Are you always feeling tired and fatigued? Could you be suffering from adrenal fatigue?
The Adrenals glands also known as the butterfly gland that is located at the top of the kidneys.
Adrenaline and cortisol are the stress hormones that are released by your adrenals whenever you are stressed.
Adrenaline tells your body that there is a threat, imminent danger, and you are being chased by the saber-toothed tiger. However, that is not the case, today, most people are stressed because of finances, relationships, excess technology, the pandemic, isolation and the list goes on.
When your body perceives imminent danger, it goes on the defense in order to protect itself from the perceived danger of the saber-toothed tiger. With this defense, blood flow ceases its usual function of supporting the digestive and reproductive systems and is then redirected to protecting the body from danger. Cortisol is also released in response to protecting the body from danger and/or shutting down many bodily systems in the effort to protect your body.
The Endocrine system
The endocrine system is the information superhighway of your body, which allows the different systems, organs, tissues, and cells to work together in a healthy way. It consists of a variety of specialized glands (adrenal, thyroid, pituitary, pineal) responsible for synthesizing and secreting hormones directly in the circulatory system. Hormones are sent to certain organs & tissues where they bind to the cells with specific receptors. The endocrine system is directly involved in growth and development, metabolism, sleep, blood sugar management and it is also responsible for how the body responds to stress, injuries and energy.
If you have too much or too little of a hormone circulating throughout your body, you’ll experience symptoms that can easily escalate into disease. And since the endocrine system is composed of interconnected feedback loops, an imbalance in one hormone often cascades into other imbalances, throwing the entire system out of whack, which includes your adrenals.
Phases of adrenal fatigue
First, adrenal fatigue occurs in 3 phases:
Phase 1 occurs when cortisol levels are consistently high all the time. You may not have any signs of fatigue or low energy and you are able to continue your daily life without interruption.
Phase 2, if phase 1 continues and you have not made any adjustments to your lifestyle and diet inorder to reduce your cortisol levels, your cortisol levels will eventually start to decline and you will start feeling fatigued or low energy.
Phase 3, during this phase, your cortisol levels will be extremely too low and you will feel like you are always running on empty. This is one of the reasons so many perimenopausal and menopausal women often rely so much on coffee and energy drinks to get them through their day.
Signs that you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue:
Always feeling tired
Salt, sweet and carb cravings
Pain in the lower back
Weakness or pain in the knees
Since cortisol is related to regulating blood sugar (high or low), increased blood sugar could indicate cortisol issues.
If your blood pressure is very low, this could signal that cortisol is also low.
Difficulty sleeping
Difficulty conceiving (perimenopausal women) since adrenal hormones help regulate sex hormones.
Excessive sweating from little activity
Light-headedness or dizziness upon standing
What can you do to support adrenal fatigue
Reduce your stress. Stress is the #1 root cause of every chronic disease. Research shows that deep breathing, mindfulness, and getting enough sleep can all help lower your stress.
Removing inflammatory, carb-heavy foods such as bread, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, high-sugar fruits from your diet is a great way to get your insulin and reduce hot flashes. Instead, replace inflammatory foods with superfoods like pomegranates, flaxseed cruciferous veggies, legumes, and fruits like apples, berries, peaches, and plums which all help control your insulin levels and support overall hormone balance.
Adding supplements (e.g.., omega fatty acids, vitamins B, C; magnesium) support health, hormone balance
Taking an adaptogenic herb such as Ashwagandha can help to reduce anxiety and stress.
Using essential oils on a regular basis. Essential oils such as Geranium and Magnolia are also a great addition to support the adrenal as well as manage stress and other emotional feelings.
In Good Health,
Deon
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to provide medical advice. The purpose is to provide education and broader understanding to my readers. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. I do not recommend or prescribe, or recommend changing dosage or discontinuing, any prescription medications or pharmaceutical drugs.
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