Adrenal Fatigue
Have you ever
heard of adrenal fatigue? Did you know that some experts suggest
that 80% of the Western world will be affected by adrenal fatigue at some point
in their lives.
The adrenal
glands are located above the kidneys and their proper function is critical for
such things as producing energy and balancing hormones as well as dealing with
stress. Some of the many hormones that
are secreted by the adrenals are adrenaline, cortisol, progesterone and
testosterone.
If you’ve been
dealing with periods of intense, prolonged stress (mental or physical) or
chronic illness, your adrenal glands begin functioning below the level needed
to maintain your health and well being.
They still function but not as well as they could be. The result is adrenal fatigue.
Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue
If you think
you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue take a look at the list below. These are symptoms that are common in people
with adrenal fatigue:
·
Forgetfulness
·
Feeling
tired for no reason
·
Craving
salty or sweet snacks
·
Weight
gain, especially around the waist
·
Decreased
sex drive
·
Mild
Depression
·
Low
body temperature
·
High
or low blood pressure
·
Inability
to handle stress
·
Dizziness
If you are
experiencing these symptoms, you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue.
Treatment
To treat
adrenal fatigue you’ll be looking at making some changes to your lifestyle and
diet, and it’ll take about 6-9 months to recover from a mild case. Moderate to severe adrenal fatigue can take
between 1-2 years to heal.
Stress: You’re
going to need to reduce this!
Learning time management skills could be beneficial, as well as getting
organized and not over extending yourself to other’s needs. You can’t be everything to everyone and trying
to will put a lot of stress on your adrenal glands.
Sleep: You need to get
enough of this! The main repair work on
your adrenal glands takes place between 10 pm and 1 am. If you’re a night owl start practicing going
to bed earlier. Do it in small time
increments each night until you’re getting to bed early enough to get about 7
hours of sleep at night. Keep caffeine to
a minimum and have it first thing in the morning, not later in the
afternoon. You might even want to
consider giving up caffeine all together (the horror!!)
Exercise: You
need enough of this but not too much! Exercise regulates cortisol, relieves
depression and increases blood flow which will contribute to your
recovery. Don’t over train though
because this will have the opposite effect.
Aim for 30-60 minutes/day 4-6 days per week.
Supplements: You might want to try adding some of
these! Calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, E,
and B complex are recommended. Just make
sure you’re getting your supplements from a reputable company – don’t look for
the cheapest ones because you get what you pay for.
Nutrition: It’s gotta be good! Avoid junk food, or non-foods as I like to
call them. Eat fresh fruits and
vegetables, healthy protein and healthy fats.
You may want to consider adding a nutrient dense shake to your diet as
well – just make sure there are no artificial ingredients added to it.
If you suspect
you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, try making some of the above changes to
your diet and lifestyle. Just remember,
it takes a long time to heal from adrenal fatigue so make a commitment and
stick to it.
No comments:
Post a Comment