We hear a lot about cortisol, the “stress hormone” the thing that makes us fat when we are working too hard or eating too little, but what do we know for sure about this often talked about hormone? Well actually cortisol is the “anti-stress-hormone” and the body needs it to maintain important processes during extended periods of stress. The problem occurs when our bodies produce too much of the hormone. This is when we have an increased appetite (often for comfort foods; I.e. junk food) poor blood sugar regulation, and excessive fat storage. That’s right, even with the perfect caloric budget, good food choices and exercise, too much cortisol will make it impossible to lose weight. So how do we control this important chemical? First, get enough sleep. Not enough quality sleep and our bodies react by pumping a ton of cortisol into our blood. Second, rest and recover from your workouts. In other words: do not over train! Yes training is fun, but reaching fitness course is even more fun. So train and train hard, but not six days a week. It simply doesn’t does not work. Recovery is where the changes happen. Training intensity will provoke the positive physiological changes we want, but during recovery is where they actually happen. Third, cut back on, or quit caffeine. Sorry, but 200 mg of caffeine can increase blood cortisol levels by 30% in just one hour. What else can we do to keep high cortisol away? Take vitamin C. At least 3 g a day. Take L glutamine. Two little L glutamine and cortisol spikes. It will help with recovery. Take chromium. It reduces cortisol it helps lower cholesterol. Season generously with ginger and cayenne. These spices help reduce stress, which helps control cortisol. Take be vitamins. B5 helps regulate cortisol when you are under stress. B6 helps regulate serotonin and norepinephrine, both of which affect mental stability, mood, and the ability to cope with stress. P7 helps with the processing of carbohydrates. B12 promotes healthy nervous system function. Reference cortisol SmackDown! (2019, January 23). bodybuilding.com /fun/Gill3. HTM

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