Monday, July 2, 2007

De-stress

Current Weight: 221 lbs.
Body Fat: 29.9%
Change 16: Reduce Stress Pt. 1

Heightened stress in your life increases the hormone Cortisol in your body. Cortisol plays an important role in regulating blood sugar, energy production, inflammation, the immune system and healing. Cortisol has been linked to many health problems, including weight gain.

While I don't condone surgical procedures to fix lifestyle choices, a recent study has shown that an injection that blocks a stress produced chemical, neuropeptide Y2 receptor (Y2R), reduced the unhealthy belly fat of mice by 40%.

So now that we know how negative stress can be, what do we do to reduce it? A first step to reducing stress is to get a good night's rest, which I've mentioned before. You can think clearer, and react to situations better when well rested.

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