Latest news with #ClaireNevinson
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Five ways to help ‘fight or flight' stress hormone and bring down blood pressure
Triggering the body's natural stress hormone is perfectly normal when it's needed – but if it stays high it can lead to weight gain, or too low, it might cause fatigue and low mood The internet is awash with tips, tricks and hacks to fix minor medical problems. But how much of it is accurate and can be trusted? In an age of misinformation and social media 'experts', it is always better to ask someone who is in the know about your health woes. Each week, Superintendent Pharmacist Claire Nevinson will answer our readers' questions on everything from insomnia and indigestion to trapped wind and toilet troubles. This week, Claire tackles the stress hormone, cortisol… Q. Everyone is talking about high cortisol on social media – is it actually a problem that a lot of people have, or has it been blown out or proportion? What are the actual symptoms and what should we be doing about it? Cortisol is the body's natural steroid, also known as the body's stress hormone. It plays a key role in managing many bodily functions including regulating blood sugar levels, helping the body cope with and respond to stress, controlling blood pressure, regulating metabolism and immune function and reducing inflammation. What leads to high cortisol levels? During times of stress, the adrenal glands of the body will release both adrenaline and cortisol. This can lead to increased energy levels, which is the body's way of preparing for what it perceives as a potentially harmful or dangerous situation. Spikes in these hormones should naturally return to normal levels when the situation that triggered them is over, but during extended periods of everyday stress this doesn't always happen and cortisol levels may remain high. This can increase the risk of many health conditions including weight gain, anxiety, heart problems and high blood sugar. In rare cases, higher than normal cortisol levels may also be a result of Cushing's syndrome. This is an uncommon condition with the main symptoms being weight gain, typically on the chest, stomach, shoulders and back of the neck, as well as a red, puffy and rounded face. If you are concerned about any symptoms, you may be experiencing, you should speak to your GP. What leads to low cortisol levels? While the issue of high cortisol levels has seen a lot of attention, particularly on social media, the body can also experience low cortisol levels. This occurs when the adrenal glands don't produce enough cortisol. This is known as Addison's disease – a rare condition, which usually occurs because of a problem with the immune system. It can cause lack of energy, fatigue, muscle weakness, low mood, loss of appetite, dizziness, losing weight without trying and increased thirst. How can we manage cortisol levels? Reduce everyday stress If the changes in cortisol levels are caused by prolonged everyday stress, it's important to try and identify the triggers if you can. This is a good first step towards finding coping mechanisms and ways to avoid stress. Eat a balanced diet A healthy and balanced diet can help support your physical health and emotional wellness. Try to eat a nutrient-rich diet full of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats as well as drinking plenty of water. Try to limit your caffeine intake and the number of foods you consume that are high in added sugar and saturated fats. Undertake regular exercise The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week, which can help reduce feelings of stress and therefore can help manage cortisol levels. Make sure to speak to your GP before starting any new forms of exercise if you have an existing medical condition or have not exercised in a while. Get plenty of sleep Aim for seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep a night to reduce everyday stress and manage cortisol levels. It can help to establish a sleep routine and going to bed and getting up at consistent times. You should also try to reduce screen time or eliminate it altogether before bedtime and replacing for anything that helps your body and mind to relax instead. This could include a warm bath, face mask or reading a book. If you're experiencing symptoms that make you think your cortisol levels may be imbalanced, make an appointment to speak to your GP.
Telegraph
17-03-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Six hay fever hacks to see you through the season
It's that time again. You may still be sporting a scarf but, sadly, it's also time to start thinking about hay fever. Tree pollen has started to circulate even earlier this season and will be followed by grass and weed pollen in the coming months. Scientists have warned that it's going to be a 'high severity' season, thanks to the recent warm and dry weather. For the around one in four Britons who face runny noses and water eyes in response to the allergen, it means it's time to reach for some tissues and a daily antihistamines. However, there's lots more that can be done to ease these debilitating symptoms. 'There are many ways you can help to relieve and manage hay fever symptoms including home remedies and simple lifestyle hacks,' says Claire Nevinson, a superintendent pharmacist at Boots. These are her top tips to stop hay fever in its tracks. Rinse your nose with salt water Cost: Free Difficult ranking: 2/5 Hay fever occurs when the immune system mistakes pollen – a harmless powder released by grass, trees and weeds – as a threat and releases histamines and other chemicals to ward them off. This leads to symptoms that range from being mild but irritating to severe. 'Rinsing of nasal passages with salt water can help flush out pollen and other allergens trapped in your nose,' Nevinson explains. 'This can help to relieve congestion such as a runny nose and sneezing.' You can either purchase a saline nasal spray at your local pharmacy or create a saline wash at home by adding one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to a pint of clean water and stir. 'The water should be from your cold tap, boiled and then cooled to room temperature,' Nevinson notes. Then, stand over the sink and pour some of it into the cupped palm of your hand. 'Sniff the solution from your palm into one nostril and repeat for at least three times in each nostril. Blow your nose gently after using the wash to help rinse the nasal passage. Be sure to discard any leftover liquid and prepare a fresh solution each time you douche.' 2. Rub Vaseline on your nose Cost: £1.80 Difficult ranking: 1/5 Hay fever symptoms start when pollen enters the nose and lands on the damp lining of the nasal passage, binding to a type of immune cells (mast cells), leading to explosive sneezing. To stop pollen from getting into your airways in the first place and triggering a cascade of symptoms, apply some petroleum jelly around the nostrils, Nevinson recommends. As it is sticky, it can effectively catch allergens before they can trigger a reaction. 'Vaseline around your nose is a great way to trap the pollen,' Nevinson says. As an added bonus, it can also help to relieve dry and uncomfortable skin from repetitive nose blowing, she notes. 3. Dry laundry indoors Cost: Free Difficult ranking: 1/5 Avoiding pollen is the obvious way to ease hay fever symptoms but is hard to do in practice. One way to effectively reduce your exposure is to stop hanging your clothes outside to dry. While warm weather is ideal for drying washing outside, it also tends to correlate with a high pollen count. 'If you are drying laundry outdoors, there's a chance that pollen could enter the house on clothing,' Nevinson says. 'Try to dry your laundry indoors instead to help relieve symptoms.' 4. Keep your windows shut Cost: Free Difficult ranking: 1/5 'Exposure to pollen is what causes hay fever symptoms, so one of the best things to do is to limit your exposure,' Nevinson notes. 'When indoors, you can do this by keeping windows and doors shut as much as possible,' she says. This is especially effective in the early morning, when pollen is released, and during the early evening, when pollen counts are typically at their highest.
