There is no wonder why hormones are among the most vital chemical in the body. In childhood, they play a role in getting us past the short stage. In our teen years, they are the driving force behind puberty. And in a woman's older years, it can literally, redefine your existence. No matter what age…if hormones get out of whack….all hell can break lose! Hormones are what regulate our metabolism and can determine how fast we age. So there is a crucial interest in keeping those hormones under control and balanced.
Since hormones play such an important role in how we look and feel, we need to avoid anything that could disrupt that balance. Especially as we get the older....because those hormone levels begin to decline. Sex hormones, growth hormones, and even the hormones that affect our metabolism begin to rapidly decrease.
There is one hormone, however that increases with age. Cortisol…it enables our internal systems to maintain stability and balance during acute forms of stress. When it is needed the body produces it in quantities necessary to combat that stress. However a big problem arises when Cortisol is present for long periods of time in high quantities. In fact it can be toxic! When present at high levels it cause brain cells to die. An abundant amount of Cortisol in our system can destroy the immune system, cause sagging skin, decrease muscle mass, and shrink your brain and other vital organs. In fact in the anti aging community Cortisol it is associated with old age and disease. When cortisol levels increase so does your blood sugar, which cause inflammation. All of this is then the result of rapid aging and increases fat storage as well.
The way we live is of course is necessary to eliminating this problem. What you eat, how you eat, when you eat, and other lifestyle elements such as sleep, stress, and exercise are the key to keeping you and your body balanced.
