New Delhi: Stress has a way of quietly becoming part of everyday life. One minute it’s a deadline. The next it’s a family responsibility, a packed schedule or yet another hour lost scrolling through a phone. Most people expect stress to affect their mood. What often goes unnoticed is how deeply it can influence the body as well.
Much of that comes down to cortisol, commonly known as the “stress hormone”. When cortisol remains elevated for extended periods, it can affect sleep, digestion, energy levels, skin health and hormonal balance. Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recently weighed in on the issue, highlighting three eating habits that many people consider healthy but which may actually make it harder for the body to cope with stress.
3 everyday food habits that may be increasing stress levels
1. Going low-carb the wrong way
Low-carb eating has become increasingly popular, but Diwekar believes many people are cutting out the wrong foods.
Rather than reducing heavily processed items such as biscuits, chocolates and packaged snacks, people often start eliminating traditional staples from their meals. Foods like roti, dal, rice, poha, upma, idli and dosa are frequently the first to disappear from the plate.
According to the nutritionist, that approach can work against the body’s natural stress-management mechanisms.
“When we stop eating balanced nutrition, there is a neurotransmitter called GABA, which puts a brake on stress. Its levels also start decreasing,” she explained.
The point, she suggests, is not simply about carbohydrates. It is about maintaining balanced nutrition. When that balance is disrupted, the body’s ability to handle stress may be affected too.
2. Skipping breakfast
Breakfast is another area where people often underestimate the impact of their choices.
Busy mornings mean many people leave home after nothing more than a cup of tea or coffee, assuming they will eat properly later in the day. It feels harmless. Sometimes even productive.
Diwekar says it may not be helping as much as people think.
According to the nutritionist, cortisol naturally rises in the morning as part of the body’s internal clock. Skipping breakfast can interfere with that rhythm and may leave stress levels elevated for longer than they should be.
Her advice is refreshingly uncomplicated. Eat breakfast at home. Give the body some fuel early in the day instead of asking caffeine to do all the heavy lifting.
3. Avoiding seasonal fruits
Fruit has become an unexpected casualty of many modern diet trends.
Because of concerns about sugar, some people have started avoiding fruits altogether. Diwekar believes that is a mistake, especially when it comes to seasonal options such as bananas and mangoes.
These fruits, she noted, provide prebiotics that support gut health and digestion. Both can come under strain during periods of prolonged stress.
They also contain antioxidants and polyphenols, nutrients that help support healthy skin and hair.
For Diwekar, managing cortisol and maintaining hormonal balance is not about extreme diets, complicated meal plans or cutting out entire food groups.
She summed up her message in the caption of her post, writing that hormonal balance and healthy cortisol regulation come not from drastic measures but from “the soft power of compassion and consistency.”
