Blog — Lifestyle Medicine

Cortisol testing helps evaluate how the body responds to stress by measuring daily hormone patterns linked to energy, sleep, mood, and immune balance. Through saliva and blood spot methods, clinicians can identify adrenal and HPA-axis imbalances early, enabling more personalized strategies to address fatigue, burnout, and stress-related health concerns.

The ZRT Laboratory CardioMetabolic Profile is a convenient finger-prick blood test designed to detect early warning signs of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. By measuring key markers such as insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, HbA1c, and inflammation, it provides a comprehensive view of heart and metabolic health, supporting early intervention and personalized preventive care.

Stress, Cortisol, and the Hormonal Loop of Anxiety When the body perceives danger, the brain activates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis — an internal alarm that releases cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. For short-term challenges, cortisol is beneficial. It sharpens focus, boosts energy, and prepares muscles for quick action — the classic “fight or flight” response that once ensured survival. When Stress Becomes Chronic Trouble begins when stress never switches off. Prolonged cortisol exposure interferes with healthy brain function, damaging neurons in the hippocampus (responsible for memory) and the prefrontal cortex (which governs decision-making and emotional control). As these areas...

How Elements Affect Your Body Every day? we are exposed to environmental pollutants—through the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and even the materials we touch. Over time, these substances can: Increase the risk of chronic diseases like dementia, infertility, diabetes, and cancer, Damage vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, and brain, Harm the cardiovascular, nervous, and endocrine systems, Disrupt the natural balance of hormones

What is Cardiometabolic Risk? Cardiometabolic risk refers to a collection of conditions linked to obesity and insulin resistance that increase the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or both. These risks rarely occur in isolation—when one appears, others often follow. That’s why proactive screening is so important.