Have you heard of Adrenal Fatigue? It can be a bit of a controversial topic as it is not a diagnosis that is recognized by in the conventional medical world. Let’s dive into it and I want to share what I have learned about it and some steps that anyone can take on how to improve symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
Acute stress is something that our body is built for. Our adrenal glands, which are located on the top of our kidneys, produce and release hormones like Cortisol (regulates BP, increases blood sugar, helps control sleep/wake cycle), Aldosterone (responsible for regulating BP and electrolytes), Adrenaline or noradrenaline (fight or flight response). In today’s world we have a constant stream of stressors that can impact every part of our body. When we are in stressful situations chronically, it makes sense that our adrenal glands are working harder than they are meant to.
What causes chronic stress?
Does this sound familiar- Wake up and grab your phone, scroll social media, email, etc. Immediately bombarded with what’s going on (usually the negative) like the news, other people’s drama, problems at work, someone needing something from you- and you aren’t even out of bed yet!! Breakfast looks like something sugary (donut or cereal, coffee with creamer) while you are running out the door. The day has just started, and it has already been through stress mentally, emotionally and physically. Caffeine is needed to get through the day. Eating lunch at your desk, continually answer emails and being bombarded with requests all day. Craving something sweet because feeling fatigued in the afternoon. Leave work feeling like you didn’t get everything done, which means more to do tomorrow (already feeling behind), evenings filled with activities and running through the drive through for dinner in the car. When you finally get home, looking to relax you binge on Netflix or tik tok, maybe fall asleep on the couch. Crawl into bed and now not feeling as tired, pull out your phone and play a game or scroll on Facebook. Wake up and do it again…
Even if this is not exactly your day, maybe pieces of it are true for you. We have become a society that has constant stimulation and then getting little rest (the kind that actually replenishes us). That equals our bodies being under chronic stress.
Some symptoms that can be common with chronic stress are:
- Fatigue (even with a good night’s sleep)
- Gaining or losing weight unintentionally
- Wired and Tired feelings
- Anxiety
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Brain fog
- Unable to concentrate or focus
- Craving sweet or salty foods often
- Needing lots of caffeine to get through the day
Unfortunately, there isn’t a quick fix to this. If you are experiencing any or multiple of the above symptoms, I recommend finding a healthcare provider that will listen to you and not just tell you that everything is “normal” or throw medication at you without first getting a holistic assessment about you and your lifestyle. That being said, lifestyle factors have a huge impact to support overall health and wellness regardless of what diagnosis you may have or medication you are on. Improving lifestyle choices is something that anybody and everybody can do. Here are some examples that will support you and your holistic health- mind, body and spirit.
Body:
- eat foods in their most original form
- lower sugar intake- look at ingredient lists
- limit caffeine and alcohol
- take a hot bath with Epsom salt
- get a massage
- move your body
Mind:
- yoga
- meditation
- mindfulness practices
- listening to relaxing playlist
- turn off notifications on your phone
- have a morning routine
- no social media, email or texts for the first hour you are awake
Spirit
- journal
- spend time in nature
- have a gratitude practice
- volunteer
- find a community
- breathing exercises
If you are looking for some structure with making some changes, I would love to help you- It is what I do! Schedule a complimentary session with me and I will help you figure out where to start.
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Be well,
Faith
***Some of the links in my posts contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link. I pinky promise I will always give my honest opinion of any product and would never recommend something if I did not use and love it!!
D I S C L A I M E R Anything that I discuss about making any lifestyle changes is from my own experience and/or other clients personal experiences and may not be suited for you. It is strongly recommended that you consult with your health professional before making changes in your own life. By engaging in anything that I talk about, you agree that you do so at your own risk.
