> [What are your thoughts on hypercondria versus reasonable concern into health?] Having a distinct symptom that is uncomfortable is a reason for looking for the cause; if a symptom is frequent and disabling to any extent, then it’s appropriate to invest some time and effort in figuring it out. When anxiety is the problem, people sometimes interpret insignificant sensations as danger signals instead of attending to the causes of the anxiety. > > [What did you mean by the causes of anxiety?] Often it’s some simple thing, such as hypothyroidism. A chronic external stress (such as crocodiles or secret police) can lead to an internal change, such as thyroid failure. [Source](https://lowtoxinforum.com/threads/ray-peat-email-advice-depository.1035/post-235874) > [How important do you consider mental stresses to be on the body? Since a stressful experience my sleep quality and digestion is poor and anxiety has been daily. Do you think reframing how I perceive my job, or the world, or change jobs, would improve physical symptoms? What are your thoughts on stress reduction such as meditation or mindfulness?] An intense stress can cause the hormones to get stuck in an inefficient state, often with suppressed thyroid function and decreased steroid production. Sometimes foods that are essential nutrient rich -- eggs, orange juice, oysters, liver -- or just pleasurable, milk shakes, ice cream etc. (especially at bedtime, to improve sleep), can break the pattern, and sometimes supplementing thyroid or pregnenolone can do it. Changing your view of your job is a possibility, but a healthy attitude in an unhealthy environment usually causes problems. I think real mindfulness is incompatible with nearly all the contemporary work environments. [Source](https://lowtoxinforum.com/threads/ray-peat-email-advice-depository.1035/post-279603)