Eating to Lower Cortisol

Catherine Lawson

Not all stress is bad, as we know, but finding ways to manage it so we get the benefits rather than the backlash can sometimes be a challenge.

Cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands, is the hormone that controls our body’s response to stress. At healthy levels, the benefits of Cortisol are profound: it helps regulate metabolism, support the immune system, maintain healthy blood pressure, and regulate the sleep–wake cycle. If we produce too much of it, however, it can cause chaos in our bodies, leading to weight gain (especially around the face and stomach), high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels, muscle weakness, bone loss, anxiety, sleep problems, immune suppression, and not surprisingly depression. Learning to manage our cortisol levels is therefore essential if we want to harness the benefits of ‘good’ stress.

Lifestyle choices have a major influence on how effectively we can do this. Regular exercise, time in nature, meditation, social connection, sufficient sleep and a healthy work/life balance are just some of the factors which can make a big difference. The other, often surprising consideration, however, is our diet. What we eat and drink plays a much greater role in regulating our cortisol levels than you might think. The reason is simple – when we eat the wrong foods or skip meals, we spike our blood sugar levels and trigger inflammation, both of which signal to the body that it’s in danger. In response, the body produces more cortisol than we would normally need as it readies itself to fight what it sees as the enemy – at that point the cortisol becomes the problem. Conversely, eating the right foods and maintaining a regular eating pattern sends the signal that all is well, which helps keep cortisol levels steady.

As a rule, the more natural our diet is, the better. Our bodies are not designed to process much of what we include in our modern-day diets. Processed products in particular act as harmful toxins which ‘attack’ our systems, immediately putting us under stress. The main culprits (and there are many) include:

• Refined sugars: sweets, cakes, jams, biscuits, pastries, chocolate, puddings, sugary cereals, fizzy drinks
  
• Refined carbohydrates and gluten: white bread, white rice, white potatoes, pasta, crackers
  
• Highly processed foods: fast foods, processed meats (sausages, bacon, hotdogs etc), packaged foods, ready meals, fried foods, salty snacks, artificial sweeteners
  
• Trans fats: margarines, pre-made pastry, frozen pizzas, microwave popcorn and many of the refined baked goods listed above
  
• Dairy (for some people)
  
• Excessive caffeine: tea, coffee, energy drinks
  
• Alcohol

Minimising how many of these products we consume (and how often) helps to limit dietary induced inflammation, keep our blood sugar steady, and consequently keep our cortisol at a healthy level.

Similarly, when we load up on the good stuff – the fresh, natural, nutrient-rich foods that nourish us from the inside out – we encourage the cortisol in our bodies to play nice. The foods which help us do this include:

• Wholegrains: oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley, wholegrain bread
• Beans, peas and pulses: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, soybeans, split peas
• Vegetables: the more the merrier and eat them in as many colours as possible
• Fruits: whole, not juiced, and focus on those which are less starchy such as berries, apples, pears and citrus fruits
• Lean proteins: chicken, turkey, fish, tofu, tempeh, eggs
• Healthy fats: avocado, nuts, nut butters, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish
• Fermented foods (think gut-brain connection): kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut
  Herbal teas and water

There’s plenty in life we can’t control, but choosing a diet that reduces unnecessary stress on our bodies is something we can do. The key, as always, is finding a sustainable balance. We can still enjoy the occasional takeaway with a glass of wine or some coffee and cake at the weekend; the trick is to keep those treats to a minimum as we fill the rest of our days with the foods which are allies in the fight against stress.