When we experience stress in our environment, our blood gets thicker, which creates higher blood pressure. More fats are deposited in the blood, causing even higher cholesterol, which then infiltrates the synovial fluid of our joints, creating stiffer joints. All of this makes sense if you have to fight a tiger and run super hard to getaway. However, if this stress response becomes chronic, as it has in modern-day living, we start to see a breakdown in our systems, like poor digestion, blood issues, brain issues, poor immunity, etc.