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Prevent
yourself from the rapid onset of aging!
In this
article, we will look at a huge contributing factor to the aging
process. What can it inform us about the aging process and can it
give us any hints on how to slow the ravage that time has on our
health? The factor that we will learn more about today is cortisol,
which is a hormone in control of a large number of the vital
ongoing functions of our body. When levels of cortisol are too low
or too high, the process of aging begins to accelerate.
The
Adrenal Gland
The adrenal
glands are responsible for cortisol secretion, and the adrenal
glands are located above the kidneys. These glands are known for
receiving the highest rates of blood flow among all of the other
tissues of the body. Also, the adrenal glands contain the highest
levels of Vitamin C: more than any other bodily tissues!
Both
adrenals are made up of two different functional parts. The outside
part, which is known as the cortex, releases hormone types of
adenal steroids such as aldosterone, DHEA (precursor to sex
hormones), and cortisol. The inner part, known as the medulla,
releases adrenalin and norepinephrine. These last two hormones,
also referred to as catecholamines, are well known as the
€œflight/fight€ hormones.
The
Significance of the Adrenal Circadian Rhythm
The adrenal
glands do not release their steroidal hormones at a balanced rate
throughout the day. Steroidal hormones are secreted in a cyclical
manner. The highest rate of secretion is early in the day and the
lowest level of secretion occurs at night. This daily cycle is
referred to as the circadian rhythm. An abnormal circadian rhythm
that causes adrenal hormones to be released in a suboptimal fashion
can lead to negative effects upon numerous vital functions of the
body, among which are immune system health and the production of
sufficient levels of energy.
Production of Energy
Adrenal
function which is abnormal can negatively affect the ability of
your cells to make energy to perform the normal tasks of life.
People who have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, have
slumps of energy as they go through their day, or are simply just
always exhausted often have undiagnosed abnormal rhythms of adrenal
hormone.
Joint/Muscle Function
Insufficient levels of adrenal hormone and abnormal rhythms have a
negative effect upon the normal healing of tissue. This impairment
of the ability to repair muscle contributes to a higher incidence
of tissue breakdown which eventually leads to joint and muscle
injury or to chronic pain. It has been realized for a long time
that taking too many steroids can lead to weakened hip muscles and
shoulder girdle muscles. What is not quite so obvious is that the
opposite idea is also true: bad posture (like sitting too much),
also lead to weak shoulder and hip muscles. This promotes an
excessive secretion of cortisol and catecholamines. But why? The
Neanderthal-like position, where the hips and shoulders of flexed,
is similar to the Fight/Flight response that a person assumes when
fighting or running. This flexion position causes the body to
secrete cortisol and catecholamines. Notice that there is a key
focus in martial arts of keeping the spine straight, warding off
the artificial energy boost that the catecholamines create.
Another
aside in this discussion about rapid aging: the jutted chin
position also leads to quicker aging, of the cognitive faculties in
particular. When one's chin is positioned forward, or when the head
is positioned in a downward tilt, spinal cord signals start to
terminate midbrain; this form of short-circuiting that does not
reach the cortex creates a mental state more conducive to reflexive
responses that aid the fight/flight mechanism.
However,
when the head is upright, impulses travel along the spinal cord and
send messages to the brain to formulate proteins in the gray matter
cells. If the signal is blocked from the cortex, then this
stimulative effect does not occur and proteins in the brain start
to dissipate. As they do, the negative charges held by the protein
dissipate as well. As these negative charges fade, the brain cells
become less negative, and as they reach action potential they may
begin to fire off randomly. These uncontrolled neuron firings can
cause seizures, pain, spasms, and tics.
...also,
the jutted chin position tends to bring about quicker aging, of the
cognitive faculties in particular.
As the
cells of the brain slowly lose proteins, they begin to atrophy and
shrink. This atrophy happens every day that the cells do not
receive spinal cord stimulus. Essentially, this means that if you
do not use your brain, you start to lose your brain. Martial arts
regimens which involve total body contortion and movement also are
beneficial to the brain for this reason. If one fails to move a
particular muscle or joint, the corresponding cellular protein will
begin to atrophy and become less functional. This also lends
evidence to the efficacy of the chiropractic and osteopathic art of
vertebrae mobilization, which will allow the vertebrae to move with
more freedom.
Bone
Health
Adrenal
rhythm also determines an individual's ability to build up their
bones. If nighttime cortisol levels remain high and morning levels
do not come back to normal, bones do not heal very well, and the
process of osteoporosis can occur even when one takes calcium
supplements. In fact, higher levels of cortisol lead to the
leaching of calcium from the bone which eventually causes bone
demineralization. Consuming supplements of calcium during abnormal
cortisol rhythms often produces no results and can sometimes even
have harmful effects if leached bone calcium is deposited in an
improper location.
