Foods to Lower Cortisol and Stress

Introduction:

The foods eaten by an individual will make a difference in their stress levels. Few foods are beneficial, while others may not help to reduce stress. Individuals' mental, physical, and emotional health are impacted by stress levels, which leads to an increase in heart rate, rise in blood pressure, and neck tightening. And these symptoms indicate what was going on internally in the individual’s body.

Reduce stress and its effects. There are many ways to manage, which include self-care, deep breathing techniques, or meditation. In addition, diet and nutrition also play an important role in reducing stress. By eating certain foods, there is a stress reduction, and by consuming others, there is an increase in stress levels.

How Does Cortisol Work in an Individual Body?

In an individual body, cortisol plays many roles, including

• Reduction in inflammation.

• Regularization in sleep cycles.

• Controlling blood pressure.

• The way carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are managed in an individual body.

• Increase in blood sugar.

Other signifance of cortisol include:

• It is important to note that during stressful situations, the adrenal gland releases cortisol, sometimes known as the stress hormone, or it releases when the body is under physical stress (a condition like inflammation).

• During fight or flight conditions, this hormone helps the individual body manage it, which is also a good thing.

• For a short period, cortisol is healthy and provides a protective mechanism. During the short- term stressful situation, this hormone helps the body to respond and provide energy to the individual.

• But in contrast, opposite to all good things that happen during a long-term period, cortisol gives stress to the body, leading to more inflammation and increased blood pressure.

• Barth says the number one treatment to manage stress is lowering cortisol levels.

How Is Stress Related to an Individual’s Health?

A common problem seen in society nowadays is stress. It is divided into three groups

• Acute stress.

• Acute episodic.

• Chronic stress.

Altogether, combined stress was seen in many people.

1. Acute Stress: Acute stress occurs when individuals are stuck in a traffic jam or a brief event like a heated argument.

2. Acute Episodic: Acute events like deadlines at work are frequent.

3. Chronic Stress: It includes conditions like physical or mental abuse, family events like conflicts, mental or physical abuse, substance abuse, and work deadlines.

• The same mechanism is seen in the body reacting to all types of stress, which occurs regardless of its origin, either real or perceived event.

• Fight or flight response is seen in both acute and chronic stressors.

• Within seconds several actions occur after the release of hormones into the body cells receive the pumped blood and oxygen quickly, heart rate quickens, and mental alertness increases.

• This rapid action helped escape dangerous situations.

• The same response is triggered by all types of stress, which is explained below:

• Through the autonomic nervous system, a very small region at the base of the brain known as the hypothalamus initiates the reaction and communicates with the body.

• Involuntary responses like blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, and breathing are regulated by this system.

• The adrenal gland is aroused by ANS (autonomic nervous system) signaling nerves and corticotropin hormone. It is found on the top of each kidney and releases a hormone known as adrenaline into circulation.

• The main action of the adrenaline hormone is to increase blood pressure by quickening the heart rate so that to the muscles and heart, more blood is circulated to support and boost up the energy.

• More oxygen in the blood is available to the heart, lungs, and brain to accommodate faster breathing and heightened alertness. It also helps to sharpen the individualism eyesight and hearing.

• If the stress continues, the adrenal gland produces another hormone called cortisol. It promotes the release of glucose into the blood and raises the amount of energy that glucose provides to the brain.

• This hormone also can turn off the other system's actions in the body so that it concentrates only on the stress response, which includes digestion, reproduction, and growth.

• The hormones will not return to their normal levels until the stress response passes away. If it does not pass, a physical reaction is triggered in the nervous system leading to inflammation and damage to cells.

How Does Chronic Stress Affect the Eating Pattern?

The events will be short, and hormone levels will gradually return to normal during acute stress.

A fight or flight response causes a continuous elevation of hormones leading to a risk of health problems repeatedly triggered by acute episodic and chronic stress.

• Increase blood pressure.

• Digestive issues (diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, and heartburn).

