Summary: PJSC Podcast #83 Stress is GOOD for you!I know, we all have too MUCH stress in our lives... Stress in our jobs, our relationships, our family life, finances- the list goes on and on- but you know, we evolved to be able to handle stress! And when that stress is missing: our bodies really can’t adapt- for certain types of physical stress, at least, we really require it to be truly healthy.Eustress is the term for a positive stress: Eustress, or positive stress, has the following characteristics: Motivates, focuses energyIs short-termIs perceived as within our coping abilitiesFeels excitingImproves performanceIn contrast, Distress, or negative stress, has the following characteristics:Causes anxiety or concernCan be short- or long-termIs perceived as outside of our coping abilitiesFeels unpleasantDecreases performanceCan lead to mental and physical problemsAnd so, with that is mind, let’s concentrate on the type of stress we need: Eustress:We need the stress of gravity bearing down on us! Our bodies actually require it, and are adapted to it, to be healthy. When the astronauts went into space, all kinds of problems developed- muscle wasting, bone atrophy- we need the stress of gravity bearing down upon us, day and night!What other stress do we need? We need the occasional stress of exerting our muscles at a high level! Walking a lot is expected by our bodies, as are occasional bursts of high intensity exertion (as when escaping from a sabre tooth tiger, or sprinting to spear a wooly mammoth)! Without this occasional stress (that can be duplicated by Perfectly Paleo Exercise), our bodies deteriorate, and basically “save precious calories” by getting rid of muscle, and bone mass that appear to be unneeded!We also need the stress of working- figuring out hard mental and physical problems to remain fully human. Just HOW do we dig that pit to entrap that mammoth, and then how do we transport it back to the tribe?And, speaking of the tribe: we also need the stress of dealing with that tribe- How do we deal with Yag, who is challenging our leadership role in the tribe? (translate this to the office at work)...And how about your mate, who has always been wonderful, but is now not dealing well at all with Jag-Kotha, your brother’s spouse?You see, it has always been complicated!And, these interpersonal things are necessary for our health, and the health of all the human tribe. We are social animals- we are not meant to be alone and isolated. Ever...So- We need the stress of physical exertion, occasionally- usually very mild, and sometimes quite demanding, to be healthy and happy, both mentally AND physically.We need the stress of a natural environment, whether savannah, desert, woodland, or northland cold- we need to exist in nature. This means birdsong, many varieties of plant life, animal species different from human- we NEED this variety of Nature that God provided to us! AND, it appears we need the stress of natural anti-toxins in plants, like anti-oxidants to keep us healthy as well. The latest research tends to show that anti-oxidants are not really healthy, in and of themselves- they stimulate our own bodies to respond to the stress of them to overcompensate; much as exercise makes our muscles stronger- to to secrete the hormones necessary to overcompensate, and make us stronger in reaction to them. This might seem like a fine point- but it is the main point I am making here: Our response to stress is what makes us strong. It’s in our DNA. WE NEED STRESS- EUSTRESS, BUT STRESS IN THE RIGHT, NATURAL WAY.Exercise naturally, in a natural environment, barefoot and without eyeglasses and other crutches like weights to overcompensate and ultimately injure our natural response to the eustress of overcompensation of effort- Perfectly Paleo Exercise!We NEED nature herself: in whatever form she takes, we NEED it- we need to forest bathe, savannah bathe, just BE in Nature in whatever form, since we are P
