Hormesis - the healthy stress
Have you heard of hormesis?
It is a stimulation that if done for a short period pushes your body to adapt, building tolerance and body function; which can have positive health effects. However like the old saying "The dose makes the poison", if done for too long, it becomes a stressor on the body. Hormetic stress is finding the sweet spot.
Hormesis is defined as a response to moderate (usually intermittent) stress. Stress gets a bad rap; but not all stress is bad. The important difference between good (hormetic) stress and bad (chronic) stress is that good stress is usually intermittent and moderate, allowing the body to recover, repair and rejuvenate, with anti-aging and longevity effects; while chronic stress leads to numerous health issues and accelerates aging.
Hormetic stress can lead to: increases in physical strength; growth in cognitive function and numerous other health benefits.
How do you activate hormetic stress?
Cold Water Exposure
The short term stress of cold water immersion stimulates a cascade of health benefits. Increased blood flow brings nutrients, oxygen and water to the cells, and removes waste, helping the body to repair tissue, boost energy, reduce systemic inflammation, and produce endorphins (the feel good chemicals in the brain) to naturally elevate mood. However the opposite is also true - cold exposure for too long is detrimental to health and life.
Start with finishing your shower each day with 30 seconds of cold water, or taking a short dip in cold water. If you don't live near the sea, a river or lake, a cold bath or purpose built cold water barrel will make regular plunges more convenient.
Wim Hof first first unlocked the benefits of cold exposure backed by groundbreaking studies which showed reduced ageing and increased longevity.
Cold exposure requires conscious breathing, commitment and focus to master body and mind and care should be taken for those with heart conditions.
2. Heat Exposure
Like cold, heat therapy is therapeutic and can accelerate recovery and healing, relax muscles, reduce joint stiffness, relieve pain, increase circulation to flush toxins and help boost immunity, and boost metabolism for weight loss.
Sitting in a sauna, infrared sauna, steam room or hot bath or even a heat pack will help dilate blood vessels stimlating blood flow, bringing oxygen and nutrient rich blood contributing to healing.
Infrared light is available in nature in the rays of the sunshine or a fire. It penetrates deep into the skin heating the body from the inside out. It illuminates mitochondria (the little powerhouse of each cell) and stimulates production of intracellular melatonin (a master antioxidant that cleans up free radical damage in the cell). That's why you feel so good after spending some time in the sunshine - a cleaner has been at work in your body.
But it gets better infrared can penetrate the skull and diffuse light around the brain, stimulating the grey matter for clearer sharper thinking. Studies have shown that students perform better in natural light.
To tap into the anti-aging and increased longevity of hormetic stress, add heat exposure in a sauna, steam room or hot bath to your schedule. Be sure to hydrate, start slowly and take care not to over-heat. Excess heat stress can lead to dizziness, fatigue or blood pressure fluctuations.
3. Fasting
The short term stress of fasting stimulates the body to adapt, with powerful therapeutic benefits for the body and brain. When you don't eat, the energy your body would have used to digest food can be directed to cellular repair. Here are some evidence based benefits of fasting:
blood levels of insulin drop, initiating fat burning and lowering risk of Type 2 diabetes.
reduces inflammation
induces cellular repair and waste removal
increases levels of BDNF brain derived neurotropic factor increasing growth of new neurons with positive impacts on brain function and mood and may be protective against neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. Alzheimers.
enhances stem cell function and telomere lengthening; which is a cellular marker of aging, as telomeres generally shorten with age.
There are various ways to fast:
Periodic fasting which may be a short 1-3 day fast or longer, done each month or season, and may be a water fast, juice, herbal tea or broth fast, or restricted calorie fast.
Intermittent fasting which means restricting eating to a certain time period each day, e.g. between 11 am and 7 pm or 7 am and 3 pm. This extends the fasting period overnight. It is important to make the meals eaten in this time frame healthy and nutrient rich foods.
Fasting depends on a person's vitality and is not suitable for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women or elderly. It is advisable to talk with a health professional before fasting.
4. Strength Training and Exercise
Exercise greatly improves the chances of healthy aging. Cardio exercise improves respiratory and heart function and fat metabolism, while
resistance exercise can improve strength, muscle mass, flexibility and balance.
If you have a car that just sits in the yard, eventually it will rust. If you are sedentary, your body degenerates faster. You don't have to be a body builder; however don't settle for what is easy or convenient. You have to take action to create change!
It is vital to use your muscles to build strength and stamina, stay mobile and injury free and maintain flexibility and balance. Daily exercise, working a wide range of muscles is the goal.
Everybody's body is different so check with a health professional before embarking on a strenuous exercise program.
5. Challenging cognitive activities.
Hormetic stress does not have to be only physical. Cognitive tasks that challenge the brain, or push you to the edge of your comfort zone, may activate a hormetic response. Activities like:
- learning a new skill,
- studying another language,
- memorising scripture,
- seeking out new experiences,
- strategy games like chess,
- crosswords,
- social contact, etc
All of these can help improve memory, cognitive function and protect against neurodegeneration.
Unplug from technology and spend time with people. Isolation increases the risk of dementia by 50% highlighting the importance of getting out of our comfort zone and having social contact for brain health.
Be inquisitive and incorporate learning as part of your personal growth to be a lifetime learner.
Hormetic practices of cold exposure, heat exposure, fasting, strength training and cognitive challenge can all help you be more resilient to life's physical and mental challenges and help you to live your healthiest life possible. Having mastery over self requires taking the actions that will bring you the results you want, without resigning yourself to the role of a victim.