Role Of The Stress Hormone In Weight Control!
|
Eating when under stress isn't just about filling an emotional need. Your body has a system of hormonal checks and balances that actually promote weight gain when you're stressed out.
The so-called "stress hormone" cortisol is released in the body during times of stress along with the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine that constitute the "fight or flight" response to a perceived threat.
Following the stressful or threatening event, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels return to normal while cortisol levels can remain elevated over a longer time period. In fact, cortisol levels can remain persistently elevated in the body when a person is subjected to chronic stress.
How does cortisol influence weight gain?
Cortisol has many actions in the body, and one ultimate goal of cortisol secretion is the provision of energy for the body. Cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for fast energy, and stimulates insulin release and maintenance of blood sugar levels. The end result of these actions is an increase in appetite. Thus chronic stress, or poorly-managed stress, may lead to cortisol levels that stimulate your appetite, with the end result being weight gain or difficulty losing unwanted pounds.
Cortisol not only promotes weight gain, but it can also affect where you put on the weight. Doctors have shown that stress and elevated cortisol tend to cause fat deposition in the abdominal area rather than in the hips. This fat deposition has been referred to as "toxic fat" since abdominal fat deposition is strongly correlated with the development of cadiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes.
Whether or not your stress levels will result in high cortisol levels and weight gain is not readily predictable. The amount of cortisol secreted in response to stress can vary among individuals, with some persons being innately more "reactive" to stressful events. Studies of women who tended to react to stress with high levels of cortisol secretion showed that these women also tended to eat more when under stress than women who secreted less cortisol.
Another study confirmed that women who stored their excess fat in the abdominal area had higher cortisol levels and reported more lifestyle stress than women who stored fat primarily in the hips.
What does this mean for weight control?
Experts agree that stress management is a critical part of weight loss regimens, particularly in those who have elevated cortisol levels. Exercise is the best and fastest method for weight loss in this case, since exercise leads to the release of endorphins, which have natural stress-fighting properties and can lower cortisol levels.
Activities such as yoga and meditation can also help lower your stress hormone levels. To effectively reduce elevated cortisol due to stress, lifestyle changes are essential.
Author: Susan Rutter -- Publisher, Nutritionist, and Instructor who assists patients and the public make healthy choices and changes in their lives. Web Site: Healthy YOUbbies - http://www.geocities.com/healthyoubbies/
|
|
|
Body Wraps & Weight Loss
Body wraps can help tone and tighten the skin, improve blood circulation, detoxify the body and help mobilize fat so it can be eliminated from the body naturally. You do not need any special equipment other than a mixing bowl, heating pot and wrapping sheets like thin towels.Body wraps work in two stages: absorption and squeezing (compaction). In the absorption stage you apply a substance on your body by "wraps". Once the pores of skin are opened, the fluids are "extracted" or "absorbed" by the substance and the bandage.There are several absorbents: sea clay, seaweed, herbal, mineral and aloe vera. The effect of ...(related: Weight Loss)
Is The Dr Atkins Diet Safe?
The Dr Atkins Diet has been around for ages, but it has gained significant popularity just over the last several years. Despite its popularity, as with many low carb diets, the Dr Atkins Diet has been the subject of a lot of controversy.Many doctors, especially cardiologists, argue the safety of the Dr Atkins diet. On this diet you are allowed to eat, virtually, unlimited amounts of many fatty foods. You can have bacon and eggs every morning for breakfast, you just have to skip the toast and hash browned potatoes. It would not be uncommon, on the Dr Atkins Diet, to fry up a juicy cheeseburger for dinner, as long as you toss the bun and fries out the door.The upside to passing on carbs is that your body is forced to feast on the f...(related: Weight Loss)
Pediatric Obesity: A Look At The Epidemic
Obesity in America is at an epidemic level. It is a global issue and the statistics only prove that it continues to rise. The world's children face the threats of this global obesity epidemic and the prevalence of obesity in children continue to rise. Over the last 30 years the number of overweight children has doubled. Over 30% of children ages 6-19 are considered overweight. Of these, 15% are considered obese. Unfortunately, excess weight and obesity in childhood has been found to be an indicator of obesity in adulthood and statistics further show that teenagers have an 80% probability of being obese in adulthood.Beyond the numbers??Beyond the statistics are real people facing this epidemic. Evan, a 10-year old from Wisconsin, is considered clinically obese. His mother, Janice, began to face the health risks th...(related: Weight Loss)
Weight Loss Pills: Miracle Drugs Or Money Wasters?
