Stress is defined as any disturbance—extreme cold or heat, psychological stress, sleep deprivation, work overload, physical trauma, as well as toxic exposure—that can trigger the stress response. The body’s stress response system is comprised of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Prolonged stress triggers the HPA axis and consists of three stages: alarm, resistance and exhaustion. The initial, short-lived phase (the alarm phase) is the body’s normal fight-or flight response to danger which is characterized by elevated cortisol levels. The next phase, the resistance phase, allows the body to continue buffering extended stress exposure, long after the initial fight-or-flight response has dissipated. Hormones released by the adrenals, such as cortisol and DHEA, help support the “resistance” reaction. However, extended periods of stress not only burden the system, creating an imbalance in cortisol and DHEA production, but can result in mental and physical fatigue, nervous tension, irritability, poor memory and decreased immunity—all of which are characteristic of stage 3. AdaptaRise provides a unique blend of botanicals that support the body’s ability to respond to and counteract the negative effects of stress.
