Adrenal Fatigue 101
Adrenal fatigue is one of those illnesses most people haven’t heard about. It is usually caused by stress; if you overload your body with too much physical, emotional, and/or psychological stress, your adrenals have to deal with it. Even infections, injuries, and environmental stress take a toll on the adrenals. If the glands aren’t in an environment to recover and replenish, adrenal fatigue often occurs.
When you hear someone say that they’re burnt out, it’s probably adrenal fatigue on some level. In the medical world the only adrenal disorder most doctors will diagnose is Addison’s disease. Unless you have the severe symptoms of Addison’s disease, doctors are unlikely to address the adrenal issue, leaving you to walk out feeling helpless.
The adrenal glands are located on top of the kidneys near the spine. The right gland has a pyramid-like shape and the left gland has a half moon shape. They’re about one inch high and two inches wide and weigh only a few grams, yet they have so much impact on our physical, emotional, and psychological health.
The following signs and symptoms could be an indication of adrenal fatigue:
· Trouble sleeping at night but wanting to sleep during the day
· Craving excess salt and sugar
· Lack of sex drive and general lack of love for life
· Feeling overwhelmed and confused
· Depression and anxiety
· Irritability
· Blood sugar irregularity
· Lack of concentration
· Respiratory issues
· Low blood pressure
· Aches in sinuses, lower back, and temples
· Recurrent cold or flu
· Unexplained change in body shape
Many people suffer adrenal fatigue for years and see multiple physicians, only to be told they just have low blood sugar, fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue syndrome, or that they should see a psychiatrist, or that they’re completely healthy! This is the problem! A medical doctor probably won’t diagnose adrenal fatigue because there is no drug prescription to treat it; yet some people will only trust their doctor to diagnose anything.
The most ironic part is that medical doctors are common sufferers of adrenal fatigue due to the high stress level of their job. Most people simply push through the symptoms with caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and other drugs. This worsens the condition and can lead to other serious illnesses. The adrenal glands are furthered drained, making you feel dependent on these external “pick me ups” just to get through each day.
A joyful and productive life is what we’re all after, isn’t it? One problem with adrenal fatigue is that if these glands are drained, the feeling of joy seems unattainable. The adrenals help our body cope with stress, but if they’re not working properly, life can seem quite overwhelming. Your vitality, wellbeing, resiliency, and lust for life depend on the health of your adrenals. And it’s not just people with high-stress careers that suffer from adrenal fatigue; it can affect anyone. Often, a person’s cortisol levels have shot through the roof before they even realize that they’re stressed!
In modern society it has become fairly normal to feel stressed and run down. There are endless quick-fix options to get us through each day, but most simply put our bodies through more turmoil.
If you feel like you could be suffering from adrenal fatigue, I recommend finding a naturopathic doctor whom you trust and discussing your signs and symptoms. What stops most people from fully recovering is the time needed to heal. There isn’t a quick fix or a drug. It takes a shift in awareness and a change in lifestyle, but this change will bring on a new level of living. You will feel fresh and energetic without the use of stimulants, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, or sugar.
Here are some tips to help keep your adrenals healthy:
· Nourish your mind, body, and soul every day with quality organic foods, thoughts, and breathing.
· Stop reaching for coffee and/or alcohol. They will put more pressure on your adrenals and drain your body of its natural healing energies. If you’re serious about healing your adrenal glands you should cut out caffeine and alcohol completely until you are healed.
· Ditch the “no pain, no gain” approach to exercise. Do activities that will free up blockages rather than add stress to the body like yoga, surfing, swimming, and walking barefoot on sand and grass. Make exercise nourishing for the body, mind, and spirit.
· Limit or cut out refined sugar. If you need to sweeten food, try agave nectar, raw local honey, and stevia.
· Be mindful of what you eat. Chew slowly and visualize being healed by nature.
· Get protein in each meal from foods like broccoli, spirulina, sprouts, nuts, seeds, hemp protein, and yellow pea protein.
· Take a high quality vitamin C, B complex, vitamin E, and magnesium spread throughout the day.
· Drink Siberian ginseng tea in the morning and passionflower tea before bed. Meditate while drinking and feel the adrenal glands getting soothed.
· Prioritize getting at least eight hours of sleep a night.
· Put ayurvedic rock or sea salt on each of your meals.
· Don’t drink water with your meals, but lots in between meals. Have pure or filtered water with a little bit of rock or sea salt and lime or lemon.
· Create a harmonious living environment. Unhappy relationships, poor diet, stressful work, and overexertion are some of the main causes of adrenal fatigue.
Live with a balance between strength and surrender. Whenever you feel drained and tempted to reach for those “pick me ups,” close your eyes, take deep breaths, and say a little mantra. Something that resonates with me is a verse from the Tao Te Ching:
“I allow my life to unfold naturally. There’s a time for being ahead, there’s a time for being behind. There’s a time for being in motion, there’s a time for being at rest. There’s a time for being vigorous, there’s a time for being exhausted.”
Stuart Watkins is a holistic fitness and lifestyle coach based out of Australia. Stuart’s love for travel and new knowledge has taken him all around the world, while achieving certifications as a Holistic Fitness Practitioner, Holistic Life Coach, Yoga Teacher, Personal Trainer, Massage Therapist and Stress Management Specialist. He draws on his knowledge in these areas to ensure each of his clients journey to true health and happiness is in good hands.
Photo Credit: Anthony!!
