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Jul 26 2021

How to Stop Menopause Weight Gain

By 2025, there will be more than 1 billion women in the world experiencing menopause. This equates to about 12% of the entire world population of 8 billion women. It is estimated that hot flashes and night sweats, common symptoms of menopause, will be experienced by approximately 75% of them. These, along with other conditions such as mood changes, anxiety, weight gain, and depression can lead to a significant reduction in a woman’s quality of life as she ages. (1)

Weight gain during menopause is a common complaint. Research shows that women gain about 1.5 pounds per year during their 50s and 60s which tends to settle in the abdominal region. These studies indicated that depletion of estrogen may be the cause. Over time, this can lead to obesity, one of the nation’s most significant health crises. (2)

Obesity is a major risk factor in both women and men for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Obesity is also a major risk factor for urinary incontinence, dementia, some cancers, depression, and musculoskeletal disorders, especially osteoarthritis. (3)

As of 2020, the number of women over 51 who were overweight or obese stood at 23 percent. Obesity is substantially influenced by genetic, demographic, social, and behavioral factors. More specifically, this would include family history, emotional health, physical health, medications, work, diet, exercise, sleep habits, and stress. But since most women go through menopause, the cause of weight gain is difficult to prove and is often the result of more than one of these factors. (3)

What Causes Weight Gain During Menopause?

So, what really causes midlife weight gain? In addition to the hormonal changes that happen during menopause, other life changes can affect weight gain through and after menopause including:

Retirement
Increased travel
Increased interest in leisure activities
Increased time for social activities
Change in life priorities
Slower pace in life

These life changes can be accompanied by less activity and increased enjoyment of eating, things that often come with travel and social activities. Weight gain during menopause is not a given although some changes are expected due to the body’s natural aging process. As your age creeps up, estrogen and muscle mass decline. That slows your metabolism and changes the way your body stores and distributes fat, often leading to weight gain. (2)

How much of the weight gain is related to menopause and how much is related to other aging factors is not entirely clear. So, what else do you need to be aware of if you are starting to gain weight during menopause?

One study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology examined how different factors such as age, menopause, and lifestyle changes account for the weight gain often experienced in midlife by women. They studied the activity levels of over 3,000 women across the US and found that by remaining active, many prevented weight gain.

Previous studies observed that Japanese and Chinese women had lower fat intake than Caucasians and African Americans. Dietary fat has been positively related to estrogen levels in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Lower fat and estrogen levels in Asian women might explain their negligible weight gain. (4)

A 5-year study done at the University of Ottawa in Canada investigated changes in body composition and cardiometabolic profile throughout the menopausal transition. They found that significant increases in total fat mass, percentage of fat mass, and visceral fat were seen in many women who were not overweight before menopause began.

Hunger During Menopause

Research is still not clear about how hormones, menopause, and appetite interact. Estrogen is known to keep your appetite under control. With the decrease in estrogen during menopause, this mechanism is no longer working properly so you feel hungry more often. If you continue to eat to satisfy your hunger, this can lead to weight gain.

It is important to maintain a healthy diet during menopause and after to keep from gaining too much weight. This means eating more protein, more fiber, more veggies, and more water. Exercise and sufficient sleep are also important. (5)

Effects Of Menopausal Weight Gain

The combination of menopause and aging can be significantly stressful and thus impact a woman’s physical competence, appearance, self-esteem, and social functioning. Apart from being at increased risk for a variety of chronic diseases, overweight women may also suffer from a decline in general well-being.

A review of eight studies examining HRQOL (health related quality of life) among women over 55 years old concluded that obese postmenopausal women have lower HRQOL in physical functioning, energy, and vitality compared with normal-weight women. Additionally, since mood disorders are one of the most important indicators of sexual dysfunction, weight gain and obesity at menopause may also affect sexual enjoyment.

