8 Powerful Ways To Lower Your Cortisol Naturally

Having  too  much of cortisol in the body can trigger a range of different health problems:

Such as unexplained high blood pressure The formation of loose belly fat that hangs over Muscle weakness especially  in the legs and buttocks .You may wake up between 2-3am  struggling to sleep and overthinking 

It can weaken your immune system  making you prone to illness. It can trigger acid reflux and heartburn. "8 Signs You Have HIGH CORTISOL"

If cortisol is left unchecked it can lead to some  dangerous health conditions like heart disease,  type2 diabetes and a higher  risk of infection from viruses.

There are some simple ways that you can lower your  cortisol naturally to take  the strain off your body.

And that’s exactly what we will  talk about in today's article.

Just a quick reminder this article  is for educational purposes only,  so do speak to your doctor if you have  any medical or mental health concerns.

1. L-Theanine

If you wish you can take 200mg of L-Theanine twice  

per day to help relax your nervous  system and naturally lower cortisol.

This is an amino acid found in green  tea which helps to lower your heart  

rate when you are stressed and also  make you feel calm, steady and focused.

This nutrient easily crosses the blood  brain barrier within 30-45 minutes.

(after taking it) You can also get  

this in a gum that can be chewed, or  a mint that helps to give you focus.

Some people prefer to take this in the morning on  an empty stomach to replace caffeinated drinks,  

as it helps wake you up without causing  irritability and jitters that you get from coffee.

2. Magnesium Foods

When your cortisol is high, your body is  locked into a state called fight/flight.

This keeps your muscles tense, especially  around your neck and shoulders,  

as it’s a reflex to stress - the bodies  way of guarding itself against injury.

To naturally ease this tension you  want to start eating foods that are  

rich in magnesium more often,  such as leafy green vegetables.

Avocados, sunflower seeds, extra virgin olive oil,  

and sugar free dark chocolate  are also rich in magnesium.

This calming mineral is needed to help  relax your muscles, reduce tightness,  

spasms, and restlessness that occurs  when your cortisol levels are high.

3. Raise Oxygen Levels

When your cortisol is high, your nervous  system is in a state of alertness,  

and is making you very sensitive to triggers.

You may find that people annoy you more, your  blood pressure will increase and this can put  

a strain on your heart long term - which is why  doctors often relate stress to heart disease.

So to counter this, start raising  your oxygen levels by taking long  

gentle walks in nature for  at least 45 minutes each day.

This form of low intensity exercise,  helps to reduce cortisol and turn off the  

fight/flight reaction (sympathetic nervous  system) by boosting your oxygen levels.

You'll also find that sunlight exposure  produces more Vitamin D in your body, which  helps to lower inflammation and calm the adrenal  glands, so that they release less cortisol.

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4. Vitamin B1 & B5

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and B5  (Pantothenic Acid) are two of  

the most powerful nutrients for lowering  cortisol and relaxing the nervous system.

The best natural source of these  is unfortified nutritional yeast.  

Eat at least 2-3 tablespoons of this mixed in  yoghurt, soups, stir fries or over your salad.

Within 5-10 minutes you may feel  yourself relaxing and calming down,  

as the rest/digest part of your nervous  system kicks in (parasympathetic).

Eating garlic can also supply allithiamine,  

a powerful version of B1, which enhances  your mood, supports neurotransmission  

in your brain, lifts brain fog and helps  to quickly reduce the need for cortisol.

5. 4-6 Breathing Technique

Sit in a comfortable chair or lie down,  and breathe in gently to a count of 4,  

and then out to a count of 6. Do  this gently for just a few minutes.

The longer exhalation stimulates your diaphragm,  the muscle below your lungs which can reboot the  

signal to the brain, telling it to turn  off the fight/flight (cortisol) response.

You see, when you are stressed you tend to  breathe more rapidly and more shallow. By  

slowing your breathing down, your brain knows  it's safe to turn off its stress reaction.

By the way, I'll be sharing some links below  the video to my favourite supplements to reduce  

cortisol, and also some cortisol testing  kits if you are looking for more resources.

6. Aromatherapy

Invest in some high quality essential oils to  

promote relaxation of the body  and ease the nervous system.

Lavender, frankincense, bergamot, ylang ylang  and myrrh are some of my personal favourites  

which each contain active ingredients  that have been shown to lower cortisol.

You can place a few drops of your chosen  oil into a little coconut oil (carrier oil)  

and massage this into your temples. Studies show that the active ingredients  

within essential oils penetrate the skin and  help to balance out hormones throughout the body.

Gently inhaling these aromas by using a  room diffuser or oil burner can also help  

to make you feel peaceful and get  your body out of the stress mode.

7. Quit Snacking

Snacking throughout the day continuously  triggers another hormone called insulin,  

which is there to help control your blood sugars.

Over time this repeated habit can cause  insulin resistance, which can cause your  

brain cells to starve of energy, putting  your body into stress mode (high cortisol).

Instead of snacking, it's recommended  to eat 2 solid meals per day,  

adding some healthy fats to boost  satiety and keep you feeling full.

Avocados, grass fed butter, Brazil nuts, almonds,  virgin coconut oil or oily fish (sardines/salmon),  

can all help to keep you feeling full and  reduce the need for cortisol in your body.

8. Adaptogens 

There are many herbs and spices used throughout  the world that are classified as adaptogens.

Basically, adaptogens help your body adapt  to stress, including emotional stress,  

and physical stress from exercise or injury.

Getting more adaptogens helps your body adjust  and respond to the changing conditions of life,  

so it naturally lowers the need for cortisol in  your body, and calms your adrenal glands down.

Ashwagandha and rhodiola are two amazing  herbs which you can get in supplement form.

You can also drink lemon balm, hibiscus,  

chamomile, maca or butterfly pea flower  teas to keep your cortisol levels in check.

As you can see there are many active ways  to lower cortisol naturally in your body,  

so try out a mixture of these  and see which works best for you.

In addition to these methods I also recommend that  

you find ways to pull away  from stressors in your life.

For example if you have relatives  or friends that get on your nerves,  

don't go as often and don't stay as long.

We often try to push through stress, which  only makes the problem worse as it can  

physically build-up inside your body, causing  an over reactive nervous response (cortisol).

Take care of yourself mentally,  physically and emotionally.

Eating probiotic rich foods like kefir,  sauerkraut, raw vegetables, kimchi and kombucha  tea can all help the cells in your gut to produce  calming brain chemicals like GABA and serotonin.

Here's a quick summary of the powerful  ways to lower cortisol naturally.

1. Take L-theanine in a gum, mint or  supplement to replace your morning coffee 

2. Eat leafy greens, and foods rich in magnesium  to calm muscle tension and lower cortisol 

3. Raise oxygen levels by  taking long walks in nature 

4. Consume nutritional yeast to get B1 and B5,  the most important vitamins to relax the body. 

5. Use the 4-6 breathing technique to  physically turn off the stress response 

6. Use essential oils to  stimulate the parasympathetic  rest and digest part of the nervous system .

7. Quit snacking and eat solid meals with healthy  fats to stay satisfied and balance hormones.

8. Use adaptogen herbs like ashwagandha and  lemon balm to reduce the need for cortisol.

9. Limit stressful situations in your life by  avoiding annoying people as much as you can.

10. Eat probiotic rich foods to support  your gut microbiome in producing  calming brain chemicals like GABA>

Thank you so much for reading my article,  and as always I wish you great  health, wealth and happiness.

Top 10 Foods That Help To Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally

Hypertension is a condition  where your blood pressure is  higher than normal for a long period of time.

This means that your heart  is pumping harder to send  all of the blood and oxygen through your arteries.

Over time this extra pressure puts  a strain on the inner walls of your  arteries (endothelium) which makes them lose  their flexibility and they become stiff, (and rigid) raising the risk of blood clots and forming  plaque which can lead to heart attacks, skipped  beats (arrythmia), strokes, kidney  damage, eye disorders and even death.

(if you don’t get this under control) but the question is what causes this  high blood pressure in the first place?

One of the main causes is eating too  much refined sugar which depletes  your antioxidants making your arteries  stiff and reducing your circulation.

Another main cause is having  a deficiency in potassium,  which causes our bodies to hold more fluid  putting strain on the heart and the arteries.

