The Cortisol Connundrum

Stress takes it’s toll on our bodies. 

Even when we don't think it does. 

I tend to be a person who "gets things done". I tend to push myself sometimes beyond where balance can be maintained. I like to think of my "go getter" attitude as a positive thing. My body, however, has often stopped me in my tracks way before I even consciously realize that I may be overwhelmed. Interestingly, I think that is true for all of us...it's just a matter of learning to listen to the signals our bodies give us when we have bitten off more than we can chew, so to speak.

This last year for me was indeed a little stressful. After finding what I thought was the PERFECT space for my new yoga studio I was forced to wait for an ENTIRE YEAR to actually get the keys to the space as the former tenants experienced legal difficulties with their own business which delayed them vacating my new studio. So - for literally most of this last 10 months I waited....and waited....and waited....unable to move forward with renovations and unsure whether this was really going to happen or not. I kept advertising and preparing what I could but there were numerous problems that arose. Finally when keys were in hand, renovations began one full year after I had initially paid my first deposit on the building. That, in and of itself, was a whole other adventure. Between faulty electrical, numerous leaks, unhelpful landlords, unreliable workers (one of which who was retained a couple thousand dollars to begin work and then....disappeared....literally), and a VERY old building that needed ALOT of work...Things were challenging. Exciting, yes. But very challenging, and very expensive.

During all of this my body started to show interesting signs of stress overload. I experienced significant weight gain even though nothing much changed in my diet. Plus - weird aches & pains that, at times, were quite debilitating. Not to mention significant digestive and abdominal discomfort that often has made eating not so much fun. 

When we are stressed our body produces an abundance of Cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone produced when our natural ‘Fight or Flight’ response is triggered. Small amounts of cortisol can be helpful in helping us deal with stresses that arise in life. However, for true balance and healing our body’s Relaxation Response also has to have a chance to kick-in following a stressful event so that the body’s functions can return to normal. Unfortunately in our fast paced society, this isn’t always happening. Especially if you are in a time where your stress is happening over a longer term. As we become busier and busier and try harder to just 'get things done' we spend less and less time allowing our bodies to relax and reset. This often results in states of chronic stress which leads to a host of physiological problems including the ones mentioned above as well as: diminished thyroid function, increased inflammation in the body, digestive disturbances, anxiety, weight gain, sleep problems, hormonal imbalances, increase in “bad” cholesterol, blood sugar imbalances and a real decrease in immune function and sometimes even bone density…among other things. Prolonged periods of stress may also cause the body to react differently to those things which you would normally not even give a second thought to. Injuries may pop out of nowhere as your body continues to show signs of depletion and try to get you to slow down or relax.

Stress really is at the root of many health problems!

In order to keep cortisol levels healthy and in control the relaxation response needs to be activated regularly. A regular yoga practice can help tremendously with this. So can learning relaxation and meditation techniques to help slow yourself down and consciously begin to take time to allow your body to rest and heal.

As a Yoga Teacher...I know all of this. But as a Yoga Studio Owner who is now in the public eye every day, and managing the growing pains of a brand new business,  it becomes interesting to go through my own process in front of everyone. It's humbling. Yet, as Yoga Teachers it is soooo  important to practice what we teach. We are human, just like everyone else. And - the body never lies. It's incapable of doing so. 

So if you, too, are working through a challenging period in your life. It's important to try to balance things by incorporating simple routines that help to balance your nervous system. Here's a few simple suggestions: 

-Take a walk each day and focus on breathing deeply some fresh air into your lungs.

-Enroll in a yoga class and use that time to relax and focus on something other than your stress. 

-Start a nap practice. Seriously. Even if you don't feel "tired", take 20-30 minutes every single day to lie down, turn off your phone, and rest. Even if you don't fall asleep - your body will sense that it is now being given some time to rebalance. And that is exactly what it will do. Try to maintain this for 21 days and see how much better you feel after!

-Go easy on the caffeine and the alcohol. Even though it seems like a good idea at the time it is just a "quick fix" that can actually do much more harm than good.

