What Is Cortisol?

[@cetzaep]

diet is so essential to mental health and it’s not talked about enough

[@chinanumberone]

I hope Dr K will talk some day about diet

[@rasmusturkka480]

I once had a postmenopausal PTSD but once I switched from home cooking to factory grease diet all my symptoms went away and now I'm the strongest powerlifter in my area

[@Castigar48]

Yeah people starving to death dont have great mental health

[@mikasasukasa4479]

It is though. Every doctor or mental health specialist asks what your diet consists of.

[@MrChoklad]

I'm pretty sure there are more and more studies about it, and I do notice it on a daily basis, eating bad makes me feel much worse mentally overall

[@SpiritUser]

So that's why Mario isn't fazed by Bowser anymore

[@bethb.6813]

I think you've cracked the code.

[@UbePancake]

😂 🍄🥦

[@JolinHard]

Lame joke

[@quinnm.3127]

@@JolinHard lame opinion

[@Scion3881]

Lmao

[@tiborklein5349]

I found out about this last year when I had a medical "emergency" (it wasn't life threatening). By the time I got to my doctor, I was incredibly stressed out and anxious. She measured my blood sugar and it was high. I never had issues with high blood sugar before and ever since.

[@AltBoi-l4x]

Love Dr. K’s stuff

[@pureoxin8135]

I stay in the moment and realize it’s all okay. Thanks doc I love your stuff

[@johnsnyder7]

Beta glucan is in oatmeal, too. Beta glucan also reduces cholesterol.

[@ggstylz]

Oatmeal also raises sugar

[@madamsloth]

Thx for mentioning this

[@JordiRSamano]

@@ggstylz Not according to our current scientific evidence, which demonstrates oats are an excellent food even for diabetic patients.

[@ggstylz]

@@JordiRSamano Please vet your research as often as possible if diabetes or insulin resistance exist. A lot of the current research you’re referring to is skewed and cherry picked to paint oats as healthy, or to propagate agendas depending on the subject for business. Oats might have a slight advantage over some other carbs however, it still spikes sugar levels significantly. See below: “But your blood glucose might not agree that oatmeal should be considered a “superfood.” Levels data consistently shows it's one of the worst foods for blood sugar. According to CGM data from Levels food logs, it spikes blood sugar levels an average of 34 mg/dL.” If in doubt, have oats and take some readings over the following 2-3 hours.

[@JordiRSamano]

@@ggstylz Did you get that quote from a keto/low-carb blog? Advocates of these diets have never cherry-picked data or had conflicts of interest... Exercise raises blood sugar too. Is exercise bad? What really matters is outcome data: Greater whole-grain intake is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and weight gain (2012) Intake of whole grain foods and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective cohort studies (2020)

[@bouquetchocolatesandconfec77]

It make you FAT - as a child is was fat obese from the cortisol I just found out. All the yell that I am lazy and fat just made me more fat and hate my self… I am glad I found a path out and I am moving in a healthy way now!!! Thx u

[@RayeChell]

Thank you so, so much. This is my exact situation and this tidbit helps me understand a lot about how to be healthy.

[@Cardboardruna]

It suddenly makes sense why I'm wracked with the physical sensation of anxiety the day after eating too much dessert.

[@OmegaMikePL]

Is this also the reason why physical exercise reduces cortisol? Because you burn the blood sugar and the organ releasing cortisol has a feedback loop of "right, my blood sugar releasing cycle has been completed, I slep now"?

[@SuperKendoman]

Ohhh, that's a very interesting observation. I'm gonna discuss this with my peers at the university I go to. See what the professors say

[@alansun697]

I think he made a video or a short over this. Like super intense exercise even for a short period of time is great for relieving stress because of something something maybe idk I forgot

[@chaoswraith]

Unsurprisingly, exercise has all kinds of benefits for a bunch of body functions and organs

[@bambampewpew32]

​@@alansun697 lmao

[@niemniej3441]

Unless the exercise makes you stressed, and heightens the cortisol.

