Does Stress Cause You Weight Gain?

Cortisol is also known as stress hormone. It is responsible for controlling the stress level. However, people with stress tend to release high amounts of cortisol hormone. These stress hormones are released along with epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones that constitute flight or fight," a response to threats and consciousness. This leads to chronic stress where people experience stressful and threatening events.

Some people think that stress makes you thin. However, the fact is that stress can actually cause you to gain weight. The higher level of cortisol hormone is responsible for stress. Many studies have shown that more Cortisol implies a higher appetite for junk and sweet foods, which eventually cause the deposition of fat in your belly. Cortisol is also responsible for providing energy to the body. It stimulates the carbohydrates and fat metabolism of the body. Cortisol also stimulates and maintains the secretion of insulin hormone. Imbalance in cortisol can affect these activities as well, which stimulates your appetite and leads to gain weight or difficulty in losing weight.

You can control your stress in many ways like meditation, exercising, medication, etc. However, the best way to do this is to maintain a healthy diet. Your food habit plays an important role in stress. Also, if you are suffering from chronic mild stress, here are some foods available which help you to maintain the cortisol level in your body: Nuts and Seeds: Nuts like pistachios and cashews help a lot in reducing anxiety. Research has shown that any continuous rhythmic movement will help in reducing stress. This is why shieling pistachios will help in lowering anxiety. They also have heart health benefits, so they maintain blood pressure and heart rate. Doctors may provide zinc supplements to patients suffering from stress. However, cashews have zinc and it provides zinc in a natural way without any side effects. Seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds are a great source of magnesium, which helps in reducing depression, stress, anxiety, etc. Milk Products: Milk products like yogurt, milk, and milk chocolates are full of calcium and help in brain activities. They also contribute to the proper functionality of gut bacteria and maintain your appetite. Salmon: Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids which counter the negative effects of stress or anxiety hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

Caffeine is always going to worsen your stress level. Consuming a lot of caffeine causes many problems like indigestion, irritability, etc.