[Newsletter] The Smartest Coach in the Room

Is your body trying to tell you something? Every Saturday, The Smartest Coach in the Room delivers helpful takeaways on the hottest nutrition and health topics and the world’s most effective coaching techniques. (Did some amazing friend forward this to you? [Subscribe here]( “What’s Wrong with My Body?” A few months after the pandemic started, we coined a new term: Stress Bod. It seemed lots of people weren’t “feeling right” but couldn’t say what, exactly, was wrong. They felt foggy, listless, and bloated—and complained of low energy, sluggish workouts, and weight gain. Maybe you (or your clients) can relate? In the past, some people chalked these symptoms up to so-called “adrenal fatigue,” a condition they said was caused by constant exposure to unhealthy levels of stress. Ummm, no. To be clear, the stress part is right, but the adrenal fatigue part? Not so much. The adrenal-fatigue hypothesis went like this: Chronic stress depletes the adrenal glands, reducing their ability to pump out the stress hormone cortisol. This adrenal-fatigued state left people drained. (In the cool chart below, you can see how some stress is fine—even helpful—but too much leaves you feeling wiped.) Here’s the thing, though: According to science, your adrenal glands don’t get “fatigued.” In most people tested for the condition, cortisol levels are… normal. In other words, their adrenal glands are anything but depleted—which means that’s not the reason you “crash and burn.” So what’s going on? Your response to stress is driven by an intricate system known as… wait for it… the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. When you face too many stressors too close together for too long, this system can malfunction. The result: Cortisol production actually stays on when it should be off. And then? Two words: Stress Bod. Yep, Stress Bod is everywhere right now. When you take the usual suspects—relationship problems, financial worries, work stress—and layer on social and political unrest, natural disasters and violent crimes (even if you’re just seeing news reports), and the ever-present COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not hard to see why. To learn more about Stress Bod—and what to do about it—check out our infographic: [Do You Have a Stress Bod?]( 10-Second Takeaways - An overwhelming stress burden, or “allostatic load,” can lead to HPA axis dysfunction, cortisol overproduction, and Stress Bod. - People who are more sensitive to stress tend to be more pessimistic, reactionary, and isolated than those who are stress-resistant. - Stress can cause levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin to rise, and levels of the satiety hormone leptin to drop, boosting cravings. - High caffeine intake, intense workouts, and even comparing yourself to others can add to your overall stress load - Health practices can help you manage stress, but an all-or-nothing mindset (“I have to eat perfectly or I’m failing!”) is often counterproductive. Want to learn more about nutrition science and how to use it to help people make healthy eating and lifestyle changes? Check out our [Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification](. It combines the science of nutrition with the art of coaching so you can help anyone make evidenced-informed decisions and achieve their most important health and fitness goals. [Become a Certified Nutrition Coach - Join the presale list for the #1 rated PN Level 1 Nutrition Certification]( Until next time, Alex --------------------------------------------------------------- Alex Picot-Annand, PN2, Holistic Nutritionist Senior Writer Precision Nutrition Home of the world’s top nutrition coaches --------------------------------------------------------------- What did you think of this email? Precision Nutrition Business Insider's #1 Choice for Nutrition Certifications in 2022 --- To view this email as a web page, click [here.]( Precision Nutrition Inc. 1 Yonge Street, Suite 1801 Toronto, ON, M5E 1W7, Canada Finally, nutrition makes sense. Visit us at [www.precisionnutrition.com]( today. Follow us on [Unsubscribe or Manage Preferences](