Tag Archives: Low Cortisol Levels

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Biochemical changes and health matters

February 2, 2017
Biochemical changes

Biochemical changes and health matters a lot in the establishment of a health weight

Biochemical changes and health matters: Linking stress and obesity

Over the past decades, many people have alleged without any scientific evidence that stress and obesity are linked together closely. This has been the running hypothesis for a very long time but, now scientific research is confirming by bringing forth proofs and evidence supporting this connection. Explicit biochemical changes appear to help in explaining this link and, the medical professionals understands these reasons better and are in a better position to address the prevalence of obesity epidemic facing U.S and beyond in the global space. However, doctor Dalal Akoury MD who is also the founder of AWAREmed health and wellness resource center agrees that the most disturbing aspect of the link between stress and obesity is that, it tends to be self-reinforcing. That is to say, very often, when people are stressed they may eat improperly and that may cause them to gain weight which can cause more stress thereby leading to even weight gain which you’re trying to fight off.

Biochemical changes and health matters: The biological connections

If you have been keen you must have realized that each time you’re stressed it is always a common practice that you will tend to crave comfort foods which are high in fat or sugar and researchers have established that specific hormones may play a role in this process.

Serotonin – reaching for fattening comfort foods during stressful times may be an attempt to offer self-medication. Consuming carbohydrates raises the body’s serotonin level and serotonin is the body’s feel-good chemical. It makes you feel better. Under normal circumstances, people under stress don’t make smart or healthy food choices. Very often their choices of carbohydrates are rich in fat, like muffins, pastries, doughnuts, and cookies which are not necessarily healthy foods.

Cortisol – researchers have also discovered that chronic stress can cause the body to release excess cortisol, a hormone critical in managing fat storage and energy use in the human body. Cortisol is known to increase appetite and may encourage cravings for sugary or fatty foods.

Neuropeptide Y. – recent studies also have established that the human body processes food differently when under stress. One study established that lab mice fed a diet high in fat and sugar added significant amounts of body fat when placed under stressful conditions while those mice fed a normal diet didn’t add as much weight despite the stress. This finding has been linked the phenomenon to a molecule called neuropeptide Y which is released from nerve cells during stress and encourages fat accumulation. A diet high in fat and sugar appears to further promote the release of neuropeptide Y.

Finally, from the facts listed above, there is no doubt that all the biochemical changes matter a lot in weight management and as a society, we have a duty to bring some serenity in the weight loss management. To that effect, doctor Akoury made a decision of establishing this medical center to help in transforming each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Efforts like this are essential in containing weight gain prevalence and you can benefit from it by scheduling an appointment with her today for the commencement of your recovery program.

Biochemical changes and health matters: Linking stress and obesity

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Detox Diet

Cortisol application in weight management

November 1, 2016
Cortisol application

Cortisol application in weight management delivers the much needed lean body weight.

Cortisol application in weight management: Eliminating stress

In an effort of coming close to realizing our dream of keeping fit both physically and mentally, understanding cortisol application in weight management becomes very important. Therefore we want to relay on the expert opinion of professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility which was founded by doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) to help us put this discussion to perspective. We are going to put all the facts straight, and therefore this is a discussion you don’t want to miss. We want to invite you to be part of us specifically to eliminate any ignorance that is likely to cause us to lose the focus of eliminating all the complications associated with weight complications in our lives.

From her decades of professional practice in this discipline, doctor Akoury when looking at the happenings in today’s society is very much concern with the kind of commercials that tout the effectiveness of supplements like Cortislim ™ and Relacore ™ that propose to help people lose weight and feel less stressed by inhibiting the effects of cortisol. Some of these commercials do not fully inform the general public effectively about:

  • The functions and importance of cortisol for bodily function.
  • The potential link between cortisol and obesity.
  • The potential link between stress, cortisol, and appetite.
  • The harmful health effects of stress-induced obesity.

Therefore to bridge the gap, we want to shade more light on the above omissions so that together we can walk along in this worthy course of proper weight management.

