From relieving fatigue to maintaining a well-balanced diet, health care is one of the most common New Year's resolutions and it may very well be probably on your resolutions, again. If you have tried many things from daily routine ideas to supplements that are said to be good for health, but failed or didn't see any changes from those, you must first find the root cause. However, it is certainly not easy to know where to start, or how. Rumors, hearsay, and ads via algorithm only make it more difficult.

Is there any working adult who lives a stress-free life? Roughly speaking, hormones control all the processes in the body, and stress is very closely associated with hormones, which affect our body. When we are in good, physical condition, hormones can buffer against stress and help us quickly recover from it. But when we are under too much stress or when stress becomes chronic, things change. Hormones overprotect the body, which leads to the development of some bad side effects.

One of the good examples is cortisol. Cortisol, at balanced levels, protects overall health. It is involved in many processes in our body including stress, inflammatory response, regulation of blood glucose, interaction with neurotransmitter, lipolysis, and immune response. But when cortisol levels elevate due to too much stress, it can cause problems. The stress is perceived as a threat, which in turn inhibits lipolysis to secure more energy. What this means is that fat remains even though you work out and cut calories. Plus, it leads to inflammation, such as skin breakouts and adult acne.

Also referred to as the stress hormone, cortisol is released from our adrenal glands. Adrenal glands are small triangular-shaped glands located on top of both kidneys. Healthy adrenal glands produce exact, balanced levels of steroid hormones to help our body respond to different, changing situations. A test showed that animals sank rapidly and died, after their adrenal glands were removed. This implies that hormones from the adrenal glands help us live long and healthy.

However, repeated exposure to physical, emotional, and psychological stress disrupts our body's natural hormone balance. This causes mental problems, including fear, anxiety, depression, mood swings and torpor, and it also affects memory and concentration. When it worsens, it leads to serious health issues, such as respiratory infection, allergic reaction, rhinitis, asthma, routine colds, muscular pain, chronic fatigue, hypoglycemia, diabetes, autoimmune disorder, and alcohol use disorder (AUD).

As said earlier, cortisol buffers against stress. It's like a car bumper that absorbs impacts from outside to prevent serious damage. Cortisol is released when we are exposed to physical and psychological stress as it protects the cells in the body. It is usually highest in the morning, gradually tapers off through the day and is at its lowest around midnight. Plus, thanks to this proper cortisol circadian rhythm, we can cope with stress. If you have chronic fatigue syndrome, you'd better get to bed before 11 p.m. Remember, elevated cortisol levels resulting from too much stress can worsen torpor, and depression. It can even cause weight gain!

Take good care of the adrenal glands and that's the key to hormone balance. Though very small, the adrenal glands are important as they produce cortisol, which helps regulate many bodily functions including the body's response to stress, energy, and digestive metabolism. Make note of good adrenal support nutrients and take those when you are extremely tired and stressed out, and it will help you stay in good condition.

Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5 is also known as pantothenic acid, and it helps with the production of hormones in the adrenal glands. It also helps prevent viral infection, regulate cholesterol levels, and relieve fatigue. Low levels of vitamin B5 cause fatigue, decreased appetite, burning feet and loss of hair. Foods high in vitamin B5 include beans, potatoes, mushrooms, meat (particularly, liver) and yeast.

Magnesium

Magnesium is essential for the metabolism of adrenal hormones, and energy production. If you often get cramps, pain in your legs, or feel depressed, magnesium can help you. Milk, brown rice, fish, and beans are good sources of magnesium.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is needed to regulate elevated cortisol levels that have resulted from prolonged exposure to stress. It is present in most types of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Omega 3

Blue-backed fish, salmon and nuts are high in essential fatty acids, EPA, DHA, and linolenic acid, which help reduce inflammation and pain. They also help with the working of adrenal hormones.

Adrenal hormones are not only hormones associated with health, particularly weight and stress; there are more. Hormones are chemical messengers in our body. As we use language or gestures to communicate, our body uses hormones to send signals for communication between cells. If hormones do not work properly or become imbalanced, it can cause serious health issues.

Don't simply rely on products known to be healthful. Check your stress levels and how you cope with stress. If you think, you are vulnerable to stress, you should first take good care of your adrenal glands through a healthy diet and daily routine, and get extra support from supplements!