Immune
health and Cortisol Levels
High levels
of cortisol inhibit the immune system. It also suppresses the
immune reactions of the mucous membranes located across the body.
High levels of cortisol lead to fewer surface antibodies on the
mucous membranes, which are known as secretory IgAa. These SigAa
assist the immune system by filtering viruses, bacteria, toxins,
and plasmids. Then high levels of cortisol lead to a weakening of
the defense mechanisms of the serosal and mucosal membranes, people
are more likely to suffer from issues like earaches, pink eye,
bronchitis, chronic coughing, sore throat, coughing, ulcers of the
stomach, inflammation of the gallbladder, duodenal ulcers, vaginal
infections, acid reflux, and bladder and kidney infections.
Study:
A girl we
will name "Cynthia" went to see six doctors in the last month. She
had received prescription for antibacterial eye drops from an
ophthalmologist, cream to resolve her vaginal itching and burning
from her gynecologist, cough medicine from her general
practitioner, and H-2 blocker to medicate stomach acid build-up
from a gastroenterologist. She had also been prescribed an
antibiotic to alleviate her sinus infection from an ear, nose, and
throat doctor, and finally she had gone to a rapid care clinic to
acquire another antibiotic to sooth her experience of burning
urination and alleviate the pressure upon her bladder. When she
came to us, we told her that every one of her symtoms could be
categorized as an irritation of the mucous membrane. After four
weeks of corrective measures to resolve her incorrect cortisol
levels and rhythm using herbs and diet, Cynthia had no more issues
with any of her mucous membranes. She used herbs and diet
successfully as natural alternatives to hormone replacement
therapy.
Low
Cortisol and Its Effect Upon the Immune System
Low
cortisol has the opposite effect upon the immune system. Low levels
of cortisol lead to over-response of the immune system. The immune
system becomes way too aggressive and begins to attack not only
antagonistic orgasms, but it also begins to develop reactions to
benign agents of the environment. It can also begin to attack
endogenous systems as well, hindering our body's ability to
function properly. Autoimmune disorders like Rheumatoid arthritis,
Sjorgrens syndrome (mucosal and physiological lack of fluids), and
lupus can appear when one has low levels of cortisol.
Quality
of Sleep
Quality
cycles of REM sleep require low levels of cortisol during the nigh.
High levels create a disruption of REM sleep which causes sleep to
be less refreshing and restorative. It leaves a person feeling
fatigued and groggy as they awaken in the morning. Fatigue upon
waking is often misinterpreted by both doctor and patient as
biological depression. It this depression does not react to
medications that are directed toward norepinephrine and serotonin
metabolism, it may be time to consider evaluating levels of
nighttime
cortisol.
Study
2:
A dramatic
case of how a disrupted circadian rhythm can affect an individual
is vividly illustrated by the case of Melissa. She was a child who
confused parents and teachers because of the unpredictable extremes
of her behavior and the vast variations in her grades which ranged
from passing to failing even in the same subject. They thought
perhaps she was merely unmotivated, but psych testing showed that
she was an extraordinarily motivated girl. Everyone attempted to
make sense of her pattern of passing and failing grades, attempting
to attribute it to the personality or style of the teacher, the
gener of the teacher, or even a potential rebellious streak. Things
only became worse when she entered high school. Her parents told us
that it was incredibly difficult to rouse Melissa from bed in the
morning. When she did finally get up, she appeared lethargic and
incredibly irritable. The report card for her first semester of
math class showed that she was often late for class, always forgot
supplies, did not talk in class, and rarely turned in her homework.
Strangely though, a couple of weeks after the next semester began,
the instructor told her parents Melissa was among the smartest
mathematics students that the instructor had ever had the
opportunity to teach. Also, she seemed to love helping others that
had trouble with math. Did Melissa change classes? She did not. She
was working from the same textbook and taking instruction from the
same teacher. The difference was that her first semester class was
the first class of the day. She went to math class after lunch. In
the second semester, Melissa now took gym first thing in the
morning. The same issues began to appear. She was not
participating; she kept forgetting her uniform. A cortisol test
revealed that her morning levels of cortisol were only
½ of the amount the she required to be functional at
that time of the morning. A lot of adults that have those low
levels of cortisol are able to apply for disability because of
their inability to be functional when working. In Melissa's case,
being woken up and asked to get dressed was like awakening a normal
person at two in the morning and expecting them to be completely
functional. At noon, Melissa's level of cortisol was in a normal
range. Correction of her cortisol rhythm so that it peaked in the
morning and was at its lowest around midnight caused incredible
changes to develop in her performance, energy, and personality. By
the beginning of her sophomore year, she was going to meetings of
the student council before school officially even began.
