The Healing Journey to Adrenal Health

Nutritionist, fitness and weight loss expert discusses adrenal fatigue

Are you tired but wired, use caffeine and high-sugar snacks to get through the day, always on the go, feel burnt out? You may be experiencing adrenal fatigue. We live stress-filled, fast-paced, sympathetic dominant lives with minimal down time, and insufficient rest and relaxation. Our body doesn’t differentiate between real or imagined stressors, fearful emotions and thoughts. Many people fail to take care of their basic needs such as eating healthy food, drinking water and restful sleep.

Adrenal fatigue affects close to 80% of the population and causes a multitude of health problems, from exhaustion and weight gain to decreased immune function. Adrenal burnout may result in mood disorders, insomnia, diabetes, fibromyalgia, cancer, fungal infections, hypertension and kidney disease. Most people with weak adrenal function don’t realize their adrenals are the cause of their symptoms — or that they can heal themselves with natural support. The majority of medical doctors ignore adrenal dysfunction unless it’s severe or part of an illness such as Addison’s (an underproduction of cortisol) or Cushing’s (an overproduction of cortisol).

Your adrenal glands are two tiny walnut sized glands located above each kidney, weighing less than a grape. The adrenals are the control center for many hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, DHEA, progesterone, aldosterone, estrogen and testosterone. Their primary role is to control your energy levels and keep you alive during stressful events. For every minute you experience stress, it takes 60 minutes to remove the flood of adrenal stress hormones from your bloodstream. Chronic stress creates a continuous production of cortisol which in turn overproduces cell-damaging free radicals breaking down the body.

When cortisol levels are consistently elevated, muscle and bone atrophy, digestion is impaired, normal cell regeneration declines, the thymus gland shinks, hormones and brain chemistry are disrupted and the immune system weakens.

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include:

• Bloating or swelling;
• Blood sugar imbalances;
• A “need” to wear sunglasses;
• Sex drive is absent;
• Body fat levels that don’t lower in response to sufficient physical exercise (excessive abdominal fat – spare tire);
• Chronic heartburn or indigestion;
• Salt and/or sugar cravings;
• Dizziness when standing up suddenly;
• Elevated LDL cholesterol (excess cholesterol is manufactured in times of psychological stress and dehydration);
• Frequent colds;
• Have to have a cup of strong tea or coffee in the morning to get going;
• Inability to tolerate or handle stress, irritable, depressed;
• Insomnia;
• Low blood pressure;
• Tend to be a night person;
• Tenderness at low back under the 12^th rib area;
• Thin, dry skin and brittle nails.

When your adrenals are depleted and chronically overworked, they’re unable to produce sufficient amounts of hormones. Before menopause or andropause, our adrenals produce 40% of our sex hormones. After menopause or andropause, the adrenals produce 90% of the sex hormones.

Each person is individual in susceptibility to adrenal dysfunction based on their genetic makeup. Research reveals that a child or fetus in the womb that experiences trauma whether physical, emotional, electromagnetic, environmental or psychological, have a lower stress threshold in adult life.

What causes adrenal dysfunction in the first place?

• Addiction to stimulants;
• Consistently staying up late at night (past 10:30 pm) and getting up early;
• Eating foods your body is sensitive to; Insufficient rest and relaxation;
• Long-term steroid drug use for arthritis, asthma, allergies or MS which cause the adrenals to shrink in size;
• Over-exercising; Persistent injuries that cause inflammation;
• Prolonged stress and exposure to toxins (emotional, psychological, electromagnetic, environmental or physical);
• Skipping meals and blood sugar imbalances;
• Unresolved emotions.

There are various stages of adrenal fatigue. Testing helps determine the appropriate recovery protocol. Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) testing via saliva is non-invasive and the most reliable. The ASI evaluates how well the adrenal glands function by tracking their 24-hour circadian rhythm. Saliva samples are taken four times/day for one day to determine basic cortisol rhythm. Other tests to include: thyroid panel (TSH, T4 an T3 Uptake), CBC, Metabolic panel, inflammatory markers: C-Reactive Protein and Homocysteine.

Adrenal burnout is usually caused by a poor diet and a high stress lifestyle. Attention to lifestyle and diet must be addressed first prior to administration of sex hormones as these can be converted to stress hormones if the appropriate order of healing is not taken.

The Healing Journey to Adrenal Health

Nutrition:
Regarding nutrition, address digestive dysfunction; Chew food thoroughly; Combination of fat, protein and carbohydrate source at each meal; Eat regular meals at regular intervals; Eat within an hour of rising; Filtered water with Celtic sea salt to replenish electrolytes depleted from chronic stress; Food sensitivity testing; Green drinks; Healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, sesame oil, coconut oil); Herbal teas (chamomile, passion flower, valerian, licorice root); Liver detoxification; Organic foods, locally grown cage-free and grass-fed items when possible; Raw foods – consume 50-75% of your foods in their raw state and sea greens.

Avoid Alcohol, coffee, caffeine, soda (diet included) and carbonated beverages; Commercial salt; Dairy products; Dieting and hours without food; Foods you’re addicted or sensitive to (wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs are common allergens); Preservatives, junk food, fried foods, hydrogenated fats, processed foods; Skipping breakfast; and Sugar, soda, white flour and processed carbohydrates.

Lifestyle factors to consider include:

• Address unresolved emotions;
• Conscious thought patterns;
• Guided imagery;
• Keep a journal;
• Laughter;
• Mantras or affirmations;
• Massage therapy;
• More rest and quality sleep – in bed by 10 p.m.;
• Personal down time every day;
• Surround yourself with like-minded people;
• Avoid tobacco;
• Computer, television or exposure to bright lights after 8 p.m.;
• Energy vampires;
• Toxic people, places and things (news) that drain your energy;
• Lotions, soaps, toothpastes and shampoos containing chemicals, dyes, etc.:
• Avoid excessive exercise. Include Brisk walking, Resistance exercise and yoga, tai chi, Qigong, stretching, deep breathing and/or meditation daily.

Supplement protocols are different for each one of us, however the following are helpful for adrenal fatigue: vitamin C & B-Complex, especially B5 and B6; Minerals such as zinc and magnesium; digestive enzymes; Probiotics; Omega-3 fish oil; Adrenal Glandulars and Ashwaganda, Phosphatidylserene and Siberian Ginseng.

The Good News
Although adrenal fatigue is common, you can recover. It normally takes 4-6 months to fully restore adrenal balance. Take control and responsibility of your health with nutrition, lifestyle, exercise and supplements. Remember, it’s a journey.

Copyright © 2008

Paula Owens is a nutritionist, fitness and weight loss expert. She is the author of THE POWER OF 4 – Your Ultimate Guide Guaranteed to Change Your Body and Transform Your Life. Paula holds a Masters degree in Holistic Nutrition, a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology and numerous professional health and fitness certifications. www.paulaowens.com.