BY MINDY PELZ, DC
In This Article
If you’ve been following the news or spending time online lately, you’ve likely encountered the term “cortisol face”—a viral self-diagnosis trend on social media linking round, puffy facial features to elevated cortisol levels caused by chronic stress.
Can chronic stress really cause your face to swell up?
And if it does, what should you do?
Here’s a look at the science behind cortisol face, along with a few nutrient-rich recipes to help lower cortisol levels and ease chronic stress.
Cortisol Face Is Real, but Its Causes Are Rare
Cortisol face is a real medical condition—but it has very specific causes, and stress isn’t one of them.
The technical term for cortisol face is “moon facies” or “cushingoid facies”— swelling and fat accumulation thatmake your face puffy and round, due to abnormally high cortisol levels.
While cortisol face does exist, it’s extremely rare—it occurs in well under 0.1 percent of the population—and it requires extraordinarily high levels of cortisol.
Everyday stress will never raise cortisol enough to make your face swell and accumulate fat.
Cortisol face is usually due to one of three medical issues:
- An adrenal tumor
- Cushing’s Syndrome, a rare hormonal disorder
- A side effect of prolonged prednisone or other prescription steroid use.
Cortisol face is often a sign of an underlying medical problem, so if you notice sudden facial swelling and fat deposits around your cheeks, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider!
But if you’re worried that stress is going to make your face swell up, take a deep breath—the cause of morning puffiness is usually temporary and much more innocent.
It’s often due to something as simple as a poor night’s sleep, allergies, your sleep position, mild fluid retention from your menstrual cycle, or even having a drink the night before.
Cooking for Stress Relief—3 Recipes to Help Lower Cortisol
While chronic stress may not puff your face up, it does deserve our attention.
In a 2023 Gallup poll, fifty-two percent of Americans reported chronic daily stress that affects their mental health. Stress can also lead to fatigue, sleep issues, weight gain, depression, and even an increased risk of heart disease and cancer.
Indeed, stress should be taken seriously, and if you’ve been feeling stressed out, it’s important to give yourself time and space to recover.
Diet plays a powerful role in how resilient we are to stress.
Chronic stress can deplete key nutrients—especially magnesium and B vitamins—which are essential for a balanced mood and nervous system.
Fortunately, research shows that regularly consuming these nutrients can help buffer the body against the negative effects of stress and improve overall resilience.
With that in mind, here are three recipes rich in stress-relieving nutrients.
When you’ve had a hard day, these dishes can help you recover, both mentally and physically.
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MINDY PELZ, DC, is a renowned advocate for women’s health and is passionately committed to empowering women to embrace and trust their body’s natural healing processes. With an extensive background in women’s health, Dr. Mindy has developed groundbreaking approaches that help women navigate the complexities of hormonal fluctuations throughout different life stages and the specific needs of women as they age.
Throughout her career, Dr. Mindy has advised a diverse group of clients, ranging from celebrities and Olympic athletes to corporate and cultural leaders, helping them achieve their health goals. Her dedication to accessible health education is evident in her writing, speaking engagements, and podcast,The Resetter Podcast, which is a favored source for the latest health-science and wellness discussions.
Dr. Mindy is the author of several influential books, including international bestsellers Fast Like a Girl and The Menopause Reset. Her work has been featured on many top global podcasts, like The Diary of a CEO; Feel Better, Live-More; The Mel Robbins Podcast; Women of Impact; and Impact Theory. Her YouTube channel, with over 80 million lifetime views, continues to be the go-to resource for fasting and women’s health.
Dr. Mindy’s educational journey began at the University of Kansas, where her studies focused on exercise physiology and nutritional sciences. She took her passion for studying the human body and received a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, graduating with clinical honors.
She founded one of the largest lifestyle clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area, where her clinical practice focused largely on nutrition, detox, hormone education, and helping women and families customize a lifestyle to keep all family members healthy. She also serves as a faculty member at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
Well Being Journal adapted the above recipes from Eat Like a Girl by Mindy Pelz, DC. Copyright © 2024 and reprinted with permission from the author.
