work for their customers.

Likewise, when a manger or CEO says ‘no’ to a program because of timing or conflicting priorities, they should be reminded that their workers’ health is at stake and that a good program should not take up too much time.

Sometimes, employers are simply not aware of their staff’s health, or don’t feel responsible for it. The source says that these bosses should know about the widespread epidemic of poor health in America, and that costs stemming from it often end up on the employer’s shoulders.

Employees and supervisors alike have a tendency to be distracted or stressed out due to excessive or poorly worded emails from coworkers, according to a recent article on DynamicBusiness.com.

Electronic communication has become so prevalent in the modern workplace – and use has been accelerated even more by the ubiquitous Blackberry and iPhone – that it has become the first mode that individuals turn to when they have a problem or query.

Paradoxically, the more emails we get, the more we ignore and information ends up getting lost in translation.

“Poorly worded emails, along with the expectation that the receiver responds immediately, are causes of increased workplace stress. This situation has led to email being named the third major reason for workplace stress, behind organizational change and competing deadlines,” said Greg Crowther, a supervisor at Australia-based consulting firm Callidus Partners, quoted by the source.

People-Communicating.com recommends keeping emails succinct, and saving more in-depth questions or issues until there is a chance to speak in person. Also, try not to get carried away by copying every relevant person on an email, include only those who are absolutely necessary. Finally, the website recommends proofreading communication before hitting send to avoid typos or superfluous information.

Employee wellness programs that include resources for stress management may also be a useful distraction for workers who become overwhelmed by their inboxes.

In a study of about 200 employees who had witnessed an angry outburst from another worker in the past, it was found that supervisors who reacted with compassion achieved better results overall than those who simply fired the hot-tempered individual, according to researchers at Temple University Fox School of Business.

The team of scientists theorized that managers who did not sanction the employee took actions to solve the initial problem, and took into consideration that they may have played a role in the worker’s anger.

“Some of the most transformational conversations come about through expressed anger,” said lead author Deanna Geddes.

She added that even one act of understanding on the part of a manager had potential to lead to reduced workplace stress.

These findings suggest that interventions like employee wellness programs may be the simple step needed to control aggression in the workplace. If workers are made to feel valued and given the appropriate tools and resources to manage stress, it may help reduce instances of outbursts and strengthen employee performance.

In honor of Stress Awareness Month, researchers and experts at HeartMath have compiled five little-known facts about anxiety and how it may affect physical health and decision-making skills.

Even minor stress has the ability to cause a rush of 1,400 biochemical events in the body. This may lead to early age-related decline and impaired cognition, as well as lack of energy and lucidity.

Moreover, stress has the ability to cause ‘cortical inhibition’ in the brains of affected individuals. This diminishes a person’s capacity to reason and make good decisions, and may lead to mistakes in the workplace.

Some people are so stressed that they don’t even realize that they’re stressed. When tension becomes so common that an individual becomes accustomed to feelings of anxiousness, the health effects can build up and lead to a more serious illness.

Fortunately, it’s possible for people to put their bodies and minds at ease through stress management techniques. Research has shown time and again that responses to stress can be diminished by simple solutions.

Additionally, it’s always best to deal with stressors right away. It may be too late to reverse the effects of stress if one waits until the weekend to take the time to relax.

In light of these facts, it may be a good idea for employers to consider implementing employee wellness programs to reduce workplace stress and improve their staff’s health and well-being.

Past research has shown that chronic stress has the physiological effect of shortening telomeres, which are small pieces of DNA that protect chromosomes from degrading.

Now, a team of researchers at the University of California has discovered that even moderate amounts of physical exercise may protect these important pieces of DNA.

“Telomere length is increasingly considered a biological marker of the accumulated wear and tear of living, integrating genetic influences, lifestyle behaviors and stress,” said Elissa Epel, Ph.D., study co-author.

The team tested their theories on a group of 62 post-menopausal women who were enduring the stress of caring for an ill loved one. They reported their physical activity and perceived stress at the end of each day, then researchers examined the immune cells in blood samples from the participants.

They found that while stress did degrade telomeres in the more sedentary women, the individuals who regularly stayed active retained the integrity of their DNA.

Results of this study suggest that workplace stress may be effectively reduced when a staff is motivated to get active. Employee wellness programs that encourage exercise may help aid employers in achieving a healthier workforce.