Smaller than a walnut, no heavier than a grape…affects every function in our bodies. What? Your Adrenal Glands! Unsung hero of our bodies.

Your adrenal glands sit atop your kidneys and orchestrate your whole metabolism.  Little gland with a huge role.  These powerful little hormone producing glands manufacture and secrete almost 50 different hormones, including steroid hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, aldosterone, and the precursors to estrogen and testosterone that are absolutely essential to our health and vitality.

Protective: the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant adrenal hormones like cortisol helps to minimize negative and allergic reactions, such as swelling and inflammation, to alcohol, drugs, foods, environmental allergens, and stress.

Let’s look more closely at one of those hormones: cortisol – a life sustaining adrenal hormone that influences, regulates or modulates:

• Blood sugar levels
• Fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism
• Immune responses
• Anti-inflammatory actions
• Blood pressure
• Heart and blood vessel tone and contraction
• Central nervous system activation

Too Much Cortisol for extended periods?

Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol – with chronic stress for example – can have negative effects:

• elevated levels of inflammation in your body (can lead to chronic illness)
• foggy brain
• decreased bone density
• sleep disruption
• hypertension
• decreased immune function
• slow wound healing
• increased abdominal fat
• a condition called “adrenal fatigue”

Want to learn more?