Don't Let Adrenal Fatigue Ruin Your Life

12^th October 2017

So many people today struggle with adrenal insufficiency and major fatigue issues, and it’s due to problems with the adrenal glands. It is described as a "group of related signs and symptoms (a syndrome) that results when the adrenal glands function below the necessary level.

Warning Signs of Adrenal Fatigue

1. Even if you get enough sleep at night but the next day you wake up and you’re still tired - that is a major warning sign that you have adrenal fatigue. If you feel like you can just never catch up and you’re always tired, that's a warning sign you have adrenal fatigue.
2. If you feel overwhelmed and stressed and you feel anxiety, those are also warning signs you have adrenal fatigue. If you have trouble focusing or concentrating or have a poor memory, those are more warning signs you have adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency.
3. Also, pretty much every person who has thyroid problems — whether it is hypothyroidism, Graves’ or Hashimoto's disease — that probably means you do have an adrenal issue.
4. Some other adrenal fatigue symptoms could be that you are storing excess body fat. So if you go to the gym and work out for hours and you're still not losing weight like you think you should - or you can’t seem to lose that last five pounds or break through that weight-loss plateau — those are warning signs that you have adrenal fatigue.

Ways to Overcome Adrenal Fatigue

Change to an Adrenal Fatigue Diet

Remove caffeine

If you consume loads and loads of coffee on a regular basis and/or large amounts of caffeine, that will definitely burn out your adrenal glands. A study from the Duke University Medical Centre found that “caffeine may exaggerate sympathetic adrenal- medullary responses to the stressful events of normal daily life”. That means you want to avoid a potential caffeine overdose and cut out caffeine as much as possible in your adrenal fatigue diet.

Avoid consuming too much sugar

Sugar will also burn out your adrenal glands and lead to adrenal fatigue if too much enters your body. Foods that imbalance blood sugar levels and cause spikes — like hydrogenated oils in foods that are just stimulants - are also detrimental to your adrenals.

Add Supportive Food in diet

Sugar will also burn out your adrenal glands and lead to adrenal fatigue if too much enters your body. Foods that imbalance blood sugar levels and cause spikes — like hydrogenated oils in foods that are just stimulants - are also detrimental to your adrenals.

Take Adrenal-Friendly Supplements

To heal adrenal fatigue, take supplements that support your adrenal glands.

Adaptogen/ Adaptogenic Herbs

Adaptogen herbs helps body adapt and deal with stress, and these have big benefits. Herbs include ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil, licorice root and ginseng. The recommended adaptogen for your adrenals and thyroid is called ashwagandha. It benefits the adrenals by lowering cortisol levels and maintaining healthy adrenal function. The same is true of the other adaptogen herbs, including rhodiola, holy basil and licorice root, which are the most beneficial for supporting your adrenal glands.

B-Vitamins

B-Vitamins is very important for your adrenal glands, especially Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked to adrenal cortex stress, so supplementing with vitamin B12 can be a beneficial addition to your adrenal fatigue diet.

Magnesium

Magnesium also support your adrenals. Magnesium plays a vital role in combating adrenal insufficiency. It also helps to relax muscles and reduce anxiety.

Selenium benefits

Selenium benefits adrenals because it’s a mineral that works as an antioxidant that also supports the adrenal glands. Selenium deficiency can lead to adrenal issues.

Lower Stress Levels

You have to lower your overall stress levels. Adrenal responses to stress are what cause adrenal fatigue, so in addition to an improved adrenal fatigue diet, you want to find ways to relieve stress.

Try getting better quality sleep at night, and that means sleeping 8 to 10 hours a night. The next step is, if you’re stressed out, you have to start working on removing the stressors.

I recommend you get out a sheet of paper, write down all of those things that are causing stress. Really look, address and know what’s stressing you out, and then work on rectifying those things.

You can't fix all forms of stress, but if you can reduce your stress by 50 percent, that alone will help you improve your adrenal function and help heal your adrenal glands. Then schedule in times of fun and joy in your schedule, doing things you love to do; that also can help you overcome adrenal insufficiency. So, again, getting more sleep, reducing stress, adding joy into your life — all of those things are going to help you overcome adrenal fatigue.

Also doing certain forms of exercise can help reduce stress, like Barre classes, Pilates or even going out for a jog. Whatever exercise you choose, make sure you’re not overdoing it. Light amounts of exercise 20 to 30 minutes several times a week — going out, going for a walk, going out in nature — all of those things that can reduce stress are going to help you overcome adrenal fatigue.

You follow those steps, you are well on your way to improving your adrenal fatigue symptoms