Cortisol application in weight management: From where does cortisol come and for what purpose?

Cortisol has become a ‘prime’ hormone of fascination, discussion and confusion within the consumer and fitness industry, due to misleading television commercials and advertisements. It is a steroid (compound based from a steroid nucleus) hormone that is produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands located on top of each kidney. Fasting, food intake, exercising, awakening, and psychosocial stressors cause the body to release cortisol. Cortisol is released in a highly irregular manner with peak secretion in the early morning, which then tapers out in the late afternoon and evening. Energy regulation and mobilization are two critical functions of cortisol. Cortisol regulates energy by selecting the right type and amount of substrate (carbohydrate, fat or protein) that is needed by the body to meet the physiological demands that is placed upon it.

Cortisol mobilizes energy by tapping into the body’s fat stores and moving it from one location to another, or delivering it to hungry tissues such as working muscle. Under stressful conditions, cortisol can provide the body with protein for energy production through gluconeogenesis, the process of converting amino acids into useable carbohydrate (glucose) in the liver. Additionally, it can move fat from storage depots and relocate it to fat cell deposits deep in the abdomen. Cortisol also aids adipocytes (baby fat cells) to grow up into mature fat cells. Finally, cortisol may act as an anti-inflammatory agent, suppressing the immune system during times of physical and psychological stress. All these and many more are the reasons why cortisol application in weight management make sense. You may want to know more about cortisol and weight management by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Akoury for a one on one further deliberations.

Cortisol application in weight management: Eliminating stress

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Cortisol Connection and weight management tips

September 18, 2015

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips: The role stress play in weight complications

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips are very important in the elimination of all weight related complications

In our previous article we dwelt much on the significance of cortisol in stress management and now we want to focus our discussion on the cortisol connection and weight management tips that will be useful for all of us in keeping fit. With the help of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility founded by doctor Dalal Akoury (MD). This is a discussion we want to invite you to be part of specifically to eliminate any ignorance that is likely to cause us to lose the focus of eliminating all the complications that are associated with weight complications in our lives. Doctor Akoury from her over two decades of professional practice is looking at the happenings of today’s society and she is very much concern with the kind of commercials that tout the effectiveness of supplements like Cortislim ™ and Relacore ™ that propose to help people lose weight and feel less stressed by inhibiting the effects of cortisol. Some of these commercials do not fully inform the general public effectively about some of the following:

  • The function and importance of cortisol for bodily function.
  • The potential link between cortisol and obesity.
  • The potential link between stress, cortisol, and appetite.
  • The harmful health effects of stress-induced obesity.

Therefore to bridge the gap, we want to shade more light on the above omissions so that together we can walk along in this worthy course of proper weight management.

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips: Where does cortisol come from and what is its purpose in the body?

Cortisol has become a ‘prime’ hormone of fascination, discussion and confusion within the consumer and fitness industry, due to misleading television commercials and advertisements. It is a steroid (compound based from a steroid nucleus) hormone that is produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands located on top of each kidney. Fasting, food intake, exercising, awakening, and psychosocial stressors cause the body to release cortisol. Cortisol is released in a highly irregular manner with peak secretion in the early morning, which then tapers out in the late afternoon and evening. Energy regulation and mobilization are two critical functions of cortisol. Cortisol regulates energy by selecting the right type and amount of substrate (carbohydrate, fat or protein) that is needed by the body to meet the physiological demands that is placed upon it. Cortisol mobilizes energy by tapping into the body’s fat stores and moving it from one location to another, or delivering it to hungry tissues such as working muscle. Under stressful conditions, cortisol can provide the body with protein for energy production through gluconeogenesis, the process of converting amino acids into useable carbohydrate (glucose) in the liver. Additionally, it can move fat from storage depots and relocate it to fat cell deposits deep in the abdomen. Cortisol also aids adipocytes (baby fat cells) to grow up into mature fat cells. Finally, cortisol may act as an anti-inflammatory agent, suppressing the immune system during times of physical and psychological stress.

