Cortisol: Friend or Foe?
Is Eliminating it Really the Answer?

Infomercials are leading consumers to believe that "stress" and "cortisol" are the reasons we can’t lose weight. Unfortunately, only part of their message is correct. Yes, stress can have a major impact on your inability to lose weight but it is not simply too much cortisol, as they would lead you to believe. The problem can be not ENOUGH cortisol.

Infomercials are making cortisol sound like a terrible thing! The truth is cortisol is an extremely important hormone produced by your adrenal glands in times of stress. But cortisol also helps regulate your blood sugar, and reduces inflammation. Furthermore, stress and cortisol have a far-reaching impact on your overall health.

The problem is all the stress is over-working our adrenal glands, which interferes with their normal function and since our body is so intimately connected, when one system begins to dysfunction – all kinds of health problems can begin. Adrenal dysfunction leads to imbalances (too much or too little) of cortisol and other hormones, which can have a direct impact on our energy level, inability to lose weight, cravings, mood swings, PMS, menopause, insomnia, diabetes, libido, etc.

Our bodies are designed to handle stress and stressful situations. We call that our "Fight or Flight Mode". Unfortunately, most people who are struggling with various health issues are spending too much time in their fight or flight mode and not enough time in their Resting and Digesting Mode. This imbalance causes our adrenal glands to become overworked and exhausted, and throws off their normal function.

Take the Adrenal Stress Test…

__ Fatigue and lack of energy                   __ Inability to lose weight

__ Cravings and low blood sugar              __ Allergies and Sinus problems

__ Depression, mood swings, irritability    __ Headaches and lightheadedness   

__ Difficulty with PMS and menopause     __ Digestive difficulties 

__ Mid-morning/afternoon slumps             __ Inability to concentrate and focus

__ Difficulty sleeping or insomnia              __ Reduced libido

__ Susceptible to infections and colds      __ Difficulty building muscle and tone

If you checked 2-3 symptoms you could have mild adrenal exhaustion. If you checked 4 or more symptoms you probably suffer from adrenal exhaustion.

The Sum of All Your Stress

When it comes to stress, most everyone thinks of mental or emotional stress, but there are other types of stresses we tax our body and adrenal glands with. More importantly, we need to recognize that stress has a cumulative effect. It’s like the proverbial "straw that broke the camel’s back." How many straws (different types of stresses) are you taxing your body with? Take a moment and review the different types of stresses and how they apply to some of the symptoms we spoke about.

Types of Stress:

• Mental / Emotional Stress - worry, anger, frustration, fear, anxiety.

• Physical Stress - obesity, poor sleep, insomnia, too much exercise, aches and pains.

• Chemical Stress - drugs, preservatives, processed foods, pesticides, artificial sweeteners, trans fats.

• Internal Pollution - constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, gas, heartburn, bloating, irritable bowel, food allergies.

• Microbial Toxicity - candida, yeast, fungus, parasites, yeast and bladder infections.

• Nutritional Deficiencies - inadequate supply of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, fiber, probiotics and enzymes.

• Electro-Magnetic Stress – exposure to electrical devices such as computers, televisions, cell phones, microwaves, fluorescent lights, electric blankets, waterbeds.

When adrenal function is disturbed by all the stress we place on ourselves, it can also affect many bodily functions.

• Thyroid - which can cause weight gain, fatigue, and headaches.

• Liver function - detoxification will be interfered with and can cause sensitivities to fumes, PMS, headaches and allergies.

• Digestive system - becomes fragile and susceptible to bloating, gas, heartburn, and other irritable bowel like syndromes, including yeast and parasite overgrowth.

• Sex hormones - (estrogen and testosterone) will become imbalanced, which can lead to PMS, menopausal difficulties, depression, and decreased libido.

• Immune system - becomes weaker, leaving you more exposed to allergens, infections and other types of illnesses.

• Blood Sugar - ability to handle our blood sugar and carbohydrates becomes unstable, leading to insulin resistance, hypoglycemia and diabetes.

• Blood pressure - and other vascular problems are associated with adrenal exhaustion.

• Osteoporosis – bone begins to break down.

REGULATING Cortisol Is The Key!

As you can see, stress can have a direct impact on your health, not just your weight! Unfortunately, here is where those infomercials begin to distort the facts …they would like us to believe that all our problems are a result of too much cortisol, when in fact; a majority of patients I have worked with are not producing enough cortisol!

As we said before, people are spending too much time in the fight or flight mode, which ultimately exhausts or depletes their adrenal glands. Many symptoms, and health complaints can result from either too much or too little cortisol. Therefore taking a supplement that is strictly designed to lower cortisol, when in fact they need to increase cortisol, could be a mistake. This is why measuring cortisol and DHEA can be very important in determining the real cause of the problem.

One final caution about treating adrenal exhaustion…the last thing you want to be consuming is any type of stimulant, such as caffeine, ephedra, ma huang, guarana, kola nut, or bitter orange. These herbs further deplete and exhaust your adrenal glands! Sure, they will "pep you up" and give you some energy, making you think you are doing better, but in fact your newfound energy is from a stimulant. Therefore, in times of stress you need to be nourishing your adrenal glands, not further depleting them.

So as you can see, cortisol isn’t the enemy. It is a vital hormone that is necessary for life. We just need to keep it in check and we can do that by managing the stress in our life.

Nutrients That Nourish Your Adrenals
There are specific nutrients that are known to support your adrenal glands such as vitamin C, vitamin B, zinc, and magnesium. Adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, rhodiola, cordyceps, and ginseng, work to rebalance your adrenals, by either increasing or decreasing their production. Adrenal-Fuel is an excellent source for these special nutrients.