continued….

Cortisol, stress, trauma and health…..

‘Your hormones relay the messages from the brain to tell the rest of the body what to do next. If you are sending stress signals from the brain, they will be relayed to the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys. The adrenal glands release a stress hormone called cortisol when they receive a danger signal from the brain’.

‘Cortisol is a hormone. Almost every cell contains receptors for cortisol, so cortisol will behave according to the cell it’s acting upon. When cortisol is balanced, it will help control blood-sugar levels, fluid balance, help you wake up in the morning, reduce inflammation, help with memory, and aid in fertility and blood pressure regulation. Cortisol, like stress, is not bad. Too much cortisol can be damaging. When you are chronically releasing cortisol because you are chronically overwhelmed and chronically sending danger messages through your relay system, you will start seeing tissue and organ breakdown in your body, as well as weight gain and a decrease in your libido. This is one of the root causes of leaky gut. Cortisol breaks down the protective lining of your intestinal wall. Prolonged cortisol release can interfere with sleep or cause you to wake up fatigued in the morning even if you did get 8 hours of sleep. It can cause weight gain in the belly area, even when you are exercising and eating well. It affects your immune system, contributes to joint pain and inflammation, tanks your libido level, and can cause anxiety and depression— all of which are common symptoms in autoimmune disease as well. Adrenal fatigue is a primary cause of hormone imbalance in both men and women’

Extracts from Solving the Autoimmune Puzzle: The Woman’s Guide to Reclaiming Emotional Freedom and Vibrant Health by Keesha Ewers (2017)