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.
Cortisol, often deemed the stress hormone, is released by the adrenal gland during times of stress. It has several functions in the body, including blood pressure regulation, glucose mobilization and inflammation reduction. However, chronically high levels of cortisol can impede health by suppressing digestive function, growth processes and reproductive system function. Besides avoiding stressful situations, research hints that certain foods can help lower cortisol levels in the body.