stress not leaving? Nutritionist shares 3 food mistakes that could be sabotaging cortisol balance

Stress has a way of quietly becoming part of everyday life. One minute it's a deadline. The next it's a family responsibility, a packed schedule or yet another hour lost scrolling through a phone. Most people expect stress to affect their mood. What often goes unnoticed is how deeply it can influence the body as well.

Much of this has to do with cortisol, popularly called the “stress hormone”. Elevated cortisol levels over long periods can impact sleep, digestion, energy levels, skin health and hormonal balance. Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recently spoke on the issue and pointed out three eating habits that many consider healthy but might actually be making it difficult for the body to cope with stress.

3 daily eating habits that could be increasing stress levels

Low carb eating is fast gaining popularity but Diwekar thinks many people are eliminating the wrong foods.

People choose to cut out traditional staples from their meals rather than cutting down heavily processed foods such as biscuits, chocolates and packaged snacks. Food like roti, dal, rice, poha, upma, idli and dosa are usually the first things to go off the plate.

The nutritionist says that approach can work against the body's natural stress-management mechanisms.

When we stop eating a balanced nutrition there is a neurotransmitter called GABA which puts a brake on stress. It also begins to decline in levels,” she explained.

The point, she says, isn't really about carbohydrates. It’s about maintaining balanced nutrition. Disturbances of such balance might also influence the ability of the body to cope with stress.

Breakfast is another area where people underestimate the impact of their choices.

Many people leave home after nothing more than a cup of tea or coffee on busy mornings, believing they will eat properly later in the day. It seems harmless. Sometimes productive.

“They’re not helping as much as people believe,” Diwekar said.

The nutritionist says that in the morning, cortisol naturally increases in response to the body’s internal clock. Skipping breakfast can disrupt that rhythm, and keep stress levels up higher than they should be for longer.

Her advice is simple and refreshing. Have breakfast at home. Instead of relying on caffeine to do all the heavy lifting, fuel your body early in the day.

Fruit has been an unintended victim of many modern diet trends.

Some people are so worried about sugar that they don’t eat fruit at all. But that is a mistake, Diwekar believes, especially for seasonal offerings like bananas and mangoes.

“They’re prebiotics, which are good for gut health and digestion,” she said. Both can be stressed during periods of long-term stress.

Plus, they are packed with antioxidants and polyphenols, nutrients that can help promote healthy skin and hair.

According to Diwekar, balancing hormones and managing cortisol is not about extreme diets, complicated meal plans or eliminating entire food groups.

In the caption of her post, she distilled her message to the idea that hormonal balance and healthy cortisol regulation won’t come from drastic measures, but from “the soft power of compassion and consistency.”