Losing weight is a lifelong commitment. It takes patience and self-discipline to stick with a weight loss program and wait for the end results. Many people want to find the magic shortcut that will make the process just a little shorter and less difficult. Many over-the-counter and prescription pills are purchased for just this purpose. They are available from pharmacies, natural health food stores, and even online. But ar...(related: Weight Loss)
Hoodia - An Elixir That Fights Obesity Part 1
Humanity is always in search of a wonder drug that ends all physical ailments. While it is a wishful thinking yet, there are areas where the dream is almost accomplished. One such problem that has got an answer is obesity.Obesity is the excessive deposition of fat in the subcutaneous layer that increases the weight of the body. It creates an imbalance, renders the body inefficient in terms of normal physical activities, and runs the risk of catching fatal diseases like cardiac disorder. What if there is a natural cure of obesity?With the discovery of Hoodia, a natural ingredient ob...(related: Weight Loss)
How To Burn Pure Fat And Lose Weight More Quickly
If you're trying lose weight, maintain your weight, or sculpt your body, than you're probably trying to discover how to burn pure fat. You want to know what you can do to make your body burn fat faster and more efficiently.Well, take heart, there is a way to turn your body into an efficient fat burning, weight eliminating machine, but it involves work. The question is "Are you willing to work once you learn how to burn pure fat from your body?" because it will take some effort on your part.Effort, you say, what kind of effort? Wel...(related: Weight Loss)
The Truth About Dieting And Weight Loss
You may not like what I'm about to say, but dieting alone will not help you to lose weight. Watching your diet alone is not going to yield results unless it is coupled with proper exercise. You have to make a conscious effort for this. And the solution for this is a workout routine. Yes there are people that lose weight just from cutting down on their fat intake, carbohydrate intake, protein intake, or calories in general; but have you seen the results under their clothes? It is not a pretty sight! Without exercise (weight training in particular) your body has no way of toning up, and you could be left with near sa...(related: Weight Loss)
Low Carb Diets - Are They For You?
The revolution is here. Weight Loss as we know it has changed forever because of one diet.One diet that has reached beyond the weight loss program boundaries and invaded areas heretofore unknown: areas like beer commercials and even the all sacred fast food menus.There was even a recent report on how this diet has taken a huge revenue chunk out of the bread and flour industries. Now that's power.You know which diet I'm talking about of...(related: Weight Loss)
Weight Loss: Are You Frustrated? Have Low Energy? Dont Feel Good About Yourself? Lose Weight Now!
Twenty years of health club consulting, 50,000 hours of paid personal training, and trainer to the stars has taught me one thing; weight loss is not about numbers, it's about your approach. Here it is in a nut sh...(related: Weight Loss)
Weight Loss Tip ? The Importance Of Lowering Your Body-fat!
When you hear a doctor or a personal trainer say, "Your body fat is too high, or you are borderline obese, what do you think? Does it matter to you? Does it motivate you to lose weight? Or are the numbers on the scale more important?Most people will always have a love ? hate relationship with the scale in their bathroom. However, with the dramatic increase in diabet...(related: Weight Loss)
Diets May Have Long Term Side Effects...do You Know What They Are?
To see the "low carb" diets on the way out is a somewhat reflective process, not that I was an advocate of ketogenic diets at all unless you have Adolescent Epilepsy, but bringing the "low carb or ketogenic diet" into the forefront of our American Society meant that more people were being educated about obesity, food and eating. This acknowledgment about food was astounding and became overwhelming ,...(related: Weight Loss)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster - shukra1111 [AT] yahoo.com | All Rights Reserved | Weight Loss