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The Yang of Stress and Fat
There are many risks associated with obesity, some even severe enough to lead to death, such as a heart attack or stroke. As a practitioner with clinical expertise you may feel inclined to impart some wisdom, however, this can be an uncomfortable subject to broach – Dr. Melnyk’s discussion on stress and fat may be the starting point you need.
Stress Hormones
These hormones are prime Yang hormones. Cortisol and adrenaline are major stress Yang hormones. They are crucial to our survival as they trigger our body’s fight-or-flight responses to threats.
This response results in becoming more alert as well as prepared for a fight by causing the heart to pump more blood to or major muscle groups so we can climb, run, or fight to survive the threat.
Adrenal hormones also result in the constriction of blood vessels, which causes blood flow to speed up. This can make you frightened, jittery, and cause your hands and feet to become cold. Adrenaline can also cause your fat, muscles and liver to metabolize blood sugar, giving you more energy to combat your threat.
This is why these hormones are known as survival hormones.