The late Dr. Hans Selye used to say, "Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older."

Dr. Selye spent endless hours studying stress and what happens to an organism (you) during stressful events throughout a lifetime. His research led to the finding of General Adaptation Syndrome, which is a way to measure the short- and long-term effects stress has on your body.

Human instinct allows you to adapt to the changes and stress that surround your life.

Sometimes, however, stress becomes such a normal feeling and you've adapted so well, that you don't realize the harm stress has on your health.

Additionally, life events such as a financial crisis, loss of a loved one, relationship issues, or a work conflict can cause new levels of stress in your life.

When these new stressors come in your life, Dr. Selye explained that there are three stages you and your body go through.

First is the alarm stage, where your brain recognizes a stressor and you immediately go into flight or fight mode. This causes your nutrients to become mobilized. Secondly is resistance, where your body resists and compensates and your brain is trying to turn things back to normal and repair those nutrients. Lastly, there's exhaustion. The stress and stressors continue against your body leaving you more prone to sickness and disease.

Can you change the way your body handles stress?

Dr. Holly discusses General Adaptation Syndrome, how stress affects your body and ways to effectively overcome your stress.