The Stress that Builds
We grow in zigzags
People naturally shy away from threats and stress — and yet these strengthen us every day, especially in thriving lives. Too much ease harms us at least as surely as too much damage.
An ancient idea, updated about 20 years ago, is now called “hormesis.” The word’s Greek origin means “to set in motion, impel, urge on.”
Research shows that stress triggers our deep survival strengths. We’re built to balance catabolism and anabolism: breakdown and growth. From the cellular to the transcendent, we are astonishingly resilient and resourceful.
For example, a workout stresses the body, then strengthens it as we rest and rebuild. Spices overstimulate our cells then power them. Education challenges current knowledge and assumptions. We grow with art, music and literature that stirs up our senses. Walking strengthens bones with its small shocks. Our spiritual life grows when we painfully review our faith. The stresses of fasting sparks processes of renewal. Our sympathetic nervous system (activated when we inhale) prepares us for action, while our parasympathetic system (activated when we exhale) prepares us for repair.
Modern life, though crammed with options, overbalances life toward comfort, away from exploration.
The best example of the hormesis balancing process is an adventure. Imagine landing, alone and broke, on a new continent. You have more strengths than certainty. You face, face up to, and face down the unexpected — growing cheerfully with every unpredictable step toward your destination.
My own ongoing life of adventure surely explains why I’m chronologically 75, but biologically in my 30s. So please accept Dr. John’s light-hearted “Adventure” prescription. Try something new. Step away from the road more travelled to embrace surprises, welcome or unwelcome.
To learn more, please contact me here, and/or at info@johnlordcouper.com.
Meanwhile, you might like these sources:
Hormesis: The Good Type of Stress | Ice Barrel
What Is Hormesis? Experts Unpack Hormetic Stressors & Benefits | mindbodygreen
The Powerful Concept of Hormesis — The School of Applied Functional Medicine (schoolafm.com)
