Feeling Stressed? Your Diet May Be the Problem
Feeling overwhelmed? What is on your plate might be part of the problem, or the solution. Nutrition researchers are uncovering how everyday foods can spike or soothe cortisol levels, offering a natural way to manage stress through smarter eating.
Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It helps regulate the body’s response to stress and affects many systems, from metabolism to immune function. While short bursts of cortisol are normal, Christine Ferguson, Ph.D., RDN, assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Nutrition Sciences, says chronically elevated levels can increase the risk of long-term health conditions.
“Diet influences many things, including cortisol, through the inflammatory pathway,” Ferguson said. “Inflammation is a key factor because increased cortisol can raise inflammation, and inflammation can also raise cortisol. Diet can influence both. That’s why anti-inflammatory foods or an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern is worth considering.”
Excerpted from UAB News
