Summary: <p>Let’s talk about stress and cortisol. I’ve seen many people get on the right track with their diet and exercise—but they're still stuck in fight-or-flight mode. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Being in fight-or-flight mode, having elevated cortisol and adrenaline, for a long period isn’t healthy. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Chronic stress has been known to negatively affect the body in many ways, including: </p> <p> • Shrinking your grey matter</p> <p> • Shrinking your thymus gland</p> <p> • Creating muscle atrophy </p> <p> • Decreasing testosterone </p> <p> • Running the body on sugar (even when you’re not eating sugar)</p> <p> • Disrupting healthy digestion</p> <p> • Reducing quality sleep </p> <p><br></p> <p>Chronic worry and stress can also lead to ulcers, inflammation, and disease.</p> <p><br></p> <p>An interesting study measured 39 people’s cortisol levels before and after a 45-minute art therapy session. This study found a significant reduction of cortisol in participants.</p> <p><br></p> <p>I have found that hobbies are a fantastic way to stop the fixation on stress and move your attention to something more positive.</p> <p><br></p> <p>DATA:</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5004743/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...</a></p> <p><br></p>