How To Stop Menopausal Weight Gain

Reductions in weight and abdominal fat have been associated with a reduction in night sweats, heart palpitations, and changes in blood pressure in overweight and obese women. The combination of exercise and a healthy diet also affect psychological and physical health during this transition period. (4,6)

Physical activity appropriate for your age and physical condition
Healthy and well-balanced diet
Regular sleep habits of eight hours a night
Manage stress

If at all possible, avoid the use of diet suppressing medications, surgery such as bariatric, and hormone replacement therapies. These may cause unwanted side effects. Because it is a natural process, approaching the weight gain that may accompany menopause is best done through natural activities and practices. Consider holistic treatments such as yoga, acupuncture, and traditional Chinese and Ayurveda herbs and remedies. Also, look into the Mediterranean Diet as a good guide for eating healthy.

Consistent findings indicate that age, not menopause, is the main cause of weight gain at midlife, but that the hormonal changes during this time substantially contribute to increased central abdominal fat and abdominal obesity. Living a healthy and active life during menopause and beyond is the best behavior to keep your weight under control.

SOURCES

(1) https://www.forbes.com/sites/reenitadas/2019/07/24/menopause-unveils-itself-as-the-next-big-opportunity-in-femtech/?sh=5d7cbeed6535

(2) https://www.verywellhealth.com/menopause-weight-gain-5184111

(3) https://www.tfah.org/report-details/state-of-obesity-2020/

(4) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/13697137.2012.707385

(5) https://gennev.com/education/menopause-and-hunger

(6) https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-prevent-weight-gain-during-menopause-3496389

Jul 26 2021

Expert tips to prevent back pain while working from home

Back Pain And Working From Home

The past year has brought enormous changes to everyone’s normal lifestyle. Once a society of people who commuted to and from our jobs, many suddenly found themselves working strictly from home. While a large swath of people felt that telecommuting was convenient, many others discovered that for them, working all day hunched over their PC was less than ideal. Though some office routines may seem tedious, perhaps they actually helped in some ways, like physically. Working from home, with poor posture in makeshift workspaces, seems to have created a new wave of back pain sufferers. (1)

Sure, working in an office designed around ergonomics keeps us in good posture while we sit. But it’s actually other habits that may have benefited our physical well-being. Though traditional office jobs keep us sitting most of the day, we do get up every so often to speak to a colleague, or run to the printer, or make some copies. At home, folks tend to sit all day with Zoom meetings, emails, work and social media, just staring at a computer screen. Without a commute, some are working longer hours, without breaks, and without a reprieve.

Sitting is not the enemy in this situation. It’s the long hours of sitting that lead to intense back pain, and slowly causing physical harm. Back pain is the single leading cause for disability in the world. Even with the convenience of working from home, back pain is still the number one reason people miss work. Back pain also costs Americans billions of dollars in health care each year. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to improve our at-home work scenario, prevent back pain, and improve our quality of life. (2)

Set Up Work From Home Space

Despite what we have been told lately of the dangers of sitting, it’s not the act of sitting that causes us physical harm. It’s the lack of other movement that leads to severe back pain and other issues. So, standing more isn’t the solution. What we want is to create a dynamic workstation such that we’re moving more– in tiny ways– throughout the day. Our chair, desk, and computer all play into preventing back pain. (3)

Finding the right seating position is one of the most important components to preventing back pain while working from home. Choose a chair not for its comfort or cushioning to solve chiropractic issues. We don’t want to sit in the chair more, we want to change our position regularly. A chair that supports us in good posture is best, with good lower-back support. Hunching forward or completely upright forces the lower back to curve into the body. Sit back in your chair, but close enough to reach the keyboard. And change your position regularly. (3,4)

Next focus on where to place your computer. Computers should be at a comfortable viewing height so we aren’t constantly looking down onto the screen. If possible, use an external keyboard, so you can raise the computer screen to eye level. If necessary, place the screen on a stack of books so you are looking at the screen, and not down, straining the neck. Avoid placing the keyboard and screen at different angles that cause you to constantly twist your neck. As much as possible, try to maintain good natural posture while working at the computer. (1,4)

