Hans Selye’s Theory of Stress Adaptation

A Comprehensive Report for Patients

By Gary Moller  

Are you drowning in stress?

This report explores Hans Selye's theory of stress adaptation, the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), as a patient resource. It explains how stress affects the body and offers ways to recover and be more resilient, including medicines, lifestyle changes, and food. It focuses on vitamins, essential fatty acids, and other nutrients that the modern diet lacks. It also cautions about the time required for recovery once stress progresses.

Here's an excellent article on the topic that I urge you to read carefully in addition to this report that follows.

Hans Selye and the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Hans Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist, introduced stress as a measurable response in the 1930s. His theory, detailed in The Stress of Life (1956), outlines the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) in three stages:

1. Alarm Reaction Stage

   
   

   A stressor triggers the "fight or flight" response via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, releasing adrenaline and cortisol. Energy shifts to survival — heart rate rises, glucose surges, and digestion slows. This is a short-term reaction, like facing a sudden threat.

   
   

2. Resistance Stage

   
   

   If stress persists, the body adapts by maintaining elevated cortisol levels to manage energy and alertness. Non-essential systems (e.g., immunity) are suppressed, and nutrient reserves diminish. You might feel functional but strained — a tenuous balance.
   

3. Exhaustion Stage

   
   

   Chronic stress depletes resources, causing adrenal burnout, hormonal imbalance, and systemic failure. Symptoms include fatigue, illness, or depression. Selye's rat experiments showed prolonged stressors led to fatal exhaustion.

Selye distinguished eustress (positive stress, e.g., exercise) from distress (harmful stress), emphasising that adaptation determines outcomes. Once in the resistance or exhaustion stages, recovery may take many months — or even a year or longer — to restore good health and resilience, depending on the duration and intensity of the stress.

The Physiological Impact of Stress

Stress unleashes a hormonal cascade, with cortisol mobilising energy but disrupting blood sugar and inflammation. The adrenals, reliant on nutrients like vitamin C and cholesterol, weaken under prolonged strain. The brain suffers, too — cortisol shrinks the hippocampus (memory) and overstimulates the amygdala (fear), leading to anxiety and cognitive fog.

Supporting Recovery and Resilience

Recovery requires a comprehensive approach, with patience for the extended timeline of healing from resistance and exhaustion. Below are medications, lifestyle factors, and nutrition strategies.

Medications

Medications manage symptoms but are a last resort:

• Adaptogens: Ashwagandha and rhodiola stabilize cortisol (up to 30% reduction per study).

• Anxiolytics: Benzodiazepines calm severe alarm phases but risk dependency.

• Antidepressants: SSRIs (e.g., sertraline) address stress-induced depression.

• Beta-blockers: Ease physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat.

Note: Medications are a final option and can't replace preventable stresses — like a lack of love, care, or a supportive diet. Consult a doctor for integration.

Lifestyle Factors

Lifestyle fosters resilience and supports slow recovery:

• Sleep: 7–9 hours nightly resets the HPA axis. Sleep loss delays healing.

• Exercise: Moderate activity (e.g., yoga) builds eustress— excess risks distress.

• Mindfulness: Meditation lowers cortisol (20% reduction in eight weeks).

• Social Support: Love and connection buffer stress, aiding long-term recovery.

Nutritional Strategies

Nutrition rebuilds reserves, critical for extended recovery:

• Vitamin C: Fuels adrenals (citrus, peppers, 500–1000 mg/day).

• Magnesium: Calms nerves (greens, nuts, 300–400 mg/day).

• B Vitamins: B5 and B6 (eggs, grains) support hormone synthesis.

• Protein: Tyrosine (chicken, eggs) sustains adrenaline.

• Hydration: 2–3 litres of water daily aids repair.

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Avoid caffeine and sugar overload, which hinder recovery.

Role of Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Fat-soluble vitamins, often lacking in modern diets, are vital for healing:

• Vitamin A: Supports adrenals and immunity (liver, carrots, 700–900 mcg/day).

• Vitamin D: Regulates cortisol and mood (sunlight, fish, 1000–4000 IU/day).

• Vitamin E: Protects cells from oxidative stress (nuts, seeds, 15 mg/day).

• Vitamin K: Maintains structural health (greens, fermented foods).

  
  

Pair with fats (e.g., olive oil) for absorption.

Role of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Omega-3s (EPA, DHA), scarce in modern diets, aid prolonged recovery:

• Anti-Inflammatory: Reduce stress-related inflammation (fish, flaxseed, 1–2 g/day).

• Brain Health: Repair cortisol damage, easing anxiety (20–30% aggression reduction).

• Adrenal Support: Improves hormone signalling.

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Sources include salmon or fish oil — balanced with omega-6 (nuts).

Modern Diet Deficiencies

The modern diet — rich in processed foods, sugars, and omega-6 fats — lacks these nutrients. Vitamin'D wanes without sunlight. Magnesium is depleted from soils, and omega-3s are rare in factory-farmed foods. Food is important for preventing and treating illness, especially during months or years of recovery from resistance or exhaustion.

Practical Application for Patients

Align strategies with your GAS stage, expecting gradual progress:

• Alarm: Calm with breathing, magnesium, or vitamin C.

• Resistance: Sustain with EFAs, vitamin'D, and rest — prepare for months of rebuilding.

• Exhaustion: Recover with sleep, nutrition, and support — allow a year or more for restoring health and resilience.

A patient in exhaustion might eat eggs, beef, and lamb several times weekly, take vitamin'D, and prioritise sleep, understanding full recovery takes time. My Super Smoothie is the perfect addition to one's daily diet.

Books by Dr Paul Wood

Conclusion

Hans Selye's GAS model reveals stress as a process we can understand and navigate with patience and care. Recovery from resistance or exhaustion may take many months or over a year, requiring consistent effort. Medications are a last resort, unable to substitute for love, care, or a nutrient-rich diet. Given the modern diet's deficiencies, mindful eating is key to prevention and healing. You can reclaim your health — one step at a time.

References

1. Selye, H. (1956). The Stress of Life. McGraw-Hill.

2. Cohen, S., et al. (2018). "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Health Benefits." Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 112, 20-29.

3. Panossian, A., & Wikman, G. (2010). "Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System." Pharmaceuticals, 3(1), 188-224.

4. McEwen, B. S. (2007). "Physiology and Neurobiology of Stress and Adaptation." Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873-904.

5. Stough, C., et al. (2011). "The Effect of 90-Day Administration of a High-Dose Vitamin B-Complex on Work Stress." Human Psychopharmacology, 26(7), 470-476.

6. Carr, A. C., & Maggini, S. (2017). "Vitamin C and Immune Function." Nutrients, 9(11), 1211.

7. Simopoulos, A. P. (2008). "The Importance of the Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio." Experimental Biology and Medicine, 233(6), 674-688.

Note: Consult a healthcare professional before making changes. Gary Moller isn't a doctor — seek medical advice as needed.