Normal levels of cortisol are paramount to good health and even to your survival. This hormone is instrumental in the fight-or-flight response when you are faced with a dangerous situation or an emergency. Cortisol promotes a greater use of stored body fat compared to carbohydrates as the primary energy source for nearly all the cells in your body, according to the authors of the book "Anatomy & Physiology." Prolonged elevation of cortisol levels circulating in your blood contributes to many diseases, including abdominal obesity and heart disease. Modifying your diet helps you adjust your cortisol levels.
Step 1
Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day, maintaining a stable blood sugar level. Continuously starving yourself or fasting, such as skipping breakfast and lunch, stimulates the unnecessary release of cortisol . Overeating, which you will likely do at dinner if you forgot about breakfast and worked through lunch, is also associated with high cortisol levels. While cortisol may help you when you have absolutely no access to food for many days, it is harmful when you can otherwise be eating healthy foods every two to three hours.
Step 2
Limit your intake of foods high in refined carbs and high in sugar. Consuming such foods elevates your blood sugar so high that it causes your blood sugar level to fall even lower than your premeal level. A low blood sugar level stimulates the release of cortisol that can last from several hours up to an entire day, according to a 2008 article by R. Paul Gustafson, Ph.D., published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal." Avoid white rice, baked potatoes, white bread and French baguettes, as these foods are fairly quick to raise your blood sugar.
Step 3
Reduce your consumption of foods high in saturated and trans fat. Fatty foods like bacon cheeseburgers, chicken skin, full-fat milk and commercially packaged snack foods are associated with cortisol's role in relocating the fat on your limbs and storing the fat deep within your abdominal area, according to a 2005 article by Christine Maglione-Garves and colleagues published in "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal."
Step 4
Drink a carbohydrate-and-protein shake or sports beverage 30 minutes before you work out. A small meal before an exercise session reduces the amount of cortisol released in response to the stress from exercise, according to a 2007 article by Jacob Baty and colleagues published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research."
Tips and Warnings
- Incorporate one new dietary change per week such as eating breakfast to gradually modify your cortisol level. Take a power nap or go for a walk to better manage your stress levels, reducing long-term, excessive levels of cortisol.
- Elevated cortisol levels also reduce your number of white blood cells, limiting your capacity to fight infection.
References
- "Anatomy & Physiology"; Gary Thibodeau, Ph.D., et al.; 2007
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Cortisol Connection: Tips on Managing Stress and Weight; Christine Maglione-Garves, et al.; September/October 2005
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; The Glycemic Index and Weight Control; R. Paul Gustafson, Ph.D.; June 2008
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Glycemic Index: An Educational Tool for Health and Fitness Professionals; Stephen Wong, Ph.D., et al.; November/December 2003
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; The Effect of a Carbohydrate and Protein Supplement on Resistance Exercise Performance, Hormonal Response, and Muscle Damage; Jacob Baty, et al.; May 2007