[@krichur]

Hi Dr. K, I have a question. I’ve been reading a book - “The body keeps the score” as I recently came to terms with the fact I’m struggling with PTSD and in the book it actually says the opposite, I’ll quote. “A group of young researchers … were all finding that traumatised people keep secreting large amounts of stress hormones long after the actual danger has passed, and *Rachel Yehuda at Mount Sinai in New York confronted us with her seemingly paradoxical findings that the levels of the stress hormone cortisol are low in PTSD.* Her discoveries only started to make sense when her research clarified *cortisol puts an end to the stress response by sending an all-safe signal, and that in PTSD, the body’s stress hormones do, in fact, not return to baseline after the threat has passed.* ” Could you please explain which one is correct as i bought this book to better understand and manage my struggles but this video has got me confused 😭 I’m aware the book was released 10 years ago and could possibly be outdated so I hope you can give some clarification.

[@SupaSean]

Ever since I started supplementing with Lions Mane I’ve been reporting positive effects in multiple areas of my daily life, after watching this it makes me understand why.

[@bedazzledmisery6969]

And if you literally never get any relief from it after a while, your body literally breaks down because stress kills.

[@rekuu27]

Where is the full video?

[@ruccimello3484]

I like this guy's stuff

[@ChessPuzzles2]

beta glucans are also in oats.

[@JamieStrong]

So I haven't been eating enough, and I'm now wondering if it's because I noticed I feel a bit better and sleep better, which is probably from keeping my blood sugar low and only eating when it's crashing. There's more to it obviously, like there's just so much controversy and abundance in food that it's stressful and overwhelming so it's easier to just be hungry sometimes...😅 But yea. Anyway. Love your content.

[@metodejseichert9306]

W8, high blood sugar regulates the secretion of cortisol so when you decrease the blood sugar (by eating mushrooms) shoulnd't the level of cortisol actually increase?

[@drewwilliamforbush2927]

Thank you Doctor im going to go eat an eighth of psilocybin cubensis, my stress has been off the charts lately 😊

[@JM-op3cs]

Damn bros doing psyches he’s soo cool😂😂

[@yaboiavery5986]

@@JM-op3cs This is meant to be ironic, right?

[@hooptroopers]

Small amounts of psilocybin mushrooms, microdoses of 0.1-0.2g to name a particularly small dose, can help with integrating past traumatic experiences. Larger doses can too, but they can also be traumatic in and off themselves, raising cortisol levels as well, depending on what underlying factors they may trigger in the individual taking them. They can trigger psychosis but they can also be used as a tool for a mildly psychotic person to navigate and potentially steer free of the psychosis. They can make you sicker or be used as a remedy with healing properties. A double edged sword. A sick world needs it in order to wake up and heal. The individual who has already fallen sick to the world, may not.

[@belacemoswen5044]

Wait, which mushrooms?

[@-SimonRiley]

Certainly not “those” ones, atleast not in the long run.

[@KnzoVortex]

Looked it up real quick, seems most culinary mushrooms lower blood sugar, as well as leafy greens, other non starchy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and berries in particular. Seems the verdict is predictably that eating healthy is actually very healthy.

[@antor2471]

Lions mane, for example

[@parrapaTh3Rappa]

Largely medicinal ones more than the stuff you'd find in typical produce. Eg. Reishi, turkey tail, shiitake (you might find this in produce), or maitake. You can also find supplements for beta glucans.

[@parrapaTh3Rappa]

Wish I could edit my other comment, but mobile. As others have mentioned, oats are also a source of beta glucans. Rolled oats would be best, if you wanna go that route.

[@FantasmagoriaAhoy]

So how many kilos of mushrooms are we talking?

[@Coop_Boop]

Wish I'd known this before I got a stress tumor. Though hopefully it helps save the other adrenal gland.

[@alcyone-rising]

Does ketosis lower cortisol?

[@pfannkuchengesicht399]

Is there a source to this? I'd like to read the study

[@antor2471]

What about Ashwaganda?

[@nrknice]

Can it help addictions?

[@BlueHeartCamouflage]

And high cortisol level potentially increase belly fat too😢

[@sharknadofartquake2449]

My trombone, guitar and singing KILL it! I don't need it to keep my blood pressure good enough for staying alive because COFFEE!! YAY! lol

[@rigmar9250]

Generally the best tool for reducing blood sugar would be not increasing it with the food we eat no?

[@matthewsalmon2013]

Is that why teenage boys might "regulate blood sugar" at night when they can't sleep?

[@mirandaniemeyer6425]

I have a history of trauma but a super low cortisol...

[@corvacopia]

Are there other foods that work well?

[@solchau1]

Yes, but they're all kinda weird like eating algae, spirulina or seaweed; or perhaps even checking out avocado and/or olive oil.

