Hormones have a wide variety of effects on the body. Aside from testosterone and estrogen, you may have heard of one other hormone in your body: Cortisol.
Cortisol is an important hormone in the body, secreted by the adrenal glands and responsible for proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, insulin release for blood sugar maintenance, immune function, and inflammatory response just to name a few.
It’s a naturally occurring hormone in the body that is most directly related to the “fight or flight” response. Small increases in Cortisol have the positive effects of quick bursts of energy for survival, heightened memory, a burst of increased immunity, lower sensitivity to pain, and helps maintain homeostasis (various ideal levels for proper function) in the body. Sounds great doesn’t it?
Unfortunately with every yin there is a yang, with every black there is a white, with every positive there is a negative. Increased levels and exposure to Cortisol have shown to impair thought process, suppress thyroid function, create blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia, decrease bone density, decrease muscle tissue, raise blood pressure, lower immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slow wound healing, increase abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. We discussed the effects of extra adipose tissue on the body but just to recap it can increase your chance of heart attack and stroke, decrease HDL’s, and increase LDL’s in your body.
For those that want to reach their body goals efficiently, the negative effects of Cortisol can be a major speed bump. So what can you do to control your Cortisol levels? RELAX!!! Chronic stress often leads to not only increased levels of Cortisol but also prolonged exposure to those levels. So the next time you’re stressed out remember to take a breather, light some candles, have some wine, put on a good movie, stretch out, go for a run, whatever it is that mellows you out. Don’t worry… be happy!!!
