Hello all and Happy Sunday.
For some this may be the end of your shorter programme. How did it go? If you are stopping on the “food” side, do keep reading the daily posts, as there may well be something coming up that is relevant to you!
For the rest of us, we´ve a week or so remaining and then we can always jump back in post Easter for a quick few days clean up 😉
I hope that many are seeing and/or feeling the rewards of some healthier living.
I am interested to know what changes you feel have had the biggest impact upon your health so far. Let me know!
Today is a quick look at the link between prolonged period of the stress hormone, cortisol and liver health.
Liver congestion and gallstone links with too much stress
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is usually secreted just before you wake up in the morning so you feel refreshed and energised for the day ahead. We need it in regulated amounts!
As many know stress perception plays a huge role in disease in the modern world.
With stress comes the release of cortisol, beneficial in small amounts over a short period, but with negative effects if the “stress” in ongoing and creates inflammation which ultimately can progress to a multitude of health issues due to overactivation of the brain to adrenal axis.
Cortisol, is released with stress/stimulant intake. This is part of the automatic compensatory effort of the adrenal glands to help the body deal with “stress”. A consequence of too much “stress” is increased risk of fatty liver that can eventually lead to liver congestion or a sluggish liver.
Unfortunately, this is seldom considered as a possible risk because symptoms of liver dysfunction have yet to surface in early stages of adrenal overstimulation, where most sufferers remain free of symptoms. While they may be tired and unable to work at peak performance, this is compensated by taking in caffeine drinks and sugary foods as sources of energy.
The underlying insult to the liver because of stress induced adrenal tiredness (fatigue) and resulting high cortisol, continues unless the stressors are removed. If left, the liver workload increases and liver function is marginalised. Breakdown of metabolic products slows, resulting in sluggish liver or stagnation. Like a clogged water pipe, excess input will only create a backlog and spillover at the source.
Weak liver function and resulting congestion leads to a rise in the level of internal toxins, as toxic metabolites remain unprocessed and unable to be broken down into less harmful metabolic byproducts for excretion out of the body.
