Soldiers may also elect not to wear a combat patch. Controversies have arisen in recent years over brigade commanders' decisions to ban combat patches in certain situations. This has been done in an effort to make new recruits, who didn't have the patches, feel less excluded.
Cortisol functions to reduce inflammation in the body, which is good, but over time, these efforts to reduce inflammation also suppress the immune system. Chronic inflammation, caused by lifestyle factors such as poor diet and stress, helps to keep cortisol levels soaring, wreaking havoc on the immune system.
The pituitary gland, through the release of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) regulates the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands into the bloodstream. When the body encounters stress (physical or mental) in response to a trauma, cortisol is released, which in turn regulates the body's inflammatory response. Other effects of cortisol release include: 1) Stimulation of the liver to produce carbohydrates; the short-term fuel for the musculature. 2) Temporary elevation of blood glucose levels.