Facilitating a Healthy Environment

You know that blobby stuff that hangs out over your pants known as the Muffin top. Yeah that stuff is hard to get off as you get older – no matter the exercise. No dieting or cleanser is going to rid of that excess belly fat, which is contributed from cortisol until you start incorporating a healthy environment into your lifestyle.

“Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which sit atop the kidneys. The hormone has earned the nickname ‘the stress hormone,’ because it's released as the body's natural response to stress. Cortisol can be helpful on the short term, but chronic stress can cause the adrenal glands to become overworked and this oftentimes leads to a medical condition, known as adrenal fatigue” (http://www.bodylogicmd.com/hormones-for-women/cortisol).  

Symptoms of cortisol imbalance in women (http://www.bodylogicmd.com/hormones-for-women/cortisol):

•Fatigue

 •Depression

 •Weight gain

 •Bone and muscle loss

 •Foggy thinking

 •Anxiety

 •Irritability

Cortisol can also lead to weight gain such as, belly fat. Additional weight can start to appear as we get older, for many reasons; however, one significant reason is due to stress, which can be brought on by worrying or over extending your mental and physical capacity (http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/why-anxiety-and-stress-might-be-causing-your-weight-gain.html). We as women must remember that we are not Super Woman; our mind and bodies can only do so much within a 24-hour span of the day and part of those 24-hours should be donated to sleep. Just like we plan our weekly or daily schedule, we must also facilitate a healthy environment around our schedule. This means, avoiding negativity. Ask yourself this simple question, “How will ______ (fill in the blank) enhance my lively hood and the well being of my family or personal relationships with others?” This question does not only apply to things, but people as well. You may not be able to avoid negative people your entire life because you will run in to them everywhere you go, but you can choose how you will respond to them. You can allow them to upset you or you can choose not to dignify their ignorance with a response. Sometimes, not saying anything, can be saying a whole lot.

Be mindful of the people you keep company, the things you watch on T.V., the music you listen to, the things you read, and the places you go. All of these impact your mental and physical being. Your mind and body is like a sponge, it absorbs whatever you put into it. So just remember, what goes in must come out and I don’t know of any woman who enjoys sporting a Muffin Top.

XOXO,

Jay