Source: ezinearticles.com
Are you stuck in the Myth of More trap? Do you suffer from high cortisol levels from chronic stress in your life. Read on to learn more about the Myth of More and how it is contributing unhealthy high cortisol levels in your body.
The Myth of More
As an American I was born with many of the creature comforts of living in a first world country. Many that we take for granted, running water, hot water, excess choice of foods year round, health care readily available, automobiles for easy transportation, heated and air conditioned homes, television, cable, backyards, dishwashers, washer and dryers, I could go on and on. Recently I have been asking myself how much is enough?
Paradox of choice
This is an interesting quandary, because being human we constantly are looking for the next greatest thing, whether it be a home, gadget, car, form of entertainment, etc. We are constantly wanting more. Is this a natural human tendency or is it our culture? I am not sure if there is a clear answer to this question. From my experience, I find that as an American we are constantly bombarded with marketing messages, that play to emotions and create a feeling that we "need" something to make us feel adequate or complete. Unless you are extremely enlightened, most of us generally buy into the mainstream marketing messages that are fed to us. This is the paradox of choice. It is had been scientifically proven that even through we think we want more choices, in reality our brain cannot process as well when we have too many choices and a natural state of discontent is created. Which leads to high levels of cortisol being release into your system.
The Rat Race
We are caught up in the Myth of More. Which is a never ending rat race of constantly buying more things to help us fill a void somewhere in our lives. The more stuff we accumulate, the more things we have to maintain or pay someone to maintain, the more we have to keep track of our things, the more energetically draining life can become. On top of that with a majority of households becoming dependent on dual incomes to maintain a certain standard of living. The household duties generally fall upon the woman in most cases, by the time the woman gets home from a long, tiring day, the last thing she can focus on making sure the house is clean and in order. She is lucky to get a hot meal on the table for her family rather than stopping by to pick up fast or packaged/processed foods.
So how does the Myth of More relate to High Cortisol Levels?
High cortisol levels are created from our bodies responding to stressful situations. Generally you body goes into a fight or flight mode when it is in a life threatening situation, such as you are being chased by a tiger. But in modern day society we deal with daily stressors, such as work, family, deadlines, traffic, bills and environmental toxin exposure. This stress causes high cortisol levels and cortisol elevated to unhealthy levels. If this cortisol is not burned quickly from activity (such as running from a tiger). It gets absorbed into your blood stream, which leads to a chronically elevated cortisol levels. Which over time can lead to chronic fatigue, hormone imbalances, diabetes, high blood pressure, stubborn weight gain, and many other chronic health conditions.
How to you ensure you maintain normal cortisol levels?
This is not an easy answer as each of our bodies are unique in their own way. Following are some general tips.
1) Adopt a Healthy, Balanced Diet We are exposed daily to both environmental and food toxins through the food we eat. Our body must work hard to digest hormones, pesticides, antibiotic residues, pharmaceutical drugs and if you are like many all the food and environmental toxins that your body sees as an allergen. Get a food allergy test to find out what you are allergic to and avoid those foods. Eat more proteins, veggies and ruit, last minute air deals, that is low in sugar. Adopt a "caveman" mentality when you eat. Basically if it didn't come naturally from the Earth, is in a box, can or plastic most likely you should avoid it.
2) Cleanse your Body! Remove all the food and environmental toxins either daily or at least once a month. We are exposed to both environmental toxins and food byproducts, such as hormones, pesticides and antibiotic residues. The body must work hard to digest these foreign substances. The liver and kidneys are the main functioning organs that breakdown these toxic chemicals in your body and over time get bogged down and sluggish, which is why it is important to cleanse at least once a year.
3) Supplementation In today's nutrient depleted world, it is essential that everyone take supplements. I was amazed to find that I was completely vitamin D deficient considering I don't wear sunscreen every day and get 20-30 minute of direct sunlight on average per day. I discovered that I had the vitamin D levels of a malnourished child in a third world country. Don't waste your money, go see a Naturopathic Physician so they can get you tested and determine the best course of supplementation for you.
4) Simplify your surroundings and reduce your stress levels Try to reduce your consumption, for a full month don't buy anything new, other than the absolute essentials such as food, toiletries etc. This was a movement that started in 2005 from a group of individuals in San Francisco and has gained worldwide momentum. Start doing yoga or meditating. Find time for yourself.
5) Rest This is something that is highly undervalued in our society today, but one of the most valuable things you can do for you body and health. Try to get 8 hours of sleep per night and try to go to bed around the same time every night so you start to train your body. If you can take naps in the day.
Sharon Hwang M.A., is the owner of The Wellness Center, located inside Whole Foods in Colorado, http://www.wellnessdenver.com She is a pioneer in the health and wellness industry and has been working in the industry for over 10 years. She has a Masters in Counseling, and has a passion for helping people live better, happier lives. She is working on her newest website http://www.adrenal-failure.com a website devoted to helping people manage their stress levels. She is a professional public speaker, entrepreneur, and wellness coach. She currently lives in Denver.
