9 Proven Tools to Lower Cortisol and Stop Stress from Wrecking Your Health!
How High Cortisol Wrecks Your Health
Cortisol, produced by your adrenal glands, is vital for managing stress, blood sugar, and inflammation. However, when it becomes chronically elevated due to stress, poor diet, or overstimulation, it wreaks havoc on your body:
Belly Fat: Cortisol encourages visceral fat storage, especially around your midsection.
Low Energy: It disrupts metabolism, leaving…
Last year I took "me time" but it really was just time to work, not to say I didn't work on myself but I cared so much about the numbers. The numbers do matter but I'm ngl current fame on social media comes with a lot of corniness that I do think that I am above.
I have a deep desire to travel, eat, and take pictures with the love of my life, decorate homes, and collect art, and heal my body, and dress in my own unique way not too heavily influenced by what others are doing. I've fallen in love with life's little moments, learning about people on a deeper level, laughing, keeping good people around me etc.
I love growth, I've grown quite a bit in the last year and I think living positively is "controversial"
I'm not stepping away from my brand per say but I'm really blessed to be in the position I'm currently in. Idk if its considered slow living, but I want my life to 100% be my choice especially while I have the freedom to do so, before im tied down with contracts and obligations.
So this blog is about me being deliberate about how I feel each day, me sharing what I'm learning, how I'm feeling, and how I'm healing each area of my life.
In this era I hope to eat good food, connect with different kinds of people, see the world, take way more pictures, feel way more pleasure, feel safe in love, and continue being at peace in this very chaotic world.
HORMONAL IMBALANCE CAN be a confusing thing to decode.
Our hormones drive every function in our bodies, & when
something is out of whack our bodies will let us know—
frequently in the form of common symptoms like fatigue,
anxiety, & painful periods.
Learning how to identify imbalance gives us major power
over the state of our well-being.
Dr. Jolene Brighten is a women’s naturopathic medical
doctor, author & leading expert in hormonal birth
control-related problems
Her latest book, Beyond The Pill is an educational guide
to understanding hormonal imbalance & claiming back
our hormonal health.
[rstyle.me/+wX9XzUAY4T8Ng-2HgDrIdQ]
It’s by no means anti-birth control, but rather a toolbox of
information & resources to help women make the best
decision for themselves & support their body whatever
stage they are at.
Below is an abbreviated version of the hormone quiz
Dr. Brighten uses to help determine which
hormonal imbalances you might be struggling with.
[thechalkboardmag.com/?s=hormonal+imbalance]
Once you understand your hormones you can seek out
the right kind of help, & begin your journey to resetting
them & reaching better health.
The Hormonal Imbalance Quiz
Here’s how to take the quiz: As you read through the
eight categories, mark down the symptoms that apply
to you currently.
Total up your symptoms in each category, note how
many apply to you & jot down the number in the box
next to “TOTAL”.
Once you’ve gone through each of the categories,
take a look at Dr. Brighten’s results at the end.
CATEGORY A: Too Much Estrogen
[Y] I experience bloating or puffiness.
[S] I feel irritable or experience mood swings.
[S] I experience heavy, painful periods.
[S] I have gained weight or have difficulty losing weight, especially around my hips, butt, and thighs.
[N] I’ve been told I have fibroids.
TOTAL: 2.5
CATEGORY B
[N] I’m emotionally fragile and/or I feel nostalgic about the past.
[S] I have difficulty with memory.
[N] My periods are fewer than three days.
[N] I struggle with depression, anxiety, or lethargy.
[N] I have night sweats and/or hot flashes.
TOTAL: 0.5
CATEGORY C: Too Little Progesterone
[N] I experience PMS seven to ten days before my period.
[N] I get headaches or migraines around my period.
[N] I feel anxious often.
[Y] I have painful, heavy, or difficult periods.
[N] My breasts are painful or swollen before my period.
TOTAL: 0.5
CATEGORY D: Too Much Testosterone
[N] I have abnormal hair growth on my face, chest and/or abdomen.
[Y] I have acne.
[Y] I have oily skin and/or hair.
[N] I have areas of darker skin (e.g., armpits)
[Y] I’ve noticed thinning hair on my head.
TOTAL: 3
CATEGORY E: Too Little Testosterone
[N] I have a low libido or diminished sex drive.
[N] I struggle with depression, have mood swings or cry easily.
[Y] I have no motivation.
[Y] I am tired or fatigued throughout the day or have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
[N] I’m unable to gain muscle, & I’m losing muscle mass.
TOTAL: 2
CATEGORY F: Too Little Cortisol
[N] I feel tired in the morning, even after a full night’s sleep.
[N] I depend on caffeine to get through my day.
[N] I want to take naps most days.
[N] My energy crashes in the afternoon.
[N] I crave salty or sweet food.
TOTAL: 0
CATEGORY G: Too Much Cortisol
My life is crazy stressful.
I feel overwhelmed by stress.
I have extra weight around my midsection.
I have difficulty falling or staying asleep.
My body is tired at night, but my mind is going a mile a minute—“wired and tired.”
TOTAL: 5
CATEGORY H: Too Little Thyroid Hormone
I have brain fog or feel like my memory isn’t quite what it used to be.
I’m losing hair (scalp, body, outer third of the eyebrows).
[N] I’m tired no matter how much I sleep.
[N] I’m constipated often and need a stimulant (like caffeine) to get a bowel movement.
[N] I’m cold and/or have cold hands and feet.
TOTAL: 2
Answer Key
0 or 1 box checked in a category = This category is unlikely to be a culprit in the symptoms you’re experiencing.
2 to 3 boxes checked = This just might be your troublemaker, meaning right now this is likely the dominant hormone aggravating your symptoms.
