Stress is a part of everyday life—whether it’s a difficult meeting at work, a tough exam period, or caring for someone during a hard time. Most of the time, these moments come and go. But prolonged, intense stress may do more than just weigh us down mentally—it could impact our physical health in serious ways. Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy, who has spent over three decades treating cancer patients at the Center for New Medicine in California,
has repeatedly observed a striking pattern: before many of her patients were diagnosed, they went through extreme stress. She believes that this prolonged stress may play a larger role in cancer development than most people realize. Her holistic approach to care doesn’t just focus on the disease, but on the person—and what she’s seen might surprise you.