Do you have any of the following:
Body aches
Trouble concentrating
Racing thoughts
Moodiness and irritability
Constant tiredness
Feeling overwhelmed
Hormonal imbalance
Cravings for sweet and salty foods
Wide awake at night time
Cant loose any body fat no matter how hard you try
You use caffeine to get through the day
If you answered yes to any of the above, then you could have this thing called ‘Adrenal Fatigue’.
Almost 80% of people have this condition, yet almost no one receives direct help for it!
The symptoms are overlooked and masked by prescription medication (shock).
Adrenal fatigue is a major cause of excessive fat storage and extremely low energy levels – sound like you?
If so, then please read on...
What are Adrenal Glands?
Put simply, they are the powerhouse of the body - if they do work properly, nothing will.
They are two very small organs that sit on top of your kidneys that are involved in producing 50 plus hormones that are responsible for nearly every bodily function.
Without these glands, we would not be able to live!
They play a huge role in your stress response and play a vital role in balancing hormones:
Blood sugar management
Energy management
Stress management
Immune strength
Blood pressure
Estrogen and testosterone balance
Heart health
If you have any health issues related to these, then adrenal fatigue may be the cause.
Why does this happen?
Your adrenal glands simply can’t keep up with our lifestyle – they burn out and just stop working.
They can be caused by any of the following:
Stressful experience – death of a loved one
Exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants
Prolonged stress – financial issues, relationship breakdown, work environment
Negative thinking
Lack of sleep
Poor diet
Lack of exercise
They usually burn out over a period of time, but you rarely notice the decline – it can just hit you all of a sudden.
Usually, there is a big stressor placed on the body where the adrenal glands have to over secrete hormones and they run out of energy to keep going.
What happens when they stop working?
Your hormones are all out of balance – even a small shift in the balance can wreak havoc:
Morning fatigue
Trouble waking up
Depression
Muscle weakness
Poor focus
Bone loss
Inflammation
Increased allergies
Difficulty sleeping
Irritability
Fatigue
Sugar cravings
Hair loss
Weight gain
Muscle tension
Poor digestion
How can we fix it?
Diet
We want a diet that will support our adrenal glands and get them working again.
Start by avoiding these foods:
Caffeine
Sugar and sweeteners
Processed and microwaved foods
Hydrogenated oils
Add in some superfoods:
Coconut
Olives
Avocadoes
Sea salt – celtic or Himalayan
Green, leafy veggies
Fatty fish – salmon
Chicken
Turkey
Nuts
Seeds
Kelp
Seaweed
Supplemental Support
Supplements are pretty important when getting your adrenal glands back on board.
Here are some suggestions:
Fish oil
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D3
Zinc
Multivitamin
Reduce Stress
This is essential if you are rebuilding your adrenal glands – if the stress is still around, all your hard work will go out the window.
If you are tired, then rest – as much as you need to
Get 8-10 hours of sleep every night
Avoid staying up late
Stay on a regular sleep cycle
Do something enjoyable every day
Minimize work and relationship stress
Eat on a regular basis
Reduce sugar and caffeine
Exercise – even a walk can help
Avoid negative self talk and negative people
Take time for yourself
Seek support
Sleep and then Sleep Again
You can do everything right, but if you don’t sleep, everything will fall apart!
Why is sleep so important?
Improves body composition – makes you nice and skinny
Reduces our ‘bad’ food intake – less likely to crave bad food
Decreases stress
Improves mood
Increases energy
Improves mental health
How can we get more sleep?
Make your sleeping area as dark as possible
Remove all electronic devices from your room
Turn all lights off
No tv’s on
Nap regularly
Keep a Grateful Log/Journal
Ditch the Sleeping Pills
Eat Right - Having some carbs at night will help you wind down – they increase serotonin which is our happy/sleepy hormone. Try some mashed sweet potato with some chicken and veg.
Supplement your Diet - Start with some high quality magnesium before bed to help you wind down and fall into a deep sleep. Glutamine 45 minutes before bed will help to get you ready for bed.
One thhing you can do tomorrow to help:
Grab a fresh lime and some celtic sea salt. Add half the lime to a glass of water with 1/4 tsp celtic sea salt. Mix it all together and shot it down.
The salt will helo nourish your adrenal glads and the lime will make you more alkaline!
As always, consult your doctor, we aren't medical professionals - we just have a clue!