Table of Contents
What is the Resistance Stage of Stress?
The resistance stage of stress is the continuum and normal progression of the stress response. However, you must have the nutritional ability to progress from the alarm stage to the resistance stage of stress.
The alarm stage is the instantaneous or short-term response to a stressor that engages the sympathetic neuroendocrine system. As you move into the resistance stage, your senses remain heightened because of the psychophysiological changes produced by the sympathetic system.
The alarm stage is very inflammatory and the resistance stage attempts to bring about a normalization or homeostasis by reengaging the parasympathetic neuroendocrine system. The resistance stage causes further changes in your nutritional needs. The resistance stage increases potassium. The rise in potassium produces a rise in anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids.
The objective is to restore a dynamic balance between the parasympathetic (the “rest and digest” system) and sympathetic (the “fight or flight” system) neuroendocrine systems. Ideally, a slight dominance of the parasympathetic system is preferred.
Remaining in the resistance stage of stress can also produce a variety of mental or physical symptoms and manifestations. See Beyond Symptoms
Resolving the Alarm Stage of Stress
As I have alluded to before, the General Adaptation Syndrome is much more applicable to nature – not people. The primary difference is that nature lives in the moment. It does not have the thinking mind constantly living in the past or future, nature lives in the moment.
As such, depending on the cause of the alarm response, whether it was physical, mental, or a combination of both, you must consciously resolve or terminate the alarm stressors that will allow the natural progression into the resistance stage of stress.
What many do not realize is that we can become “stuck” in the alarm stage of stress.
Although there exist many reasons a person could become stuck in the alarm stage, the ramifications of a frequent adrenaline release (e.g., more energy, sharpened mental focus, increased strength) could easily contribute to becoming stuck. This may be a more viable reason especially considering the amount of sufferers of fatigue and chronic fatigue as well as the lucrative energy enhancing products permeating our society for over a decade.
Adrenaline Junkie is not a medical term. In context, it was used to describe people that would partake in potentially dangerous behavior. You can read more at MedicalNewsToday: What is an adrenaline junkie? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/adrenaline-junkie
Psychostimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamines, act primarily through the monoamine neurotransmitters dopamine (DA), norepinephrine, and serotonin.
Schmidt KT, Weinshenker D. Adrenaline rush: the role of adrenergic receptors in stimulant-induced behaviors. Mol Pharmacol. 2014 Apr;85(4):640-50. doi: 10.1124/mol.113.090118. Epub 2014 Feb 5. PMID: 24499709; PMCID: PMC3965894. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3965894/#s2title
Although adrenaline is not specifically mentioned, you can see a substantial change in stress disorder in the DSM-5.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 3.30, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Acute Stress Disorder Comparison. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519704/table/ch3.t30/
Hair Analysis and the Resistance Stage of Stress
Hair analysis may be very helpful to reveal the resistance stage of stress. Here again, it is important to consider many patterns revealed on the results for proper interpretation. Remember, during the alarm stage you seen a rise in sodium. During the resistance stage, you will see an increase of potassium. At this point, both sodium and potassium rise above ideal levels. Alternatively, they or may or may not dominate over calcium and magnesium because many people are not utilizing calcium and magnesium properly (bio-unavailable).
During the resistance stage of stress, additional nutrient imbalances occur. Excessive potassium becomes antagonistic toward calcium and magnesium. Graphically, you will normally see a rise or excess of both sodium and potassium and a deficiency of calcium and magnesium. Paradoxically, due to the increase of potassium, the sodium/potassium ratio may begin to move toward a more balanced state. However, two important hair analysis ratios, the calcium/potassium (thyroid indicator) and sodium/magnesium (adrenal indicator) ratios are becoming imbalanced.
Additional nutrient imbalances occur that include zinc, manganese, iron, and magnesium and vitamins C, A, B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6. Here again, because of nutrient interrelationships, amino acids and fatty acids are equally affected.
Due to the imbalances in essential nutrients, your body’s ability to detoxify toxic elements becomes impaired.
Are you in the resistance stage of stress? Order your Hair Analysis today.
Follow the Gazelle!
Our gazelle barely escaped the jaws of the hungry crocodile! In an instant, our gazelle is moving into the resistance stage of stress.
At this time, our gazelle is fleeing the banks of the watering hole and attempting to put some distance between itself and the alligator. Fortunately, being well nourished, the gazelle was able too quickly move into the resistance stage.
The gazelle has finally reached a safe distance from the alligator. The threat is over; however, the physiological changes from the alarm stage remain. Unlike us, the gazelle will not give another thought to the life-threatening event. But wait, our gazelle may be heading toward the chronic resistance stage of stress!
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