The occurrence of stress and awareness of stress is now widespread.  Most of us feel stress of varying degrees at some time in our day.  Stress is a natural process of our human physiology, and one which we need. Stress helps us to adapt to our changing environments and plays a necessary role in helping us cope with danger. Our bodies respond perfectly to stress by creating a chain reactions to release various hormones - most notably epinephrine ("adrenaline"), norepinephrine, and cortisol - from the adrenal glands above each kidney.  These hormones increase the heart rate, increases respiration, increases the availability of glucose and thus regulating metabolism.  They also act as anti-inflammatory hormones, influencing memory formation, controlling salt and water balance, influencing [...]