An education piece by Naturalist
Understanding cortisol and how it affects your health
Learn how cortisol impacts your energy, mood, sleep, and gut health. Discover the signs of imbalance and simple lifestyle strategies to support healthy cortisol levels naturally.
Cortisol is often called the "stress hormone," but it's much more than that. Produced by your adrenal glands, cortisol plays a vital role in various bodily functions, including:
Regulating your body's response to stress
Managing how your body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
Controlling your sleep-wake cycle
Reducing inflammation
Maintaining blood pressure
Supporting overall health
How does cortisol work?
When you encounter stress, whether it's physical, emotional, or psychological your body's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activates. This system signals your adrenal glands to release cortisol, preparing your body to handle the challenge. This "fight or flight" response is essential for survival.
After the stressor passes, cortisol levels should return to normal. However, chronic stress can lead to prolonged elevated cortisol levels, disrupting this balance.
Effects of chronic high cortisol
Persistently high cortisol levels can have widespread effects on your health:
Weight gain and abdominal fat: Elevated cortisol can increase appetite and promote fat storage, particularly around the abdomen.
Sleep disturbances: High cortisol can interfere with your sleep-wake cycle, leading to insomnia or poor sleep quality.
Mood changes: Excess cortisol is linked to anxiety, depression, and irritability.
Digestive issues: Chronic stress can affect digestion, leading to problems like bloating or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Immune suppression: Prolonged high cortisol can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections.
Tips to balance cortisol levels
Managing stress and maintaining healthy cortisol levels is achievable with lifestyle adjustments:
Mindfulness practices: Engage in activities like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to reduce stress.
Regular exercise: Incorporate moderate physical activity to help regulate cortisol.
Balanced diet: Consume a diet rich in whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Adequate sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support hormonal balance.
Limit caffeine and alcohol: Reduce intake of stimulants that can elevate cortisol levels.
Can you test your cortisol levels?
Yes, if you’re curious about your cortisol levels, there are simple tests available. These include:
Saliva testing (multiple times a day to track rhythm)
Blood testing (a single cortisol snapshot)
DUTCH testing (a dried urine test offering insights into cortisol patterns and hormone metabolites)
Testing can help identify whether your cortisol is too high, too low, or dysregulated and it provides a clearer path forward for personalised support.
If you are ready to make change, I want to work with you.
Reading blogs is a great start, but real change happens when you have a plan that’s tailored to you. If you’re ready to move from research into action, I’d love to support you. Book a free discovery call and let’s explore how we can work together on your health journey.
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Two ways to work with me
Everyone’s health journey is different. Some people need focused guidance on a specific issue, while others need deeper, ongoing support to address complex or long-standing symptoms.
Here are the two ways you can work with me.
Best for: Targeted concerns, short-term guidance, or those who want support around a specific issue.
Standard naturopathic consultations are designed to provide individualised advice, education, and recommendations based on your symptoms, history, and goals.
This option may include:
-
One-off or occasional consultations
-
Nutrition, lifestyle, herbal, and supplement guidance
-
Review of existing blood work or test results
-
Practical strategies you can implement independently
This approach works well if:
-
Your symptoms are mild to moderate
-
You’re looking for direction rather than ongoing support
-
You prefer to manage implementation on your own between sessions
Standard support offers flexibility and professional guidance, but progress depends largely on how consistently recommendations are applied and followed up.
-
Best for: Women with endometriosis, PCOS or complex hormonal symptoms who want clarity, structure, and ongoing guidance rather than trial-and-error.
The Thrive programs are comprehensive, multi-phase support pathways designed to address the root drivers of symptoms using functional testing, personalised treatment plans, and consistent 1:1 care.
Rather than isolated appointments, Thrive provides an integrated framework where testing, interpretation, treatment, and support are connected and adjusted as your body responds.
Inside Thrive, you receive:
-
Advanced functional testing and interpretation
-
A personalised, phased treatment plan
-
Ongoing 1:1 practitioner support
-
Access to the Thrive hub, resources, and protocols
-
Structured guidance so you know what to focus on at each stage
The program begins with an initial 1–2 month stabilisation and clarity phase, where we identify what’s driving your symptoms and support the systems under the most strain. From there, you can choose to continue into the full program for deeper treatment and long-term support.
This approach is ideal if:
-
You’ve tried many things and still feel stuck
-
Your symptoms are complex, cyclical, or worsening
-
You want to stop guessing and be guided step-by-step
-
You value ongoing support, accountability, and adjustment
Thrive is designed to take the pressure off you to figure everything out alone. It’s structured, personalised care that adapts to your body not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
-
If you’re unsure which level of support best suits your needs, the first step is a Discovery Call.
This is a supportive conversation where we explore what’s been going on, what you’ve tried, and whether standard support or a Thrive program is the most appropriate next step.
Best for: Targeted concerns, short-term guidance, or those who want support around a specific issue.
Standard naturopathic consultations are designed to provide individualised advice, education, and recommendations based on your symptoms, history, and goals.
This option may include:
-
One-off or occasional consultations
-
Nutrition, lifestyle, herbal, and supplement guidance
-
Review of existing blood work or test results
-
Practical strategies you can implement independently
This approach works well if:
-
Your symptoms are mild to moderate
-
You’re looking for direction rather than ongoing support
-
You prefer to manage implementation on your own between sessions
Standard support offers flexibility and professional guidance, but progress depends largely on how consistently recommendations are applied and followed up.
-
Best for: Women with endometriosis, PCOS or complex hormonal symptoms who want clarity, structure, and ongoing guidance rather than trial-and-error.
The Thrive programs are comprehensive, multi-phase support pathways designed to address the root drivers of symptoms using functional testing, personalised treatment plans, and consistent 1:1 care.
Rather than isolated appointments, Thrive provides an integrated framework where testing, interpretation, treatment, and support are connected and adjusted as your body responds.
Inside Thrive, you receive:
-
Advanced functional testing and interpretation
-
A personalised, phased treatment plan
-
Ongoing 1:1 practitioner support
-
Access to the Thrive hub, resources, and protocols
-
Structured guidance so you know what to focus on at each stage
The program begins with an initial 1–2 month stabilisation and clarity phase, where we identify what’s driving your symptoms and support the systems under the most strain. From there, you can choose to continue into the full program for deeper treatment and long-term support.
This approach is ideal if:
-
You’ve tried many things and still feel stuck
-
Your symptoms are complex, cyclical, or worsening
-
You want to stop guessing and be guided step-by-step
-
You value ongoing support, accountability, and adjustment
Thrive is designed to take the pressure off you to figure everything out alone. It’s structured, personalised care that adapts to your body not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
-
If you’re unsure which level of support best suits your needs, the first step is a Discovery Call.
This is a supportive conversation where we explore what’s been going on, what you’ve tried, and whether standard support or a Thrive program is the most appropriate next step.