Category: Health and well-being
other hormones
Leticia Trejo is a yoga teacher and personal trainer. Photo: file.
Author: Leticia Trejo.
Last week I wrote a column in total stress, my computer died and when trying to buy a new bank blocked my card; I was stunned that I couldn’t deliver my text on time; There were several details that increased the production of the hormone cortisol in my body.
Luckily, I have enough funds to prevent the damaging effects of stress hormones on my body, otherwise I would have lost sleep that day, or perhaps I would have had a headache, heartburn, and intolerance to other emerging problems. day.
We tend to think that cortisol is the only hormone that kicks in when we’re stressed, but it’s not, adrenaline is also released. Both cortisol and adrenaline are designed to activate stored energy in the muscles to respond to an emergency, so heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate increase.
Thanks to this system, mankind has survived for years in real catastrophic situations, such as pandemics, wars, famines and natural disasters. Unfortunately, these same systems are activated by imaginary emergencies or minimal situations, which means that these two wonderful hormones are overproduced, and that constant and prolonged stress is undoubtedly harmful to the body. Here are some of the symptoms:
exhaustion
Change in metabolic rate (excessive weight gain or weight loss for no apparent reason)
Hypertension
ulcers
Low testosterone in men (erectile dysfunction)
Irregular menstrual cycle in women
Lowered immune system (greater chance of infectious diseases)
Depression
Anxiety
Sleep disorders
addictions
obsessive-compulsive behavior
I mentioned at the beginning that I have several tools to regulate my natural response to stress that we can all use. The reality is that we live under stress, so the production of cortisol and adrenaline is best done in situations that are worth it; we are all comfortable that there are challenges in life that take us out of our comfort zone, that encourage us to grow, mature, and learn from the lessons that these situations give us, and if we are aware and present in connection with our body, we can help you. deal with stress in a positive way, because very often at such moments our mind wants to run away and avoid, and it will do this through habits that harm us, then we no longer harm ourselves only because of the stress of the situation, but also with those “solutions” that only weaken us.
Taking a relaxing bath, listening to soothing music, meditating, doing meditation exercises, giving ourselves time to enjoy artistic activities, spending time with our loved ones and reflecting are some of the most common tools. Indeed, find something or a few for yourself and don’t let them go unless it’s necessary in order to get out of your comfort zone and develop your great human potential.
