Dead Tired? Barely Functioning? More on Adrenal Fatigue
Dead Tired? Bearly Functioning? More on Adrenal Fatigue
In Dead Tired – Burnt Out – Falling Asleep? Why? I covered some symptoms of adrenal fatigue here’s a recap of which I may have already mentioned and others that I may have not, symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue:
- Waking up in the mid-portion of the night
- Unable to fall asleep
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Increased susceptibility to infections
- Midday Fatigue
- Reduced tolerance for stress
- Craving for sweets and salty foods
- Allergies to things you were never allergic to before
- Chemical sensitivities
- A tendency to feel cold (many people and doctors think they have hypothyroidism).
Listening to your body and noticing these symptoms is great, but you may also want to “check for adrenal fatigue by using the following three tests:
- Ragland’s sign (blood pressure test) — (Equipment required: Home blood pressure kit) Take your blood pressure while sitting down. Then, stand up and immediately take your blood pressure again. Your systolic (first) number should have raised 8 to 10 mm. If it dropped, you probably have adrenal fatigue.
- Pupil dilation exam — (Equipment required: Flashlight and a mirror) Look into the mirror and shine the flashlight into the pupil of one eye. It should contract. If after 30 seconds, it stays the same or, even worse, dilates; you most likely have adrenal fatigue.
- Pain when pressing on adrenal glands (located over kidneys)”
There are a few things that you can do to improve and/or promote good adrenal function. I mentioned earlier that poor nutrition could be a factor in adrenal fatigue. Watching your diet could assist you and is important. Suggestions are that you “eat protein with every meal. Eggs, natural meats, and poultry are the best sources of protein. Toasted almond butter and nuts are other good sources. Avoid vegetarian diets. At lunch and supper, have three cooked vegetables. Rotate your proteins and your vegetables, so you don’t eat the same thing every day.” For those that are battling Lyme Disease, this may be difficult.
Other suggestions include that you avoid wheat, spelt and gluten (*avoid if you’re already sensitive to it and a GF free diet is suggested for many Lyme patients). Starches such as carrots, onions, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips are recommended along with quinoa, and brown rice. Avoiding dairy products (cow), sweets, junk food, juices and vegetable oils (olive oil is alright but recommend coconut oil which helps with candida and energy). If eating fruit, keep it to a minimum and use sea salt instead of regular table salt and go organic if possible. *Many battling Lyme Disease also have to avoid many of the things mentioned.
I found this statement from Women Living Naturally, interesting. “In our experience, strict vegetarians will never recover from burnout.”
Nutrients needed consist of “vitamins A, B, C, E, pantothenic acid (B5) and adrenal glandular substance. Calcium and magnesium, [and zinc] are often needed.” Kelp, pancreatin and ox bile will assist in detoxification and digestion. And, depending on your metal toxicity level, which testing is recommended for Lyme patients as well as others, it will determine if you need to add certain minerals.
- Vitamin B100 Complex
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Calcium
- Free-Form Amino Acids
- Liquid Trace Minerals
- Magnesium Citrate
- Niacin
- Pantothenic Acid B5
- Proline
- Pyridoxine B6
- Zinc
Above all, make certain that you drink high-quality water and keep yourself hydrated well.
What are some other recommendations to support or improve adrenal fatigue?
This is a compilation of information I found from several websites which a list of sources is listed at the bottom.
- ADR Formula — aids the adrenal glands, which control and regulate the body’s self-defense mechanism against stress, a reaction to any stimulus which upsets normal functioning and disturbs mental or physical health. The adrenal glands generate the energy needed to perform strenuous tasks, deal with emotional crises, and fight infections.
- Adrenal glandulars – A nutrient mentioned above, supplies “the raw materials that your adrenal glands need to heal.” As with anything, look for potency and purity (guarantee). One recommendation mentioned was Enzymatic Therapy.
- Ashwagandha – This is “an adaptogen herb that increases energy, stamina, and overall mental & physical well-being. It “reduces the effects of stress, enhances memory and cognitive function.” ‘It has been shown to have a sedating effect on the body and helps to rebuild the digestive and nervous system.’
- Borage – This “is used to revive the adrenal gland functioning after stress and drug use.”
- Black Cohosh – “The roots of black cohosh are used in capsule and tincture form to help support healthy functioning of the adrenal glands. Black cohosh is generally used in conjunction with other herbs.”