Train for Less Back Pain

Your desk, chair, and computer positioning should help with posture. Maintaining the natural curves of your spine and eliminating strain on muscles is key for preventing back pain and neck pain too. But we can also train our body for good posture while we aren’t sitting. “Practicing good posture” can be done anywhere, and means that we are mindfully maintaining those natural curves of our back in order to keep it strong. (5)

Practice standing with good posture by placing a book on your head. You can’t keep the book balanced while hunched over; you need to stand up straight. (5)

Discover how to eliminate back pain, improve posture, and make working from home comfortable

Move More While Working From Home

Physical activity is wonderful for keeping the body conditioned, a way to take care of the body so the body will take care of us. Exercise definitely helps improve posture. But exercising once a day and then sitting in one position for the remainder of the day doesn’t benefit us. We are meant to move! So, move more throughout the day, not just once a day, to make working at home less strenuous on your back. (1)

One of the best recommendations for at-home workers is to set an alarm on your phone to go off every twenty to thirty minutes. Stand up and stretch, get some water, or take a short break to get up and move. Take a short walk; getting outside allows us some fresh air to revitalize creativity and focus. (3)

If taking a walk is too much for you, simply walk around your home. Stretching and flowing movements help with posture and preventing back pain. Activities like tai chi and yoga poses can help you relax and stay centered. (1)

Back Pain Prevention Stretches

There are many exercises to prevent back pain. Choose the ones that you enjoy and feel right for you. Discuss some ideas with your primary care physician, as well.

Ease back pain and make working from home more comfortable

Here are some quick stretches to ease back pain you can use during your movement breaks.

Shoulder blade squeeze: While sitting or standing, squeeze your shoulder blades together behind you. Keep good posture with shoulders pulled down the back and together. (6)

Cat-cow: From hands and knees, arch your back toward the ceiling like a cat, tucking your chin toward your chest. Look toward your belly. Then gently reverse the movement, shifting the gaze toward the ceiling and letting the back sway. Send the tailbone up toward the ceiling too. (6)

Lower Back rotation: Lay on your back with knees bent, feet on the floor. Slowly bring both knees to one side, keeping shoulders on the floor. Repeat on the other side. (6)

Take Care of Your Body At Home or at Work

Whether you are returning to the office or remain telecommuting from home, it’s important to stay healthy– physically and mentally. Sleeping well, eating well, and practicing healthy habits will help us be the best we can be, no matter where we are. (5)

What we do outside of work has as much bearing on our health and well-being as what we do while on the clock. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, one that is sustainable for you. Improving your cardiovascular fitness helps your entire body, including your back. (1)

Taking care of our body allows us to show up as our best selves for work, school, our family, and community. Give yourself, and your back, a little loving care each day, and very soon you’ll likely experience much less physical discomfort.

Sources

https://www.everydayhealth.com/ankylosing-spondylitis/prevent-back-pain-while-working-from-home/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/back-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20369906
Bowman, K. Don’t Just Sit There. Propriometrics Press, Washington, 2015.
https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/26567/20200722/5-tips-prevent-backpain-working-home.htm
Goodman, E. True to Form. Harper Wave, New York, 2016.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/multimedia/back-pain/sls-20076265

Jul 26 2021

What to Eat and Avoid to Reduce Back Pain

How Food, Inflammation, and Back Pain Are Connected

Usually, when someone is suffering from back pain, the recommended course of treatment includes stretching and improved posture. But have you ever considered that your diet could be contributing to your back pain? Eating for back pain could help relieve the discomfort you’re experiencing. (1)

Many of the foods that are common in our modern diet can contribute to inflammation. Inflammation is part of the body’s defense system against foreign invaders, like bacteria, viruses, or chemicals. When the body recognizes that one of these invaders has crossed the threshold, it activates the immune system, which may set off the process of inflammation to protect your health. (2, 3)

