abdominal fat, the kind that wraps itself around your heart,
liver, and other major organs, not only receives more blood
but has four times more cortisol receptors than subcutaneous
fat (the fat that you can “pinch” below the skin).^22 When
cortisol is elevated, any carbohydrate intake will
immediately promote fat storage, and most likely as the
deep abdominal fat called visceral fat, which is the most
dangerous and inflammatory kind of fat. This makes
concentrated carbohydrate consumption uniquely damaging
to a stressed-out person. (This is another reason why eating
carbs first thing in the morning, when cortisol is naturally at
its peak, is a bad idea.)
If you are experiencing a bout of stress, the reaction
should be twofold: first, deal with that stress, and second,
keep concentrated sources of glucose and fructose
especially low. Here are some other important stress-abating
tips:
Meditate, don’t medicate. Meditation can be
intimidating for first-timers, but it’s worth getting
comfortable with it. One small Thai study of stressed-
out medical students found that four days of
meditation reduced cortisol by 20 percent.^23
Spend more time outdoors. We’ve lost touch with
nature, but merely seeing greenery mitigates the
physiological response to stress and improves
cognitive function.^24 Being in nature can also help
reduce depressive thoughts and even boost BDNF.^25
Exercise smarter. Alternate between “low and slow”