Cortisol is a hormone that deals with stress. It is released by the endocrine glands inside our body. It mainly deals with our body’s response to stress. Read this article to know about the indications of having high cortisol levels and the foods that reduce cortisol.
Cortisol is termed as a stress hormone. It is released in our blood when we are stressed about something. It will help our body deal with the stress in the right way. It is paramount to have the correct amount of cortisol in our body, having too much or too little can be strenuous for us. We know that cortisol deals with stress, but it also deals with our metabolism, blood pressure, and glucose. It keeps these things in check and makes sure that everything is running smoothly.
Cortisol is released from the endocrine gland that can be discovered at the base of our brain. When your brain is alerted because of an external source of stress then, your glands will release cortisol that will deal with the stress and danger by indicating your bodily organs. It flows in your blood and signals the cells, tissues, and your muscles. The supreme function of cortisol is to balance the stress in our body.
Read this article to know about the indications of having high cortisol levels and the foods that reduce cortisol.
Table of Contents
What are the indications of having high cortisol levels?
It is supreme for us to have a balanced amount of cortisol in our blood otherwise, it can be strenuous for us. Following are the indications of having high cortisol levels.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stomach issues
- High blood pressure
- Reproductive issues
- Weight gain
- Sleeping problems
- Lack of concentration
Anxiety:
When the cortisol is high in your blood then, you will feel excessively anxious. We know that cortisol’s main function is to deal with stress in our body. When the cortisol levels are high in our blood, we will feel anxious about every single thing. No matter how big or little the news is. We will have zero control over our emotions and our anxiety will get out of hand.
Depression:
Depression is also an indication of having high cortisol in your body. You will experience depression, you will have no interest in the activities that once used to excite you. Everything around you will feel strenuous, you would start to cut off yourself from your friends and family.
Stomach issues:
When the cortisol is in a high amount in your body, you will start experiencing stomach issues like bloating, indigestion, gastric problems, and constipation. This is an indication that the cortisol is high and now it is interfering with your organs, especially your stomach. You will feel uneasy and this will also start interfering with your food.
High blood pressure:
We all see that cortisol is a stress hormone that flows in our blood. So, when there is a high number of cortisol in our blood, the blood levels will rise causing the pressure to become high. Your blood pressure will be above normal and this can be excessively dangerous for you. High blood pressure can cause troubles in your brain, your heart, and your central nervous system.
Reproductive issues:
When the cortisol is high in your body then, you will also face issues in reproduction. It will cause you to have a low sex drive, it will mess up your periods, your hormones will be deranged, and it might also cause erectile dysfunction. You will face issues while you are having sex and it will also cause your blood flow to be abnormal when you are on your periods.
Weight gain:
A person who has high cortisol in their body will eventually start to gain weight. Their stomachs will start to swell up and their faces will become oval. This is also called obscenity. Your weight will start to go up and no matter how less your diet is, you will keep on gaining weight as long as the cortisol in your body is high.
Sleeping problems:
There is a fear that a person with high cortisol levels will face sleeping problems. They will experience insomnia and also their internal body temperature will rise up. We all know that with stress and anxiety comes insomnia. You will not be adept at sleeping at night and even if you try, your body heat will cause excessive trouble and will not let you sleep.
Lack of concentration:
Someone who has high cortisol in their body will be unable to concentrate on anything. They will keep on zooming out of conversations and they will have trouble remembering paramount details. No matter how much they try to direct their attention, their attention span will become limited because of the abnormal stress levels in their body.
What are the causes of having a high amount of cortisol in your blood?
Following are some of the principal causes of having a high amount of cortisol in your blood which are briefly described below.
- Stress
- Issues in pituitary gland
- Tumor in adrenal gland
- Side effects from some medication
Stress:
We know that cortisol is primarily responsible for managing stress in our body. But when the stress becomes too much to handle and we are unfit to control it anymore, the cortisol levels in our body will become abnormally high and it will make things strenuous for you. It can cause you to have abnormal blood pressure, weight gain, reproductive issues, and so much more.
Issues in pituitary gland:
Pituitary gland which is also known as the master gland, its primary function is to produce hormones for our body. It makes sure that everything is running evenly, but when there is an issue in the pituitary gland then, it will start producing abnormal amounts of hormones in your body causing a disruption. This will make you gain weight, have acne, anxiety, depression, and changes in your bodily schedule.
Tumor in adrenal gland:
Adrenal glands are located above your kidney. Its function is to produce hormones that aid by regulating your metabolism, blood pressure, and immune system. But when there is a problem in your adrenal gland like a tumor then, your adrenal gland will start producing abnormal amounts of hormones that will disturb your metabolism, your blood pressure, and produce more cortisol.
Side effects from medication:
We all know that medications have side effects. Some of the medications like Cortisone, Prednisone, and Methylprednisolone can cause stress in your body. Your body will start making more stress hormones, this will result in the abnormal amount of cortisol in your body.
What are the foods that reduce cortisol?
When you are battling with high cortisol levels in your body. You will face lots of troubles that include high blood pressure, weight gain, reproductive issues, and so much more. You can regulate the levels of cortisol in your blood by using these food items.
- Wild salmon
- Dark chocolate
- Turmeric
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Bananas
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Flax seeds
- Asparagus
- Ginger
- Onions
- Green tea
- Kimchi
Wild salmon:
Eating wild salmon is a good source of getting omega 3 in your body. Wild salmon has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the levels of cortisol from your blood. Your muscles will begin to relax and the stress will leave your body. By eating wild salmon your blood pressure will also become normal and the cortisol levels in your body will go down.
