Fighting Adrenal Fatigue

What Are The Connections Between Stress And Adrenal Fatigue?

Since 2007, the American Psychological Association has been keeping statistics on stress. In 2015, the greatest sources of stress were money (67%), work (65%) and family (54%). Two thirds of the people polled that they have had a diagnosis of at least one chronic illness. Continuous stress causes your body to be constantly in the “fight or flight” mode because you are overworked and overtired. Your adrenal glands raise your cortisol levels when you are under stress. This is a normal and healthy response to occasional stress. However, problems arise when the adrenal glands are constantly being stimulated to release stress hormones. Eventually, fatigue sets in, and the overused adrenals can’t keep up and they stop producing enough hormones for you to be able to cope with stress.

How Do I Know That I Might Have Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue can produce a variety of symptoms, including high levels of fatigue daily, trouble getting up in the morning and challenges falling asleep at night. You may crave energy from sweets, salt and caffeine to substitute for the missing hormones. Without them, you might struggle with brain fog, be unable to concentrate or just plain feel burned out. It’s easy to gain weight and feel constantly cold because severe adrenal fatigue can produce exercise intolerance and low muscle tone. Without energy or enthusiasm, you can get sick a lot and find that your enthusiasm for sex suffers. You will likely feel like you are not coping with stress as well.

How Do I Tell For Sure if I Do Have Adrenal Fatigue?

In his 2011 book Adrenal Fatigue: the 21st Century Stress Syndrome, James Wilson rightly points out that “there are no magic pills for adrenal fatigue, but there are certainly key lifestyle changes and nutritional supplements that will greatly facilitate your recovery.” This is why NaturoMedica’s holistic approach to health is perfect for addressing this chronic, stress related illness.

Start with testing to rule out other causes of fatigue. Get routine blood work to look for anemia, hypothyroidism, chronic inflammation, arthritis and infections such as mononucleosis, which have many similar symptoms to adrenal fatigue.

Next, confer with your doctor at NaturoMedica about adrenal testing. This is an easy to do, at home test using your saliva which provides a highly accurate profile of your adrenal health. It looks at cortisol and DHEA hormones over the course of the day to assess your adrenal function.

A sleep study may also be considered depending on your symptoms and physical exam.

Are There Supplements That Can Help My Adrenals Recover?

Indeed there are.

BioAdaptogen Ultra (Biogenesis): a vegetarian friendly, adrenal support supplement designed to promote healthy cortisol production and rebalance the hormones of the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands. This botanical formula combines five powerful herbs, including Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, Eleuthero, Panax Ginseng, and Licorice, to maintain a healthy stress response. It is B-vitamin free to be gentle on empty stomachs. hyperlink Adrenal-Cortex Fractions: A powerful energy supporting product with readily absorbed glandular extracts, which help replenish the body’s natural stress defenses and promote healthy energy levels.

B6+ B Complex (Vital Nutrients): A highly bioavailable B complex with extra pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). Pantothenic Acid is essential for healthy adrenal and immune function. In particular, it serves as the starting material for the synthesis of coenzyme A, which is important for synthesis of adrenal hormones. During high stress times, B vitamins, especially B5 and B6, are used at a higher rate than most standard American diets can provide.

Adrenal Supportive IV: A powerful blend of Anti-oxidants and B vitamins to support healthy adrenal stress response and immune function. You can have just one IV or a series to help with chronic stress.

B vitamin Injections: No time for a full IV? Consider a quick B vitamin injection, a fast and safe way to get a concentrated dose of B vitamins to support health energy levels and improve stress response. It can be done as occasional injections or as a series to help with chronic stress.

MIC Weight Loss Injection: If you are experiencing weight gain caused by your adrenal fatigue, consider the MIC weight loss shot. It supports healthy blood sugar levels and fat burning with its combination of amino acids and B vitamins.

What Lifestyle Changes Will Help Me?

• Make sure to get 8 hours of sleep a night.
• Exercise at least 1/2 an hour daily—a little is good for your health, but a lot of exercise can actually exhaust your adrenals. Walking, hiking and yoga are great places to start with exercise.
• Decrease caffeine and alcohol intake.
• Increase colorful fruits and veggies in your diet for their antioxidants, micronutrients and influence on GI flora.
• Find ways to relax and enjoy life—all work and no play is NOT what the doctor ordered! Try rewarding yourself before starting a big project, as a rested and happy person works more efficiently and effectively.
• Practice meditation and prayer, which have been shown to decrease stress response. 5 to 10 minutes a day is a good beginning goal.
• Try diaphragmatic breathing exercises, a very powerful way to decrease stress and improve energy.

More than ever, people are looking for solutions to treat stress related illness and fatigue with diet and lifestyle changes. With the overload of information on the internet, it’s hard to know what information is valid and where to start to work on disease prevention. The physicians at NaturoMedica have dedicated their careers to helping patients just like you get on the road to optimal health. Whether your focus is on prevention or treatment of illness, we are here to provide you with tools for achieving your health goals.