Stress and the Cortisol Connection
Monday, August 9th, 2010by Nadia Elsayed
Stress is part of our daily lives. Demanding jobs, raising children, environmental toxins and even dietary habits cause our bodies to wear out our immunity, sometimes resulting in illness and fatigue. Unhealthy ways of handling stress include smoking, drinking alcohol and even negative thought patterns can actually increase the amount of stress on your body.
Cortisol is the “stress hormone” secreted by the adrenal glands in response to daily stress and is in the glucocorticoids class. Cortisol is regulated by the pituitary gland in the brain and keeps our bodies “in balance” during stressful times. Unfortunately, many people experience high levels of stress >70% of the time, leading their adrenal glands to secrete high levels of Cortisol leading to a “burnout” of our adrenal glands when stress is not managed or reduced. Both high and low levels of Cortisol can lead to extreme fatigue, susceptibility to illness and problems with the intestinal track, nervous system and endocrine system.
Managing stressful situations will go a long way towards managing your daily activities and regulating your Cortisol levels. Making a daily to-do list, prioritizing tasks and scheduling separate times for work and recreation will help you start to reduce the daily stressors we all face. Remember that taking time off from our busy work schedules is important for balanced living and reconnecting with family or friends. I encourage you to incorporate these ideas into your daily routine to keep you healthy and happy. Fall is almost here and we need our immune systems to be their best as flu and cold season approaches!
Food choices to help balance Cortisol and other hormones that help with mood and immunity include old fashioned oatmeal, spinach, soybeans, citrus fruits and black tea. Schedule an appointment with our dietician Ashley today to get helpful tips and recipes to balance your own Cortisol connections today!