Stress Yourself - Live Longer
Stress is generally considered a double-edged sword – just enough and your immunity to catching a cold increases and you perform at peak levels both mentally and physically, but too much and the opposite happens. Stress of this nature is generally not planned, as in the end of a hectic finals week at college or a major account presentation at work. But stressing your body intentionally and pushing your limits will activate your body’s adaptive stress response pathway and provide amazing results – if you’re willing. The adaptive stress response pathway is your body’s way to counteract the stress you put on it. Let’s say you hold your breath. A series of chemical pathways will begin to return you to an equilibrium state – in this scenario force you to start breathing again. Different types of body stress will automatically turn on different pathways in your body to provide the intended counter- adjustment back to homeostasis. Stressing yourself voluntarily isn’t the easy thi