[@DembaiVT]

Which mushrooms please. 😅

[@abcdefzhij]

What foods specifically do this? Can I get a list?

[@CheriTheBery]

Yeah exactly, would want to know as well.

[@hooptroopers]

Lion's mane mushrooms appear to have great properties, they are often ingested in combination with psilocybin mushrooms for microdosing, found to be effective in treating depression, but in such small doses are not psychedelic and lion's mane in and off themselves don't have a psychedelic effect at all.

[@Faith_L3S5-ZERO]

which stream did this came from? i want to watch the full vid but the link in the desc seems to be wrong

[@JordiRSamano]

Beta glucan is also found in whole grains, like oats. Just listen to your parents. Eat more plants.

[@ruma1592]

So can we harvest sugar from stressed people?

[@sandoralik]

and sell it to make cash 🤑

[@AudibleFist]

I wonder if that works the same with an anxiety disorder

[@Human-san]

probs bc cortisol is responsible for both.

[@joshuavince4526]

So eat more mushrooms? Any particular types of mushrooms?

[@Tevans333]

Can the opposite happen as a stress response to Trauma. I had a severly truamatic event happen in my teens and after i got past it literally nothing stresses me out anymore. I feel nothing can even come close to how bad the trauma was so therefor nothing else is stressful because nothing else can compare.

[@francaisnihongo]

I don't have any specific references to that but I could see how that could happen,. especially if your brain isn't responding to the current stress. But as someone with low cortisol levels and lots of trauma related therapy, I'd also wonder if it's not dissociation or a similar coping mechanism that was developed as a protective measure to help get you through trauma. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, unless it's causing problems in your life. Also, I don't know you at all so this is a very broad generalization based off my own experiences, observations, and reading as a random person and patient, not a medical professional

[@Portia620]

What if pt has low bp and high cortisol levels??

[@Mainline100]

Doesn’t cortisol decrease inflammation? Which is why corticosteroids like prednisone are given for immunosuppression

[@RoyalAnarchist]

Because the corticosteroid is a steroid, rather than a cortisol stimulator

[@francaisnihongo]

yeah, it's our bodies own anti-inflammatory

[@CalamariPlaysStarfield]

issue here is, I DESPISE mushrooms, not the taste the texture I'm a huge texture person when it comes to food XD

[@Nebulous1225]

Blender

[@interdimensionalsailboat]

But mushrooms are icky.

[@ImNotaRussianBot]

Get the derivative. Is there a concentrated version in a capsule or something? I'm too lazy to research, unfortunately. Lol

[@SirOwlsworth]

but what if you have a very high stress level and low blood pressure? D:

[@audijohnson9732]

What about ashwaganda?

[@antor2471]

how is this real, we literally asked the same exact question in the same exact wording

[@Butters_Stunts]

Does it matter what kind of mushrooms?

[@Autogenification]

yes the more magic the better, then everything can be regulated into another dimension ✨ For real though, find mushrooms with high amounts of beta glucans I guess!

[@toxic6074]

Mushrooms are an S tier food! I personally love Shitake and Oyster Mushrooms but they are all amazing. Psychedelics are a different story for me at least but not because I have a negative opinion on them I just need to try them when I'm mentally prepared.

[@Planterobeets]

Psilocybin

[@Them-rh2we]

I recommend lions mane. There's no need to try psilocybin when there's a tamer, not psychedelic at all option. Don't forget that psychedelics can trigger some diseases!

[@StefanStuart1]

Regular mushrooms or?

[@Keira15true]

So... Does eating champignons help?

[@mogwai_]

No wonder ive always liked mushrooms. Have them in almost every meal now that im grown

[@T.C.myownB.]

Fantastic

[@Appl3sandgrapes]

Man. If only I wasn't deathly allergic to mushrooms 💀

[@aox-joshua-cb7670]

I saw that cortisol turns into either stress or testosterone, is this true?

