OnFitness Magazine - March/April 2020 - 24

CROP

CROP

TRIM

TRIM

W W W. O N F I T N E S S M A G . C O M | V O L 2 0 N O 5 | 2 0 2 0 2 4

Longevity
your digestive process
slows down.
The adrenal glands
enlarge and begin to
secrete large quantities of
adrenal cortical hormones.
These hormones suppress
inflammatory responses
and mobilize the body's
energy reserves. It's like
putting your body on red
alert diverting all of its
resources toward survival.
Your body's natural
healing mechanisms are
scaled back because
healing diverts energy that
is needed for immediate
use. With the immune
system suppressed, the
glycogen stores in the liver and muscle
tissue are mobilized to raise the blood
sugar level while digestion is slowed.
Problems with cortisol
Cortisol is a hormone that is produced in
the adrenal cortex. Cortisol plays an
important role in regulating blood sugar,
managing energy production, dealing with
inflammation and maintaining the immune
system. Too little cortisol can cause
chronic fatigue, exhaustion and Addison's
disease, a disease of the endocrine system.
Too much cortisol may cause weight
gain. Since its role is to provide energy to
the body, cortisol can cause an increase in
appetite which may lead to overeating.
Also, elevated cortisol levels have been
found to cause fat to be deposited in the
abdominal region. Other problems of
excessive cortisol include immune system
failure, accelerated aging, and stomach
ulcers.
During the fight or flight response of
the sympathetic nervous system, cortisol
levels are elevated as a reaction to the
stress of the situation. It is very important
to understand that the adrenal glands of
your body are not concerned with the type
of stress that triggers the release of
cortisol. Any kind of stress will do. It can
be physical, environmental, chemical or
imaginary. The origin of the stress is
irrelevant; the human brain is simply
hardwired to protect your body from
whatever threatens it.
Here's where the problem lies
The fight or flight response worked very
well in the distant past when humans were
dealing with creatures that wanted to eat
us for dinner. But as the human race has
ascended to the top of the food chain,
those dangers have eased.
Unfortunately, the fast pace of life and
the frenetic energy modern society calls
forth keep all of us in a state of constant
stimulation. The stress that this creates as
we battle traffic jams, stand in line at the

post office and watch rapidly flickering
images on TV, all produce the same
physiological responses as having to run
for your life.
The sympathetic nervous system kicks
in and cortisol is released. Since these
stimuli don't stop or go away, your body is
left with chronically high levels of cortisol
for long periods. If you are dealing with
stress daily, it is quite probable that your
sympathetic nervous system is in a
constant state of stimulation.
Most of us today realize that stress is a
principal cause of many of the health
problems in our society. Even Western
medicine seems finally ready to agree.
The best way to deal with stress is by
changing behavior patterns and altering
the situations we put ourselves in. The
interesting thing about stress is that it
feeds on itself.
Proper breathing
We all know that the hardest thing to do is
relax when stressed. However, if we can
start with something as basic as breathing,
we create an opportunity to gather and
pull things together and deal with stress
effectively.
Proper breathing is one of the most
important and often overlooked, tools
available to deal with stress. Most people
simply never learned to breathe properly.
As a result, they breathe in very shallow
gasps, only using the top part of their
lungs.
Sadly, this brings in only enough
oxygen to keep the body functioning at a
minimum level. When we breathe in, we
take in oxygen which is converted to
energy. This energy is distributed
throughout your body via the circulatory
system. Shallow breathing does not
provide enough oxygen and energy for
your body to counter the demands of a
high-pressure lifestyle.
Effective breathing begins in the
abdomen, by expanding your belly as you
breathe in, and contracting it as you

breathe out. It simply
allows you to take a
deeper breath, bringing in
more oxygen and energy.
Teaching yourself this
simple method will have
an immediate impact.
Once you grasp the
concept, the practice can
take place at any time, in
bed or in a traffic jam. It
takes a short time and very
little effort, yet the benefits
are enormous.
The rhythmic
expansion and contraction
of muscles used in
breathing help with the
circulation of blood
through your body, which
improves muscle elasticity. Also, the deep
rhythmic expansion and contraction of
your diaphragm and muscles around your
lungs not only enhance their strength but
massages your body's internal organs.
Begin with an understanding of the
difference between shallow breathing and
deep abdominal breathing.
Lie down on your back and place your
hands on your abdomen. Practice breathing
by expanding your abdominal muscles
outward as they inhale. You should hold
your breath for a moment and then contract
your abdominal muscles as you exhale. At
first, you may have a little difficulty with
this, but you'll get the hang of it.
Once you have the basic idea, stand up
and go through some simple breathing
exercises by raising and lowering your
arms while breathing with your abdomen.
As you continue your work, insert a
few moments of breathing exercises at
regular intervals before, during and after
your training sessions. Understand that
regular practice of conscious breathing can
help you manage stress levels and ease
your sympathetic nervous system's
domination.
Learning to breathe better can bring
dramatic results in a relatively short time.
Paying attention to breathing stimulates
self-awareness, and you will begin to
notice how your body is feeling and
reacting to the way you are living.
By understanding that deep, relaxed
breathing stimulates the parasympathetic
nervous system, which decreases blood
pressure, slows the heartbeat and allows
the digestive process to function properly,
anyone can begin to get their life under
control.
As your system relaxes, your adrenal
glands regulate the amount of cortisol
being secreted. In this manner, by simply
learning to breathe and relax, you can
release tension and even be able to lose fat.
Instilling effective breathing techniques will
give you a tool for stress relief and weight
loss that will bring immediate results. Z

TRIM

TRIM

CROP

CROP
http://WWW.ONFITNESSMAG.COM
OnFitness Magazine - March/April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OnFitness Magazine - March/April 2020
