CorLlsol ls an lmporLanL hormone ln Lhe body secreLed by Lhe adrenal glands and

lnvolved ln Lhe followlng funcLlons and more

O roper glucose meLabollsm
O 8egulaLlon of blood pressure
O lnsulln release for blood sugar malnLanence
O lmmune funcLlon
O lnflammaLory response
normally lL's presenL ln Lhe body aL hlgher levels ln Lhe mornlng and aL lLs lowesL
aL nlghL AlLhough sLress lsn'L Lhe only reason LhaL corLlsol ls secreLed lnLo Lhe
bloodsLream lL has been Lermed Lhe sLress hormone" because lL's also secreLed
ln hlgher levels durlng Lhe body's 'flghL or fllghL' response Lo sLress and ls
responslble for several sLressrelaLed changes ln Lhe body Small lncreases of
corLlsol have some poslLlve effecLs
O A qulck bursL of energy for survlval reasons
O PelghLened memory funcLlons
O A bursL of lncreased lmmunlLy
O Lower senslLlvlLy Lo paln
O Pelps malnLaln homeosLasls ln Lhe body
Whlle corLlsol ls an lmporLanL and helpful parL of Lhe body's response Lo sLress
lL's lmporLanL LhaL Lhe body's relaxaLlon response Lo be acLlvaLed so Lhe body's
funcLlons can reLurn Lo normal followlng a sLressful evenL unforLunaLely ln our
currenL hlghsLress culLure Lhe body's sLress response ls acLlvaLed so ofLen LhaL
Lhe body doesn'L always have a chance Lo reLurn Lo normal resulLlng ln a sLaLe of
chronlc sLress
Plgher and more prolonged levels of corLlsol ln Lhe bloodsLream (llke Lhose
assoclaLed wlLh chronlc sLress) have been shown Lo have negaLlve effecLs such
as
O lmpalred cognlLlve performance
O Suppressed Lhyrold funcLlon
O 8lood sugar lmbalances such as hyperglycemla
O uecreased bone denslLy
O uecrease ln muscle Llssue
O Plgher blood pressure
O Lowered lmmunlLy and lnflammaLory responses ln Lhe body slowed wound
heallng and oLher healLh consequences
O lncreased abdomlnal faL whlch ls assoclaLed wlLh a greaLer amounL of healLh
problems Lhan faL deposlLed ln oLher areas of Lhe body Some of Lhe healLh
problems assoclaLed wlLh lncreased sLomach faL are hearL aLLacks sLrokes Lhe
developmenL of meLabollc syndrome hlgher levels of bad" cholesLerol (LuL)
and lower levels of good" cholesLerol (PuL) whlch can lead Lo oLher healLh
problems!
1o keep corLlsol levels healLhy and under conLrol Lhe body's relaxaLlon response
should be acLlvaLed afLer Lhe flghL or fllghL response occurs ?ou can learn Lo relax
your body wlLh varlous sLress managemenL Lechnlques and you can make
llfesLyle changes ln order Lo keep your body from reacLlng Lo sLress ln Lhe flrsL
place 1he followlng have been found by many Lo be very helpful ln relaxlng Lhe
body and mlnd aldlng Lhe body ln malnLalnlng healLhy corLlsol levels
O Culded lmagery
O !ournallng
O SelfPypnosls
O Lxerclse
O ?oga
O LlsLenlng Lo Muslc
O 8reaLhlng Lxerclses
O MedlLaLlon
O Sex
Ma|n funct|ons |n the body
O lncreaslng blood sugar Lhrough gluconeogenesls
O suppresslng Lhe lmmune sysLem
O aldlng ln faL proLeln and carbohydraLe meLabollsm
lL suppresses Lhe lmmune sysLem by muLlng Lhe whlLe blood cells
AnoLher funcLlon ls Lo decrease bone formaLlon CorLlsol ls used Lo LreaL dlseases
such as Addlson's dlsease lnflammaLory and rheumaLold dlseases and allergles
LowpoLency hydrocorLlsone avallable over Lhe counLer ln some counLrles ls
used Lo LreaL skln problems such as rashes eczema and oLhers
CorLlsol prevenLs Lhe release of subsLances ln Lhe body LhaL cause lnflammaLlon
lL sLlmulaLes gluconeogenesls (Lhe breakdown of proLeln and faL Lo provlde
meLabollLes LhaL can be converLed Lo glucose ln Lhe llver) and lL acLlvaLes anLl
sLress and anLllnflammaLory paLhway