AIM-ing For Better Health: A 3-Step Process To Shift You From Surviving To Thriving
Life shifts.
We all experience shifts in life: some minor, some major, and some global (#yikes, 2020 and beyond). These shifts occur in varying degrees of acuteness and difficulty, and in varying degrees of in-or-out of our control.
In the middle of these life shifts, you also experience hormonal shifts that happen “behind the scenes” in your body. These hormonal shifts - which can be affected by your environment, current state of health, diet and lifestyle choices, stress levels, and other factors - can positively or negatively influence your physical and mental health and your ability to effectively embrace and manage those other LIFE shifts.
That’s why our mission is what it is: to empower individuals (meaning: YOU) to take ownership of and accountability for your own health and wellbeing so that you can have the best experience in body, mind, and life. We want you to AIM for optimal health - for the purpose of living an optimal life.
The Cortisol Catch: Stress, Weight Gain, & Your Way Out
Are your worries working their way to your waistline? Is your panic adding pounds? Then let’s 👏 talk 👏 about 👏 CORTISOL! 👏
Cortisol - commonly called the “stress” hormone - is a steroid hormone produced in and released by your adrenal glands. It’s involved in MANY biological processes, including regulating metabolism, blood sugar, and blood pressure; reducing inflammation; controlling your sleep-wake cycle; and even assisting with memory and moderating mood. However, it’s most famous for its starring role in your body’s stress response.
Cortisol is your lifeline in fight-or-flight moments. When life tosses you into a stress-filled moment, Cortisol is there, springing into action. Think “fight or flight”: a saber-toothed tiger pounces your way, triggering the release of Cortisol (and other hormones) to help you respond quickly and effectively to the threat. It quickens your pulse, heightens your senses, and primes your muscles with glucose: the ultimate fuel for a swift response to danger. This is all part of a primal reaction, an evolutionary masterpiece that's been keeping us safe since our cave-dwelling days.
Cortisol works FOR you when its circulating at optimal levels in your body . . . but too much or too little of it in your system, especially for prolonged periods of time, can lead to a host of mental and physical health issues.