The Body's Reaction to Stress

The body's reaction to stress is quite amazing and can be categorised into three main stages - the alarm reaction, the stage of resistance, and the exhaustion stage.

The alarm reaction is the body's initial protective reaction to the onset of stress. During this stage, the pituitary gland releases hormones known as ACTH which travel via the blood to the outer parts of the adrenal glands called the cortex where they promote the release of the hormone cortisone which initialises the body to handle the given stress environment. It is at this stage that proteins from the thymus and lymph glands are converted to sugar for instant energy. This causes an immediate blood sugar spike, the excesses of which are stored in the liver in the form of glycogen where they are readily available for conversion to glucose should the need be. Other factors such as increased blood pressure, retaining of salt and drawing of bone calcium also occur to work towards the repair of vital tissue during what is known as the "fight or flight" mode.

If this stress is maintained, the body enters the next stage: the stage of resistance, where all available resources are drawn on to rebuild cell tissue etc. and generally repair damage caused by stress.

If, however, these resources are lacking due to inadequate diet etc., the next stage, the stage of exhaustion, is entered, and it is at this stage that disease begins to surface, particularly when the body is subjected to stress over a long term and as said the diet is poor. It is at this stage that the body, having depleted protein stores in thymus and lymph glands, turns to other body organs etc to draw protein and resultant disease can surface, such as ulcerative colitis. Interestingly, if enough nutrients and protein can be provided by the diet, this stage can be avoided.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article has been written for educational purposes only. Before undertaking any form of diet or exercise regime you should consult your doctor before commencement, particularly if there is an underlying medical condition.