Thought You Were the Only One?

Believe it or not, nearly 50% Americans are said to have experienced extreme levels of stress. The great deals of stress have been brought upon us through the need to survive, and help provide for others. Although it may seem as if stress levels have been increasing drastically, there is evidence that proves that stress has been existent for quite a long period of time now. Archaeologists have followed though with tests on a body found in Cajamurquilla, Peru. The individual was dated to have lived between 550 A.D. and 1532. We are quite aware that there were only a few written accounts of the ancient people. We may be able to learn about their daily lives and routines, but it is impossible to decipher emotions from a piece of writing. Through the tests that were conducted on the body, more about the emotions of the ancient Peruvians were discovered. Archaeologists and historians were able to receive the first idea of the emotions of the ancient humans with the tests of a sample of hair from the body. In the tests, the hair showed that the ancient Peruvians were under huge amounts of stress. The hair contained high concentrations of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Knowing the rate of hair growth, the amount of cortisol that was present in the hair was easily calculated into finding the levels of stress. This means that people have never been able to escape from the presence of stress. During this individual’s lifetime, they suffered from stress due to the worry of food availability, social and physical threats, weather conditions, safety, and many others. Although there are different reasons behind why people experience stress, it will never withdraw from the existing world. Remember, don't let the stress kill you!

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/ancient-peru-stress-hair-cortisol.html

Janis C.
Period 3