Cortisol — Its Role in Stress, Inflammation, and Indications for Diet Therapy
I teach about excess cortisol in the body and how that excess can lead to health issues overtime. This article states the health issues of heart disease, hormone disruption, weight gain, and blood sugar inbalance. Over the past 4 to 5 semesters I have tweaked my nutrition lectures so that my students realize how cortisol interfers with blood glucose and causes weight gain. The last section of this article states nutrition and lifestyle changes that a person should focus on if he/she is under constant stress and therefore, releasing cortisol on a steady and daily basis.
Cortisol is a really important hormone, and has benefits. Why not mention the beneficial functions of cortisol? It seems to get a bad rap, but it is a very important hormone.
ReplyDeleteCortisol does have benefits but too many people churn out too much due to their stress response constantly being 'on' instead of just during a 'fight or flight response'. Too much puts the body in an inflammation state and research is connecting inflammation to cardiovascular disease. In female's, too much cortisol interfers with progesterone functions and a women could have issues with ovulation which in turn can lead to an increase in ovarian cysts.
ReplyDeleteI would love to only talk of the good side of cortisol but too many of us are 'stressed' constantly due to job, school, familiy, and financial issues.