However, when inflammation becomes chronic, it can cause a number of issues. One of those is back pain. (2, 3)

Certain foods can cause inflammation or make it worse, while others have anti-inflammatory effects. So eating for back pain involves developing an anti-inflammatory diet. (2, 3)

Eating for Back Pain

The foods you eat may be contributing to your back pain. Changing your diet to lessen inflammation could improve your back pain issues. (2, 3)

Foods to Avoid for Back Pain

Whether they’re foods that cause issues for everyone or foods that you have an intolerance to, what we choose to eat could increase the inflammation in our bodies, possibly causing back pain. Avoid eating these foods in order to reduce back pain. (2)

Processed Foods

Processed foods, especially those that are fried or contain lots of added sugar or saturated fats, are contributors to inflammation. Eating for back pain means decreasing how much of your diet is made up of these foods. (2)

If you want to improve your back pain by reducing the inflammation in your body, avoid these foods: (2, 3)

refined carbohydrates, including white bread, pasta, white rice, and pastries
fast food and fried foods
sugary drinks and snacks
margarine
processed foods, which include preservatives to make them self-stable

Additionally, you should limit your intake of red meat, such as burgers and steaks. Caffeine and alcohol are also drivers of inflammation, so if you’re eating to reduce back pain, you should restrict how much of them you drink as well. (2, 3)

Allergies and Intolerances

For people with food allergies and intolerances, foods that may not be an issue for other people can cause inflammation in their bodies, potentially leading to back pain. Some potential sources of food allergies and intolerances are: (1, 2)

gluten
dairy
sugar
nuts
nightshades, such as tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant, and peppers
alcohol

If you believe you may have food allergies or intolerances, work with a doctor to identify them. A registered dietician can help you safely eliminate problem foods from your diet and ensure that you’re getting all of the nutrients that you need. (2)

Eat These Foods to Reduce Back Pain

While some foods cause inflammation, others actually help to reduce it. Adding these anti-inflammatory foods to your diet could help you to reduce your back pain. (2, 3)

Fruits and Vegetables

Deeply colored fruits and vegetables tend to have anti-inflammatory properties. When you’re eating for back pain, include lots of produce, such as: (2, 3)

apples
beets
blueberries
broccoli
carrots
cherries
grapes
oranges
strawberries
sweet potatoes
tomatoes
watermelon

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens tend to be high in antioxidants and polyphenols, both of which are protective against inflammation. When you’re changing your diet to improve back pain, make sure to eat plenty of leafy greens, like kale, spinach, and bok choy. (2, 3)

Herbs and Spices

Many herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory properties. And they have the extra benefit of adding interesting flavors to your cooking. Anti-inflammatory herbs and spices that you can add to your cooking rotation include: (2)

basil
cinnamon
curcumin
garlic
ginger
oregano
turmeric

Nuts and Lean Proteins

When you’re limiting red meat from your diet, try replacing that protein with nuts and lean meats. Studies have shown that nuts, like walnuts, almonds, and pecans, can help to reduce inflammation. Lean meat options include chicken and turkey, as well as fatty fish, like salmon, tuna, and mackerel. (2, 3)

Overall Healthy Diet

The most important factor of eating for back pain is to shoot for an overall healthy diet. This doesn’t mean that you have to cut out every processed food or sugary drink. But reducing how much of those things you consume can make a big difference. (3)

Try to fill the majority of your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, and lean proteins to fight inflammation and improve back pain. Following an anti-inflammatory diet like the Mediterranean diet may help give you some guidance as you make these changes. (2, 3)

Stretch to Improve Back Pain

While you’re making changes to your diet for back pain, you may want to supplement your efforts with stretching techniques. Back Pain Relief 4 Life is an alternative approach to treating pain that is far more successful (and less expensive) than the radical, costly conventional procedures that are available.

Back Pain Relief 4 Life employs a unique combination of 8 simple, daily movements, which most people have never seen before. All you need for this technique are a place to lie down, a firm pillow or towel to put under your head, and a chair. That means that it’s possible to use Back Pain Relief 4 Life almost anywhere, from your home to your office to a hotel room.

