In our conversations about achieving and maintaining a healthy weight we frequently cover the importance of exercise, eating the foods right for you, portion control, and optimizing fat burning. Here we want to look at the role stress plays in weight gain.
We have likely all heard the term “stress eating.” But did you know it is a real thing? There is an actual physiologic response to stress that can contribute to unhealthy overconsumption.
When our stress levels are high, aka we are in fight or flight mode, our central nervous system directs our adrenal glands to release stress hormones like cortisol. Too much cortisol suppresses your digestive, immune, and reproductive responses. When you have more cortisol in your system, you may also crave more fatty, salty, and sugary foods that can upset the glucose/insulin balance and ultimately lead to weight gain. Excess cortisol slows the body’s metabolism, including thyroid gland function, making it even harder to manage weight.
The botanical ingredients in PERQUE Adreno Distress Guard support the central nervous system (rhodiola) and the adrenal glands (magnolia and phellodendron) effectively so that the body is better able to handle stress, preventing undue cortisol surges and maintaining a healthy glucose-insulin balance. An added benefit of supporting healthy adrenal function can be a much-desired assistance with weight management.
Stress eating is only one of the signals your body may be sending to let you know stress is taking its toll. Your answers to these questions may reveal an opportunity to better support your adrenal health.
- Do you tend to gain weight and have difficulty losing it, especially around your waist?
- Do you frequently get the flu or other respiratory diseases and/or do your symptoms tend to last longer than usual?
- Has your sex drive declined?
- Would you say you have poor memory?
- Do you lack energy in the mornings and in the afternoon between 3 to 5 pm?
- Do you promptly feel better for a brief period after a meal?
- Do you rely on coffee or other stimulants to ‘get going’?
- Do you have an unexplained pain in the upper back or neck?
- Do you crave salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese?
- Do you sweat more than usual?
- Do you get irritable quickly?
- Do you have an uncontrollable urge to eat at times?
- Do you feel physically better when stress is relieved, such as on a vacation?
- For women, have your PMS symptoms increased?
- For women, do you have irregular periods with fluctuating flow?
If you answer yes to at least 5 of the questions above, you might want to consider supplementation to support your adrenal health. Answering yes to 10 or more suggests adrenal stress/fatigue/insufficiency and the need for adrenal support.
Read our previous posts to learn more about adrenal health and how PERQUE Adreno Distress Guard can be a valuable tool in support of healthy adrenal function.
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