Why ‘Just Reduce Your Stress’ Is Unhelpful Advice For Lowering Cortisol — Here’s What Actually works

If there is one piece of advice I hate, its being told to “just lower your stress levels” to reduce cortisol — it is frustratingly unhelpful.

As if I am choosing to feel stressed. As if I can just snap my fingers and erase all of the responsibilities, deadlines, and life pressures that keep my nervous system on high alert.

I used to feel like there was something wrong with me because no matter how hard I tried to relax my mind, I still felt completely overwhelmed. To anyone looking at me, I appeared calm and collected, but inside my head I so often felt like I was about to die. And this continued to happen despite the fact that I was doing all of the things — deep breathing, meditating, journaling, pilates, taking long walks, etc.

So when people say “you just need to reduce stress,” it has always felt like a gross oversimplification to me. And I’ve come to learn that this is because what they are not acknowledging is that half the stress we are experiencing is not even external — it’s internal.

Our Internal Stressors Are Fueling The Cycle

You know how two people can go through the exact same situation, but one stays calm while the other spirals into anxiety? That is not just a difference in mindset — it’s a difference in physiology.

Your body’s ability to handle stress isn’t just about what’s happening around you; it’s also about what’s happening inside of you. When your gut health is compromised, and your inflammation is high, your body is already in a state of distress, which means even minor inconveniences can send your cortisol skyrocketing.

If your body is constantly fighting off internal stressors — like imbalances in gut bacteria, undiagnosed food sensitivities, or nutrient deficiencies — it is already on edge before you even start your day. So when something stressful happens (like a tight deadline or an unexpected bill), your body reacts as if it is a life-or-death emergency.

The game changer for me wasn’t forcing myself to meditate for an hour every day (to be honest, that actually makes me feel even more stressed) — it was healing my gut. Because when you focus on reducing inflammation, your nervous system naturally becomes more resilient because a healthy gut produces neurotransmitters that help you feel calm — over 90% of serotonin is actually made in your gut!

Here’s How Reducing Inflammation Looked In My Life

I spent years suffering with endometriosis, acne, menorrhagia, irregular periods — you name it. My body was screaming for help, and the stress of constantly dealing with symptoms only made everything worse for me mentally. I felt like I was doing everything healthy and “right” with my diet and lifestyle choices, but no matter how much I tried to manage my stress, my body wouldn’t calm down.

But the truth was, I wasn’t eating the type of diet my body needed. Though I was eating “healthy” foods, I was choosing them based upon health articles which have been written based off of studies performed primarily with men. And for our female hormones to be in balance, we really do need to eat differently than men do.

Once I learned how to safely cleanse (and I do not mean juice fasts!), eat according to my menstrual cycle, and eliminate hormone disrupters from my life, everything finally started falling into place. And after a few months of consistently eating/living like this, my periods regulated, my skin cleared up entirely, my energy came back, and for the first time, I finally started to heal from that constant cycle of stress and pain.

Not sure where to start? I can help!

If you feel like you’ve tried everything and nothing is working, it’s because most approaches only focus on surface-level fixes. My approach is different. I have designed Balance to help you actually heal — not just manage symptoms. I’ll show you how to reduce inflammation, support your gut, and create a body that feels safe and supported.

You don’t have to live in a constant state of distress. Healing is possible and I would like to show you how! Click here to learn more about how I can help you through Balance.