If you’re sluggish and exhausted all the time, chances are you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue. Here’s how to spot the signs and boost your adrenal glands so you can feel energized again.
By: Marita Schauch
Every day in my practice I see patients who complain of unrelenting fatigue. They wake up unrefreshed, drag themselves through the day and, if given the opportunity, could nap in the afternoon. Some patients sleep through their alarm every morning only to hit snooze half a dozen times. Then they nurse themselves with coffee all day so that they can function and feel “normal.”
These patients often feel unmotivated and irritable. Activities that once gave them pleasure, no longer do. Most feel overwhelmed by even the slightest amount of stress; it’s as if their bodies’ coping mechanisms are completely exhausted. These patients also have an incredibly hard time losing weight, even though they may exercise vigorously and eat healthy.
What all these patients have in common is that they’re suffering from adrenal fatigue.
How the Adrenal Glands Work
The adrenal glands are two small glands that sit on top of each kidney and are the body’s main stress responders. The body typically responds to physical and emotional stress by producing adrenal hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol as a coping mechanism. These hormones are then released into the blood to prepare the body for combating perceived dangers by increasing blood pressure, heart rate and by making more energy available for fuel – this is known as the “fight or flight” response. The body then turns the response inward, affecting organ systems such as digestive, nervous and circulatory. When this happens, conditions such as ulcers, headaches, weight gain, allergies, anxiety, depression, fatigue and insomnia can develop.
The stress response is obviously essential to life because it allows us to handle life’s challenges. However, when we trigger the stress response too often, problems arise as the stress hormones are continuously pumped out and the body becomes depleted and exhausted.
The good news is that there are steps that you can take to optimize your adrenal function to prevent the deteriorating affects of adrenal fatigue.
Top 10 Stress-busting tips to support healthy adrenal glands
1.) Keep perspective. You can’t completely eliminate stress from your life, but you can change how you react to it. Realistically visualizing the long-term consequences of a situation can help you put things into perspective.
2.) Learn how to relax. Practice deep breathing techniques to slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and relax your muscles. This neutralizes your body’s response to stress.
3.) Exercise regularly. Exercise provides the body with an opportunity to burn off accumulated stress hormones. Movement serves as one of the body’s most powerful relaxation tools.
4.) Restore healthy sleep patterns. Create good sleep hygiene by turning off all screens an hour before bedtime. Keep a consistent bedtime that isn’t too late to match your body’s natural hormone rhythm.
5.) Watch what you eat. Refined sugars, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods can exacerbate the body’s stress response. Eat plenty of colourful veggies and fruits, whole grains, good fats and free-range and organic lean proteins. Be sure to include at least one or two litres of filtered water daily.
6.) Balance your hormones. Hormone imbalance is a stress on the body. Balancing your hormone levels will help optimize the function of the adrenal, thyroid and other glands. For example, try to minimize your exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals such as BPA (found in plastics) or phthalates (found in most conventional beauty products). Check out ewg.org for more information on what to look for on labels so that you can optimize hormone balance.
7.) Take the right supplements. Stress can cause your body to use up nutrients more rapidly, so extra anti-stress vitamins and minerals are needed to support the body. Vitamin C, zinc, B vitamins and magnesium support both adrenal function and the nervous system during times of stress. The B vitamins, especially B5 and B6 have active roles in regulating mood and emotional wellbeing. Deficiencies of B vitamins result in worsening of psychosocial stress and symptoms of depression, irritability, and tiredness. Taking a B complex (50 to 100 milligrams) once or twice a day can be helpful.
Adaptogens such as Siberian ginseng, Rhodiola, Cordyceps, Ashwagandha and Suma are greatly appreciated for a wide variety of actions like fighting fatigue, reducing the levels of stress hormones circulating in the body, enhancing mental and physical performance, and increasing the body’s capacity to cope with stress.
You can also buy specific formulas to target adrenal fatigue and to help rebuild your adrenal strength. My favorite adrenal formulas in clinical practice are AdrenaSense by Preferred Nutrition and ADR Life Force by Physica Energetics.
Lastly, I recommend a magnesium powder called MagSense before bed to help relax the body and mind by restoring adrenal function.
8.) De-clutter your life. Mess creates confusion, chaos and a sense of losing power. If your desk, home and/or car are messy and disorganized, have a good clear out and tidy up. You’ll instantly feel more in control.
9.) Manage your time. Make a “to-do” list and check off items as you complete them. Prioritize tasks and then work on the most important ones. Delegate less important tasks. Schedule extra time for tasks in case of interruptions.
10.) Think positive and do something you love every day! Don’t get so caught up in the chaos that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it’s walking in the park, going for tea with a good friend or getting a massage.
Try These!
This non-GMO adrenal formula helps your body recover after physical stress and exertion so that you can feel energized and rejuvinated. Ingredients such as Rhodiola, Suma, Siberian Ginseng and Ashwagandha act to naturally relieve stress and restore cortisol imbalances.
This five-times hybrid Cordyceps exceeds the potency of wild Cordyceps by a factor of five. It contains seven different strains and increases ATP by 30 per cent and oxygen utilization by 40 per cent. A great way to combat adrenal insufficiency, enhance vitality and boost your immune system and energy.
A mixture of natural ingredients including potassium sorbate and chamomile that will help you get a good night’s sleep without any of the nasty “hangover” effects that occur with traditional sleep aids.
(About 60 sprays, $12.99) – available at my viva store
This magnesium citrate powder features a propriety process that provides the most absorbable, effective, fast-acting magnesium available. It becomes ionic when dissolved in very hot water. Magnesium supports both adrenal function and the nervous system during times of stress.
