She is frequently called the Hormone Fairy Godmother.
The truth is, we need cortisol.
Too-high levels arent good for health, but neither are too-low levels.
Its the Goldilocks effect.
But both hormone experts say cortisol levels can certainly dip too low.
Cortisol is a fight-or-flight hormone thats outputted in times of stress or inflammation, Dunn says.
Lacey Dunn is a functional medicine dietitian who specializes in hormone and gut health. She is frequently called the “Hormone Fairy Godmother.”
This can lead to both chronically high cortisol levels or chronically low cortisol levels, she says.
Many of the symptoms of low cortisol are the same symptoms of high cortisol.
This includes experiencing atraumatic brain injury,post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia.
This includes the below:
1.
But Dunn says that craving sugary or salty snacks can be a sign of low cortisol.
Dizziness when you stand up too quickly
Headaches and feeling dizzy canboth be symptoms of low cortisol levels.
This is especially true if you stand up too quickly.
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
Can you guess why this might be?
Lacey Dunn is a functional medicine dietitian who specializes in hormone and gut health. She is frequently called the “Hormone Fairy Godmother.”
Yep, low energy and low blood flow yet again.
Blood flow is important for your muscles to work properly.
Heres what they recommend to anyone experiencing low cortisol levels:
1.
She explains that when you are getting good sleep, cortisol levels peak within 30 minutes of waking up.
That peak sets off all your other hormones, including your thyroid and estrogen.
We can measure this officially as the cortisol awakening response, a sign of a healthy stress response.
When someone doesnt get good sleep, she says that it muddles this awakening response.
That can disrupt the tango between estrogen and progesterone.
This is why getting consistently good sleep is important for bringing balance back to cortisol levels.
This is one instance where you want to go for the herb, not the candy.
Otherwise, the added sugar in your licorice would cancel out the balance-restoring benefits.
Prioritize self-care
Many of us were forced to over-function over the past year.
The effect of that stress is measurable, Dr. Gottfried says.
Then, you could work together and start putting some solutions in place.
After all, this is a medical condition that has implementable solutions.
Cortisol, like any hormone, isnt good or bad, it justis, Dr. Gottfried says.
Like most things in life, it all comes down to balance.
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