The Health Diva

When we are under stress, the body releases more insulin into the blood stream, to allow glucose out of your blood and into the cells, providing energy, in order to fuel muscles. But if you don’t need that energy (you don’t fight or flee) the default mechanism is to store the glucose as fat.

If the stress continues cortisol levels remain high, so the body triggers the breakdown of sugar stores in the liver and muscles to provide further fuel. This causes further insulin to be released deal with the extra blood glucose.

Overtime, the body simply can’t respond to insulin the same way it used to. You can become intolerant to insulin – or insulin resistant.

Long-term stress has been linked to the development of Syndrome X (a complex of signs and symptoms that includes glucose intolerance, increased triglycerides, low HDL “Good” cholesterol, insulin resistance, hypertension, central obesity, and accelerated atherosclerosis). These disorders reflect the effects of stresses that produce elevated cortisol levels. However, sometimes this phase is followed in time by a drop in cortisol levels to below normal, as the adrenals fatigue and are less able to respond to the stress.

All is not lost a balance of exercise and good healthy eating plan will soon get you back on tract.

For more information on diet and nutrient support, go to our syndrome X health page.

Higher nature has developed a formula called X factors (not to be confused with any TV talent shows), X factors combines nutrients such as Magnesium, Chromium, Zinc, Manganese, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, with the sugar regulating herbs, Fenugreek, Cinnamon and Liquorice, which as well as supporting the adrenal glands also help to balance the bodies response to insulin.