is cortisol good or bad?

Cortisol: the hormone most commonly associated with stress. And stress is bad, right? So, by default, is cortisol bad too? Not exactly. Here’s the deal: 

Although cortisol is the hormone produced during the “fight or flight” response and is blamed for anxiety, high blood pressure, stroke, etc., it is still necessary for optimal brain and body function. The fight or flight mode is one that humans have developed in order to, quickly and efficiently, respond to threatening stimuli in our environment, and that spike in cortisol is a good thing. Beyond that, cortisol plays a part in helping our brains form memories, allowing us to feel alert and awake, managing inflammation in the body, supporting our metabolism, and more. The trouble arises when we are stuck in fight or flight mode and our cortisol levels never return to normal. When it comes to cortisol, balance is key. This is why finding ways to relieve and manage stress as well as mitigating stressful inputs is so important in our lives today.

Here are a few ways I reduce stress in my life.

• SHUT OFF THE NEWS. Try it for a day. No news is allowed on the TV, playing in the house either through the radio or Alexa, not online news, unfollow all news stations on facebook including any satire shows.
• Get rid of triggers on social media. Stop reacting to stuff that makes you feel bad, you're explicitly telling the algorithm gods to give you more of the same. Likewise, by not reacting to stuff that makes you feel good, you're explicitly telling the algorithm gods to give you less of it. Simple remedy is to like, comment or spend time on feeds that bring positivity into your life. Heck, my facebook page is now filled with cooking videos and funny videos of cats and dogs. 
• You have got to exercise. You can not hide from the evidence anymore. If you are still making excuses that you do not have the time then all I can say is....STOP IT. 
• Sleep. Prioritize sleep. I make sure I go to bed around the same time every night. It is hard to get 8 hrs and I wake up after 7 to 7.5 hrs and I feel great. Anything less and I feel it in physically and mentally. 
• Nutrition. As a fitness professional you would expect that my nutrition would be something to envy. Nutrition has been a journey for me and by no means am I perfect. I do have an alcoholic  beverage weekly and I do indulge in something decadent at times. What helps me is I log my food daily and I stay within my set macros as best I can. This keeps me from gaining weight and stressing my body with excess calories it now has to process.
• I invest money in myself. I hire professionals to help me. I to hire a personal trainer, nutritionist to keep me on track and a therapist to gripe to about the world and help me cope. 

 Control the things you can control. What I listed above are things that are in your control to reduce stress and reduce the abundance of cortisol they cause.