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Stress and adrenal health

The human body is not built to deal with the continuous stressors
we encounter in modern life. Chronic stress puts a tremendous

strain on the adrenal glands.

The tiny adrenal glands produce a
hormonal cascade during a fight-

or-flight situation. This means
that if you are being chased by
a wild animal, your adrenals will
kick in to help manage the life-

threatening stress.

The adrenal glands respond to stress by releasing the hormone
cortisol, aka the “stress hormone.” Unfortunately, our adrenal

glands do not know the difference between a real emergency and
everyday stress. If we stay constantly wound up, our cortisol levels
stay elevated and become less and less sensitive to the regulatory
mechanism.

Problems with cortisol

When cortisol levels are continuously elevated, digestion, sleep,
immune function, and the body’s ability to produce other necessary

hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and thyroid
hormone, may become impaired.

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