Cortisol—it’s an often-vilified stress hormone that’s been implicated for its role in excess belly fat and risk for a number of chronic diseases.
It’s a hormone your body releases in order to help you fight back or flee the scene in the face of a threat. But when your life is so high-stress that you’ve got cortisol coursing through your veins at all times, it can lead to high blood sugar, high blood pressure, excess weight and diabetes—all of which raise your risk for a slew of long-term health conditions.
