There are many ways to reduce the amount of cortisol in the blood, and I will only consider the safe ones, without the use of medications.
What is cortisol?
It is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands during stress. Often this occurs in excess, which provokes anxiety, anxiety and irritation, and weight gain.
The ways to reduce the level of this hormone can be roughly divided into two large points:
Dietary changes;
Change in lifestyle.I will tell you about each method in more detail below.
Nutrition to Reduce Cortisol Levels
Cut back on fast carbs. This includes white bread, non-whole grain pasta, candy, white sugar, cookies, cakes, tarts, etc. Refined foods provide temporary relief and a sense of happiness, which will come at the price of anxiety and worry. Protect yourself from spikes in blood sugar. From this point of view, it is much safer to eat a slice of chocolate after a fresh vegetable salad and a serving of lean fish than to eat the same slice on an empty stomach with espresso.
Speaking of coffee! Avoid caffeinated beverages altogether, or substantially reduce the amount. Coffee, cola, energy drinks – all this also leads to a surge in cortisol, especially if you drink them on an empty stomach. I’ve come across studies showing that people who regularly consume caffeinated beverages have a slight cortisol response to them over time – a la addiction – but excessive caffeine load is harmful anyway. Dilute, add vegetable or regular milk, do not drink more than 1-2 cups of coffee a day, replace with chicory. All of these will help keep cortisol in check.
Drink your water intake. No health article is complete without this advice. There have been studies that have shown that dehydration increases cortisol levels, which itself triggers stress. Calculating the rate is simple – multiply the weight by 30 ml.
Eat fish oil. These are not necessarily vitamins in capsules, at least just add more fish to the diet: mackerel, salmon, perch, sardines.
Drink Rhodiola rosea tincture during particularly stressful periods of life. I promised that we would do without medication, but this is a completely natural remedy. Rhodiola has long established itself as a means of normalizing cortisol levels. It costs a penny, sold in any pharmacy. Of course, read the annotation and contraindications.