Relaxation, the equivocal activity which is often talked about and rarely achieved in the present world. Almost everyone will admit that we need to and we often have trouble doing so, however, the execution still eludes us! Confused?
We are talking about Cortisol, a hormone that is produced by our body that designed to help the body deal with physical and mental stress. It is also known as the stress hormone.
It increases in the blood rise when you feel either emotional, physical, or mental stress. However, the high levels of cortisol in your blood can affect specific chemical balances in your body.
This may result in weight gain, increased appetite, and for few people, an increased risk of cardiovascular conditions or stroke caused by the increase of fat deposits in the blood vessels. But, don’t worry! It is possible to lower high cortisol levels in your blood naturally.
How To Reduce Your Stress Hormone?
Let’s look at the potential way to reduce your stress hormone levels:
Balanced Diet
Always eat a balanced, nutritious diet which contains a lot of vegetables and fruits. Low-glycemic index foods such as eggs can help to lower cortisol levels in your blood.
At the same time, the whole grain products contain proteins which help control the production of cortisol in your body. Remember to stay away from processed flours as well as sugars.
Avoid Toxins
Unfortunately, our food supply can be one of the major sources of toxins. The other sources of toxins can include chemicals in our everyday needs such as toothpaste, deodorants, personal care products, medicines as well as cleaning chemicals.
In fact, our exposure to large amounts of plastic, particularly plastics which have been heated in the microwave, also can cause a toxic build up in our body.
So, if the body is in a state of stress, the kidneys and liver are also not functioning optimally makes the toxin removal process ineffective and slow.
Steps To Reduce Toxins:
- Use only natural beauty and personal care products
- Never use plastics and store food in glass vessels
- Drink enough water to make sure toxins are being flushed out
- Avoid processed foods which are full of chemicals
- Avoid environmental toxins like pesticides and herbicides
Exercise
Exercise on an everyday basis can help with weight management as well as weight loss. Exercise also produces endorphins which as also called as ‘feel good’ chemicals that are released in the brain in order to combat stress and anxiety.
This is one of the effective and natural ways to decrease the production of your stress hormones.
Sleep
Although the diet and exercise are great, if you are not getting ample sleep, then that will have a tremendous impact on stress levels and your overall health.
One night of missed or interrupted sleep is enough to give a healthy person the blood sugar levels of a pre-diabetic or a diabetic. Moreover, getting less than 5 hours of sleep a night may also impact cognitive function and driving ability the following day.
There is also information that links the lack of sleep to a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, or chronic diseases. When you are not getting enough amount of sleep you can gain weight, which for some is reason enough to start sleeping more!
Vitamins And Minerals
Consume vitamin and mineral supplements, especially Vitamin C, that naturally lowers the stress hormone levels. Also, Folic acid controls the functions and actions of the adrenal glands, that produce cortisol.
Take Vitamin B5 and folic acid either as a supplement or through your diet that can help lower the cortisol levels.
Vitamin B5 and Folic acid can be found in the following foods
- Beans
- Fish
- Peas
- Whole grains
- Sunflower seeds
- Fruits like melons and oranges
On the flip side of this coin, most of the people also do not turn their minds off enough. Allow your relax mean literally “relax”. Do not relax by watching TV or doing some other activity without engaging your mind on it.
Take time to meditate as well as try to focus on the positive aspects of your life, also the things you are grateful for. Consider using your valuable time for an activity which improves your mind as well as reduces stress. All in all, relaxation is easier said than done!
