9 AM to 9 PM

Life is constantly moving whether we like it or not and with this constant flux there is a vulnerability to stress. I have always liked the "coincidence" that when you separate the word "DISEASE" you get "DIS-EASE" which essentially means under stress. Since I have just started 2 weeks of a 9-9 hospital schedule I thought it would be appropriate to review how stress will effect my metabolism as well as the tools I can use to avoid any long-term effects.

The primary hormones involved in the stress response are cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine. We all learned of the flight or fight response in high school, etc. but how often do we actually think of it in terms of our overall health. There are many situations that elicit an increase in these hormone levels, many of which are warranted, but if we are under constant stress these can have serious long-term effects. A few of the ramifications of a sustained elevation in cortisol include high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. A large component of these medical illnesses is based on the fact that cortisol increases our visceral fat (abdominal fat) which is much more harmful than peripheral fat (arms/legs).

A change in our daily routine can disrupt our usual nutritional intake. With my change in schedule for the next 2 weeks I will usually be busy and may not have much time to sit down and eat. In order to prevent acute elevations in my cortisol level I will need to plan appropriately to keep my metabolism in check. This is similar to when we are traveling or running for work, etc.

Long periods of time without eating essentially creates stress for our body. We have discussed the hormones ghrelin (stomach growling hormone) and leptin (I'm full hormone) in previous posts and it is important to eat frequent/small meals to keep these balanced. Additionally, when our blood sugar drops due to not eating we get a surge in the production of our fight or flight hormones. Studies have shown that both humans and animals with elevated cortisol levels prefer to consume foods high in sugar and fat which is what we have talked about avoiding in excess. Therefore, by having a well thought out plan prior to potential stress induced schedules we can make an impact on our health. For example, by bringing a bag of almonds (good source of energy) or packing a healthy lunch (rice cracker with hummus or hard boiled eggs) for the day we can be prepared to eat quickly if needed. It will be beneficial to think of a few fall back meal menus that we can rely on throughout the week.

There are countless means to reduce stress but I think that has to be an individual decision. It is kind of like a doctor recommending diet and exercise, it is not that much help without details and a good plan. Activities such as breathing exercises, aerobic/anaerobic exercise (jogging/weight lifting), hobbies, etc. are all good options. Try these out and see how they work for you.

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