Back Pain Relief 4 Life systematically addresses specific muscle imbalances – one of the most common causes of back pain. And the best part is that a complete session using this technique takes less than 20 minutes a day!

When you’re ready to try Back Pain Relief 4 Life, you’ll receive:

Back Pain Relief 4 Life Core Videos DVD
10 Targeted Coaching Video Sessions For Back Pain Relief
Free One on One Coaching
The “Begin Your Day” Video Program
Quick Follow Along Videos With Music
Instant Access To The Videos Online

If you’re struggling with chronic back pain, don’t spend any more time in discomfort than you have to! Try Back Pain Relief 4 Life and get the relief that you deserve.

By eating an anti-inflammatory diet and addressing muscle imbalances with Back Pain Relief 4 Life, you can reduce your back pain and live with greater ease.

Sources:

Jul 19 2021

5 Surprising Causes of Back Pain After 50

None of us want pain in our lives yet various aches and pains after a certain age can be inevitable. Back pain is one, and it can creep up on us slowly, or appear suddenly one day if we move the ‘wrong’ way.

Although back pain does affect people of all ages, from adolescents to the elderly, back pain after 50 is extremely common. (1)

Did you know, suffering from back pain in many cases can be optional? Tolerating back pain after 50 simply because you think it’s normal for your age is not a positive approach for your physical or mental health.

Ignoring the problem or hoping it might go away can cause you unnecessary discomfort, and even long-term damage.

So let’s take a closer look at this major cause of disability in the older adult population, how it negatively affects daily lives, and surprising things we can do to prevent it.

Back Pain Is No Game!

The USA has one of the highest back pain rates in the world, and it’s likely that you know someone who suffers from this ailment. It is estimated that 15% to 20% of adults have back pain during a single year, and 50% to 80% experience at least one episode of back pain during a lifetime. (2)

The common problem of back pain in older adults is one of enormous social, psychological, and economic burdens. Problems encountered can include:

Negative effects on independence
Feelings of frustration, anxiety, and sadness
Temper flares, brought on by pain
Fear of pain never going away
Days missed off work
Money worries
Social isolation
Loss of experiences and hobbies
Decreased self-esteem
Increased hospital and doctors bills
Less satisfying romantic relationships (4,5)

Back pain after 50 can paint a grim picture. The first attack of back pain typically strikes between the ages of 30 and 50, and back pain becomes more common as one gets older. (3)

But why?

As we advance in years, decreases in muscle elasticity and tone happen naturally. Our intervertebral discs begin to lose fluid and flexibility with age, which decreases their ability to cushion the vertebrae. Also, loss of bone strength increases with age, as does the risk of spinal stenosis, fractures, arthritis, and osteoporosis. (3)

Subsequently, weak back and abdominal muscles may not properly support the spine, causing pain, and this can happen due to lack of physical exercise or regular exercise. (3)

Lastly, we have to be physically fit to avoid back pain, and many people find themselves exercising much less as they become older. (3)

Yet apart from the well-documented causes of back pain, there are still some surprising causes of back pain after 50 many people don’t know about.

So what causes these kinks — and what can we do to avoid or move past them, going forward into our advancing years?

5 Little-Known Causes Of Back Pain At Midlife

Sleeping Less-Soundly

Sleeping on our side with the knees drawn up in a fetal position can help open up our joints in the spine, and relieve pressure by reducing the curvature of the spine. It is recommended to sleep on a firm surface for better support because a mattress that’s too soft will cause the spine to fall out of alignment. Medium support is best. Too hard is plain uncomfortable for the whole body.

If your back does “go out,” gentle stretching is superior to bed rest. Bed rest beyond 48 hours can increase the duration and intensity of back pain, and slow down any recovery. (3,6,7)

The Wrong Shoes

We all know wearing high heels can cause our backs to go out of alignment, but did you know flat shoes do the same? Flat shoes can change our gait, especially if the soles are uneven.

