A neuroscientist has issued a stark warning about the impact stress can have on the body.
Dr. Tara Swart says stress is “contagious” and has the potential to cause belly fat. The health expert spoke with Steven Bartlett on his podcast show, Diary Of A CEO, alerting listeners to the insidious effects of stress.
Many people will have experienced stress, which the NHS believes arises from mental or emotional pressure. The body’s reaction to such tension causes it to release hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
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Produced by the adrenal glands located above the kidneys, cortisol is released into the bloodstream at high levels during stressful periods. Dr. Swart says stress doesn’t just affect the individual; It can also be transmitted to others.
Stress is ‘contagious’ and ‘it shows on our skin’
He explained how stress can be transmitted through sweat, affecting those around us and potentially harming their physical and mental well-being. He emphasized the importance of being aware of our stress levels and the effect they can have on those close to us.
When asked if stress is really contagious, he responded, “Yes,” reports wales online. To further explain the phenomenon, he said: “Cortisol is the main stress hormone and it will seep through our sweat.”
This leak can extend several centimeters from our body and penetrate the skin of other people, influencing them as well. “It can and will affect everyone else,” he said.
Stress could make you gain belly fat
Dr. Swart also warned that stress could lead to the accumulation of abdominal fat, adding another concern to the list of stress-related health problems. He said excessive cortisol could lead to stubborn belly fat.
He explained: “In a 24-hour cycle, depending on your age and your gender, there is a normal range of cortisol, so it can go up and down. When something challenging happens, we have to adapt and rise to the occasion to meet that challenge.
“But when that level is above the upper range all the time, these receptors in the brain basically think that there is an imminent threat to their survival, so this whole cascade of hormones arise and basically cortisol causes inflammation in the body.” .
“So inflammation of the vascular system, inflammation around the heart, the intestine and everything else.” It is essential to maintain a healthy balance of cortisol, as too much of it can lead to various health complications.
Dr. Tara Swart further highlighted that high levels can “produce abdominal fat, especially when stress is chronic.” She drew parallels with our ancestors and explained how in caveman times, humans would always be looking for food.
“So, you know, in the cave, if you were potentially not going to find food for a month, then if you had extra fat around your abdomen, you could digest it and survive until you could find food,” he said.
Speaking about the difficulty of losing belly fat, he explained: “As long as you keep losing extra cortisol, nothing is going to change. And even exercising more or eating better less or differently, whatever it is, wouldn’t change that.” fat, you have to get to the root cause and you have to reduce cortisol.
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