Adrenal Fatigue is something I didn’t believe in for awhile. Many conventional doctors don’t believe it’s real & I can see why. First off, it’s a term coined by a naturopath and second, the glands don’t actually get tired. But they do get overworked. You see, the adrenal glands are two triangular organs that sit on your kidneys. They make adrenaline when your fight, flight, freeze spidey senses tingle and they produce two steroids (cortisol & aldosterone.) So let’s look into how you can overwork your adrenals, the symptoms you may see, and how to fix it.
How the Adrenal Glands Become Activated
When your body has any perceived threats, whether physically or mentally, it sends a signal to the brain. This signal to the brain then sends it’s own signal throughout the body. One organ that is signaled is your adrenal glands along the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). These signals help activate your fight, flight, freeze response which increases awareness, adjust your heart rate and breathing, and even affects your digestion in preparation to, well, defend yourself or run.
Unfortunately, in today’s society, many of us are constantly feeling stressed. The kids are screaming, you’re running late for work, you have a job deadline to meet, or you see a scary headline in the news. This means your HPA is constantly being activated, leaving you feeling run down and overworked.
Signs of Adrenal Fatigue
- Tired no matter how much sleep you get
- Dizziness
- Muscle twitches
- Low blood sugar
- Low sex drive
- Anxiety
- Feeling like you’re in a haze
- Exercise intolerance
- Slow recovery after exercise
- Menstrual irregularities
- Mood swings
- Feeling lightheaded when you go from sitting/laying to standing too quickly
- And more…
…sounds like motherhood, imma right?
Support Your Adrenals
Fixing adrenal fatigue isn’t something that is going to happen overnight. It also is always better to prevent it than allow it to keep running it’s course and make you more sick and tired.
1. Get Enough, Quality Sleep
Don’t roll your eyes at me if you’ve got kids climbing into your bed at midnight each night. But developing a healthy, sleep pattern and nighttime routine is extremely important for quality sleep. (Read my tips on naturally sleeping better here.) Getting the least amount of sleep isn’t a badge of honor to wear. Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night, sleep in a dark room, don’t use electronics for an hour before bed, and make sure the temperature is comfortable all night.
2. Eat Whole Foods
When you eat refined carbs and sugars, your blood sugar is going to crash. This will leave you feeling more tired and irritable. They may give you a temporary boost, but you need sustained energy for a healthy mind and body! The adrenals also help to regulate your blood sugar (as your body dumps sugar into your blood for a quick fix to help you flee in times of stress). If your adrenals are overworked, then you may have trouble maintaining a healthy body weight, energy levels, and healthy immune system. Opt for whole foods & fuel your body with what it needs so you start to feel better.
3. Decrease Stress
Being a mom (or human in today’s day and age) is stressful. Deadlines, worries, and always being on the go adds up. Instead of responding to stress, prepare yourself to better handle stress. This includes having a meditation time, yoga practice, exercise routine, massage, or other stress relieving activity planned each day. When you’re less stressed, you’re better able to cope when faced with stress.
Meditation is such a simple and seemingly useless practice, I know. But just try it for a few weeks and see how you’re better able to handle stressful situations. Some apps you may want to check out are Insight Timer, Ten Precent, or Headspace.
4. Drink At Least Half Your Weight in Ounces of (Purified) Water
Ditch the pot of coffee and switch to filtered water or organic teas. To figure out how much water to drink: take your weight, cut it in half, and drink that amount in ounces of water. If I’m being honest, Justin and I drink our weight in ounces of water each day. We know how many times we need to fill our Hydroflasks with our Berkey to clean out our kidneys and which filter our body.
5. Always Balance Stressful Activities With Fun Ones
Here’s your reminder to have fun! Play games, go for a hike, dance around your kitchen..do whatever brings you joy! Hang around other positive, joyful people who bring your energy up. Watch out for those negative nancies who only talk about the bad things going on, which can cause you to feel more stress.
6. Ask Your Provider About Adaptogenic Herbs
These are herbs such as ashwagandha, ginseng, and licorice root. Research each of them and their contradictions, then take them to a provider who is knowledgable about these. Although natural, herbs can still interact with medication, may not be good if you have certain conditions, or shouldn’t be used if pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, keep in mind, you cannot use supplements or herbs to replace a healthy lifestyle! Instead, they support it.
Do you feel like you may suffer from adrenal fatigue?
***This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as medical advice. This information is NOT a substitute for advice giving to you by your own healthcare provider. Do not use this to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Information on supplements haven’t been evaluated by the FDA and shouldn’t be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. Always speak with your healthcare provider before implementing any new dietary, exercise, medication, nutritional, herbal, homeopathic, or any treatment for a health problem. ***
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