We should wear shoes with a slight arch for support, and buy new shoes if ours are getting worn down in the sole, because this causes the nerve-endings in our feet to absorb too much impact when walking, causing instability, putting our backs out of balance. (7)

Smoking

Smoking decreases blood flow to the lower spine, which can add to spinal disc degeneration. Smoking also increases the risk of osteoporosis and impedes any healing of our bodies. Coughing due to heavy smoking also may cause back pain. (3)

Stress And Arguing

Mental or emotional distress can be a reason we experience back pain, with stress itself being the body’s reaction to certain – usually unpleasant – situations or thoughts. In order to protect us from harm, our bodies undergo chemical and physical reactions when we stress over something or argue. Cortisol and adrenaline are released, and our muscles typically tighten involuntarily. This is common in the neck, shoulders, and lower spine. So, no arguing! (8)

Avoidance Of Holistic Treatments

When we first experience pain, it affects our pain-sensitivity brain circuits. When pain persists, the associated brain activity shifts away from “pain” circuits and toward circuits that process our emotions. We get distressed, which in turn exacerbates the pain. Back pain like any other can cause this vicious circle of emotional and physical pain.

Thankfully, studies are showing the number of people in older generations making use of complementary and alternative medicines is increasing. Acupuncture, for example, is presenting great results in treating pain stemming from osteoarthritis in older adults. Tai Chi and Mindfulness Trainings have also been proven to have potential. (8,9)

Age Doesn’t Come Easy

As we get older we tend not to participate as much in activities we indulged in when we were younger. If we sit for a period of time, our joints aren’t being used, and immobility in the nerve-dense location of our backs can jump-start what’s known as the pain-spasm-pain cycle, in which a skeletal muscle spasm causes pain in our spines. This can extend to our hips and sacroiliac joints. (9)

At over age 50, we have to be clear on our own fitness goals, then roll with them, and ultimately achieve them.

With a bit of care, most of us will still have the physical agility and ability to sprint, swim, take walks, join in at older adult fitness classes, and sustain complex movement patterns with grace and coordination, long into our golden years. The key is to choose a favorite routine to stretch and strengthen our backs.

Relish your freedom to choose how to conquer your back pain, by knowing how to act and what to do when you start to feel an ache or a twinge.

Don’t let back pain after 50 take power over your happiness and comfort. Instead, look forward to every day after age 50, with absolute zeal.

Sources:

Jul 19 2021

Cortisol 101 Guide

Cortisol works with certain parts of your brain to control mood, motivation, and fear. It keeps your metabolism and immune system healthy. Though widely known as the body’s main stress hormone, cortisol has a variety of effects throughout the body. This hormone:

Manages carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism
Keeps inflammation down
Regulates blood pressure
Increases blood glucose
Controls the sleep/wake cycle
Increases energy to handle stress (1)

Of all the systems in the body, the endocrine system is perhaps one of the most complex. Its massive network of hormone-secreting glands is involved in maintaining various aspects of all the other systems. Cortisol, a major component of the endocrine system, is controlled by the interactions of your hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands.

The hypothalamus, situated just above the brainstem that connects the spinal cord to the brain, is considered the body’s master switchboard since it controls the entire endocrine system by maintaining the body’s internal balance or homeostasis. It is also the link between the endocrine and nervous systems.

The pituitary gland, also situated just above the brainstem, is sometimes called the “master” gland of the endocrine system because it controls the functions of many of the other endocrine glands.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone or glucocorticoid. It is synthesized from cholesterol in the cortex of the adrenal glands which sit on top of your kidneys.

The hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands are known as the HPA axis which is one of the most important of the body’s systems through its ability to cross individual cell membranes. The HPA axis is our central stress response system involving both the endocrine system and the central nervous system. (2)

Glucocorticoids are powerful substances synthesized and secreted by the adrenal glands and were originally thought to help in the regulation of glucose metabolism. Studies now show there are many more functions to glucocorticoids including immune system regulation and fat metabolism. Glucocorticoids are part of the feedback mechanism in the immune system, which reduces certain aspects of immune function, such as inflammation. (3)

Cortisol helps mediate the major response mechanisms in the body. These are the stress response, glucose response, and inflammatory response.

Stress Response

Your body is continually responding to internal and external stressors. It processes this information and elicits a response by activating the sympathetic nervous system which releases cortisol via the HPA axis. Cortisol will be released for several hours after encountering the stressor after which systemic homeostasis returns to normal. Acute stress is adaptive and enables you to face emergencies through the flight or fight response whereas chronic stress is known to have deteriorating effects on your health. (2)

How The HPA Axis Works

The complex HPA pathway simply explained is this. The sympathetic nervous system response occurs almost immediately and results in the secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine which cause changes like increased heart rate and perspiration. About 10 seconds later, the HPA axis is stimulated. The hypothalamus responds to elevated norepinephrine levels by secreting corticotropin-releasing hormone into the bloodstream. This hormone called CRF stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete a substance called adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) which travels to the adrenal cortex triggering the release of cortisol. (4)

Glucose Response

Under normal conditions, cortisol secretion during an acute stress response serves to mobilize glucose reserves stored in various organs for energy. Hyperglycemia, increased blood glucose, is the immediate result due to either reduced uptake of glucose by cells, reduced insulin sensitivity, or increased synthesis of glucose. Almost all tissues in the body have glucocorticoid receptors for this process. Other glucocorticoids help to inhibit pain, to slow down non–vital organ systems, and to promote the adaptive fight-or-flight response. (5)

Under abnormal conditions, such as during disease states when cortisol is chronically elevated (Cushing syndrome) or chronically depressed (Addison’s disease), the normal glucose response to stress may be compromised.

Inflammation Response

Cortisol is also a potent anti-inflammatory hormone that helps to prevent the widespread tissue and nerve damage associated with inflammation by regulating the body’s immune response.

First, the short-term increase in cortisol is pro-inflammatory, functioning to destroy antigens, pathogens, or foreign invaders which are acting as stressors to the body. The increase in cortisol mobilizes glucose to then help decrease inflammation thus allowing for the effective management of stress. (6)

The critical anti-inflammatory role of cortisol may be emphasized by the countless inflammatory disorders commonly treated with its synthetic pharmaceutical replacement, corticosteroids.

Abnormal Cortisol

Normally a blood test is used to test cortisol levels. Salivary cortisol levels are thought to correlate well with the levels of free cortisol in blood. The adrenal stress index (ASI), a salivary test, is the preferred test for adrenal function and a well-accepted, noninvasive, reliable indication of cortisol levels. (7)

Stress is the major factor regulating cortisol levels during both acute and chronic episodes. When the body does not return to normal after a stressor episode, two situations may occur. Either cortisol levels remain unnaturally high, or the chronic stressor depletes the body’s cortisol to such low levels that other health issues may appear.

Tumors in the adrenal gland or in the brain’s pituitary gland can trigger your body to make too much cortisol. This can cause a condition called Cushing syndrome which can lead to:

rapid weight gain
skin that bruises easily
pink stretch marks on your skin
slow healing of cuts and bites
muscle weakness (8)

Addison’s disease is caused by an autoimmune response, which occurs when the body’s immune system assaults organs or tissues. With Addison’s disease, the immune system attacks the cortex of the adrenal glands where cortisol is made. Other causes include injury or infection to the adrenals, amyloidosis, and genetic defects. Usually, the symptoms appear over time and include:

craving for salty food
loss of appetite
patches of dark skin
unexplained weight loss
extreme tiredness (9)

Managing your stress as well as naturally decreasing your inflammation through diet and lifestyle choices, can help maintain cortisol levels. This can result in decreased chronic disease risk and improved wellness.

Sources: