Cortisol and Stress

Cissus Quadrangularis  Extract is a Herb that Block Excessive Cortisol

Cortisol and stress are two closely related terms. The cortisol hormones are caused by stress. To better understand this, it is necessary first to know what the cortisol is and what their functions to your body are.

The adrenal glands, located at the top area of the human kidneys, produce the hormones that are called cortisol. The part of the adrenal gland that is responsible for producing those hormones is the cortex. The adrenal cortex is tasked to provide the body with three glucocorticoid hormones, one of which is cortisol. The two other types of hormones are corticosterone and cortisone. Of all the three glucocorticoid hormones, cortisol is considered to be the most powerful.

When a person is emotionally stressed, one part of his brain, the hypothalamus, is directing the pituitary gland to launch a hormone called ACTH to the adrenal glands. The ACTH fuels the adrenal glands to generate the three glucocorticoid hormones, especially cortisol. But at times that a person is stressed physically, the hypothalamus is not anymore involved in the process. The pituitary gland itself releases the ACTH hormone.

For people with sufficient and definite time of sleep, their ACTH level increases within three to five hours right after they have feel asleep. During the daytime, as the person works and do his daily tasks, the ACTH level in them declines until it will be revived and increased at night. The cycle is continuous each passing day and night.  Physical or emotional stress boosts the ACTH production. Thus, such stress amplifies the cortisol to a stage that is above the normal cyclical level. When such situation takes place, the ACTH production will be of fewer amounts and will have a low number of cortisol hormones that will be stimulated. This is a reaction scheme to maintain the cortisol levels in the optimal range.

The following are some symptoms which will help you determine if your body is producing a large number of Cortisol.

1. You cannot sleep well. In order to allow your body be recharged and relaxed, the level of cortisol within you should drop during night times. If you have observed yourself that you have difficulty in sleeping even if you are tired and your position is well ventilated, then your cortisol level is too high. You have the tendency then to turn and toss all night, and to feel tired again the following day.
2. You still feel tired even after you have slept well last night. When the cortisol level has risen up already for a long period of time, they dispose you to unending fatigue and run down your adrenal glands. With this, getting up from bed and proceeding to your daily routines will stress you.
3. You are getting heavier and your abdomen part is getting bigger despite the fact that you exercise well and has a healthy diet. The high level of cortisol within you has the tendency to make you thicker, especially at the mid part, even if you are having no mistake in your health habit.
4. You are more prone to infections and common colds than before. The immune system of one person is affected by the cortisol level.
5. You are carving for the unhealthy foodstuffs. The high level of cortisol raises up your blood sugar and in order to drop it down, you must keep on eating foods with high glucose levels.
6. From time to time, you are experiencing headaches and backaches.
7. You will often experience abdominal cramps, constipation, nausea, diarrhea and heartburn as the result of the numerous stress hormones within you.
8. You will always be nervous resulting to feelings of panic, paranoia, jitters and even nervous stomach.
9. You will often feel blue. Serotonin production is suppressed by the high level of cortisol. Thus, it is leaving you awash in gloom and doom.

Thus, in order to avoid a high level of cortisol in your body, avoid situations that will stress you. Always remember that cortisol and stress are two things that can never be separated since it is very obvious that they are closely intertwined with one another.

Taking Cissus is one natural way to help stress levels!