Adrenal Fatigue Program

Adrenal fatigue is a syndrome resulting from the low functioning of the adrenal glands.  The adrenal glands sit above the kidneys and are responsible for producing various hormones including cortisol, aldosterone, adrenaline and norepinephrine.  These hormones play a crucial role in maintaining metabolism, regulating salt and water balance in the body as well as being responsible for the stress-related “flight or fight” response.

The rationale behind the adrenal fatigue theory is the adrenal glands are overworked due to constant stress and are unable to keep up with the body’s demands.  Conventional medicine does not recognize adrenal fatigue as a medical syndrome.  Instead it refers to the underproduction of hormones from the adrenal glands as adrenal insufficiency, resulting from an acute or chronic  infection such as bronchitis, influenza or pneumonia.  

Medically proven adrenal disorders such as Addison’s disease, Cushing’s disease, adrenal tumors, amongst others are treated by conventional medicine.  However, adrenal fatigue is unrecognized in the medical world even though millions of people are affected by it and although they look relatively normal, they usually feel unwell, downcast and tired.

Prevention and Treatment for Adrenal Fatigue:

One of the first lines of defense in treating adrenal fatigue is adhering to a nutritional diet plan, and avoiding foods that worsen the syndrome.

When you are stressed, healthy eating habits are usually ignored, meals are skipped and less nutritious food is consumed.    Nutritional deficiencies put a strain on the adrenals and it is important to take vitamin supplements and eat a balanced diet to help counteract this.

Below are a few simple nutritional guidelines:

• • Reduce your sugar intake and cut down on processed foods – when we eat large amounts of sugar, the adrenal glands produce extra insulin and cortisol to handle the influx of sugar.  Long-term, the adrenals become overworked and fatigued and start to slow down.
  • Cut out caffeine from your diet – Caffeine affects your sleep and lack of sleep prevents the adrenals from recovering.  If it is difficult to eliminate caffeine, try not to drink coffee after 12pm and drink herbal teas instead.
  • Eat a wide variety of whole, natural foods and grains as well as brightly colored fruits and vegetables.
  • Combine a healthy fat (avocado, nuts, seeds, dairy products)  a protein (fish, legumes, chicken, meat) and a carbohydrate (vegetables, beans, sprouted grains, quinoa) with every meal.  Eating correctly keeps your energy levels high without taxing the adrenals.
  • Combine whole grains with legumes (beans), or legumes with seeds or nuts to form a complete protein
  • Do not over-salt your foods
  • Avoid fruit in the morning
  • Mix 1-2 tablespoons of fresh essential oils (cold pressed olive, grape seed, safflower, flax, etc.) into grains, vegetables and meats daily.
  • Stay hydrated – Aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is responsible for maintaining water and salt levels in the body.  It is very important to keep well hydrated.

Stress:

Ongoing stress, in the form of physical, emotional or financial stress, plays a major role in adrenal fatigue.  When the body is over-exerted, as in the case of serious athletes, physical stress results but it can usually be reversed after a period of rest and nurturing.   

Toxic relationships or an unhappy work environment on the other hand, are two of the major causes of emotional stress and need to be dealt with and even eliminated to help improve adrenal function.  This might involve leaving a bad relationship, moving jobs and attending therapy sessions. Working on changing character traits such as anger, worry and fear can have a positive impact on your health. It has been found that people with positive attitudes who are generally happy, are better able to cope with stress and live healthier, longer lives.

Getting a good, restful sleep each night is very important in repairing the adrenal glands and reducing stress levels.  Between 10pm and 1am, the adrenals work the hardest to heal the body.  When we push ourselves beyond 11pm at night, the adrenal glands shift into high gear, giving us a “second wind” and putting strain on them. Therefore, going to bed before 11pm and waking up after 8:00am is the most valuable sleep-time an individual can get.

Exercise:

Exercise is an exceptional oxygenator and phenomenal stress reducer.  There are numerous benefits to exercising such as increased blood flow, a reduction in depression, normalization of cortisol, insulin, blood glucose, growth hormone and thyroid levels, to name a few, as well as an overall improvement of how one feels.

If done correctly, exercise is a pivotal component to adrenal recovery.  The key is to adjust the level of exercise according to your capability, physical strength and overall health.  Over-exercise can trigger an adrenal crash. Just remember, that more is not necessarily better.

The more advanced the adrenal fatigue, the less vigorous the exercise should be.  Those with severe adrenal weakness should begin with customized gentle breathing exercises, then progress to adrenal restorative exercises, and finally move on to a special adrenal yoga exercise series.  Adrenal recovery exercises are tailored according to exercise capacity, adrenal function and autonomic nervous system function.  You should feel revitalized after each exercise session as your body strengthens and the catabolic state is reversed.

One of the dangers of self-guided adrenal fatigue recovery programs is the tendency to over-exercise once more energy is regained.  The body might not be ready to tolerate more strenuous exercise and can lead to a relapse. A person with advanced adrenal fatigue should not proceed with any exercise routine without professional supervision.

As adrenal fatigue improves, regular exercise can be incorporated and should cover the following three categories:

• Aerobics – such as fast walking, stairs climbing, Nordic track, swimming and treadmill.
• Anaerobics – such as weight lifting, push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups.
• Flexibility – such as stretching, yoga, and tai chi.

Supplements:

Adaptogens are a group of herbal ingredients that have the unique ability to “adapt” to the needs of the body in order to help strengthen the adrenal system.  This includes the ability to cope with anxiety and stress and fight fatigue.  Although the overall effect of adaptogens seem to be slower and take longer to feel the effectiveness thereof, they play a vital role in balancing the body slowly and gently.  Adaptogens have the ability help you deal with everyday life by calming the adrenals and providing energy without over-stimulating your system.  They contain antioxidants and help the cells dispose of toxic by-products from the metabolic process.

AdrenaCare™ has been uniquely formulated to help energize and rejuvenate you.  The main objective of this product is to balance cortisol levels, which affect the body’s stress response and metabolism mechanism.   The herbs and nutrients in AdrenaCare™ are known to eliminate fatigue by revitalizing the adrenal glands through balancing the hormones it produces.

Included in this unique formula is Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Licorice, Siberian Ginseng, Vitamin C and B-Complex Vitamins.

For more information on adrenal fatigue, please contact our Ignite Clinic.