Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1489985
Page 22 | Abby's Magazine | www.AbbysMag.com From the beginning of time, the inhabitants of Earth (people, animals, insects and even trees and plants) have all responded to "stress". Stress could be caused by extremes in temperature, lack of nutrient resources, or danger from predators. Stress triggers an adaptive response that drives a cascade of biological events that help the organism adapt and survive. Stress however was not designed to be chronic, and that is where the process shifts from adaptive to degenerative. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Animals, like people, have an autonomic nervous system that is not under conscious control, it is "automatic", triggered when the body senses conditions such as danger and stress. Imagine that the 2 branches of the autonomic nervous system are on a teeter totter, with one side of the teeter totter being the sympathetic side and the other side of the teeter totter being the parasympathetic side. When one side is up the other side is down. Regarding the ANS, when one branch is turned on the other branch is turned off. From an evolutionarily perspective, the system makes a lot of sense. If danger suddenly appears, one doesn't have time to think about what to do, you simply have to respond quickly if you're going to survive. Most of the bodies energy resources are diverted to support this reaction. The Two Branches Of The ANS: Sympathe c and Parasympathe c The sympathetic branch when activated results in one of 2 responses. One response is a fight response, which releases cortisol (the stress hormone) and mobilizes huge amounts of energy to allow the individual to fight. This response also creates massive inflammation and leaky gut! The other response is the flight/ freeze response which allows the individual to reserve energy, go into hiding so to speak, but if this persists chronically, it can create a microenvironment and shielding for biofilms to grow, allowing infections and cancer to thrive undetected. In the flight/freeze response the mitochondria (the producers of energy) go into "hiding" and use a less efficient pathway to produce energy with the result being a lot less energy available. The parasympathetic branch of the ANS is known as the rest, repair, digest and detoxify side. After the danger has passed and the sympathetic nervous system is no longer needed or turned on, this system turns on to repair all the damage and consequences that occurred when the individual was in high sympathetic tone and fighting for its life. Mitochondria functioning in a parasympathetic state are highly efficient and produce lots of energy. The critical point here is that the autonomic nervous system responds to perceived threats. It doesn't distinguish between the threats of modern-day society (sleep deprivation, processed foods, excessive toxins, relationship issues, financial concerns, the news, EMF and the modern lifestyle) and the sabertooth tiger that was chasing our ancestors. Our pets are staying in high sympathetic tone from exposure to processed foods, environmental toxins, and they entrain to our stress! Though they don't interpret danger in the same way, they feel the stress given off by their pet parents and sense that there's danger lurking nearby, they must remain on high alert. Biological Response To Chronic Stress Stress triggers a biochemical response in the body and results in the production of Galectin-3, an upstream survival protein that triggers a cascade of reactions that trigger cytokines (inflammatory mediators) that lead to inflammation, fibrosis, organ damage, autoimmune disease and cancer. Stress Can Lead To Anxiety Behaviors In Pets Aggression, excessive grooming, avoiding interactions, excessive vocalization, drooling, inappropriate elimination, loss of appetite, the inability to relax or get calm, panting, shaking, and excessive yawning are probable indicators that a pet is experiencing stress. Top 10 Ways To Mi gate Stress In The Modern World 1. Remove as many environmental toxins as possible (EMF, Air pollutants, Mold, Toxic Cleaners, Nonfiltered/non structured water, Toxic personal body care, yard chemicals) and replace with natural and organic cleaners, organic personal body care products, structured filtered water, air purifiers and EMF mitigation. 2. Feed a balanced species-appropriate grass fed/grass finished, organic raw food. 3. Supplement with the essential vitamins, minerals, plant-based parent essential fatty acids and amino acids. Essential nutrients are those nutrients the body cannot produce STRESS Friend or Foe?