Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Life is Tough-Relax!


We all learn how tough life can be with it's strange twists and turns and sometimes brick walls. It has a tendency to get your cortisol levels sky high. The adrenal glands, located on your kidneys, secret cortisol, called the "stress" hormone. It is involved in releasing glucose for proper blood sugar levels;immune function/inflammatory response; and regulation of glucose metabolism/blood sugar levels.
Cortisol is secreted at higher levels during stressful times or when you are in the "flight or fight response" mode. Higher and chronic levels in your blood help contribute to Impaired cognition; suppressed thyroid; blood sugar fluctuations like hyperglycemia; lower bone density; muscle tissue loss; increased blood pressure; reduced immunity and inflammatory responses; and a surge in abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body.
One of the basic tenets of stress management is know how to invoke the "relaxation response" in your body so your system can reduce the cortisol and return to normal. A low stress lifestyle or using some of the following techniques can help you cope:Meditation, breathing exercises;yoga;guided imagery; exercise;self hypnosis;sex;journaling; and music.
Start to increase your stress management skills today and come visit us at http://www.stressless.com/