The Adrenal Glands are two walnut sized glands located on top of both kidneys.
These two tiny glands make over fifty different hormones, some of which we have no knowledge.
Cortisol and DHEA are two of these hormones that are known to have a tremendous impact on metabolism.
Stress causes the body to stimulate the release of large amounts of cortisol from the adrenal glands and suppresses DHEA.
Cortisol is considered a survival hormone.
It is released to enable the metabolism of the body to keep us alive through a stressful time.
It also serves to regulate blood sugar during times of fasting or sleep, reduces inflammation, slows metabolism during fasting, as well as hypes us up to deal with stress.
Normal cortisol secretion is highest in the morning to get us going, gradually tapers off during the day, and is lowest at night to allow us to go to sleep.
When our bodies were evolving genetically, stress events were relatively brief episodes, such as being chased by a lion, or a long cold winter.
Now in modern society, stress events can last years or indefinitely.
Modern stresses appear as job stress, relationship or family stress, financial stress, driving stress, multi-tasking stress (like driving on the freeway, trying to control the kids in the car and talking on the cell phone all at the same time).
Our lifestyles also upset the normal rhythm of cortisol production.
Things such as eating or exercising late in the day, or working late at night will force the adrenal glands to put out high levels of cortisol for the task at hand rather than to allow it to decline to let us sleep.
Habitual disruption of the normal gland production cycles as well as chronic excess stimulation leads to adrenal exhaustion.
Cortisol is also considered a catabolic hormone, which means it serves to break down the body.
It is also an anti-insulin hormone.
Insulin is considered an anabolic hormone, one that builds us up.
So when cortisol is persistently elevated it causes elevations in insulin, which results in what is known as "insulin resistance.
" If we become insulin resistant, it causes us to gain weight, makes it difficult to lose weight, and puts us on the path to developing diabetes.
Normal cortisol secretion is highest in the morning to get us going, gradually tapers off during the day, and is lowest at night to allow us to go to sleep.
When our bodies were evolving genetically, stress events were relatively brief episodes, such as being chased by a lion, or a long cold winter.
Now in modern society, stress events can last years or indefinitely.
Modern stresses appear as job stress, relationship or family stress, financial stress, driving stress, multi-tasking stress (like driving on the freeway, trying to control the kids in the car and talking on the cell phone all at the same time).
Our lifestyles also upset the normal rhythm of cortisol production.
Things such as eating or exercising late in the day, or working late at night will force the adrenal glands to put out high levels of cortisol for the task at hand rather than to allow it to decline to let us sleep.
Habitual disruption of the normal gland production cycles as well as chronic excess stimulation leads to adrenal exhaustion.
These two tiny glands make over fifty different hormones, some of which we have no knowledge.
Cortisol and DHEA are two of these hormones that are known to have a tremendous impact on metabolism.
Stress causes the body to stimulate the release of large amounts of cortisol from the adrenal glands and suppresses DHEA.
Cortisol is considered a survival hormone.
It is released to enable the metabolism of the body to keep us alive through a stressful time.
It also serves to regulate blood sugar during times of fasting or sleep, reduces inflammation, slows metabolism during fasting, as well as hypes us up to deal with stress.
Normal cortisol secretion is highest in the morning to get us going, gradually tapers off during the day, and is lowest at night to allow us to go to sleep.
When our bodies were evolving genetically, stress events were relatively brief episodes, such as being chased by a lion, or a long cold winter.
Now in modern society, stress events can last years or indefinitely.
Modern stresses appear as job stress, relationship or family stress, financial stress, driving stress, multi-tasking stress (like driving on the freeway, trying to control the kids in the car and talking on the cell phone all at the same time).
Our lifestyles also upset the normal rhythm of cortisol production.
Things such as eating or exercising late in the day, or working late at night will force the adrenal glands to put out high levels of cortisol for the task at hand rather than to allow it to decline to let us sleep.
Habitual disruption of the normal gland production cycles as well as chronic excess stimulation leads to adrenal exhaustion.
Cortisol is also considered a catabolic hormone, which means it serves to break down the body.
It is also an anti-insulin hormone.
Insulin is considered an anabolic hormone, one that builds us up.
So when cortisol is persistently elevated it causes elevations in insulin, which results in what is known as "insulin resistance.
" If we become insulin resistant, it causes us to gain weight, makes it difficult to lose weight, and puts us on the path to developing diabetes.
Normal cortisol secretion is highest in the morning to get us going, gradually tapers off during the day, and is lowest at night to allow us to go to sleep.
When our bodies were evolving genetically, stress events were relatively brief episodes, such as being chased by a lion, or a long cold winter.
Now in modern society, stress events can last years or indefinitely.
Modern stresses appear as job stress, relationship or family stress, financial stress, driving stress, multi-tasking stress (like driving on the freeway, trying to control the kids in the car and talking on the cell phone all at the same time).
Our lifestyles also upset the normal rhythm of cortisol production.
Things such as eating or exercising late in the day, or working late at night will force the adrenal glands to put out high levels of cortisol for the task at hand rather than to allow it to decline to let us sleep.
Habitual disruption of the normal gland production cycles as well as chronic excess stimulation leads to adrenal exhaustion.