Consume A Healthy Balanced Diet
Cortisol-friendly foods have long been a topic of research. Consumption of high fat/high carbohydrate foods, which exist rarely in nature, is linked to HPA axis dysregulation and an overall increase in cortisol levels . Conversely, diets low in carbohydrate intake are also linked to higher cortisol levels, especially in females .
Similarly, long-term low-calorie dieting can also increase cortisol levels and disrupt sleep . Overall, a healthy balanced diet with adequate high-quality carbohydrates and adequate vitamins and minerals is your best bet to achieving ideal cortisol secretion patterns. If weight loss is desired, consider shorter periods of calorie deficits intermixed with periods of maintenance calories to minimize the stress response from dieting.
Related resource to check out:Preventing Stress-Related Weight Gain
Other Ways To Relieve Stress
In addition to giving your body the right vitamins and minerals and supplementing as needed, here are some other ways that Bonney, Leber, and Raisen recommend keeping stress and cortisol levels in check.
Proactively work a handful of these self-care practices into your routine so that the next time a trigger arises, your body is ready to quickly come back to calm:
How To Prevent Future Health Issues
Although decreasing your stress levels may feel impossible some days, you can still manage the effects of elevated cortisol. To begin with, practicing relaxation through mindfulness, meditation, yoga or deep breathing can help bring the production of this hormone back down to normal levels.
Youll also prevent the excess storage of empty calories by ensuring that you consume a diet high in quality foods. Even though your body may be craving a quick fix, aim to eat mostly whole, plant-based foods. Of course, making the decision to eat right isnt always easy, but its worth it. By monitoring your diet, the calories you consume will be turned into energy, not converted into fat and stored by the body.
Finally, exercise is an excellent way to manage your stress hormones too. Whether you go out for a run, take a daily walk with your family or hit the gym, exercising will help maintain your lean body mass. This is especially important during prolonged periods of high cortisol levels.
Don’t Miss: What’s Good To Take For Stress
Do Things That Make You Happy
Whether its connecting with friends and family or trying out a new hobby, spending time doing things that make you genuinely happy may help reduce stress and lower cortisol levels. Improving your disposition to become more positive can be a big part of improving your overall health. Studies show that positive affect can not only decrease cortisol, but also improve heart rate, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers. One study even found that laughter can decrease stress.
Also Check: Cost Of Estradiol Without Insurance
Pinpoint Your Comfort Food Triggers
Try writing down what you eat in an effort to get a better idea of when you stress eat. âKeeping a food journal for a week can help you pinpoint the times where you indulge in comfort foods or when you make sensible, healthier choices,â says Balk. âIf dinner before a big test or meeting tends to be fried âcomfort food,â itâs worthwhile to stop the cycle and replace that emotion with a healthier choice or receive consolation another way.â
Read Also: Can Stress Cause Abdominal Pain
You May Like: What Can Help With Anxiety And Stress
What Are The Symptoms Of High Cortisol Levels
Regular and prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels can wreak havoc on your body. Over time this can cause Cushings syndrome. Some of the most common signs of high cortisol levels include:
- weight gain particularly around your stomach, upper back, and face
- fatigue
- bruising and slow wound healing
- weak bones
- sleep problems
- difficulty concentrating
Over time, high cortisol can put you at risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and poor mental health.
Are You Getting Enough Sunlight
Being out in natural sunlight is something our bodies were born to do, but in todays society we all end up indoors a lot more than nature intended.
Spending time in natural light is a great way to promote healthy neurotransmitter levels , promote better sleep, help your body naturally produce vitamin D, reduce pain and so much more!
All of these things add up to a healthier body and less stress.
Also Check: What Can You Do To Get Rid Of Stress
Why Is Stress Bad For Your Health
Stress is key for survival, but too much stress can be detrimental. Emotional stress that stays around for weeks or months can weaken the immune system and cause high blood pressure, fatigue, depression, anxiety and even heart disease. In particular, too much epinephrine can be harmful to your heart.
Read Also: Melatonin And Birth Control Implant
Laughing And Having Fun
It is hard to feel stressed when having a good time, so finding time to have fun can also lower a persons cortisol levels. One study showed cortisol levels decreasing in response to laughter.
Being happy and having a positive outlook appear to be related to lower cortisol levels, and happiness has other benefits too, such as lower blood pressure and a stronger immune system.
Don’t Miss: How To Breathe To Reduce Stress
What Are The Symptoms Of High
Normally, your stress hormones go down and return to baseline levels as soon as your brain and body acknowledge that a threat has passed. The problem is when your body canât stop producing an excess flow of stress hormones, causing a constant state of stress.
Chronic stress is becoming more common, and it can lead to some severe health effects when stress reduction practices arenât implemented. Remember, the fight-or-flight response is meant for your immediate survival, which means it reduces the functions of things considered unnecessary at the moment and reroutes energy to other parts of the body. When that becomes a constant state, certain processes and functions can deteriorate .