Category A: Too Much Estrogen
[thechalkboardmag.com/estrogen-dominance-symptoms]
Category B: Too Little Estrogen
Category C: Too Little Progesterone
Category D: Too Much Testosterone
Category E: Too Little Testosterone
Category F: Too Little Cortisol
Category G: Too Much Cortisol***
[thechalkboardmag.com/cortisol-10-the-master-hormone]
Category H: Too Little Thyroid Hormone
Dr. Brighten’s complete Hormone Quiz can be found in her book, BEYOND THE PILL: A 30-Day Program to Balance Your Hormones, Reclaim Your Body, and Reverse the Dangerous Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill.
[Link: rstyle.me/+wX9XzUAY4T8Ng-2HgDrIdQ]
Bananas. Bananas contain an enzyme called bromelain which is known to help boost testosterone levels. Bananas are also excellent for maintaining energy levels and reducing antioxidants so make the perfect on the go snack!
[E&F: Too much cortisol or too little testosterone, not D]
What Is Cortisol + What Does It Do?
Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is one of the most influential compounds the body produces. Almost every cell in the body contains a cortisol receptor, therefore almost every cell can be influenced by the release of cortisol. Cortisol is necessary for many bodily functions such as controlling inflammation, blood sugar and metabolism, but what it’s most known for is activating the fight-or-flight response in the body.
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY | 80% of the population are vitamin D
deficient & take vitamin D supplements to boost levels
(yet still report being deficient).
It is not widely known that vitamin D is a hormone & that cortisol
& stress can have an impact on the body’s ability to absorb &
synthesize vitamin D.
When the body experiences high levels of cortisol, the VDR
(or vitamin D receptors) turn off so the body cannot absorb
vitamin D & the body excretes it.
THYROID FUNCTION | The impact of high cortisol levels during
stress on the thyroid occurs by decreasing TSH, therefore
lowering thyroid hormone production.
When thyroid function declines, T-3 and T-4 levels fall & the
thyroid conversion of T-4 to active T-3 fall as well.
The long term impact on metabolism from low thyroid function can
result in significant weight gain that exercise cannot overcome.
DIABETES | Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise due to an
overstimulated, over-caffeinated population.
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid & stimulates the secretion of
blood glucose for energy.
Insulin is a pancreas-produced hormone that helps to
balance blood sugar levels so they don’t spike too high.
When cortisol goes high during a stressful period, the
body releases more glucose into the blood stream &,
therefore, the pancreas has to produce more insulin if
the blood sugar is not used.
Over time, the body will adjust to these high levels of insulin
& the insulin receptors start to turn off, all which leads to
insulin resistance & pre-diabetes.
AUTO-IMMUNE DISEASE | Cortisol is the most powerful
anti-inflammatory substance the body produces.
When we get a cut or a bruise, the body responds by secreting
cortisol to reduce the inflammation. It’s just like getting a
cortisone injection in an inflamed joint or rubbing cortisone
cream on a skin rash to control the inflammation.
Again, when cortisol is too high for too long, the body tries to
balance itself by desensitizing cortisol receptors so cortisol
doesn’t reduce inflammation when it’s not necessary.
When cortisol receptors are down regulated, auto-immune
diseases can start to set in, such as rheumatoid arthritis,
Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia & others.
The receptors are not as sensitive to the effects of
cortisol’s anti-inflammatory properties.
How Do I Manage Cortisol + Stress?
Managing cortisol & stress in today’s environment is not
an easy task, but there are things we can incorporate in
our lives that can help significantly:
CLEAN UP YOUR DIET.
Improve diet by limiting sugar & starch heavy foods.
KEEP MOVING. Exercise regularly.
GET THOSE Z’S. Adopt a regular sleep pattern.
ACTIVELY RELAX. Meditation, yoga & deep breathing
are all relaxation techniques that can be utilized to
reduce stress.
OCCUPY YOUR MIND. Pray or read the BIBLE to
focus on GOD & HIS goodness, which will detract
from stressors. [Romans 8:26]
Romans 8:26 | In the same way, the SPIRIT helps
us in our weakness. For we do not know how we
ought to pray, but the SPIRIT HIMSELF intercedes
for us with groans too deep for words.
CHANGE SCENERY. Movement helps take our focus away
from stressful situations.
BE THANKFUL. We all have some unpleasantness in
our lives but considering what is pleasant helps
keep stress at bay. [Philippians 4:6]
Philippians 4:6 | Be anxious for nothing, but in everything,
by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to GOD.
TAKE ADAPTOGENIC HERBS. Adaptogenic herbs, or
adaptogens, are a natural substance considered to
help the body adapt to stress & exert a normalizing
effect upon bodily processes.
Cortisol: The Death Hormone (How To Lower Cortisol)
Cortisol: The Death Hormone (How To Lower Cortisol)
Cortigon is one of the most powerful supplements to lower cortisol – https://www.truthnutra.com/cortigon-yt
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone that is essential for human life.
However, in the presence of chronic stress, cortisol levels surge to unhealthy high levels, causing a major problem and a real tangible threat to your health and longevity.
Cortigon: Lower Cortisol Levels and Increase Focus
Cortigon: Lower Cortisol Levels and Increase Focus
Find Cortigon here – http://goo.gl/3dYtA4
CORTIGON is our highly researched and potent nootropic solution formulated to facilitate lower cortisol levels, crystal clear focus, and provide users with a stress free and balanced energy unrivaled by caffeine saturated alternatives.
BLAST THROUGH YOUR DAY WITH LESS STRESS, MORE FOCUS, AND MORE ENERGY THAN EVER BEFORE…
