Dr. Hans Selye was an Endocrinologist and is known as the Founder of Stress due to his extensive research into the impact of stress on the body and how the body handles stressful situations, whether mental, emotional, or physical. He created what is now known as the Three Stages of Stress: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion Stage. 

 

Alarm Stage: Sodium increases of potassium which causes the individual to be in fight or flight mode. Anger, anxiety, panic attacks, rage, and irritability may be experienced. Emotional outbursts and reactions may be documented as well. 

Resistance Stage: This is where sodium and potassium become balanced with each other. Stress is reduced. There is a reduction in the magnesium “burn rate” meaning that magnesium is no longer being excreted from the body via urine or stool. The cells are properly able to retain magnesium and use it on a cellular level. 

Exhaustion Stage: Sodium drops below potassium which is what we call an inverted ratio. The adrenals are burned out and exhausted because they cannot produce enough aldosterone (which is needed to retain sodium to balance potassium at a cellular level, within the adrenal glands). However, the high potassium could be a loss of potassium due to the increased stress on the body. 

 

Lifestyle and environmental factors can have an impact on our adrenal health such as endocrine disruptors like conventional laundry detergent and household cleaners and toxic cosmetics. However, many people neglect to look further on the cellular level which is where the adrenals function to begin with. With stress typically depleting potassium and magnesium causing emotional reactions to occur, one likely needs more of those vital minerals which can be shown using an HTMA.