Also eating refined carbohydrates like bread,  flour, pastries and cakes will all deplete  potassium, and raise a hormone called insulin  too high which can damage your arteries  on the inside, making them very tight.

A lack of regular gentle exercise can also  contribute to having higher blood pressure,  because the heart is a  muscle and it needs exercise.

High levels of mental stress can  raise a hormone called cortisol  which can cause problems with  the signals sent to your heart.

And also being deficient in either magnesium,  vitamin C or Vitamin D can make your vascular  system tight and restricted, so the heart  has to work harder, bringing up the pressure.

Fortunately there are natural foods that  contain anti-hypertensive properties,  which help to bring down your blood pressure.

Today, you will learn about 10 of  the best foods in the world to help both  lower blood pressure and protect  your arteries and vascular system.

This article is for educational purposes only,  so do speak to your doctor for a medical  diagnosis if you have any medication concerns.

1. Flaxseeds.

Eating 4 tablespoons (30g) flaxseeds  on a daily basis is one of the best  ways to lower your blood pressure naturally.

Flaxseeds contain alpha linolenic acid,  a healthy type of fat which helps to heal the  cells inside your artery walls (endothelium), whilst also helping to lower  inflammation throughout your body.

It's important to grind your  flaxseeds just before eating  them to release this healthy fat and  make it more available for digestion.

I recommend adding them to a healthy  smoothie or sprinkling over your salad.

2. Whole Lemons (Raw).

Citrus fruits, specifically lemons and  limes are loaded with Vitamin C, and bioflavonoids  which have blood pressure lowering effects.

It’s important to use the whole lemon,  as most of the nutrients are in  the pith, the seeds and the peel.

So simply blend a whole organic lemon with  8oz of mineral water and sweeten by adding  a cup of berries or use a healthy  sweetener like erythritol or stevia.

Drink this on a daily basis to see to some  major improvements in your overall health.

Unlike over the counter Vitamin C tablets, lemons/limes have the full Vitamin C complex  which includes copper to help strengthen the  collagen inside your arteries, and also your skin.

3. Celery.

When your blood pressure is high,  it's important that you start to cut back on  the refined foods and start eating more whole  nutritious foods found in nature. (to help rebalance your system) Celery is one of the more powerful foods for  lowering blood pressure because it contains  phthalides, natural compounds that have been  shown to relax the tissues in the artery walls.

This allows blood to flow  through the arteries more freely,  naturally bringing down your blood pressure.

Eat 2-3 stalks a day in a salad, or dip them  in a home-made hummus to make them delicious.

4. Beef Liver (Grass Fed).

Beef liver and other organ meats are  loaded with an antioxidant called CoQ10  which is used by every single cell inside  the human body, especially in your heart.

CoQ10 helps to support the mitochondrial "energy  factories" inside your heart  to help it contract properly.

This improves your hearts ability to pump  blood around the body, and also improves  the elasticity in your artery walls in order  to bring your blood pressure back to normal.

Make sure that any organ meats  you buy are from grass fed,  grass finished animals to ensure that  they have a high quality standard.

5. Watermelon Seeds.

The flesh and especially  the seeds of the watermelon fruit are  rich in amino acid called L-citrulline.

When you eat citrulline your body  converts it into arginine and then  nitric oxide which dilates and  opens up your blood vessels.

This helps blood to flow freely through your  body and brings down your blood pressure.

Eating a small portion of this fruit can  be an excellent alternative to junk foods,  or you can purchase organic watermelon  seeds online and in health food stores.

6. Wild Salmon.

Whenever there is high blood  pressure or any type of problem with the heart,  it’s important to load up on Omega-3 fatty acids.

DHA and EPA are the active forms of Omega-3s  which are found in high quantities in oily  fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring.

So start eating these wild fish  2x per week to replace your meat  protein, to see some significant  improvements in your blood pressure.

Wild salmon is superior to the other fish,  

because of its bright pink colour. This  comes from a pigment called astaxanthin  which is very potent at reducing oxidation  and free radical damage to your heart.

7. Beet Tops (& Cruciferous).

Pay attention  to number 7 as it may just save your life. Did you know that over 98%  of the American population  is deficient in a mineral called potassium.

