Posts Tagged ‘cortisol’
Running, Recovery Time and the Cortisol Effect
Up until a few years ago, I had been an avid runner. I had run consistently since high school. During some periods of my life I ran for time, at other times I would run for distance. As I grew older (I am 45 now) I started noticing a few things about myself and other runners that I would see on my routes.
First of all, I noticed that my conditioning didn’t really change as my runs changed. For example, I would go through periods where I would run 3 miles in a session and I would go through times where I would run 5 or 6 miles in a session. I never really noticed any change in my body fat during periods in which the frequency and distance of my runs would increase.
Secondly, I am a creature of habit. I would run the same routes at the same times and see the same people also running for their health and fitness. People who were running farther than me and faster than me often appeared to be in worse shape than I was in – at least in the way they looked.
I have stated this in blog posts before that I am not particularly vain about the way I look, however, if I am going to put the effort in I like to see the benefits of my labor. As it turns out, when we run too much, with too little recovery time, we can experience a variety of joint pains such as back pain, knee pain, ankle pain, etc and what has been termed the “Cortisol Effect”.
The Cortisol Effect is negative hormonal response to stress. In addition to causing achy joints, it can also cause body fat to be deposited around your midsection. These effects of cortisol are completely antagonistic to the reasons why we run. I have never met a runner who runs with the intention of creating joint pain and a propensity for depositing fat around their midsections.
In order to get more out of running as an exercise, you should rotate running with other exercise routines such as yoga, bike riding swimming, etc. Rotating different types of exercise will keep your body from adapting and help prevent injuries from repetition.
Finally, change the intensity levels of your runs – wind sprints give incredible conditioning, burn lots of calories and will give you explosive power that you won’t get from running a 10K.
Your’s In Good Health
Dr. Jones
(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com
Stress, Cortisol, Belly Fat and Your Health
The other day I was talking to one of my patients about the negative effects of stress on our bodies and the impact of a hormone called cortisol. She had seen that commercial for that weight loss product that they plug on TV that links belly fat to excessive levels of cortisol.
I explained to her that cortisol is a hormone that is produce by the adrenal glands when we are stressed. Cortisol is a good hormone that is secreted for specific situations in order to help your body respond to stress. The problems that we run into with cortisol are due to prolonged exposure to this hormone. Long-term high levels of cortisol are found in many people today because of the pressures of work, family and other stresses.
Long term cortisol exposure can produce the following negative effects on your body:
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sluggish immune system
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high blood pressure
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insulin resistance which can lead to diabetes
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fatigue
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headaches
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increase in belly fat
Cortisol has been shown to increase belly fat. It is that connection that we are concerned with in this post. Belly fat has been linked to many serious diseases including:
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heart disease
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gall bladder disease
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certain cancers
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osteoarthritis
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diabetes
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asthma
Belly fat is loaded with cortisol receptors, in fact it has four times more cortisol receptors than other type of body fat. When we get stressed, we secret cortisol which causes our bodies to store fat. Since belly fat has a high percentage of cortisol receptors, it is mobilized for fat storage.
Putting an end to this cycle involves a lifestyle change. At my San Diego Chiropractic Clinic we encourage stress reduction through exercise and stretching (yoga), nutritional support and chiropractic care to relax muscles, restore full range of motion of your joints and restore your health. Reducing stress will reduce your cortisol levels leading to less belly fat and a healthier lifestyle.
Your’s In Good Health
Dr. Jones
(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com