Cut out excess sources of adrenaline

Adrenaline is a powerful substance that has a strong impact on the body.  From Wikipedia:

Epinephrine is a powerful action, “fight or flight”, hormone and also plays a central role in the short-term stress reaction. It is released from the adrenal glands when danger threatens or in an emergency, hence an Adrenaline rush. Such triggers may be threatening, exciting, or environmental stressor conditions such as high noise levels, or bright light and high ambient temperature.

When in the bloodstream, it rapidly prepares the body for action in emergency situations. The hormone boosts the supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain and muscles, while suppressing other non-emergency bodily processes (digestion in particular).

It increases heart rate and stroke volume, dilates the pupils, and constricts arterioles in the skin and gastrointestinal tract while dilating arterioles in skeletal muscles. It elevates the blood sugar level by increasing catabolism of glycogen to glucose in the liver, and at the same time begins the breakdown of lipids in fat cells. Like some other stress hormones, epinephrine has a suppressive effect on the immune system.

Clearly, adrenaline serves an essential purpose in our very survival by preparing us for the “fight or flight” response when we face danger or stress.  But how many unnecessary activities, relationships, attitudes or situations leave us feeling the “rush” of that response?

Too much adrenaline not only has important health implications, but it also distracts us from completing important projects, leaves us feeling anxiety, and intensifies the feeling that time is flying.  By identifying and reducing these unnecessary sources of adrenaline in our lives, we would all be healthier, more focused, and feeling less stressed out.

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