[@turtletoad7725]

no, cortisol *is* the stress hormone and having more of it won't make you produce more testosterone (so don't stress yourself out trying to become more manly, haha. you'll only age faster and die younger)

[@francaisnihongo]

the adrenal glands produce cortisol. they also produce some pre-testosterone hormones (there's a specfic term for them). but cortisol doesn't become testosterone. It also doesn't turn into stress. Stress is something that happens to the body, causing physiological changes. In people with healthy adrenals who experience stress, their cortisol levels will go up until the stress passes. That's why prolonged stress (even at low levels) and trauma can cause so many problems. Our bodies can only make and tolerate so much cortisol. And when trauma survivors are hyperalert and on edge, that's constant exposure to stress, so we're constantly telling our bodies to produce cortisol. After a while the adrenals can no longer keep making the levels of cortisol you need to deal with stress of any kind and you start having even more health problems (google adrenal insufficency if you want to know more). Low (or high) cortisol levels aren't fun and Can be hard t get diagnosed

[@um2913]

Damn I don’t like mushrooms 🍄☹️ Gotta find other food with it 😫

[@raheldeborah]

Maybe try preparing them differently? You can also blend them up and put them in sauces.

[@TheGamer-bf5wm]

Google: Foods such as barley, mushrooms, cereals (mainly oats), algae, and yeasts contain significant amounts of β-glucan, which is predominantly found in their cell walls.

[@DarkFoxV]

I only really like enoki , so there might be some options you're less familiar with out there!

[@Brambrew]

Good stress vs Bad stress Good stress is a quiet and dignified life as a laborer, farmer, or hunter-gatherer providing for your family. The way it was in early human civilizations. Bad stress is prevalent in our modern world, and even though we for sure have a lot of privileges and conveniences, it's still a kafkaesque hellscape because our society is unsustainable for the planet and our futile labors accomplish nothing in the real world. We only work to avoid homelessness and starvation. I would much rather work tirelessly all day long, making something real like the craftsmen and farmers of old, rather than work a 9-5 "bullshit job" which accomplishes nothing meaningful in society. Stress is only good if we feel like our laborious tasks are dedicated to a meaningful cause.

[@turtletoad7725]

not really convinced that our physiological response to cortisol would change depending on if we find our work "fulfilling." what biological mechanism is at play that would cause it to be different?

[@francaisnihongo]

​@turtletoad7725 Fulfilling work is less stressful, You're more likely to choose to do it than feel forced or trapped. Having autonomy over your life and body has huge mental health benefits, which means it also has huge physical health benefits. People who feel they have control over their lives have fewer mental and physical health problems. It's one of the ways Western society is killing us.

[@Yuuki-jp4ob]

​@@turtletoad7725I think it's a difference of time. When you're doing a job you hate and you're always worried about deadlines or something, you will be stressed day and night (which is really bad for your body). Whereas in a fulfilling job where you refine your craft, you have control and each stressor is a challenge you pursue. This means you react positively towards the challenge and don't have the threat of it hanging over you at all times. Sorta like fighting a tough boss in a videogame, sure it's stressful but also very fun, and doesn't haunt you for months

[@harmemez6880]

So i get rid of depression eating mushrooms

[@quinnm.3127]

like regular button mushrooms??

[@jonahf.277]

What if mushrooms make you sick?

[@ImNotaRussianBot]

Maybe there is a concentrated version of beta glucans in capsule or powder form?

[@KucheKlizma]

That might explain why I love mushrooms. Nom nom nom nom,

[@shojohi]

I didn’t go to bed till 5am last night, guess I’m eating more mushrooms 🍄🤟

[@jaranobano7637]

me : 😢 eats mushroom me: 😃👍

[@cup_o_TMarie]

Can we measure our own cortisol?

[@francaisnihongo]

If you're in the US, you can order most blood, urine, and saliva testing yourself. There are places like Any Lab Test Now or whatever they're called, and plenty of companies Online that you can get the tests through. But without a dr's order your insurance won't pay for it so it would depend on if you could afford it. I'm not sure but I don't think a blood cortisol test is very expensive. Not sure about the saliva one. I've always heard that the 4 time adany cortisol tests are the best to get full insight in to your cortisol levels (because they start the day out high and then go down throughout the day).

[@AWESOM.O]

Which explains why Mario is never stressed

[@lynnodonnell4764]

Mushrooms? You mean the ones you cook with? Please name some. Will canned mushrooms work?

[@Planterobeets]

So.. eat Shrooms? Got it

[@kissshotheartunderblade655]

So we should all do shrooms :) 🍄

[@halqthedarktemplar]

I thought cortisol decreases inflammation by suppressing the immune system? @HealthygamerGG

[@francaisnihongo]

it does. I'm assuming he misspoke and whoever did post-production isn't a dr