Episode Description
What if your fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, and belly fat are actually signs of high cortisol, low cortisol, or chronic stress building up over time? In this episode, Dr. Taz explains how your cortisol levels shift and why learning how to lower cortisol levels starts with understanding the pattern your body is stuck in.
If you’re dealing with chronic stress, fatigue, or hormone imbalances and want to address the root cause, join the Circle and get support here:
👉 https://holplus.co/circle
Chronic stress often shows up as adrenal fatigue and hormone imbalances.
Learn more about conditions related to cortisol imbalance:
- Adrenal Fatigue: https://holplus.co/conditions/adrenal-fatigue/
- Hormonal Imbalance: https://holplus.co/conditions/hormone-imbalance/
In this episode, Dr. Taz breaks down what she calls the cortisol loop - a chronic stress cycle where your body goes from high cortisol to low cortisol, leaving you feeling wired, exhausted, and unable to recover. You’ll learn how this loop affects your nervous system, hormones, gut health, and long-term well-being, even when your labs appear “normal.”
If you’ve been feeling off and can’t explain why, this may be the missing piece.
In this video, we cover:
- What the cortisol loop actually is
- The difference between high cortisol and low cortisol
- How chronic stress keeps your body stuck in the cycle
- 7 key signs your body is dysregulated
- Why your symptoms aren’t random
- Where to start to begin breaking the loop
This is not just about stress. It’s about understanding the cycle your body has been stuck in.
Stay Connected:
Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+.
Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/
https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/
Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe
Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts
Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause
Host & Production Team
Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)
Chapters
00:00 High Cortisol or Low Cortisol? Understanding the Cortisol Loop
00:50 What Is the Cortisol Loop? Chronic Stress Explained
01:42 Normal Labs but Still Feeling Bad? Cortisol Levels Explained
02:55 Acute vs Chronic Stress and Cortisol Response
05:00 High Cortisol Symptoms and Effects on the Body
06:50 Low Cortisol Symptoms: Burnout and Fatigue Explained
07:42 Chronic Stress, Cortisol Imbalance, and Disease Risk
09:29 Cortisol, Brain Health, and Inflammation
11:30 Cortisol in Women vs Men (Hormones and Stress Response)
14:20 Chronic Stress in Modern Life (Why It’s Getting Worse)
15:20 7 Signs of High Cortisol and Low Cortisol
17:10 Fatigue, Brain Fog, Belly Fat (Cortisol Symptoms)
18:08 How to Test Cortisol Levels (Blood Sugar, HRV, Sleep)
20:05 Nervous System Regulation and the Cortisol Loop
21:25 How to Lower Cortisol Levels Naturally
22:12 Gut Health, Diet, and Blood Sugar Stability
23:45 Best Supplements for Cortisol (Magnesium, B Vitamins, Omega-3)
25:35 Daily Habits to Reduce Cortisol and Stress
27:10 Chronic Stress, Environment, and Relationships
28:55 How to Break the Cortisol Loop (Step-by-Step)
30:37 Final Thoughts on Chronic Stress and Cortisol Recovery