This is probably why heart  disease is the #1 cause of death.

Potassium is a key electrolyte mineral  which stops your arteries from becoming  stiff and it makes them very  supple, smooth and elastic.

It also keeps your heart  beating in a regular rhythm, and it balances out the negative effects  of salt, by releasing any fluid-retention  that your holding because salt holds  fluid whilst potassium releases it.

Beet tops are one of the richest  sources of potassium in the world,  and can easily be added to a  salad or even a green smoothie.

I also recommend Swiss chard, broccoli, acorn  squash, bok choy, cabbage, brussels sprouts,  zucchini and asparagus regularly  to boost your potassium intake.

8. Pumpkin Seeds (Raw).

 I recommend that you start  eating a small handful of unroasted (raw)  pumpkin seeds after your evening meal.

These seeds are very nutritionally dense,  containing high amounts of magnesium and  Vitamin E, both of which can help to  lower blood pressure in different ways.

Magnesium works with potassium to regulate  your heart beat and prevent cramping of the  heart muscle, whilst also preventing the muscles  in your arteries from becoming tight and stiff.

Vitamin E also helps to lower  inflammation in the arteries,  it naturally thins the blood,  reduces the risks of blood clots  and also helps to oxygenate the heart  and prevent it from cramping (angina).

9. Avocados.

Avocados are  one of the most nutrient dense foods in  the world, rich in potassium, magnesium,  Vitamin E, and a range of other nutrients  which support a healthy cardiovascular system.

Start eating 1-2 avocados a week or  more often to improve your overall  health and improve blood flow around your body.

Avocados contain a unique  enzyme called Avocatin B,  which helps to reduce insulin resistance, and  free fatty acid accumulation in the blood.

This helps to prevent fats from sticking to  your artery walls and blocking blood flow.

10. Herbs & Spices.

Many herbs and spices have been  studied for their ability to lower  high blood pressure because they contain  thousands of healing phytochemicals.

I recommend that you start adding these key  spices and herbs into your diet wherever you can,  by introducing them into smoothies,  drinks, teas, stir fries and salads.

Turmeric contains curcumin which  reduces insulin resistance and  helps to naturally stabilize blood pressure.

Hibiscus flowers are used to make a tea that's  rich in anthocyanins which have been  well studies to lower blood pressure.

Cinnamon helps to manage high blood sugar,  and protect the heart and  arteries against oxidative damage.

Lavender essential oils are used  in room diffusers to lower the  stress hormone called cortisol which  can directly lower blood pressure, Garlic contains allicin which is an overall  healer and also blood pressure stabilizer, along with coriander, rosemary, cat's  claw, thyme, ginger, parsley, cardamom,  and celery seeds all of which have been  shown to help lower blood pressure.

Other Ways To Lower Blood Pressure

1. Start fasting for 16 hours per day and eat  all of your regular calories in an 8 hour window.  

This is one of the best ways  to balance out insulin levels,  the hormone that is usually  responsible for high blood pressure.

2. Cut out the junk foods, sugars, refined  flours and grains as much as possible from  

your diet and replace them with mineral  rich raw vegetables like avocados,  celery, broccoli, beet tops and the  other foods mentioned in this video.

3. Start taking 20,000 ius (0.5mg) Vitamin D3  daily and 200mcg of Vitamin K2. Vitamin D is a  type of hormone nutrient which is very potent for  lowering high blood pressure, whilst Vitamin K2  helps to prevent calcification of the arteries. (not vitamin K)

4. To lower cortisol, a stress hormone  that often raises blood pressure,  start getting regular low stress exercise such as  walking, swimming or biking for 1 hour per day.

Gentle movements improves the flow  of blood, whilst activating the  parasympathetic part of your nervous  system, which helps to balance out BP.

5. If you drink alcohol, restrict it to  the weekend or cut it out completely.

You'll also want to quit smoking as this depletes  Vitamin C causing damage in the blood vessels.

6. Focus on improving the quality of your sleep.  Go to bed an hour earlier, turn off all the  devices and allow yourself more time to wind down.  Sleep is essential in the regulation of blood  pressure and certain hormones like cortisol. Use  lavender mists or essential oils in the bedroom to  induce melatonin, the main sleep hormone .