After an article in which I focused on the differences between those who accumulate weight mainly in the belly and those who instead gain weight on the legs, many people became interested in the relationship between cortisol, the main stress hormone, and the accumulation of fat and swelling on the belly. In fact, we have seen here and here that those with high cortisol problems also have high insulin problems, and that in terms of nutrition, reducing the glycemic load of meals and balanced eating helps.

Specifically, how to lower cortisol to reduce stress?
There are many ways, so we need to find the ones that work for us.
First of all we need to act on our lifestyle.

Any electrical or electronic device must be turned off in the evening , at least a couple of hours or an hour before going to bed, including cell phones.
You must avoid too stressful workouts, for example reducing the frequency of workouts from 3 to 4 times a week instead of every day: in people with stomach problems and high cortisol, doing more does not mean doing better or losing more weight.

You need to review your calorie intake, eat more protein but at the same time avoid diets that totally exclude carbohydrates.
We need to sleep more , consider very well those aspects of our life that create a lot of stress, understand what to eliminate, what you can’t, what to make peace on. This aspect is important: I myself had to give up many things that seemed essential to an ideal weight and an ideal body.
I then realized that not only were they not, but they even hindered me: among these, drastic diets and uncompromising coaches or too strenuous workouts.

If we ask ourselves how to lower cortisol with specific supplements, I recommend two things: on the one hand, to eat a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Micronutrients are essential in reducing stress and anxiety ( source ), and eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables has been shown to have a beneficial effect on stress and insomnia ( source ).
So make sure you eat up to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, where per serving we mean an average of 80 grams per raw weight. If this is not enough, there are supplements to lower cortisol: for example , rhodiola and ashwagandha.. The latter is also useful in the natural increase of libido and energy levels. You can find these supplements online, or contact your herbalist or in pharmacies and parapharmacies.