Symptoms of consistently high stress hormones may include:
- Anxiety or depression
- Pain and tension in the muscles
- Headaches
Enjoy Warm Epsom Salt Baths
Frequent release of adrenaline and cortisol in an unresolved stress response can be due to a low magnesium level in the body.
Magnesium plays an important role in the release and uptake of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical in the brain. Its low level can lead to an increase in stress hormones as well as cause anxiety, sleep disturbances and depression.
If a low magnesium level is the reason behind your high cortisol level, a warm Epsom salt bath is a natural way to increase your magnesium level. This salt is a good source of magnesium.
Along with Epsom salt baths, include magnesium-rich foods like dark leafy vegetables, yogurt, avocado, banana, quinoa, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in your diet.
Don’t Miss: How To Stop Chest Pain From Stress
The Dangers Of Excess Cortisol
Before we look at how to lower cortisol, lets take a look at why too much of it is so hazardous to your health and mental well-being.
When you face a potential threat or danger, your bodys stress response, often called the fight-or-flight response, is triggered.
First, the stress hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine are released in a quick burst.
They quickly dissipate after the stressful situation is over and dont hang around to do any damage.
That is followed by the release of cortisol.
” High levels of cortisol can kill brain cells by literally stimulating them to death.
When your life is one crisis after another, your body continuously pours out cortisol.
This leads to a chronically elevated cortisol level, and this has some serious health implications.
Dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and cacao nibs also act as prebiotics.
Lastly, be sure to drink plenty of water and other liquids.
Being dehydrated is a physical stressor that increases cortisol.
Start the Day Right
If you grab coffee and a donut for breakfast, youre setting yourself up for higher cortisol levels for the rest of the day.
Sugar triggers a boost of stress hormones that can last up to five hours.
And it can take anywhere from five to ten hours to metabolize half the caffeine you consume.
Regular caffeine consumption can more than double your blood cortisol level.
Try Tea
If you get your caffeine from coffee, soda, or energy drinks, you may want to switch to tea.
What Causes A Stressed
Even though stress plays a major role in the buildup of stubborn belly fat that doesnt mean its everything. Your diet and exercise usually have the biggest impact on the size of your lower stomach fat. Then genetics is also a factor as many people have a natural pear-shaped body. Those with an apple-shaped body tend to have worse heart health .
As you age your muscle mass decreases causing your body fat to increase . Having a higher body fat will cause you to quickly store excess fat in places your genetics predisposed to . Since many people tend to gain weight as they age this will also contribute to increases in abdominal fat .
Is belly fat caused by stress?
But with that said your stress also can have a hidden role in the build-up of stomach fat. Constant stress releases the fight or flight response hormone called cortisol . Cortisol is a well-known stress hormone that your body releases when you feel threatened .
With this cortisol pumping through your body youll be better adapted to escape an emergency or fight off a threat. Now its fine if cortisol is going through your body once in a while but when its constant then it becomes a problem. Cortisol can signal for your body to start storing fat in your abdominal area even if youre skinny .
Another problem that arises from having stomach fat is it causes an increase in cortisol . Having visceral fat creates an unhealthy cycle of constant cortisol that especially affects women.
Recommended Reading: Is There Medication For Anxiety And Stress
Natural Ways To Reduce The Stress Hormone Cortisol
Deep Breathing
Whenever you feel worried, frustrated, angry, or tense, do a deep breathing exercise. Focusing on your breathing for a few minutes is one of the simplest and quickest ways to settle your anxious or stressful thoughts.
Breathe with your diaphragm rather than your chest. Try this exercise:
- Inhale 3 to 4 seconds
- Exhale 6 to 8 seconds
- Repeat this pattern 10 times
When you slow down and become more efficient with your breathing, you may find that your problems arent as dire as you thought they were and that youre feeling less stressed.
Canine Companion
Due to their natural ability to provide comfort, especially when youre feeling stressed out, spending time with a dog can help your muscles relax, slow your breathing, and lower your heart rate. It also can help decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol..
Overall, dogs can help you feel calmer. This effect is evident in the way trained service dogs can bring positivity to people who suffer with mood issues.
Having a dog provides companionship, which is especially helpful for anyone who lives alone or is often isolated from others. Petting a dog can help alleviate feelings of loneliness by letting you know you arent alone.
Meditation
Scientific evidence shows that meditation can help calm anxiousness and stress and enhance brain function.
Social Connections
Nutritional Support
Nutrients and herbals can help support your bodys resistance to stress.
How To Lower Cortisol: 8 Ways To Regulate Cortisol
Metabolic syndrome, hair loss, insomnia, frequent colds and flu, missed menstrual periods, ulcers, and orthopedic pain are just some of the health problems blamed on excessive stress.
