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Microblog: Acute Stress vs. Chronic Stress

Microblog: Acute Stress vs. Chronic Stress

Our bodies are designed to handle acute stressors not chronic stressors. When we are constantly stressed out, our health takes a hit.⠀

🥴Chronic stress not only puts you in a constant flight or fight state which then impacts your ability to properly digest and absorb anything, the hormones to manage stress takes priority over other functions in the body.⠀

🤕We hear that stress causes us to gain weight.⠀

💣Increased cortisol in circulation INITIATES fat deposits in fat tissue, thus weight gain is common with excess cortisol. Yes, the cortisol that’s increased by 100% with just one day of sleep deprivation.⠀

💦Cortisol is a stress hormone from the adrenals and two of its primary functions is to anti-stress and anti-inflame. Yes, it causes the body to SUPPRESS the immune system and stop responding to a stimulus. (hello cortisone, prednisone).⠀

🩸Cortisol also STIMULATES the breakdown of protein and INHIBITS protein synthesis. Then the amino acids in muscle tissues (and from consumed proteins) can be used to create sugar via gluconeogenesis.⠀

🏃🏻‍♀️Makes sense. We need energy to run from the bear. Nowadays most of our stress is PERCEIVED while sitting in our office chairs and from eating too many processed carbs and seed oils. Yes, even inflammation from foods can increase cortisol.⠀

📖In one study, they found that cortisol increases visceral fat (fat around organs) NOT the subcutaneous fat that you can pinch. If you have a layer of fat that hides your abs, don’t blame that on stress. But its visceral fat that is associated with heart disease, metabolic disease and insulin resistance.⠀

💡PS. I did a bit of research on suet. There are no known benefits over beef muscle fat. No need to seek out suet unless you’re cooking at higher temps. For nutrient dense fats, bone marrow is ideal.⠀

🔬This study also talks about how the HPA axis is hypersensitive and that sex hormones and growth hormone are INHIBITIED in obesity, specifically with high visceral fat. Yet we keep overstimulating the HPA axis to have elevated secretions of cortisol, low sex hormones and low GH. Think exogenous hormone creams will solve the problem?

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