FEST Writing Group

The Evolution of the Benefit of Stress

Early life represented by bacteria were exposed to stressful and toxic substances such as iron and selenium. Life evolved to make use of these initial stressors, so that they are now used to promote an organism’s health. For animals, food scarcity was a major stressor. Recent research has shown how animals benefit from food restriction, at least in cycles, to improve measures of health. Animals that could still be active and search for food even when hungry had a survival advantage.

Hormetic stress is characterized by low-dose stress that triggers an overcompensation for the mild environmental stress, resulting in a beneficial effect. The beneficial effects of mild stress on aging and longevity have been studied for many years. In animal studies, mild dietary stress delays most age-related physiological changes, and extends lifespan. Animal studies have also demonstrated that the stress of dietary restriction can prevent or lessen the severity of cancer, stroke, coronary heart disease, autoimmune disease, allergy, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Cell biologist Valter Longo has described how animals evolved to make use of the inevitable periods of famine to turn on a repair function in which cells use apoptosis (killing off impaired cells) and autophagy (eliminating impaired parts of a cell by re-using the damaged parts) to improve the health of the organism.

Before recent human generations, food scarcity and the stress of exercise occurred at regular intervals, which was important. Organisms do not naturally seek out stressful experiences, so if the environment does not supply them, the health of the organism is impaired, as we can view from the effects of the Western diet and sedentary lifestyle.

Epidemiological studies suggest beneficial roles of dietary phytochemicals in protecting against chronic disorders such as cancer, and inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. One general mechanism of action of phytochemicals that is emerging from recent studies is that they activate adaptive cellular stress response pathways. From an evolutionary perspective, the noxious properties of such phytochemicals play an important role in dissuading insects and other pests from eating the plants. However at the relatively small doses ingested by humans that consume the plants, the phytochemicals are not toxic and instead induce mild cellular stress responses that are beneficial.

Finally, from a Bowen theory perspective, taking steps toward increased responsibility in functioning with others is accompanied by short-term stress. Does the stress of working toward differentiation of self have a hormetic effect? Guided by theory not to take sides, not to blame, not to avoid, etc., inevitably is accompanied by a stress response as the automatic ways of off-loading anxiety to others are interrupted. An assumption is that the frequent effort and exposure to short-term mild stress has an invigorating and healthful effect on the individual and family.