Are you stressed? The word “stress” can be ambiguous. In the functional medicine world, the wear and tear on the body is referred to as “allostatic load.” This load is the sum total of all sources of stress in our lives and their impact on the brain and body. Homeostasis and Allostasis Homeostasis and allostasis were intense areas of study by neuroendocrinologist Bruce McEwen. He studied the environmental and psychological effects of stress for a couple of decades. In fact, he coined the term allostasis, a term used to describe the body’s ability to remain stable amid stress. You may notice the similarity between the words allostasis and homeostasis. These terms are analogous because they are intimately related to each other. Homeostasis is when the body is in a physiological state of balance. Allostasis describes the body’s appropriate response to a challenge around us—either external or internal. Homeostasis is achieved …