The Ideas Stress & the Human Body

Stress and the Cardiovascular and Digestive Systems

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In this SLP we will investigate the effects of stress on the digestive system, including its effect on regulating blood sugar levels. As you can see, dysregulation of blood sugar levels can cause metabolic problems and unusually high or low blood sugar levels, such as in diabetes. View the trends for diabetes in America demonstrated in the graph.

Now continue to your readings for this SLP assignment:

Why We Gain Weight When We’re Stressed—And How Not To, in Psychology Today

Cortisol Connection: Tips on Managing Stress and Weight, by Christine A. Maglione-Garves, Len Kravitz, Ph.D., and Suzanne Schneider, Ph.D.

Part I: Stress and Weight Gain

Using complete sentences in paragraph format, address the following questions:

What hormones are implicated in the weight gain response that some individuals experience when stressed? Which type of stressor elicits this response? How does this influence fat deposition? What role do dietary choices and cravings play in stress-related weight gain?

Part II: Blood Sugar Regulation

Now review the article from the Dartmouth Undergraduate Science Journal:

The Physiology of Stress: Cortisol and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis

How is the pathway described here different from those described in the first two articles? Which type of stressors influence the relationship between cortisol and insulin? Are the health risks different?

Part III: Conclusions

In a conclusion paragraph, compare and contrast the influence of short- and long-term stress effects on blood sugar regulation and fat deposition. Are these responses related to health risks in the cardiovascular system? Explain the connections between the body’s response to stress described in these articles and other health risks such a high cholesterol and hypertension.

SLP Assignment Expectations

Organize this assignment using the subtitles that summarize each group of questions. Answer each question under the subtitle using complete sentences that relate back to the question. Be sure to include a references section at the end of your assignment that lists the websites and articles used above and any additional resources you used to research your answers. Follow the format provided in the Background page.