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Cut Cortisol
For a flatter tummy and less stress
Taste for life/January 2005
By Frances E. Fitzgerald
Eating less and exercising more will shrink your waistline, right? Yes, but it’s a little more complicated than that.
Stress is emerging as a key culprit in weight gain, specifically the deep fat that collects in the abdomen. At least one study finds a link between abdominal fat and women who are psychologically vulnerable to stress.
Stress Releases Cortisol
“When we’re under stress, our metabolism slows down, the blood supply goes to the extremities, and the body tends to store more fat,” says Sherry Torkos, Phm. Stress releases cortisol, a steroid hormone. In turn, cortisol leads to the release of too much insulin, which overwhelms the body’s capacity to burn fat.
In addition, excess cortisol interferes with the body’s ability to manufacture leptin, a substance believed to provide a sense of fullness. Without sufficient leptin, we may not know when we’ve eaten enough. In one study, 59 healthy, premenopausal women participated in a stress session. Women with high cortisol activity consumed more calories and more sweet foods than women with lower cortisol levels.
Why do we crave refined carbohydrates during times of stress? These foods raise our levels of serotonin, one of the “feel good” brain chemicals. Unfortunately, these sugary treats cause the release of more insulin, which makes us crave sweets even more. The cycle continues-as does weight gain.
In normal amounts, cortisol is essential: It enables the liver to break down proteins and fats, manufacture glucose from amino acids, and combat inflammation. It’s when too much cortisol gets released that the trouble starts.
Apple v. Pear
No one needs extra body fat, but those who carry fat around the midsection face greater health risks than those who carry it more in the thighs and buttocks. Pamela Peeke, MD, refers to central obesity as “toxic weight.” Abnormal fat is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, and increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and certain cancers.
Cortisol isn’t the only reason for abdominal obesity. Dr. Peeke points out that as women get older, estrogen levels decrease, and fat drifts toward the midsection rather than the hips and thighs. In addition, recent research suggests that an overactive enzyme-11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1- may also contribute to a pot belly. This enzyme appears to increase levels of cortisol in the fatty tissues but not in the bloodstream. Lab mice that overproduced this enzyme developed abdominal fat, insulin resistance, hypertension, and diabetes.
Simple Solutions
How can you reduce cortisol levels? In our book, A Woman’s guide to a Healthy Heart, Carol Simontacchi, CCN and I recommend limiting:
Refined sugar. This “antinutrient” barges into the bloodstream, evoking an overreaction by the pancreas. The resulting low glucose levels trigger a release of cortisol. If you’re trying to lose fat, you don’t need these empty calories.
Food additives. Specifically aspartame has been linked to anxiety, which boosts cortisol levels.
Alcohol. Another simple sugar, alcohol can destabilize blood sugar levels and weaken the central nervous system.
Caffeine. Coffee and other caffeine-rich beverages (green tea included) stimulate the central nervous system, while depleting the body of important B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium.
Farid Wassef, RPh, CCN, adds that you can reduce stress and lower corisol levels through healthy routines. “The body loves predictability,” he says, and recommends using a journal to schedule meals, exercise, bedtime, and breaks. “It takes 90 days of repetitive behavior to develop a habit.”
Wassef also cautions against staying on a high protein, low carb diet for prolonged periods. Although this may balance glucose levels at first, over time it will create more stress for the body.
Important Supplements
(Always use fruit and vegetable juices as your supplement, and or fresh whole foods, versus pills and capsules created in a laboratory)
Vitamin C can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress. 1,000 mg per day.
B vitamins are essential for the nervous system and help balance blood sugar levels. For best results, eat whole grains sprouted, cooked, or as rejuvelac. Nutritional yeast is also high in B Vitamins.
Vitamin E: a fat-soluble antioxidant, is especially important during times of stress. High cortisol levels are linked with high level of free radicals. Vitamins E and C work together to disarm these errant molecules. 400 IU of E daily in the form of whole grains sprouted, cooked or rejuvalac.
Alpha lipoic acid: Helps keep blood sugar levels on track by making cells more sensitive to insulin. 50 to 100 micrograms per day. Found in Flax seed and the herb, Purslane.
Chromium: Works to control a raging sweet tooth and reduces high glucose levels. 50 micrograms per day. Found in the herb, Hibiscus Flower.
Magnesium: the anti-stress mineral, supports the nervous system, enhances sleep, and helps keep blood sugar levels with a healthy range. Found in Seaweeds, Red Raspberry Leaf and Comfrey leaf.
Coenzyme Q10: is used to treat fatigue, muscle aches, depression, and blood sugar imbalances. It appears to support the function of the pancreas, the organ that generates insulin. Found in all raw, uncooked fruits and vegetables.
Lipotropic factors (including methionine, choline, lecithin, and inositol) are important during weight loss. “When people lose 20, 30, 40 pounds in a couple of months, all the abdominal fat goes into the bloodstream and the liver gets congested with it,” Wassef explains. “Lipotropic factors help make blood fates slipperier, so the liver can excrete them more easily.”
Herbs:
Holy Basil: (Ocimum sanctum) Helps reduce cortisol level and clear up a “fuzzy head,” says Wassef.
Ashwagandha: (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic tonic that helps the body combat stress.
Ginseng: (Panax) is an adaptogenic herb that helps revive the body after a long stretch of stress and or illness.
PROVEN STRESS BUSTERS
Exercise is an integral component of any effective anti-stress program. Walking, swimming, bicycling, housework, gardening, skiing, or aerobics on most days of the week will reduce stress and improve mood. In one study, 38 men and 35 women tracked their exercise, mood, and stress levels over 12 days. On the days they exercised, they reported feeling happier and more able to deal with stressful situations.
Consistent, vigorous physical activity:
Releases endorphins, which decrease stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol
Balances blood sugar levels by burning excess sugar in the bloodstream and making cells more sensitive to insulin
Burns calories and body fat
Promotes restful slumber.
People who stick with an exercise plan typically feel more self-confident and gain a sense of control over their lives.
Note: “Spot” exercising to target a certain area of the body-such as the abdomen-is futile. Although it will firm up the muscles beneath the fat, only losing weight overall will get rid of the fat in that area.
Other ways to get a grip on stress levels include:
Meditation
Yoga
Body work (massage, acupressure, shiatsu, neuromuscular therapy, and Rolfing can help rid the muscles of tension.
Expressing yourself, either talking with your friends or writing in a journal, helps release stress and anxiety.
Laugh at yourself and the world around you. Humor gives us a healthy perspective on our stressors.
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