• About

ConnieSelleccaBlog

~ Intelligence for Your Life

ConnieSelleccaBlog

Tag Archives: stress hormone

Here’s a trick to help get rid of tension in 60-seconds:

03 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, face, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, scalp, stress hormone, tabla, tension, trick

tension-wp-9.03.18

Close your eyes and tap your fingers all over your face and scalp, using both hands, just like you would if you were typing on a keyboard. Massage therapists call that technique “tabla playing” – after the traditional Indian percussion instrument. And it supposedly relaxes tense muscles and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Follow me on Facebook

What can a museum do for you?

15 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art gallery, art museum, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, museum, paintings, reduce stress, relax, relaxing, sculpture, stress, stress free, stress hormone, University in Milan

museum-stress-wp

Sure, it can expose you to fine art – but it can also slash your stress by 60%! That’s according to I-U-L-M University in Milan. The researchers measured people’s levels of the stress hormone cortisol, before and after they visited a museum. And they found that just spending a few minutes admiring a painting or sculpture dramatically reduced stress. Their cortisol dropped 60%! That’s because art fills us with positive emotions, which lower levels of inflammatory proteins, reducing stress.

Follow me on Facebook

Have the SMALL popcorn when you go to the movies!

30 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blueberries, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, fatty foods, Freddy Krueger, horror movie, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, kale, movies, scary movie, small popcorn, stress eating, stress hormone, thriller movie

small-popcorn-movies-wp

If your favorite movie genre is horror or thrillers – get the SMALL popcorn. Because research from Cornell University says movie-goers are more likely to munch while watching scary movies. Why? Blame the stress from the edge-of-your-seat action! It increases the stress hormone cortisol, which prompts us to eat more in case we need energy to run from Freddy Krueger! Cortisol also makes us crave fatty and salty foods – not kale and blueberries. So if you’re going to watch horror movies – get the small popcorn. Cornell’s experts say small portions can be just as satisfying, both physically and psychologically, as servings with 7-times as many calories.

Follow me on Facebook

Feeling tense?

24 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

antioxidants, belly-fat, blueberries, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, de-stress, destress, dopamine, feel-good brain chemical, feeling tense, folate, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, lower blood pressure, peaches, potassium, stress hormone, sunflower seeds, tense

feeling-tense-blueberries-wp

Here are a few foods proven to help you de‑stress:
Starting with Blueberries. They contain antioxidants so powerful, they counteract the production of cortisol, the stress hormone that increases blood sugar levels. And high levels of cortisol are linked to belly fat.
Another anti-stress food: Peaches. The potassium in peaches helps lower blood pressure.
Finally, when you’re stressed, load up on sunflower seeds. They contain high levels of folate, which helps your body produce the feel-good brain chemical dopamine.

Follow me on Facebook

What can 5 to 10 minutes of meditation a day do for you?

17 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

alpha wave, belly-fat, blood pressure, brain waves, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, lower blood pressure, meditate, meditation, psoriasis, stress hormone, theta wave

meditation-housewife-wp

A lot… in not a lot of time.
For example: It increases alpha and theta brain wave activity – which leaves you in a state of relaxed wakefulness.
Twice-daily meditation sessions have also been proven to lower blood pressure naturally.
Plus, meditation can help reduce symptoms of psoriasis – by controlling the output of the stress hormone, cortisol.
And that reduction in cortisol means daily meditation makes us less likely to retain belly fat, too.

Follow me on Facebook

Allergies, allergies, allergies!

27 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

allergic, allergies, allergy, attention span, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, eucalyptus, focus, grass, houseplant, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, memory, memory test, score, stress, stress hormone, stress-reliever, trees, wax plant, wheeze, wheezing

allergies-winter-wp

We know that being out in nature is a major stress reliever. Studies show that breathing in the scent of fresh greenery lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol by 12%. And that allows us to think more clearly. But what if you have allergies – and inhaling the scent of trees and grass makes you a wheezing, watery-eyed mess? Get fragrant houseplants – like a eucalyptus or wax plant. Research from the University of Michigan found that inhaling those scents improves attention span and focus – and even raises people’s scores on language and memory tests. An added bonus? Those plants also purify indoor air from allergens.

If you’re feeling drained and on edge…

25 Monday Jul 2016

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

anxiety, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, drum, drumming, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, reduce anxiety, Stanford University, stress, stress hormone, tap, tap fingers, tapping, white blood cells, wiggle, wiggle toes

drum-fingers-wp

wiggle your toes or drum your fingers for a minute. Stanford University scientists say the fine motor control involved in drumming or wiggling fingers and toes tells the brain to dial down the production of stress hormones. And those movements not only reduce anxiety by stimulating our nerves, they also increase activity among our disease-fighting white blood cells.

Stress is contagious!

10 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, contagious, cortisol, couples, fight-or-flight response, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, stress, stress hormone, stressed, stressed out, stressful

couple-stressed-wp

Studies show just seeing someone who’s freaking out can flood your body with the stress hormone, cortisol. And if your partner’s the one who’s stressed out, you’re 25% more likely to be affected than a stranger would be. The response is a holdover from our ancient ancestors…… Because if one person flipped out when a lion charged the village, everyone experienced the same fight-or-flight response, so the group could instantly go into defensive mode. Today, our reaction remains the same, but the “danger” is more likely to be a crashed computer.

Need to get a shot from the doctor?

03 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blocks pain, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, Cortisol levels, doctor, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, morning, shot, stress, stress hormone, wake up, wakeup

doctor-shot
Do it in the morning.
You’ll feel the least amount of discomfort then. That’s because when you wake up, your body’s Cortisol levels are high. That’s the stress hormone – but it also blocks pain. And it’s highest in the 2 hours after you wake up.

Worrying takes 16 years off your life! 

24 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by ConnieSellecca in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

anxiety, become a volunteer, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, coping skills, immune system, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, live longer, negative thinking, Psychosomatic Medicine, Purdue, stress, stress hormone, worry, worrying

Image

Purdue scientists found that negative thinking triggers your stress hormones. And when stress hormones are elevated for a long period of time, it weakens your immune system and body functions. The good news is, the people in the Purdue study who found good ways to cope with their worries lived longer.

One strategy to eliminate anxiety: become a volunteer. According to the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, selfless actions distract you from stress.

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014

Categories

  • Intelligence for Your Life
  • Photos

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel

 
Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×