Blog 69 Stress- Cortisol, and How to Manage

Stress: Specifically, Cortisol, and How to Manage This

Jenni Berman, PA-C, ABAAHP

Stress — it can be a good thing and a bad thing. Yes, I said stress can be a good thing.  We have a stress response system within our body which is managed by the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis). The Hypothalamus and Pituitary are organs within our brain that communicate with the Adrenal glands which sit just above the kidneys.

The HPA Axis is in control of our stress response. The response to a stressful trigger creates the “Fight or Flight” response from the communication of our organs on this axis. The acute response of the HPA Axis is actually important as it can save us at times — for instance, running (faster than we ever could under our own power) from something chasing us or fighting (harder than we could have ever imagined) when necessary. Adrenaline and Cortisol are released during these stressful situations which helps our body to fight and flight efficiently.

As we are leaping into the fall season – school is back in, sports are back in, hurricane season is still going on, wedding season, on and on and on… your favorite football team…? Whether it is something really important or potentially as silly as a team – stress is stress.

The negative side to stress is when the HPA Axis is chronically stimulated. Chronic stress on the body can occur from outside influences such as relationships, work, finances, children. Chronic stress on the body can occur from internal influences such as food sensitivities, poor gut health, or infections. Chronic stress on the body can occur from a combination of internal and external stress such as a physical pain, vehicle accident, or physical abuse.

Cortisol is the stress hormone that has the most impact, positive or negative, on our body. In chronic stress situations chronically high cortisol levels can be detrimental on our system. It can cause interrupted sleep, brain fog, abdominal fat, irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, high blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, Prediabetes, Diabetes Mellitus Type II, gut permeability, cravings, anxiety and depression, increased hunger, and more. Cortisol can impact hormone balance in males and females as well.

The majority of the time we cannot take our stress away — we cannot stop being a mother, sister, or aunt. We typically cannot quit our jobs or undue the vehicle accident we were in. We can, however, control the stress response to improve the health of the HPA Axis. How do we do that without being able to change the stressor?

Let’s jump in —

1. Meal Plan: one of the most important things is fueling your body appropriately. First we need to ensure blood sugar stability by consuming adequate amounts of protein and vegetables while balancing this with the right complex carbohydrates. We also want to avoid inflammatory foods as we already mentioned inflammation can cause internal stress. You can identify inflammatory foods for your body specifically by checking a sensitivity list via blood.
2. Gut Health: it is extremely important to avoid the foods that will cause more damage to your gut lining. The Gut-Brain Interaction is extremely important to balance.
3. Proper Vitamin, Mineral, and Amino Acid levels: checking your levels via blood is very important to controlling overall brain-body interactions and balance. Things like Vitamin D, Folate, Magnesium, L-Theanine, and L-Glutamine are just a few that are important to monitor and take! *levels should be checked prior to starting vitamins*
4. Exercise: with the proper balance. Exercise releases endorphins, however, if it is too intense or prolonged, it can also cause chronically elevated cortisol levels. A balance of strength training and cardiovascular training is vital.
5. Meditation and Positive Self Imagery: this is a key to releasing endorphins and improving serotonin levels. In turn, this will help to balance the HPA axis appropriately.
6. Grounding and Sunlight each morning: allowing your feet to touch the ground (in the grass) and getting at least 10 minutes of sunlight each morning has been shown to lower Cortisol levels.

I could certainly list another 4-5 supplemental ideas to improve cortisol levels, though I’ll save those for now. Start by focusing on this list each day and you will already head in the right direction for managing your stress and anxiety! It ain’t easy, but it is simple. Keep working.

@bermanwellness

Berman Health and Wellness Website!

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Jenni Berman

Jenni, owner of Berman Health and Wellness, works alongside Berman Physical Therapy to help individuals get back in shape, improve their gut health, and to stay feeling young so they can stay in the game! After graduating from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, she went on to obtain a Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies. She has a passion for helping individuals to feel better than they thought imaginable through natural approaches, nutrition, and whole body treatment. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist. When she is not working with patients or with clients, you can find Jenni on the boat, in the sun, enjoying time with her husband, Jake,her daughter Stella June, spending time in Jacksonville with her family, or playing with her [CUTE!] pups!!

Latest posts by Jenni Berman (see all)

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