TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
Did you know that a natural hormone produced by your body to keep you safe can actually end up being bad for your health? I t's the stress hormone cortisol. It's part of your natural “flight or fight” response that has kept humans alive for thousands of years. It is for emergencies only however such as escaping an angry bull elephant or a hostile attacker. The body's stress response was meant to be triggered by life or death situations but in the modern world, it is often triggered by daily stressful social, economic, and work situations. In this case, the resulting constant surge of cortisol becomes unhealthy. When the Amygdala (the fear center of the brain) starts the fight or flight response, Adrenaline raises heart rate and blood pressure. Cortisol helpfully triggers the release of sugars to the body and brain for energy and other substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also shuts down body systems that are not helpful for responding to immediate danger includ