Stress. Everyone knows this one little word. Some of us all too well.
When you are stressed, levels of the stress hormone cortisol spike, and it can wreak havoc throughout the body.
Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands just above the kidneys. It plays many roles in different body processes, including controlling blood sugar levels, regulating metabolism, helping reduce inflammation, assisting with memory formulation, and controlling blood pressure.
It’s indisputably one important little hormone!
But cortisol is really best known for its involvement in the “fight or flight” response to stressors. Here’s how it works:
Individual is faced with a stressor, then …Adrenals secrete cortisol, then …Cortisol prepares body for fighting or fleeing (heart rate increases, blood pumps harder and faster, energy sent to large muscles for energy, digestion shuts down), then …Individual addresses and resolves the stressful situation, and finally …Hormone levels return to normal: “feed and breed; rest and digest”
This system absolutely worked back when we were cave people and a saber-toothed tiger was chasing us. Cortisol levels would cascade, energy was rerouted to big muscles, and you were ready to RUN! You’d (hopefully) escape the tiger, get to safety, calm down, and go back to normal.
Problem is, in our plugged-in, fast-paced society, many of us are ever-stressed and our bodies are pumping out cortisol almost constantly. With many of our modern stressors, there is no clear resolution of the stress, like there is when you escape a tiger. It’s an outdated system in many ways, but it’s what we’ve got to work with.
So what exactly does it mean if you have elevated levels of cortisol? How exactly can that be harmful?
High levels of cortisol contribute to increased risk of the following:
* Weight gain and obesity
* Immune system suppression * Chronic inflammation * Susceptibility to colds, flu and illness * Cancer * Food allergies * Gastrointestinal issues, including ulcers * Autoimmune disease * Cardiovascular disease (think stressed-out Type A person at greater risk for heart attack) * Fertility problems * Insomnia * Chronic fatigue syndrome * Thyroid disorders * Dementia * Depression
Wow, that list is pretty bleak. But don’t get too down about it, because there’s actually a lot you can do.
The best approach to keeping cortisol levels low is stress management and an optimized diet.
Check out the list below for some tips for stress management: 
* Get better sleep. Try a dark room, go to bed at the same time each night, and avoid digital devices an hour or two before bedtime (blue light wakes up your brain).
* Do some cardiovascular exercise.
* Address any psychological or emotional issues (we’ve got lots of great counselors here at LSRG who can help you with this!)
* Deep, rhythmic, belly breathing. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Focus on the sound of the breath, or count your breaths * Meditation
* Mental scan of body, imagining each set of muscles in your body relaxing * Positive visualization, seeing your future goals in your minds eye like they are already happening now),
* Mindful walking, quieting your thoughts and focusing on what your senses perceive
* Chanting a mantra or positive affirmation over and over again
To optimize cortisol levels with an anti-inflammatory diet, here are some ideas:
* Lower your intake of refined starches and sugars, and processed foods overall. Winter squash and sweet potatoes can help fulfill the craving for starchy “comfort” foods
* Eat more whole grains like brown rice and quinoa, as opposed to processed flour.
* Eat more plants, especially a full rainbow of colors for broadest nutrient spectrum. Also more beans as plant-based protein.
* Eat plenty of good fats like avocados, walnuts, and olive oil, and eliminate trans fats
* Reduce or eliminate caffeine
* Drink plenty of water, and start your day with a glass of warm water with lemon for improved digestion and alkalizing your system.
So hope is not lost! Stress may always be there, and with it, the increase in cortisol and all its effects. However, we have many tools to help ourselves remain as balanced and healthy as we can, so go ahead and use them!