Stress-relief tea!
Cortisol is truly a double-edged sword: You need a trickle of this stress hormone to keep your muscles limber and fatigue at bay, but if your levels stay high for too long, it doubles your risk of anxiety, creeping weight gain, memory problems, headaches
✓ Stopping overloads with prayer
You want happiness and good health for your loved ones— and taking 10 minutes each morning to quietly reflect on those wishes is enough to cut your morning cortisol production— and stress level— 50% or more! Thoughts and prayers that focus on helping others are calming and uplifting for the person offering them, says study coauthor Silvia Caldeira, PH.D. No wonder a Baylor University study found that 75% of us have prayed for healing others, and nearly 33% do so often.
✓ Dodging trouble with ginger tea
If a hectic day is looming, sipping 12 oz. of ginger tea midmorning could cut your risk of cortisol overloads 25% for up to six hours. Japanese researchers found that the active ingredients in ginger prompt your brain to release GABA, a hormone that keeps your adrenal glands calm so that busy days don’t trigger a flood of cortisol.
✓ Koing trouble with watermelon
Feeling rattled right now? Enjoying a slice of sweet, juicy water- melon could help you feel 33% more relaxed and clear-headed for three hours straight. This summertime treat is packed with lycopene and beta-carotene— a nutrient duo that UCLA research shows tamps down your cortisol production within minutes of the first delicious bite!
✓ Getting exercise’s perks with foot rubs
Exercising regularly helps your body use up cortisol before it can trigger problems—but what if you’re just too busy, tired or sore to work out? Taking two minutes twice daily to firmly massage your toes and the soles of your feet using slow, circular motions could make your cortisol levels plunge 45%, reports the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Firm foot massages stimulate key acupressure points that help prevent busy days from triggering cortisol release, says study coauthor Rick Kwan, PH.D., of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
✓ Nixing anxiety with salad
If your amygdala (the anxiety center of your brain) is overactive, it will prod your adrenals to release lots of nerve-jangling cortisol. Wondering if your amygdala is in overdrive? If your brain never seems to stop worrying and planning, even when you’re trying to unwind, the answer is yes! Fortunately, University of Georgia researchers found that compounds in lettuce, spinach and other leafy greens dial down your cortisol production 25%. In fact, women who consume just one cup of greens a day report feeling calmer and happier in five weeks!
✓ Upping alpha waves with pine scents
According to the journal Public Health, inhaling the woodsy aromas when walking in a forest can make your cortisol level plunge for 90 minutes. Of course, daily jaunts in the forest aren’t always practical since fewer than 15% of us live near wooded areas. No problem! Stanford University research shows that simply taking six deep sniffs of pine essential oil when you feel edgy is just as effective!