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Cortisol, the so-called “stress hormone” since it is involved with the “fight-or-flight” response, is another chemical that may become unbalanced, causing a metabolic condition. Cortisol also regulates glucose. Too much glucose means the body has to generate a great deal of cortisol to control the glucose. Couple this work to control glucose with a stressful lifestyle that is constantly generating cortisol because of the fight-or-flight response, and a biochemical disaster is in the making. This increase in cortisol has negative effects on many systems; in particular, it increases blood pressure and blocks important inflammation messengers that disrupt the immune system. The reason for the increased blood pressure is that cortisol puts the body on high alert so that it is ready to fight or flee in response to what it perceives as a threat. This response means that the body needs more energy, which is why cortisol helps to regulate glucose. Cortisol not only shuts down the immune system but also impairs the digestive system. Both of these systems use a great deal of energy that the body might need in order to fight or run (take flight) from a threat. Cortisol is a necessary hormone during times of physical danger such as our ancestors might have experienced when confronted by an angry bear or a ravenous lion. Unfortunately, it is also activated whenever we experience any stress, ranging in degree from being late to an appointment to worrying about a loved one who must go off to war.