When a response to a stress event is not possible or are ineffective, our bodies resort to neuroendocrine responses. The key to understanding the relationship between stress and disease lies in understanding how the body defends itself against the threat posed by stress. These larger molecules are then used for cellular functions, growth, or as stored energy. Catabolism is exactly opposite. Catabolism refers to the process whereby larger molecules are broken down into smaller ones.
Stress represents a period of economic hardship.
Energy resources to the body increase. Now the energy is distributed to the tissues needing it. Heart rate is increased, as are blood volume and blood pressure. Pulmonary tone is also increased, leading to greater performance of the heart and lungs. The difficulty lies in the fact that what stresses us has changed greatly in such a short time frame that our bodies have not yet adapted to that change.