Yet, stress is an elusive term. Is it a mental sequela related to life events such as high demands at work, busy kids schedules, planning finances, and what to make for dinner? Or rather, is it only related to traumatic life events such as a divorce, loss of a job, loss of a home, or death of a loved one? Is it related to physical events such as prolonged illness or overtraining?
The reality is, stress is the complex interplay of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems’ reaction to any stimuli that disrupt homeostasis in the human body . It is well known that chronic stress can contribute to many adverse health conditions, but why?
Stress is chapter 12 of the NASM course on wellness coaching and an extremely important subject for incorporating wellness.
Don’t Miss: How To Improve Stress In The Workplace
Get A Good Nights Sleep
Every dietitian we spoke with mentioned the positive impact an adequate nightâs sleep can have on oneâs cortisol levels. Cortisol rises and falls based on our sleep cycles: itâs highest just after we wake up and lowest right before we hit the hay. So, itâs no surprise that sleep and cortisol levels are so heavily interconnected.
âDue to cortisol levels being linked to circadian rhythm, making sure you are getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night will help keep cortisol levels normal,â explains White. âThis can also help keep the fat off.â According to Wake Forest researchers, people who sleep five hours or less put on two and a half times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on slightly less than that.
Figure Out Your Stress Triggers
Stress and cortisol are closely interlinked. A stressor is any stimuli that causes anxiety or stress. It can be something physical or psychological, like a threat to your safety or an unexpected change to your environment. It could also be pain, financial worries, relationship issues, or work-related problems.
When your body is exposed to stress, cortisol is released to keep the body on high alert and can even provide much needed energy, an important factor in the fight or flight response. Therefore, stressful situations increase cortisol production.
Understanding your own triggers is vital if you want lower cortisol levels. Keep a journal to record stressful situations. You dont have to go into detail, but make a note of what happened and consider why it made you feel bad.
You can use this information to find practical ways of managing these situations. For example, stepping away from arguments, learning to say no to extra work, and avoiding unnecessary triggers are good places to start.
You May Like: What Essential Oil Is Good For Stress And Anxiety
Nuts Are A Great Stress
Nuts are full of nutrients, including B vitamins, along with healthy fatty acids. Meyerowitz says B vitamins are an important part of a healthy diet and can help reduce stress. Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts may even help lower blood pressure levels. According to a past study, pistachios in particular can have a role in reducing stress levels. Just remember to limit servings to just a handful a day to avoid excess calories.
Nuts and seeds are also high in magnesium, and thats a plus, Figueroa says, because magnesium has been linked to better anxiety management. Findings from areview published in April 2017 in the journal Nutrients suggested that magnesium benefits individuals with mild to moderate levels of anxiety, but more trials are needed before making this treatment recommendation across the board.
Bring The Training To Your Community
How would members of your community benefit from exposure to this powerful yet simple self-healing practice? Are there other community health advocates in your area interested in this easy and effective approach to foster wellness in their clients?
Find out by contacting us and we will discuss how to bring the training to your area.
Also Check: Does Sex Help With Stress
Listen To Relaxing Music
During stressful times, listening to soft and soothing music can play a key role in reducing your stress hormone levels. In fact, music works as a natural stress buster and helps you calm down quickly.
A 2003 study by the New York Academy of Sciences found that cortisol levels decreased more rapidly in the saliva of subjects exposed to music than subjects recovering from stress in silence. The study suggests that relaxing music after a stressor can act by decreasing the post-stress response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Music is even useful in reducing stress in patients before operations or surgeries. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2011 found that listening to music reduces sedative requirements to reach light sedation under regional anesthesia.
A recent 2016 study published in Public Health found that attending a cultural event can have an impact on endocrine activity and in reducing cortisol levels.
Whenever you are under stress, listen to some music of your choice. If you are skilled at playing a musical instrument, play that instrument to combat stress in your life.
What You Need To Know About Hair Loss
If your condition is not due to a hormonal imbalance, your doctor may recommend treatment that includes topical corticosteroids. Topical corticosteroids may lead to red or puffy face and can reduce your immune systems ability to fight infection. In some cases, fungal infections, such as tinea capitis, can lead to hair loss. Fortunately, you can take antifungal medications to treat it and get a full head of hair again.
Hair loss is a normal part of aging, and there is no need to worry. In fact, it is perfectly normal for most people to lose a bit of hair every day, and it will grow back eventually. Some men and women experience hair loss as they age, while others simply have a genetic predisposition to the problem. If youre experiencing a lack of hair, you may have a weakened immune system, which can lead to hair loss.
For more severe cases of hair loss, a dermatologist may recommend a hair transplant. This procedure involves a surgeon removing plugs of hair from your scalp. It may take several hours and multiple sessions to complete the process. Its an invasive treatment, and may not be the best option for everyone. Your doctor will need to examine your scalp to determine the cause of your condition. In addition to a healthy diet, your doctor may recommend taking supplements of various vitamins and minerals.
Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Stress Weight