For exactly
how long did Melissa suffer from a reversed cortisol rhythm? Her
mom and dad told us that she was an amazing baby. She would not
become irritable at night and did not want to go to bed at 8 like
other babies. She also would never be terribly unhappy in the
morning either, unlike her younger sister. It should be noted that
Melissa's mom worked third shift at a very high-stress job when she
was pregnant with her daughter. It is incredibly possible that
Melissa was born with her circadian cortisol rhythm out of
sync.
Regeneration of the Skin
The skin
undergoes regeneration mostly at night. High levels of cortisol
lead to skin the does not regenerate as effectively. A standard
cortisol rhythm is a requirement to maintain healthy skin. It is
especially important in preventing such conditions as acne in
adulthood.
People that
have skin conditions often have high levels of copper and low
levels of zinc. Excess levels of copper cause norepinephrine and
adrenalin to be synthesized from dopamine. Dopamine is the reward
chemical of the brain and is linked to good feelings and is active
during positive stimulus and is deprived through negative stimulus.
This elevated level of adrenaline normally leads to an increased
level of cortisol. Lower levels of dopamine increase risk of early
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's as well.
Skin
conditions like eczema are often correlated with intolerance to
gliaden, which is a compound found in gluten grains. This issue is
also made worse by the presence of high levels of copper.
Cortisol
and Thyroid Function
Cellular
levels of cortisol control the activation of the thyroid hormone.
Adrenal hormonal imbalance often leads to symptoms associated with
hypothyroidism like problems losing weight, decreased body
temperature, and fatigue. If Thyroid hormonal treatment only
results in temporary yet significant relief of hypothyroidism
symptoms, check your cortisol rhythm and levels.
Stress
and Gluten Intolerance.
In many
patients, the digestive develops inflammation within a half hour of
eating grains that contain gluten, such as rye, spelt, barley, and
oats. This intestinal response has been compared to have a sore
throat that was thirty feet long. We call this condition colic when
it occurs in infants. It is assumed that children eventually stop
being allergic to gluten. In reality, the body just learns to react
to this inflammation with a secretion of cortisol. In a lot of
patients, a biological substance that is similar to morphine is
also emitted in an effort to alleviate the inflammation and hide
the pain.
This substance is
then absorbed into the blood where it is transported up to the
brain. Here, it stimulates receptors for morphine and a person can
develop a physiological addiction to dairy and grain products that
produce the inflammatory response. If one watches the patterns of
behavior and symptoms of people who eat dairy and grain products,
he or she can take note of the wildly apparent up and down phases
of drug use and drug withdrawal. These similarities become even
more apparent when the individual attempts to stop eating gluten or
dairy.
High
Levels of Cortisol and Low Levels of Libido
When we use
up a lot of cortisol, we hinder our ability to produce other
hormones. To produce extra cortisol in the body to respond to
inflammation and pain, your body converts energy normally reserved
for the manufacture of sex hormones into the development of more
cortisol. Progesterone in particular is singled out for
cannibalization so that more cortisol can be manufactured.
This lower
level of progesterone causes us to have less progesterone than the
male hormone testosterone or the feminine hormone estrogen, and
this leads to issues of testosterone dominance and estrogen
dominance. Both of these issues are connected with a higher level
of aggression, violence, and irritability. Dominance of feminine
hormones can also lead to uterine fibroids(benign uterine tumors),
PMS, and higher risks for breast and uterine cancers, in addition
to clots and heavy flow. Deficiency of progesterone causes one to
be at greater risk for miscarriage.
The hormone
progesterone is also vitally essential to maintain testosterone so
that it does not transform into DHT (which is an essential male
hormone which can cause major issues when it is present in the body
in excess). Low levels of progesterone will eventually lead to low
levels of testosterone, balding, high levels DHT, prostate
enlargement and decreased libido.
Decreased
levels of testosterone and cortisol also can make migraines occur
more frequently.
What
Causes Imbalance of Cortisol?
Among the
factors and activities that increase levels of cortisol are:
1. Not
eating breakfast.
2. Missing
meals
3.
Consuming a greater value of carbs than proteins over the course of
five hours.
4. Being
positioned in a flexed or slouched posture in which the chin is
pushed forward.
5. Going to
sleep after 10 pm
6.
Undergoing emotional stress
7.
Experiencing pain
Increased
levels of cortisol and an enhanced flight/fight response are useful
adaptations when one experiences infrequent stress or brief bouts
of stress. The problem arises when one begins to experience chronic
stress and cortisol levels rise often and stay at elevated levels
for too long. When this occurs, precursor hormones begin to be used
up. After a long period of elevated cortisol, the body may lose its
ability to generate cortisol effectively. The experience of a low
level of cortisol is how our body makes us slow down. Beneficially,
low levels of cortisol can also have an effect on the aging
process, slowing down aging processes associated with high cortisol
levels. The problem is that low cortisol levels present a separate
list of processes which enhance the aging process, such as making
one more susceptible to diseases of the autoimmune system.
Means by
Which to Slow Down the Process of Aging:
Have
protein for breakfast by 8am and again every 5 waking hours.
Levels of
cortisol begin to climb after a person does not eat after five
hours. As we fast in our sleep, levels of cortisol rise until we
are stirred to rise from bed with energy. If an individual eats a
meal after 8pm, then the level of peak cortisol may occur later
than would be desirable, and easy rousing may become more
difficult. They will be more likely to feel tired when they wake up
and may find that they lack a proper functional level of energy
before much later in the day.
On the
other hand, if a person does not eat by 8am or so, the morning
level of cortisol continues to elevate and may leave the normal
range. When this occurs at any point in the day it becomes
difficult to bring cortisol back into a low range suitable for
rapid eye movement sleep. For this reason, fatigue tends to be
self-perpetuation.
Some people
who have a tendency to miss breakfast do it thoughtlessly as a
means to induce a brief bout of starvation so that cortisol is
secreted. Doing this elevates low levels of cortisol to normal. The
problem with this method is that starvation has the effect of
adrenalin stimulation, which also contributes to physical
deterioration.
Remember
that there will be interruptions to sleep is we do not have an
adequate store of glycogen to fuel the brain the whole night.
Stores of glycogen are restored after every incidence in which we
consume protein or eat a meal with a low glycemic index. Eating
protein in five hour intervals is crucial. Each time that we
neglect to eat a meal, stores of glycogen within the liver become
more depleted. This also occurs when we miss a meal or over-consume
carbohydrates during any period of five hours Habitual meal
skipping and the consumption of excess sugar and starch can lead to
sleep disruption. Among people who have totally eradicated their
glycogen supply in this manner, it may be necessary to consume a
small snack around time for bed for a number of days, or perhaps
weeks, until stores of glycogen in the liver are restored so that
the brain has enough nutrition to make it through the night.
There is a
lot of confusion over which foods boost stores of glycogen. This
confusion originated in the 70s when coaches commonly encouraged
athletes to load up on carbohydrates before they participated in
athletic events. In fact, one of the most common diet fads during
this era was to only consumer fruit before lunchtime. The practice
of consuming inadequate amounts of protein actually had the
opposite effect, leading to depletion of glycogen and contributing
to negative alterations of the cortisol rhythm. Hypotheses during
this era that foods that were highly glycemic would lead to
increased stores of glycogen were incorrect, and a whole generation
of dieters and athletes were plagued with exhaustion and fatigue in
consequence. There is still a belief in carbo-loading with effects
athletes and patients today.
Quickly
Control Pain
The
occurrence of pain is the single most significant thing that can
happen that spikes levels of cortisol in the body. One migraine can
lead secreted levels of cortisol to become elevated to multiple
times the normal baseline. It should be obvious that those who
suffer from chronic pain will quickly start to show symptoms and
signs that represent an excess of cortisol. Mental and physical
fatigue occur, patients gain weight around their middles, and
reports of muscle weakness abound (more weakness than is to be
expected from merely a lack of physical activity, alone). Quick
bruising, digestive complications, restless sleep, bloating, and a
higher instance of infections of the mucous membranes (bronchitis,
sinusitis, bladder infection, etc.) also occur. Chronic pain
sufferers can not find alleviation from these symptoms until their
pain is taken care of.
Fall
Asleep by Ten at Night
Ben
Franklin truly understood the importance of following the natural
rhythm of the body when he suggested that those who go to sleep
early and wake up early find themselves more wise, healthy, and
wealthy. An individual is more likely to feel refreshed after five
hours rest between ten pm and three a.m. than with five hours or
more of sleep that does not begin until three am.
Also,
remember that some beneficial functions of the immune system do not
begin until a person has rested for seven or more hours without
disruption. The immune system suffers when sleep deprivation takes
its toll.