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips: The potential link between cortisol and visceral obesity   

Cortisol directly effects fat storage and weight gain in stressed individuals. Tissue cortisol concentrations are controlled by a specific enzyme that converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol. This particular enzyme is located in adipose (fat) tissues. Studies with human visceral (fat surrounding the stomach and intestines) and subcutaneous fat tissue have demonstrated that the gene for this enzyme is expressed more by obese conditions. It has also been demonstrated in research that human visceral fat cells have more of these enzymes compared to subcutaneous fat cells. Thus, higher levels of these enzymes in these deep fat cells surrounding the abdomen may lead to obesity due to greater amounts of cortisol being produced at the tissue level. As well, deep abdominal fat has greater blood flow and four times more cortisol receptors compared to subcutaneous fat. This may also increase cortisol’s fat accumulating and fat cell size enlarging effect.

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips: What is the potential link between stress, cortisol, and appetite?

Animal and human studies have demonstrated that cortisol injections are associated with increased appetite, cravings for sugar, and weight gain. Epel et al. demonstrated that premenopausal women who secreted more cortisol during and after novel laboratory stressors chose to consume more foods high in sugar and fat. It has been thought that cortisol directly influences food consumption by binding to receptors in the brain (specifically, the hypothalamus). This can stimulate an individual to eat food that is high in fat and/or sugar. Cortisol also indirectly influences appetite by regulating other chemicals that are released during stress such as CRH (corticotrophin releasing hormone), leptin, and neuropeptide Y (NPY). High levels of NPY and CRH and reduced levels of leptin have been shown to stimulate appetite.

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips: Harmful health effects associated with stress-induced obesity

Chronic stress can contribute to several harmful physiological events. When body tissues are exposed to high levels of cortisol for extended periods of time, some cellular and tissue alterations may occur. High levels of cortisol cause fat stores and excess circulating fat to be relocated and deposited deep in the abdomen, which left unchecked can develop into or enhance obesity. In addition, hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia (elevated lipids), and hyperglycemia (elevated glucose) have been linked to elevated cortisol levels. Individuals with a high waist-to-hip ratio (which identifies visceral obesity) are at a greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and cerebrovascular disease.

Are there any practical assessment tips for the fitness professional to utilize? To help identify clients with a potential risk for the diseases described above (which are associated to stress-induced obesity) and distinguish any patterns of fat distribution, fitness professionals can utilize a waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) measurement or waist circumference measurement. The WHR is the circumference of the waist divided by the circumference of the hips. The waist measurement is at the narrowest part of the torso between the ribs and iliac crest. The hip measurement is around the buttocks at its maximum posterior extension.

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips: The significance of cortisol in stress management

Finally professionals should ensure that their clients are aware of the links between stress and abdominal obesity. Cortisol is a necessary hormone that is responsible for fuel regulation and is released while exercising, eating, awakening, and psychosocial stress. However, if there is too much cortisol in circulation, abdominal obesity can develop. This type of central obesity is linked to developing cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and cerebrovascular disease. An effective and regular exercise and stress management program may be a key to reducing and or preventing stress-induced obesity.

Cortisol Connection and weight management tips: The role stress play in weight complications

 

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The significance of cortisol in stress management

September 18, 2015

The significance of cortisol in stress management: Tips on managing stress

The significance of cortisol in stress management

The significance of cortisol in stress management is a step in the right direction

Understanding the significance of cortisol in stress management is one very important element that we all need to appreciate if we want to meaningfully defeat some of the health complications that are associated with stress and addiction. In this tough economic situation a lot of publications are posted in various media and forums with very luring information about certain remedies of stress. Doctor Dalal Akoury a well-respected addiction professional says that in today’s market, there are several commercials that tout the effectiveness of supplements like Cortislim ™ and Relacore ™ that propose to help people lose weight and feel less stressed by inhibiting the effects of cortisol. However, these commercials do not necessarily give you the fully inform you need to know about some of the following and including:

  • What stress is all about and its significance to the overall physiological functioning?
  • The actual pathways involved with the stress response and the one responsible for cortisol release.
  • The function and importance of cortisol for bodily function.
  • The potential link between cortisol and obesity.
  • The potential link between stress, cortisol, and appetite.
  • The harmful health effects of stress-induced obesity.