- Vitamin C – “Your body’s highest levels of vitamin C are found in the adrenal glands and brain tissues, and the urinary excretion of Vitamin C is increased during stress.”
- Chromium – This helps reduce symptoms of low blood sugar.
- Cordyceps — Chinese medicine refers to this as the medicinal mushroom which modulates the immune function (also shown as anticancer effects) which can be a good source to support adrenal function and is also good for cardiovascular functions, lungs, kidneys, liver and the nervous system.
- Dandelion Root – With “an infusion with other herbs such as cinnamon, sarsaparilla, and sassafras can support your adrenal glands.”
- Eleuthero Root or Siberian Ginseng – This promotes and supports the adrenal glands. It also helps your body adapt to stress because eleuthero is an adaptogen.
- Huang Qi — A Chinese herbal remedy that “is used to protect the adrenal function and regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure.”
- “IMM Formula — It “contains both astragalus and Echinacea, both adaptogens which stimulate your immune system to work better at defending it against foreign invaders and boosts your adrenal glands which will aid in your recovery from adrenal burnout and fatigue. Ashwagandha (Adaptogen)
- Licorice – This slows down the breakdown of adrenal hormones in your body and also helps with the treatment of indigestion. Be careful with this because too much can increase blood pressure or worsen high blood pressure.
- Milk Thistle — Milk thistle is good for liver health. It is “composed of silymarin which works directly on the liver to increase its effectiveness. When your liver is not functioning properly it cannot remove the toxins from your body, and they build up, and it affects your immune system causing conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and chronic illnesses.”
- Pantothenic acid – As noted above this is a B vitamin… “Pantothenic acid deficiency causes shrinking of your adrenal glands.”
- Rhodiola Rosea – This reduces stress-induced fatigue and enhances memory and focus or concentration.
- Slippery Elm — An Ayurvedic herbal remedy that boosts adrenal gland functions and aids in digestion and neutralizes stomach acids, boosts the adrenal glands, promotes the growth of the beneficial bacteria, aids in cleansing the colon and draws out impurities. (Soothes inflammation of ulcers too.)
Remember when it comes to your health, you should always work with a physician, whether a conventional medical physician, alternative health physician or naturopath, to see what is best for you in your journey to good health.
I personally used, Adrecor, as suggested by my physician, which is a combination of Vitamin C, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic acid, Magnesium, and Zinc. This seemed to work well for me and gave me the support to have the energy to take on my days. I hope this helps in addressing some of your issues and promoting a well-informed conversation with your physician.
Listen to your body, work with your doctor, and be proactive.
Sources:
Wikipedia, Adrenal Fatigue, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrenal_fatigue
Nippoldt Todd B., M.D., Adrenal Fatigue: Is there Such a Thing? http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/adrenal-fatigue/AN01583 Mayo Clinic, April 30, 2011
Veracity Dan, Recovering from adrenal fatigue: How your body can overcome chronic stress and feel energized again, http://www.naturalnews.com/019339.html Natural News, April 06, 2006
Pick, Marcelle, OB/GYN NP Adrenal imbalance — the effects of stress and high cortisol levels http://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalhealth/effectsofhighcortisollevels.aspx Women to Women Clinic, April 15, 2011
Adrenal Fatigue and Exhaustion http://www.womenlivingnaturally.com/articlepage.php?id=6 Women Living Naturally.com
Wilson, James L., Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/health-books-cds-1/adrenal-fatigue-the-21st-century-stress-syndrome-book Smart Publications, 2001
Wilson, James L., AdrenalFatigue.org, The Original Source, http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/
Pick, Marcelle, OB/GYN NP Adrenal Health in Women http://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalhealth/default.aspx Women to Women Clinic, April 15, 2011
Strasheim, Connie, Is it Lyme or Just Adrenal Fatigue? http://lymebytes.blogspot.com/2007/06/is-it-lyme-or-just-adrenal-fatigue.html Lyme Bytes, June 9, 2007
Teitelbaum, Jacob M.D. From Fatigued to Fantastic! http://www.endfatigue.com/health_articles_a-b/Adrenal-the_adrenal_gland.html 3rd Edition, October 2007
Natural Cures and Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue http://www.natural-cure-remedy.com/adrenal-fatigue.html 2010 Natural Cures and Remedies
The Slippery Elm Tree http://www.natural-herbal-remedies.net/slippery-elm-tree.html Natural Health and Herbal Remedies
Lessons Learned: Naturals Insights:
