Stress and Belly Fat - A Connection With Deadly Diseases

There are many reasons why you may be struggling with stress and belly fat. One major contributor to belly fat: Anxiety. You must, therefore, get stress management. In an earlier article, discussed how to tame your stress using some simple (okay, not that simple, but worthy of trying) measures. In this one, dig deep to learn exactly what stress is and what it does to your body and mind.

In short, stress causes the body to release what is called cortisol, a hormone that contributes to belly fat storage. Cortisol gets its name from the Latin word for fear, which is Latin for "fear". When you are stressed, your brain sends a message to the cortisol receptors in your body. They interpret this as a threat, a signal that they need to put on guard. This means that you release the hormone cortisol, and things get worse.

Cortisol slows your metabolism, that's what it does. It slows down your rate of burning off calories and it also increases your after-meal insulin response. Insulin is a hormone that supplies extra glucose to cells. When your after-meal insulin spikes, it contributes to fat storage. As you can see, stress definitely contributes to extra glucose in your blood, which is the reason why people who are under stress tend to have higher levels of insulin throughout the day.

Sugar also gets affected by stress. When you are stressed, your brain releases extra amounts of the hormone referred to as norepinephrine. This hormone helps you feel good. In short, it makes you want more food and it pushes your body to store more fat in your belly for later use. Sugar is the end product of the process mentioned above.

What happens if you don't get enough carbohydrates in your diet? If you don't get enough carbs, then your blood sugar levels will stay high. In general, high blood sugar levels are associated with obesity. Therefore, the more carbohydrates you eat, the better off you'll be in keeping your weight in check.

One great way to counter stress and its repercussions is to make sure you are getting enough quality sleep every night. Sleep aids are fine for a quick pick-me-up during the day, but they should only be used when you need them. For one thing, most sleeping pills tend to contain alcohol in them. Alcohol causes you to be more stressed out, which in turn causes more cortisol to be released into your body. Also, alcohol affects your REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is vital for your long-term health. So, the more you're stressed out, the more alcohol you need to raise your blood sugar levels to counteract the stress!

Finally, one of the best ways to counter stress and its attendant weight gain is to practice some stress relief techniques. For instance, if you've been really stressed out, try some deep breathing. The benefits of deep breathing are well documented; in fact, many people say that it can help to calm the body down. And, because stress has a way of building up in your muscles, you can take deep breathing classes and learn how to control your breathing to help you lose weight.

While the above may sound like simple tips that can be easily overlooked, it doesn't take long to recognize that eating right can play a huge role in your ability to stay healthy. That's why it is critical that you make healthy lifestyle choices such as eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly. When your body is functioning well, it can more efficiently use nutrients and boost its own immune system to fight off illness. So, the next time that you realize that you're gaining belly fat and you don't have a real solution, give some of these tips a try.