03/29/2026
Chronic stress isn’t just “in your head” — it’s deeply affecting your body.
Let's talk about STRESS! What's your favorite stress reducing activity?
Below is some information about why we need to care about stress.
Cortisol, our main stress hormone, is essential for survival. It helps us respond to challenges, stay alert, and manage energy. But when stress becomes constant, cortisol stays elevated — and that’s where problems begin.
Over time, excess cortisol becomes catabolic, meaning it breaks the body down instead of building it up. It works against anabolic hormones like testosterone and DHEA, which are responsible for repair and growth.
Chronic high cortisol can:
• Suppress key hormones like growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and reproductive hormones
• Disrupt thyroid function by reducing the conversion of T4 to active T3
• Increase blood sugar while interfering with insulin in muscles
• Promote fat storage — especially around the abdomen (visceral fat)
• Weaken bones by inhibiting bone-building activity
• Dysregulate the immune system
This is how ongoing stress can contribute to fatigue, weight gain, hormone imbalance, and increased disease risk.
Bottom line:
Short-term stress helps you survive. Chronic stress slowly breaks you down.
Managing stress isn’t a luxury — it’s a key part of protecting your long-term health.
