Cortisol....adrenals...healing....

As I look back, I can see several symptoms that warned me of a cortisol imbalance. I use the term "cortisol imbalance" as if it were a singular problem to be treated singly like a hang nail, but truly it's not. Just like catching a cold can affect several organs of the body, a cortisol imbalance involves several organs. The adrenal glands, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and liver are organs mainly engaged in cortisol issues.
Cortisol is "a steroid hormone: the major glucocorticoid synthesized and released by the human adrenal cortex. It is important for normal carbohydrate metabolism and for the normal response to any stress."(Oxford) (Bender) Cortisol regulates or modulates many of the changes that occur in the body in response to stress including, but not limited to: blood sugar levels; fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism to maintain blood glucose; immune responses; anti-inflammatory actions, blood pressure, heart and blood vessel tone and contraction; and central nervous system activation. Therefore, if there is a consistently higher level of cortisol (say from high stress situations...I'm sure most of you can relate to nonstop stress!) may cause: sluggish thyroid, hyperglycemia, headaches/migraines, insomnia, decreased muscle mass, high blood pressure, premature onset of menopause, and visceral belly fat. These symptoms on their own each cause more problems for the body to deal with. There are issues with having too low cortisol, but this post will be related to stress induce high cortisol levels. (Dartmouth) (Mayo)
I’ve had insomnia issues for as long as I can remember, even as a child, even though my parents were terrific about putting us to bed at a reasonable time. Migraines started in my tween years. When I hit my teenage years I began having hyperglycemic issues although I had a pretty good diet. We didn’t have a lot of processed foods, had a huge garden providing our own vegetables, we had chickens and my grandfather raised our beef. Good, close to home sources.  When I hit my adult years, I pushed myself hard, overloading my days with two jobs, church activities, and composing in the wee-smas. I found that I could get things done faster and better when I was pushed. I now realize that I was running on adrenaline and caffeine. I really didn’t see this as detrimental because I was getting so much done and felt so very creative! Except for in the morning when I would wake up feeling nauseated for about 30 minutes….and the migraines…ugh. In my early 30s, I began experiencing menopausal symptoms and for a short time was put on Premarin (very short! I ditched that and began looking for healthier choices.). In my 40s, I put on weight by pounds every week quickly hitting over 200lbs. I was mystified and troubled. I went to see my physician who was also a good friend of mine and knew I ate a balanced, healthy diet and got moderate exercise. What was happening?! She explained about cortisol. Now, how to deal with it. She knew my stress level was enormous because of personal circumstances and suggested I find ways to de-stress. I began to meditate and make some personal time for myself. I decided that I couldn’t (or more honestly wouldn’t at that time) change my circumstances, but I could change me. Those changes in me brought about a huge life change (aka: divorce) and a big relief and reduction in stress. I’ve lost 45lbs total but still have this visceral fat. My hip to waist ratio tells me I still need to focus on taking care of this for my long term health. But how?! I’m doing all that I posted in a previous blog post (June 24, 2016). I still am learning things. Like this week I searched for and listened to several podcasts about cortisol and adrenals. I discovered that I need to be careful not to overdo workouts. I l.o.v.e. to workout! However, too much and I cause my adrenals to work too hard. I’m trying to heal them not continue to stress them. Yet, I also learned to lose visceral fat cardio is the key. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions were mentioned to be effective. So, I’m making sure I take a day off from workouts every three or four days. I am also looking into Tapping. I used it on my oldest son when he was smaller and it helped with some emotional overload he was experiencing. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) has been found to be very effective for releasing the emotions that have you anchored in a place you don’t want to be. In my case, I feel like I am holding onto stress and emotions from my first marriage. I still deal with some residual situations from this passed relationship and with those comes a connection of the frustrations, stress, resentment and anger. They are affecting me under the surface and it’s time to unload this baggage. Another aspect of getting to where I need to be that I am researching is Calorie Restriction (CR), Total Calorie Desistance (TCD), and Intermittent Fasting. What interests me about this is the benefits of balancing glucose metabolism and “to manage the storage of fats for energy reserves”. (CR TCD)
I’ve already begun to see significant results. As much as I want to lose weight (and I do have that goal in my thoughts), my focus is on maintaining and retaining my health. I hope my journey encourages you and helps you on yours.

Cited Works:

Bender, David A. "cortisol." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. : Oxford University Press, 2009. Oxford Reference. 2009. Date Accessed 9 Jul. 2016
CR TCD http://beyondthebasicshealthacademy.com/researchbased-information-on-intermittent-fasting/
 "cortisol." Concise Medical Dictionary. : Oxford University Press, 2010. Oxford Reference. 2010. Date Accessed 9 Jul. 2016
Dartmouth http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/2011/02/the-physiology-of-stress-cortisol-and-the-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis/#.V4EL4TW2HU0
EFT http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/what-is-tapping/ and http://www.thetappingsolution.com/
HIIT http://dailyburn.com/life/db/hiit-workouts-for-beginners/ and https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/can-you-hiit-like-a-girl-22-minute-cardio-hiit-workout-challenge and http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1011318-35minute-hiit-workout-wont-hurt-knees/
June 24, 2016 http://wholesomelivingjourney.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-few-things-ive-learned-about-my.html
Mayo http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037