Fix Your
Circadian Rhythm
After it
has been established that one's circadian rhythm has been
disrupted, there are multiple approaches to therapy that a patient
may choose. The goal of therapy regimens is to correct inopportune
elevations and depressions of cortisol during different periods of
the day. Herbal supplements can be of assistance, but they must be
used precisely and carefully. Deglycerinized licorice has the
effect of lowering cortisol, but whole root of licorice boosts
cortisol. The compound phosphorylated serine has the effect of
elevating depressed levels of IgA (which controls mucosal immunity)
back to baseline. It does this presumably through the lowering of
cortisol which leads to the suppression of SigA.
Taking
phosphorylated serine at 6 pm in an effort to lower elevated
nighttime cortisol can be the secret recipe to a perfect night of
sleep.
Elevated
Cortisol Today Leads to a Lack of Cortisol Later
There is an
unfortunate pattern that eventually leads to an imbalance of
cortisol later in life. Lifestyle patterns and choices today can
lead to prolonged or periodic high levels of cortisol. After a
period of time, the overspending of cortisol leads to a theft of
pregnenolone. This hormone is the progenitor hormone from which
cortisol and other sex hormones are created. When too much cortisol
is summoned, the body subverts pregnenolone from its standard
function creating testosterone, estrogen, and DHEA to manufacture
additional cortisol.
In every
single moment in our lives, we make decisions based on our posture,
bedtime, control of pain, and response to stress whether our bodies
will manufacture unhealthy stress hormones or vital sexual
hormones. If we choose stress, we choose to age more rapidly. If we
choose sexual hormones, we will feel younger and healthier.
When too
much cortisol is emitted, the speed of catabolism increases.
Catabolism is a function of the body which proceeds to break down
tissues in every area of the body. This effect dramatically
increases the speed of aging. Processes of catabolism weaken bone,
blood vessels, muscles, and ligaments. One of the cyclical effects
of catabolism is that it encourages bleeding, bone diseases, and
poor posture, which further stimulates cortisol production. Excess
levels of cortisol also contribute to glaucoma and cataracts and
can lead to dangerously high blood sugar, intraocular pressure, and
blood pressure. Secreting an excess level of cortisol also weakens
the skin which leads to thin skin, easily bruised skin, and skin
prone to stretch marks. High levels of cortisol at night disrupt
normal REM sleep and cause us to remain fatigued and groggy long
after we awaken.
Low levels
of cortisol has a negative effect too. Low levels of cortisol when
we awaken make it difficult to pop out of bed as we were meant to
do. Any time that cortisol lowers below baseline in any period of
the day it leads to a slump of energy.
It is not
uncommon for people to often unconsciously and sometimes
consciously seek an energy boost to produce an increase in the
level of active cortisol. Among activities that raise levels of
cortisol are consuming a starch or sugar carbohydrate snack,
skipping a meal, or undergoing an activity which elevates levels of
cortisol, included behaviors which are quite risky. We feel that
inappropriate behavior is often an adaptive measure which serves to
elevate levels of cortisol and adrenalin to a baseline or greater
state in order to make up for having cortisol levels that are too
low.
The problem
is that many of these tactics which lead to an elevated level of
cortisol cause us to produce too much cortisol and propagate an
imbalance.
Efforts to
correct abnormal cortisol levels and rhythms are quite
effective.
People
should be happy to find that belly fat, lethargy, and stretch marks
can all be alleviated when cortisol rhythms are corrected.
Irritation and/or infection of the mucous membranes can often be
resolved just by going by through these lifestyle changes:
1. Fall
asleep by ten pm.
2. Eat
protein by 7 am
3. Eat less
starch and sugar
4. Consume
meals that feature low glycemic index once every five hours. For
example, eat meals in which quick-digesting starches and sugars do
not exceed the mass of meats that are digested slowly such as eggs,
poultry, and fish. For better effects, entirely skip starches and
sugars (especially gluten grains) and choose vegetables that are
uncooked or lightly cooked.
5. If you
have a gluten intolerance avoid all grains. Give children grains of
sprouts to delay or avoid gluten intolerance.
6. Sustain
proper posture and do not sit or enter the flexion position for
prolonged periods of time.
7. Manage
pain.
8. Keep
your stress in check. (by following the initial seven rules it
should be much easier to accomplish guideline eight.)
Maintaining
a standard circadian rhythm will help you preserve precursors of
adrenalin and cortisol, leading to a marked delay of the process of
aging. Restoring a disrupted circadian rhythm to normal and
restoring reserves of adrenal hormones can encourage a reversal of
many issues that a patient may feel they will be plagued with for
the rest of their lives.
Article
comes from the NOHA NEWS, Volume 27, Number One
Winter
issue pages three to six.
Winter
2002, pages 3-6.
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