| iv id="body"> | | | | do know that physical exercise is a great stress |
| It's true, stress can make you fat. It's because of | | | | reliever. But what they don't know is that most |
| a hormone called cortisol. This hormone is always | | | | traditional forms of exercise such as running, |
| present in your body, but your body secretes it | | | | walking and jogging and aerobics classes only |
| at higher levels when it's under stress. Cortisol has | | | | serve to help reduce the body's physical effects |
| positive effects on when it's secreted in small | | | | of stress. To get the full benefits of physical and |
| amounts - it gives you bursts of energy, | | | | mental stress reduction, people need to find |
| increases memory function and lowers pain | | | | activities that work their bodies and minds. |
| sensitivity. However, when secreted I larger | | | | Training martial arts does this. It's impossible to |
| amounts, Cortisol can have negative effects on | | | | train martial arts without fully concentrating on |
| your body and your health. It is necessary for us | | | | what you are doing. This concentration helps your |
| to reduce our stress level to keep cortisol levels | | | | mind relieve its stress as well. Activities like martial |
| under control. The thing is, we live in such a | | | | arts that require you to concentrate on your |
| high-stress culture that some people's secretion of | | | | movements and core strength give you a |
| cortisol doesn't slow down and they live in a state | | | | well-rounded stress relief; not just on your body, |
| of what is called chronic stress. | | | | but on your mind as well. |
| Chronic stress sufferers end up having many | | | | At the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts we use |
| negative effects because of the high levels of | | | | Shoalin breathing methods effectively |
| cortisol in their systems. The effects include blood | | | | accomplishing this goal of combating everyday |
| sugar imbalances, high blood pressure and | | | | stress. These kung fu breathing methods (which |
| increased abdominal fat. This is caused partially by | | | | have been refined over 1500 years) include |
| the fact the people who secrete high levels of | | | | physical movements which relieve the physical |
| cortisol tend to eat more in general, and more | | | | symptoms of stress, and breathing patterns |
| specifically carbohydrates, than their counterparts | | | | which clear the mind and relieve mental stress. |
| who secrete less cortisol during stressful | | | | Training these methods will help to bring down |
| situations. This excess abdominal fat alone can be | | | | your levels of cortisol, which can help relieve |
| detrimental to your health because it increases | | | | another stressor in your life...needing to lose those |
| your risks of heart attacks, strokes, and bad | | | | few extra pounds. |
| cholesterol. | | | | So if your diet isn't working it might be stress. |
| The best way to combat the negative effects of | | | | Combat stress and get in better shape by training |
| high levels of cortisol is to give yourself | | | | the mind and the body with martial arts. |
| opportunities to reduce your stress and "kick-in" | | | | Combined with a healthy diet and a positive life |
| your body's relaxation mechanisms. Most people | | | | style you cant beat it! |