ADRENAL FATIGUE

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 dysfunction can result in mood disorders, insomnia, fibromyalgia, diabetes, cancer, fungal infections, hypertension, hypothyroid and kidney disease…the list goes on.

Most people with weak adrenal function don't realize their adrenals are the cause of their symptoms, or that they can heal themselves naturally. 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 weigh less than a grape. They’re two tiny walnut-sized glands located above each kidney. The adrenals are the control center for many hormones including cortisol, adrenaline, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), progesterone, aldosterone, estrogen and testosterone. Cortisol is produced in response to stressors such as pain and inflammation, glycemic control and psychological overload.

The primary role of the adrenal glands is to control your energy levels and keep you alive during stressful events. Studies have shown that 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 causing your body to break down.

What happens when cortisol levels are consistently high or low? Muscle and bone atrophy, digestion is impaired, healing and normal cell regeneration decline, destruction of T-cells, the thymus gland shrinks, aging accelerates, all other hormones and brain chemistry are disrupted, along with a weakening of the immune system.
Do you experience?

• Asthma, bronchitis, frequent colds
• Bloating and/or swelling
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Body fat levels that don’t lower in response to sufficient physical exercise (excessive abdominal fat – spare tire)
• Chronic heartburn and digestive difficulties
• Crave salt and/or sugar
• Decreased or zero sex drive
• Dizzy when standing up suddenly
• Elevated LDL cholesterol (excess cholesterol is manufactured in times of psychological stress and dehydration)
• Excessive urination
• Have to have a cup of strong tea or coffee in the morning to get going
• Hypothyroid
• Inability to tolerate or handle stress; Irritable; Mood swings
• Insomnia
• Intolerance to Exercise
• Low blood pressure
• Osteoporosis and muscle atrophy
• Poor memory and concentration
• Puffy and dark circles under the eyes
  

• Severely cracked, painful heels (also an indication of essential fatty acid deficiency)                                                                                                                   
• Tend to be a night person

• Tendency to “need” to wear sunglasses; sensitive to light

• Tenderness at low back under the 12^th rib area
  

Your adrenals are your backup pharmacy. When the adrenals are depleted and chronically overworked, they’re unable to produce sufficient amounts of hormones.  Cholesterol is a precursor to all hormones, and DHEA is a precursor to the hormones, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Insufficient DHEA contributes to fatigue, bone loss, muscle atrophy, decreased sex drive, depression, achy joints, and impaired immune function.

Adrenal hormones act as important reserves in menopausal women and andropausal men. Therefore, if the adrenals are exhausted, menopausal symptoms will intensify. Before menopause or andropause, the adrenals produce 40% of your sex hormones; after menopause or andropause, the adrenals produce 90% of the sex hormones. The stronger your adrenals are, the easier your menopause or andropause symptoms will be.

For optimal health, vitality, longevity and fat loss, it is vital that we prioritize the health of our adrenal glands. Each person is individual in susceptibility to adrenal dysfunction based on their genetic make up. A child or fetus in the womb that experiences trauma whether physical, emotional, electromagnetic, environmental or psychological has a lower stress threshold in adult life. It’s important to remember that the nervous system, endocrine system and immune system are all interconnected.

What causes adrenal dysfunction? Any physiologic imbalance that taxes one’s physiology in its attempt to maintain homeostasis results in an alteration of stress hormones including:

• Addiction to stimulants
• Consistently staying up late at night (past 10:30 pm) and getting up early
• Eating foods your body is sensitive to and cannot tolerate
• 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 and excessive cardio/aerobic exercise
• Persistent injuries that cause inflammation and chronic pain
• Prolonged stress
• Skipping meals and blood sugar imbalances
• Exposure to toxins
• Digestive dysfunction
• Infections
• Liver Dysfunction
• Unresolved emotions
  

Adrenal burnout is almost entirely caused by a poor diet and a high-stress lifestyle. You can never overcome adrenal fatigue if your blood sugar is not stable! You can’t nourish and support your adrenals if your digestive system is in chaos! You can never re-balance your estrogen, progesterone or testosterone if your adrenals are exhausted!
The good news is, you can heal your adrenals through nutrition, the correct supplements and proper exercise. Although adrenal dysfunction is extremely common, you can restore and recover. It can take 4 months to 1-1/2 years to fully heal the adrenals. Remember, it’s a journey and you don't have to do it alone, contact me today to get started!