CORTISOL AND TUMMY FAT
Cortisol is a hormone produced and released when the body experiences a state of stress. It equips the body to deal with the situation. Long ago, stress was predominantly a physical demand on the body. These day we also enter states of mental and emotional stress. When stress is purely cognitive and we’re in no way needing to overcome a physical threat, the body still makes and releases cortisol in the same way believing it is under attack.
As cortisol increases, an increase in insulin is stimulated in order to provide the energy needed to challenge the stressor.
The longer this goes on the more havoc it plays on and in the body. One of these side effects is the build up of body fat in the abdominal area, partly due to the overload on the adrenal glands.
As the cortisol and insulin build up in the bloodstream they create an enzyme that encourages the storage of fat that might be needed for energy in the future. We’re also more inclined to eat more when we’re stressed and of course most of the time, this build up of insulin and calories doesn’t get used, so the body stores the fat as a storage of energy.
The more stress we experience, the more potential stress the body prepares for in the future. Thus ensuring we have the energy we need to physically battle the demands of trouble in the sense of fight or flight. Ironically the occurrence of belly fat adds with it it’s own emotional and mental stress. No wonder we so often find ourselves on this emotional merry-go-round finding it hard to get off!
This requires a gradual, mindful process to reverse the habit of feeling stress within the body in relation to a mental or emotional challenge. By rationalising the situation we’re in we can make a plan to eliminate or mitigate the stressor and move right past it.
With such busy, packed lives it is so important to give yourself time to think. Time to plan and organise helps us keep on top of the flow and balances out the fast pace noise with relaxed, quiet, healing moments.
Chose time for you. Take time to stop, think and feel. The change you can create with your mind alone is quite remarkable and can be completely healing. Know all is ok and will be ok. Give your body a chance to recover and feel safe. Take away the threats that we create with our own thoughts. Be kind.