Dark chocolate:
When a person eats one bar of dark chocolate everyday, their cortisol level will come down. According to research, eating dark chocolate will reduce the production of stress hormones in your body. It will also decrease the fight or flight response of your body. Causing your body to appear more calm.
Turmeric:
Turmeric is widely used as a medication to treat pain. It has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the blood pressure and reduce the cortisol levels in our blood. Consuming turmeric will cause your brain to slow down the production of cortisol, making your body more calm.
Olive oil:
Olive oil has a phenolic compound that can bring down the production of cortisol in your body. According to research, a person who consumes olive oil as a part of their diet will have less cortisol levels in their blood as compared to someone who does not use olive oil in their diet.
Coconut oil:
Coconut is a great source for properties like anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antidepressants. It is rich in fatty acids that can quickly transform themselves into energy. They will increase your physical and mental ability. They will also reduce fatigue and stress from your body causing your body to have a balanced cortisol levels.
Bananas:
We all know that bananas are a great source to have magnesium in our body. It can help us by regulating our blood pressure and improving the quality of our sleep. Eating bananas daily can also help us by reducing our cortisol levels. It is a great source for getting serotonin in our body, this will make us more active and less fatigued.
Mushrooms:
Mushrooms are rich in beta glucans. When a person has a diet that is filled with mushrooms then, the beta glucans will start reducing the cortisol from their blood. You will become more active and it will stop your brain from producing too much cortisol. Your body will become more calm and your blood pressure will be normal.
Garlic:
Garlic is an antibiotic that is a great source for amino acids as well. It can regulate your blood pressure, your cholesterol levels, and it can also aid in reducing the soreness in your muscles. Consuming garlic in your diet, whether chopped or crushed, whichever way you like, it can help in reducing the cortisol levels from your blood and regulate your blood pressure.
Flax seeds:
When a person consumes flax seeds, they have phytoestrogens that can reduce the cortisol levels in your blood. It will balance your blood pressure and it will also help your body by not reducing your arteries. Flax seeds are a great source of omega 3 for our body, it will reduce the stress hormone and also reduce the fatigue from our brain.
Asparagus:
Asparagus has an element known as glutathione. It helps our body by detoxifying the chemicals from our blood that can be heavy on our organs. Chemicals like heavy metals and pesticides are removed from our body because of eating asparagus. Asparagus also helps in regulation of our blood pressure and it reduces the cortisol levels in our blood.
Ginger:
Consuming ginger as a part of our diet can help a person who has a weak immune system. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can bring down the cortisol levels in our blood. It will keep our blood pressure in check. Adding ginger in your diet will only improve your blood circulation and cortisol. It will balance the cortisol production in your brain and make your body more calm as compared to before.
Onions:
Onions are considered as one of the most powerful food items in the world. It can reduce your blood pressure, make your immune system strong, it can deal with your stomach issues, it can build tolerance in your body, and it can bring down the amount of cortisol production in your blood. It will improve the blood circulation and balance out the cortisol levels in your blood.
Green tea:
We all know that green tea aids us by improving our digestion, but it also helps us by regulating our cortisol levels. Green tea has polyphenol that blocks the stressful hormones. It makes our blood pressure normal and fades our fatigue and stress. It will lower the stress hormones in our body and make our brain more calm.
Kimchi:
Kimchi is a traditional Korean food item that has been in their culture for centuries. Eating kimchi will release oxytocin from your brain, this way your body’s cortisol levels will be regulated. It will also aid you in any stomach problems.
What are some other ways through which you can reduce cortisol?
Aside from eating food items like bananas, asparagus, ginger, kimchi, onions, and mushrooms you can try the following ways through which you can reduce cortisol levels in your body.
- Do not suppress your emotions
- Meditate
- Make rest your priority
Do not suppress your emotions:
It will never be good for you to suppress your emotions. If you are feeling stressed about something then, keeping it inside of you and isolating yourself will only make you feel more stressed. It is paramount for you to share our thoughts with others and recognize your stressors. Ask for help and do not suppress your emotions.
Meditate:
Meditation is also a great source for making you feel calm and bringing your stress levels down. Whenever you feel stress about something then, you can try meditation. It can be done anywhere and everywhere. Whenever you feel stressed, you can close your eyes for ten to fifteen minutes and think about anything that brings you happiness and joy. This will help you relieve some stress and it will also aid you in controlling your cortisol levels.
Make rest your priority:
It is excessively paramount that you take rest. Sometimes by overworking our brain, we make it feel fatigued and stressed. You have to make your brain rest for sometime, this will help in regulating your blood pressure, your brain chemicals, your hormones, and your brain waves. Overworking our brain will expose it to stress and it will make your cortisol levels high.
Conclusion:
Cortisol is a hormone which is responsible primarily for maintaining the stress in your body. It makes sure that when a person is stressed by an external source then, the bodily organs are activated in a fight or flight mode. Cortisol makes sure that all of our organs are signaled when there is an element of stress near us. It is excessively paramount to have a balanced amount of cortisol in our blood. Having too much cortisol can be strenuous for your body.
It can make you gain weight, ikt will make you feel anxiety, depression, insomnia, it will cause trouble in your hormones, and it will make your blood pressure rise. It is essential to keep our cortisol levels in check. You can try food items like mushrooms, bananas, garlic, ginger, asparagus, flax seeds, onions, kimchi, and green tea if you are battling with high cortisol levels in your blood. These food items will reduce the cortisol and make your brain calm.
