Cortisol is our primary stress hormone. In small amounts, cortisol is needed by the body to control carbohydrate metabolism, inflammation, and cardiovascular function. Cortisol is also known as the "fight-or-flight" hormone because of its effects in increasing blood pressure and blood sugar levels to help us run away from or fight off a predator or other stressful event.

Unfortunately, while small amounts of cortisol are a "good" thing, too much cortisol, for too long, is most certainly a "bad" thing because it leads us to develop a number of adverse health conditions. Elevated cortisol levels have been associated with a wide range of health effects from increased appetite, to weight gain, to diabetes, to depression.