Cortisol Quiz

Instructions

Have you experienced any of the symptoms listed below in the past 4 month? If your answer is "yes", give 1 point, if "no", give 0. At the end add all your points up separately for both groups. (like A 10, B11)

PART A.

1. A feeling you are constantly racing from one task to the next?
2. Feeling wired yet tired?
3. A struggle calming down before bedtime, or a second wind that keeps you up late?
4. Difficult falling asleep or disrupted sleep?
5. A feeling of anxiety or nervousness – can’t stop worrying about things beyond your control?
6. A quickness to feel anger or rage – frequent screaming or yelling?
7. Memory lapses or feeling distracted, especially under duress?
8. Sugar cravings (“you need a little something” after each meal, usually of the chocolate variety)?
9. Increased abdominal circumference, greater than 35 inches / 89cm (the dreaded abdominal fat, or muffin top – not bloating) ?
10. Skin conditions such as eczema or thin skin (sometimes physiologically and psychologically)?
11. Bone loss (perhaps your doctor uses scarier terms, such as osteopenia or osteoporosis)?
12. High blood pressure or rapid heartbeat unrelated to those cute red shoes in the store window?
13. High blood sugar (maybe your clinician has mentioned the words prediabetes or even diabetes or insulin resistance)? Shakiness between meals, also known as blood sugar instability?
14. Indigestion, ulcers, or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)?
15. More difficulty recovering from physical injury than in the past?
16. Unexplained pink to purple stretch marks on your belly or back?
17. Irregular menstrual cycles?
18. Decreasing fertility?

PART B

1. Fatigue or burnout (you use caffeine to bolster your energy, or fall asleep while reading or watching a movie)?
2. Loss of stamina, particularly in the afternoon, from two to five?
3. An atypical addiction to a negative point a viewCrying jags for no particular reason?
4. Decreased problem-solving ability?
5. Feeling stressed most of the time (everything seems harder than before, and you have trouble coping)? Decreased stress tolerance?
6. Insomnia o difficulty staying asleep, especially between one and four in the morning?
7. Low blood pressure (not always a good thing, since your blood pressure determines the correct amount of oxygen to send through your body, especially into your brain)?
8. Postural hypotension (you stand up from lying down and feel dizzy)?
9. Difficult fighting infection (you catch every virus you meet, particularly respiratory)? Difficulty recovering from illness or surgery or healing wounds?
10. Asthma? Bronchitis? Chronic cough? Allergies?
11. Low or unstable blood sugar?
12. Salt cravings?
13. Excess seating?
14. Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea? Or loose stool altering with constipation?
15. Muscle weakness, especially around the knee? Muscle or joint pain?
16. Hemorrhoids or varicose veins?
17. Your blood seems to pool easily, or your skin bruises easily?
18. A thyroid problem that’s been treated, you feel better, and suddenly you feel palpitations or have rapid or irregular heartbeats (a sign of low cortisol / low thyroid combo)?