• A problem in the immune system.

• Heart disease and chest pain.

• Weight gain.

• Depression and anxiety.

• Insomnia and sleep disturbance.

• Pain in muscles (muscular pain: headache, back pain, and neck pain).

• Skin conditions.

• Infertility.

In various ways, the calories and nutrients in the body are affected by chronic stress.

• There is an increase in the use and excretion of many nutrients due to a rise in the body’s metabolic needs.

• And deficiency has resulted in individuals who do not eat a nutritious diet. The behavior that can negatively affect eating habits was seen due to chain reactions created by stress.

• Oxygen, energy, and nutrients are in more demand in an individual's body.

• People crave comforting foods such as highly processed snacks or sweets that have low amounts of nutrients and are rich in fat and calories.

• Individuals may ski[p or forget to eat meals when they feel stressed and lack the time or motivation to prepare nutritious and balanced meals.

• Sleep is disturbed by the stress leading to a lighter sleep or frequent awakening leading to fatigue during the daytime.

• An adrenaline hormone suppresses an individual's appetite during acute stress. In contrast, in chronic stress, elevated cortisol levels cause cravings for particular foods rich in sugar, fat, and calories leading to weight gain.

• There is an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain breast cancers because of cortisol action causing fat accumulation in the belly area leading to adiposity with the association of insulin resistance.

• Hormone ghrelin was increased, and the hormone leptin was decreased due to these actions.

What Are Examples of Stress-Relieving Foods?

• When individuals are stressed, Mediterranean foods are good to eat because they include fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, whole grains, and healthy fats.

• The Mediterranean diet is the best choice to improve overall health and reduce stress.

• The cortisol levels in the individual body are lowered, and it is best to go on an anti-inflammatory diet that includes fewer fast foods and more whole-grain foods.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Rich Foods:

The best source of this is fatty fish, but one can also get it from plant sources. And taking this helps to reduce inflammation in the body, which includes:

• Avocados.

• Chia seeds.

• Anchovies.

• Tuna.

• Walnuts.

• Sardines.

• Salmon.

• Olive oil.

• Mackerel.

• Herrings.

• Flax seeds.

Foods That Are Rich in Proteins:

Foods such as meat, poultry, fish, beans, and legumes are included to promote balanced blood sugar levels. A few of them are:

• Eggs.

• Lean beef.

• Lentils.

• Almonds.

• Quinoa.

• Turkey.

• Beast.

• Peanuts.

• Lean beef.

• Tuna.

• Salmon,

• Shrimp.

Foods Rich in Magnesium:

Magnesium is used to reduce inflammation, metabolize cortisol, and relax the body and mind, this is highly beneficial to people, and it includes a few examples:

• Broccoli.

• Bananas.

• Avocados.

• Dark chocolates.

• Pumpkin seeds.

• Spinach.

Gut Healthy Foods:

An individual's immune system is 70 to 80 % reliant on their gut. So one can correct their immunity by correcting their gut. To reduce cholesterol and balance the blood sugars these given below probiotic-rich and fermented foods are used:

• Greek yogurt.

• Kombucha.

• Sauerkraut.

• Kefir.

Vitamin B-Rich Foods:

Fortified whole grains and some animal sources include a lot of vitamin B 12, which aids in the breakdown of cortisol. A few examples of this are

• Chicken.

• Eggs.

• Beef.

• Fortified cereal.

• Organ meats.

Conclusion:

When people wish to lower their stress, they should remember that they should not skip meals and should eat every three to five hours on a regular schedule, which helps to balance their blood sugar levels. People can get stressed in their bodies as a result of chronically elevated cortisol levels in order to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Assume a person's body requires vitamins and nutrients. In that scenario, one should not be tempted to turn to supplements to obtain them because it is known what impact nutrition from food may have on one's body; however, supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A whole-body approach to stress reduction involves getting enough sleep, exercising, and controlling chronic conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, all of which cause the body to be in an inflammatory state for an extended period of time.