Could Cortisol be the Reason for your Weight Gain?

Cortisol is a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. It is produced by the adrenal glands, and is released when the body is under stress. The sudden release of cortisol sends your body into fight-or-flight mode and may interrupt your regular bodily functions, including causing your metabolism to slow dramatically.

Properly regulated, cortisol is necessary to the healthy function of your body; however, excess amounts of cortisol can be dangerous and even harmful to your body. Regular hormone assessments at a Tucson weight loss and wellness spa like WildBerryMD can help you stay on top of your body’s cortisol production.

How does Excess Cortisol Contribute to Weight Gain, Fatigue, and Stress?

1. Slows Metabolism – As cortisol stimulates your fat and carbohydrate metabolism, your body will experience a sudden surge of energy. This may be essential for a survival situation, but if it is cause by plain old stress, it can be very taxing for your body. Your metabolism will slow down, thus decreasing how many calories your body burns.
2. Increases Appetite – An excess of cortisol will also increase your appetite, making you more likely to stress eat or indulge in food cravings. Your body may also produce less testosterone, making you more likely to want to sit and eat rather than get up an exercise.
3. Body Stores More Fat – The long-term stress on your body cause by excess cortisol can cause your body to store more fat, particularly around the abdomen or waist area. This pattern of excess fat storage has been linked to higher risks of cardiovascular disease.
4. Causes Fatigue & Affects Sleep Patterns – Chronic levels of increased cortisol can actually impair communication between the body’s immune system and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. The HPA axis regulates digestion, the immune system, mood, and energy. Long-term stress of this system may cause your body to have trouble regulating your energy levels, making you feel chronically tired. Unfortunately, the excess of cortisol will also make you feel constantly stressed, making it difficult to sleep.
5. Affects Mood – As your cortisol levels rise with stress, your mood will also become more erratic and stressed out. Excessive cortisol can also cause depression, which can be regulated and eliminated once a doctor normalizes your cortisol levels.
6. Weakens Immune System – High cortisol levels alter your body’s immune system response and eventually weaken your immune system overall. People who experience increased stress and higher than normal cortisol levels have fewer cells to fight infections and illnesses.

Managing your body’s natural Cortisol levels is very easy with the right medical tools and lifestyle.

At WildBerryMD, we can help you get your cortisol levels optimized. We specialize in wellness and weight loss tools in Tucson, and offer a variety of health-centered treatments and educational opportunities for those interested in regulating their hormone levels and appetite so that they can reach their weight loss goals. Among the ways that WildBerryMD can help you regulate your body’s natural cortisol levels to maintain your health and assist in weight loss are:

1. Balancing your blood sugar and insulin resistance. WildBerryMD has the natural and prescription medications to help you control your cravings.
2. Eating whole foods and maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet. WildBerryMD has daily meal plans with recipes and tracking to achieve your goals.
3. Creating the right exercise program that balances your cardio and muscles and stretching.
4. Managing stress using hormone therapy, meditation, energy healing, and joyful living.
5. Incorporating the right adaptogenic supplement to manage your adrenals including Ashwagandha, ginger, and Rhodiola root.
6. Getting blood work on your thyroid and cortisol levels and getting a medical consult on the optimization of your thyroid and adrenals.

If you’re concerned that your body is producing too much cortisol and that your weight, mood, and sleep habits are being affected, the experts at WildBerryMD in Tucson are standing by to help.

Our highly specialized team of doctors, coaches, and nutritionists can provide hormone assessments, hormone therapy, and nutritional & lifestyle coaching that will help jump start your weight loss journey while dramatically improving your mood and outlook. Follow WildBerryMD on Facebook and Instagram for more information, or call us at (520) 762-1557 to set up a consultation.