Our natural “fight or flight” stress response can sometimes go a little overboard. It’s supposed to help us escape injury or death in an emergency and then return to normal after we’ve fought or flew. But, that doesn’t happen too much in our society – it becomes a long-term reaction. It becomes chronic.

You’ve probably heard of the main stress hormone, called “cortisol.”  It’s released from your adrenal glands in response to stress. It’s also naturally high in the morning to get you going, and slowly fades during the day so you can sleep (well, it should be, at least!)

Did you know that too-high levels of cortisol are associated with belly fat, poor sleep, brain fog, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and even lowers your immunity?

Do you experience any of these? Well, then read on because I have a list of foods, nutrients and lifestyle recommendations to help you lower this stress hormone naturally!

8 Foods and nutrients advice to lower cortisol

1.🍭Let’s start with one of the biggies that increase your cortisol… SUGAR!

Reducing the sugar we eat and drink can be a great step toward better health for our minds (and bodies).

2.☕️High doses of CAFFEINE also increase cortisol levels. If coffee makes you feel anxious and jittery, then cut back on the amount of caffeine you ingest.

3. 🌊Also, being dehydrated increases cortisol. Make sure you’re drinking enough WATER every day, especially if you feel thirsty.

4.🥑Eat a variety of NUTRIENT-DENSE WHOLE FOODS; this doesn’t just help reduce stress hormone, it helps all aspects of your health.

5.🍫Lower your cortisol levels with TEA and DARK CHOCOLATE (not the sugary milky kind!). Have a bit to unwind. Green tea is a great source of antioxydants that can help lower inflammation.

6.🥦Don’t forget your PROBIOTICS and PREBIOTICS! There is so much new research about the gut-mind connection, and how taking care of your friendly gut microbes is key! Eating probiotic rich fermented foods and getting a healthy dose of fibers is something to keep in mind ALL the time.
-> My favourite probiotics are MegaSporeBiotic/MegaPre (use practitioner code sbaron), and Seed (use code BARON15 for 15% off your first month).

7.🐟FISH OIL helps your body add good fats and is associated with improved mood and cognition. My favourites are MegaOmega (use practitioner code sbaron), Now Krill Oil, or any Krill oil that doesn’t have any preservatives or other unnecessary additives.

8.🍄ADAPTOGENS/MUSHROOMS Ashwagandha can be powerful at busting stress. Find a powder form at your local herbalist shop. A mushroom extract I suggest is Endo-Adrenal from Primal Herb as it’s easy to add to any beverage.

4 Lifestyle techniques to lower cortisol

It’s not just food, but there are things you can do with your time that can lower cortisol.

1.🙏Reduce your stress with MINDFULNESS. Many studies show that reducing stressful thoughts and worry reduces cortisol. Practicing meditation is essential for my personal wellbeing, if that’s something that you’re into already, great, if not, I suggest the Muse headband or any beginner YouTube video on the subject.

2.🏃‍♀️Get enough EXERCISE (but don’t overdo it). While intense exercise increases cortisol levels temporarily, it can reduce overall cortisol levels. I tend to suggest Tai Chi, or Qi Gong, but that’s an individual preference.

3.😴 Get enough SLEEP!

Getting adequate sleep is way too underrated. Sleep reduces cortisol levels and also helps improve your overall health in so many ways. I wear TrueDark glasses a couple hours before going to bed to help reset my circadian cycle and filter out junk light.

4.🤖HAVE FUN. Things like deep breathing, massages, and listening to relaxing music all reduce cortisol.

Be social and bust loneliness. Would you believe me if I told you that science has shown health risks from social isolation and loneliness? It’s true! Maintaining good relationships and spending time with people you like and who support you is key.

Watch funny movies, stand up comedy, old home movies, have game nights, dinners with friends…

Conclusion

Too much of the stress hormone cortisol can have several negative impacts on your health. There are many proven ways to reduce levels of cortisol naturally.

In terms of foods and nutrients, have less sugar and caffeine. And have more water, fruit, tea, dark chocolate, probiotics, and prebiotics, and omega3s. Healing your gut is essential!

Lifestyle factors are huge when it comes to cortisol. To lower yours, exercise (but not too much), get more sleep, relax, and have more fun.

👁‍🗨Visit my social media channels, and let me know your favourite ways to bust your stress hormone!

👉Should you want to go in deeper on an individual basis, feel free to book a personal recorded session with me. These are sent to you so you can view them on your own time.