-When you catch yourself feeling anxious or overwhelmed: start to slow your breathing down to a steady count of 4 or 5 for each breath. Mentally suggest to yourself "All is well. Out of this situation only good will come." Repeat this for about 10 breaths.

And finally - count your blessings. Even in the bleakest moments there is always, always, always something to be grateful for.

Heather's Guided Relaxation Meditation Cd: Click here to purchase...

Detox Yoga

At The Village Yogi, here in Fonthill, we have a Sunday morning class known as the "Detox Flow". Pretty much ALL yoga is cleansing and detoxifying. But on Sundays, stepping on to your mat at the end of the weekend, with the intention of "Releasing all of that which no longer serves me" can be pretty powerful. Moving through a class centered around creating space, rinsing out the internal organs, and releasing any accumulated toxins or tensions from the week is such an awesome way to start a Sunday.

With many postures in the practice involving twisting, folding forward to compress the belly, and resting with the head below the heart (as in Downward Dog, Standing Forward Bends, Shoulderstand, etc), we encourage an increase in circulation throughout the body and move fluid to our filtering lymph nodes. The result is clarity of mind, more effective digestion as we help to move things along, and a gentle release of stress, fear, and sadness.... among many other things.

The body's natural state is health. Your body's job is to constantly eliminate what isn't necessary. When we come to really respect and acknowledge that, there is a deeper reverence for ourselves and a more intimate relationship with our bodies that often leads us towards making cleaner, healthier choices with what we put into our mouths, and also what we allow in our daily experience. When we begin our practice with a powerful intention such as "Even if nothing changed, my body is perfect - exactly as it is." we begin to remove the inner critic and make healthier choices...naturally. Instead of hating that extra weight we've gained (or lost), or feeling angry towards our body for the pain/injury that's forcing us to slow down - we honor it. We lovingly accept and pay attention to it, learning to nurture ourselves back to health. From there the body falls into place effortlessly. When we begin focusing on a compassionate respectful attitude toward ourselves, food cravings begin to subside, and the need to numb and escape lessens as well! Simply because now you are starting to get the right kind of nurturing. Now, you are focusing on yourself with admiration and compassion instead of shame or anger at the way your body is at the moment.

Aside from just the physical aspect of the practice, Detox Yoga can also start in motion a cleansing on the energetic/emotional levels as well. Truth is: your body is built to move. It wants to be active. Gentle consistent movement, regular exercise that encourages perspiration and deeper breathing naturally assists in clearing toxins. Especially emotional ones. Sometimes, when one has been avoiding exercise for whatever reason, getting active again feels somewhat agitating. Almost as if all that stagnant stress, worry, anger, resentment that's been keeping us slothing on the couch with a bottle of red - starts to get all conjured up! I've witnessed it (and experienced it) many times. This, is where a calm detached perspective becomes essential. This is why, at the end of each yoga class, we practice a full complete relaxation in Savasana....to cultivate that ability to detach from any mental chatter or that feeling of alarm as stuck emotions begin to flow again.

This Sunday, for instance, after teaching the Detox class I experienced my own little cleansing. Within an hour of finishing class I met with friends for brunch. Instead of hydrating, or choosing a gentle herbal tea, I followed the pack and ordered a Caesar. Almost instantly after my first sip I knew it wasn't a good idea. The result? Brunch came back up in a not-so-gentle way and I landed in bed for a couple of hours feeling pretty ill. Once I awoke - the rest of the evening was spent feeling weepy, cloudy and generally dis-combobulated as all my own stagnant stresses from this last year started to flow.

Your yoga practice will be Detoxifying. It's just the nature of the practice.
Help yourself along by hydrating adequately before and after class. Pay attention to the foods you fuel yourself with. Take time after each class to let the effects of the practice settle. Learn to be kind and gentle with yourself as you begin to dig deeper and get to know your body in a different way. And finally - watch the tendency to push too hard.

Practice. Be consistent. Be loving and respectful of yourself. Hydrate. Rinse. Repeat.