5 ways to get rid of “Cortisol Belly” – and a hormone expert reveals, as you can say if you really have it

It is official: “Cortisol Belly” is the new “Cortisol face”. The expression that is used to describe water and fat that has become viral for the center area from stress at Tikok, but experts warn that it is much more than online, like its trend colleagues.

When you scroll the app, you will find hundreds of thousands of videos of the topic, including people who offer “style videos of their trip from bloated stomach to flat stomach and” experts “solutions to finally free their cortisol belly.

Although we know that stress is bad for our health, we have questions about the cortisol belly trend. Is the cortisol belly real or is it just weight loss and uncertainty in disguise? And how do you tell Cortisol Belly apart from other types of flatulence?

To find out about the trend, we turned to Dr. Gaurav Agarwal, a family doctor in the Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital and Hannah Alderson, Nutritionist and Hormon expert. Surprisingly, they say that this is a trend with a little truth behind it.

Read more: 4 tips for experts in stress, energy and balance that are supported by experts

Why does cortisol belly?

“Cortisol is a hormone that is made by the adrenal glands. It is important to react to our body to stress (physically, mentally, socially or emotionally), to deal with perceived threats (the fighting or escape reaction), to maintain our sleep-awake cycle, to strengthen memory and maintain the muscle tone,” explains Dr. Agarwal.

Alderson says Cortisol is best intended as “The Fog Horn Hormon”: it will scream loudly and uncover problems. “Chronic longer -term increases of cortisol can drive diseases, endocrine disorders, obesity and notorious belly fat.” Cortisol and high stress also increase insulin resistance, which is often with fat storage in the middle part. “

This is not just an aesthetic problem. Excess fat storage in the middle section is associated with a higher risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancer, regardless of weight. However, this applies to visceral fat – the type that lies deep in the body around your organs – more than subcutaneous fat, which is under the skin. You can have health problems with or without cortisol belly.

How do I know if I have cortisol belly?

Most of the daily stress does not lead to an extremely high cortisol that saves itself around your middle part. Instead, “recent studies have shown a connection between uncontrollable stress and belly fat distribution,” says Alderson.

“More research is required to examine this connection, but where there is more stress, there can be more belly fat, and where there is more belly fat, you can produce more cortisol.” In short: it is a two-way street.

Dr. Agarwal adds: “Each of our bodies reacts differently to the hormone level and its fluctuations; a small increase in the cortisol can manifest itself in some significantly, while a great increase in others can hardly be noticeable.”

“It is more important than the absolute hormone level how long it remains. A extremely high (medically increased) level leads to similar but more pronounced changes and can be attributed to diseases such as Cushing syndrome, in which adrenal or pituitary gland lesion could be the cause.”

Be careful not to call your stomach fat “wrong”. Remember, in particular, women in particular have to and store more fat around their middle part to protect our reproductive organs. The “bag”, of which many have on the bottom of their stomach, is there to support their womb and ovaries, and is required by the body.

Read more: painful periods? PCOS? Meet the hormone equalization supps

How to get rid of cortisol belly

1. Go slowly

If you experience excess stress and see that this is playing around your stomach, do not immerse yourself in a diet. “Restricting food and revise to counteract this can backfire and further increase the cortisol levels,” says Alderson.

2. Concentrate on calming activities

Instead of concentrating on the stomach, concentrate on the stress. “The best place to remind the body that it is safe. Boxing is great and simple, and you can do it anywhere. A 20-minute walk after eating will not only support the blood sugar regulation after your meal, but also the calming effect of nature and the lighting of the full light of light can be wonderfully reminiscent of working and relaxing.”

Read more: The proven health benefits of the outdoor area outdoors

3 .. Connect

“Increase in human connection, friendlier and with the people you love can use the positive power of your love and connecting hormone -Oxytocin. Think of this dynamite of a hormone such as cortisol cryptonite,” says Alderson.

4. Gentle movement

Slow and constant movement is the best place to start with cortisol management. If you are currently doing a lot of work with a high level of intensity (what, yes, stresses the body), withdraw and choose to go, yoga and pilates. These are also great places for beginners.

5. Eat and drink well

“Excessive alcohol consumption can play a role in the cortisol belly,” notes Dr. Agarwal. Try to restrict drinking and choose Whole Foods as you cope with your health and stress.

This article by Chloe Gray was originally published in Women’s Health UK.