We are therefore going to engage the services of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center to help us in unlocking some of the potential facts we need to know about the role of cortisol in stress management. Therefore the purpose of this article is to primarily give some clarifications about some misconceptions on these topics and to suggest some practical assessment and stress management ideas for the fitness professional and personal trainer to incorporate with students and clients.

The significance of cortisol in stress management: What is stress and its significance to physiological functioning?

As we progress into the discussion, it is important that we move from the known to the unknown and it is to say, stress can be defined as the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it or as any event in which environmental demands, internal demands, or both tax or exceed the adaptive resources of an individual, social system or tissue system. Doctor Akoury is saying that in many different societies today, stress is a common term that is often associated with negative situations and settings and on the other hand a stress-free life may also be harmful, primarily because an individual will lose his/her ability to react to the different challenges of life. It is important to note that every person has an optimal positive stress level known as eustress, while on the other hand stress that is harmful is noted to be distress.

The significance of cortisol in stress management: Stress response pathways

The reactions of people to stressors are normally different in many ways. Like for instance, if an individual perceives the stressor as a challenge to his/her control of a situation, norepinephrine the “fight” hormone is predominantly released. And, if the stress arousal increases and a possible loss of control is felt by the individual, then epinephrine, another “flight/anxiety” hormone is released. It therefore means that when the stress is prolonged and seen as hopeless, the individual becomes more distressed and feels defeated. This then activates the hypothalamus in the brain and what follows is a cascade of hormonal pathways resulting in the final release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex of the kidney.

Experts’ at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center says that the brain is able to selectively activate the fight, flight, or defeat responses. This usually occurs in day to day living when an individual perceives his/her hassles as a challenge to control or a loss of control. Although the stress pathways work together, they each can uniquely affect the function of bodily processes. For instance, the “fight” or “flight” stress responses cause the heart to beat faster and harder as well as release more free fatty acids (disassembled triglycerides) into the blood. The “defeat” response stress pathway can lead to enhanced lipogenesis (fat creation), visceral obesity (deep abdominal obesity), breakdown of tissues, and suppression of the immune system. All these give us all the reasons to bring stress to manageable levels soonest.

The significance of cortisol in stress management: Useful stress management tips for fitness professional to apply

Fortunately, fitness professional are already doing many physical activities to help their clients manage stress. Many types of aerobic and anaerobic exercise have been shown to be effective interventions in reducing or managing stress. Some of the popular ‘mindful’ exercise programs such as yoga and Tai Chi (or Tai Chi Chaun) are also recommended for stress management. Meditation, progressive relaxation, deep breathing, and visualization are methods that can be effective in decreasing stress-induced symptoms. Also, eating right and getting enough rest should be incorporated in a stress management plan for life.

In conclusion, doctor Akoury says that it is always important to appreciate that stress will always be a part of our daily living and is necessary for providing challenge to physiological and psychological development. However, too much stress over a period of time combined with poor coping habits may cause physical, chemical, and hormonal imbalances in the body, thus leading to disease and death if left unchecked. The pathways of the stress response are complex and may activate other hormonal pathways, resulting in the release of cortisol. The chronic release of cortisol combined with altered tissue production is linked to the development of abdominal obesity in both men and women. Cortisol is associated to overeating, craving high caloric fatty and sugary foods, and relocating fat from the circulation and storage depots to the deep internal abdominal area. It is therefore very crucial that all fitness professionals must continually educate their clients and the general public about the value of exercise and stress management activities as important strategies for managing stress and lessening the health risks associated with stress-induced obesity. Finally if you are not flowing with us well in this discussion and you need a more close one on one discussion with our team of experts, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for further professional guidance.

The significance of cortisol in stress management: Tips on managing stress

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