Adrenal fatigue

Should You Exercise if You Have Adrenal Fatigue?

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Your hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is the system responsible for one of the most important functions in your body — the management of stress. This includes stress from every conceivable source, be it injury or disease, work or relationship problems.

Watch the video. URL: https://youtu.be/OFsSbTscqUk

Story at-a-glance –

  • Exposure to chronic stress from overwork, chronic inflammation or long-term illness can result in HPA axis dysfunction, more commonly referred to as adrenal fatigue or adrenal exhaustion
  • Exercise can be a challenge when you’re exhausted all the time. Since exercise is a physical stressor, it can also exacerbate HPA dysfunction if you’re not careful
  • If your stress response is dysfunctional, your primary objective is to rebuild your metabolic reserve. Gentle exercises such as walking, yoga, qigong or tai chi, preferably outdoors, are recommended during the healing phase

Exposure to chronic stress from overwork, chronic inflammation or long-term illness, for example, can result in HPA axis dysfunction, commonly — although perhaps somewhat inaccurately — referred to as “adrenal fatigue” or “adrenal exhaustion.”

There’s plenty of controversy on this issue. According to conventional medicine, there’s no such thing as “adrenal fatigue.” Some alternative practitioners disagree, holding fast to the hypothesis that your adrenal glands can become taxed and lose their ability to make cortisol due to overwork.

A more recent hypothesis is that most so-called adrenal fatigue cases are not really due to the adrenal glands’ reduced ability to make cortisol.

While this can occasionally occur, more often than not, people have dysfunction in the brain signaling portion of the HPA axis, meaning the primary problem is with the hypothalamus and pituitary (the H and the P, and not so much the A, or adrenal portion of the axis).

Exercise is an important component of optimal health, but it can be a real challenge to exercise when you’re exhausted all the time. Also, since exercise is a physical stressor, it can easily exacerbate HPA axis dysfunction if you’re not careful.

The Importance of Healthy Adrenal Function

While the cause of most “adrenal fatigue” may in fact be due to a dysfunctional stress response in your brain, opposed to fatigued or overtaxed adrenal glands, adrenal health is still important.

Your body has two adrenal glands, located just above each of your kidneys. As part of your endocrine system, your adrenal glands secrete more than 50 hormones, including:

  • Glucocorticoids. These hormones, which include cortisol, help your body convert food into energy, normalize blood sugar, respond to stress and maintain your immune system’s inflammatory response.
  • Mineralocorticoids. These hormones, which include aldosterone, help keep your blood pressure and blood volume normal by maintaining a proper balance of sodium, potassium and water in your body.
  • Adrenaline. This hormone increases your heart rate and controls blood flow to your muscles and brain, along with helping with the conversion of glycogen to glucose in your liver.

Together, these hormones and others produced by your adrenal glands control such body functions as:1

  • Maintaining metabolic processes, such as managing blood sugar levels and regulating inflammation
  • Regulating your body’s balance of salt and water
  • Controlling your fight-or-flight response to stress
  • Maintaining pregnancy
  • Producing sex steroids such as estrogen and testosterone; initiating and controlling sexual maturation during childhood and puberty

Signs and Symptoms of HPA Dysfunction

From the point of allopathic medicine, there’s no such thing as “adrenal fatigue.” There is, however, a condition known as Addison’s disease or “primary adrenal insufficiency,” a condition where damage to your adrenal glands impairs their ability to produce cortisol.

Addison’s disease affects an estimated 110 to 144 out of every 1 million people, so it’s quite rare.

Symptoms of this potentially life threatening condition include muscle weakness, weight loss, low blood pressure and low blood sugar. An estimated 80 percent of Addison’s cases are due to autoimmune disorders.

Many alternative practitioners believe that there are grades of insufficiency beyond the extreme of Addison’s. But even here, there are open questions as to what is actually causing the diminished adrenal gland activity. As mentioned, it may be primarily related to dysfunctional brain signaling.

What seems clear is that HPA axis dysfunction affects a great many people.  Though the symptoms are less severe than in Addison’s disease, they can be debilitating.

In more serious cases, the physical fatigue is so great that the person may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours a day.  Signs and symptoms typically associated with “adrenal fatigue” or HPA dysfunction include:2,3

✓ Fatigue and weakness ✓ Depression, fearfulness or anxiety ✓ Hormonal imbalance and/or abnormal blood sugar levels
✓ Suppressed immune function ✓ Muscle and bone loss, muscular weakness and/or body aches ✓ Cravings for foods high in salt, sugar or fat
✓ Increased allergies ✓ Skin problems ✓ Autoimmune disorders
✓ Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms ✓ Lightheadedness when getting up from sitting or lying down; poor blood circulation ✓ Trouble waking up in the morning, despite a full night’s sleep
✓ Low sex drive ✓ Decreased ability to handle stress ✓ Poor memory; mental fogginess

Rebuilding Your Metabolic Reserve

Exercise can exacerbate the situation, so while exercise is important, now’s not the time to push. If you have HPA axis dysfunction, your primary objective is to rebuild your metabolic reserve. To do this:4

  • Reduce and address emotional and psychological stressors — anything that sets off your fight-or-flight response. Strategies such as mindfulness meditation and the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) can be very helpful. Also, be sure to set aside time for fun and play with those you love, for creative expression, and for spending more time in nature
  • Get appropriate amounts of physical activity, but don’t overdo it
  • Improve blood sugar regulation by eating a healthy diet, low in net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber) and higher in healthy fats, along with a moderate amount of high quality protein
  • Reduce inflammation by improving your gut microbiome (avoid antibiotics and processed foods, eat real food, including fermented vegetables, and/or take a high quality probiotic supplement, reduce your net carbs and increase your fiber intake)

Address circadian disruption by making sure you get proper light exposure at the right times of the day. This means getting natural, bright sun exposure during the morning and midday, and avoiding artificial lighting and light emissions from electronics in the evening. Also be sure to get enough sleep. Most need right around eight hours of sleep each night.

How to Exercise While Recovering From Adrenal Fatigue

Exercise is a physical stressor and as such, it can tax your adrenals. The key is to focus on gentle activities such as walking, yoga, gentle cycling or swimming, qigong or tai chi. Once you’re starting to feel better and have improved your exercise tolerance, gradually begin to add in some moderate exercise.

There’s great danger of overdoing it during this phase, however, so listen carefully to your body and be patient. Eventually, your metabolic reserve will be rebuilt, allowing you to resume whatever exercise regimen you were used to doing before adrenal fatigue set in. Relapse is possible, though, so carefully monitor your energy reserves, and back off if you start to feel like you’re backsliding.

How to Identify HPA Dysfunction

Both primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency can be diagnosed with a lab test. More subtle abnormalities in the HPA axis, on the other hand, are more difficult to diagnose, as there’s no accepted medical test for it. Many doctors will use an ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) test to check for problems with your adrenal glands.

However, the test only recognizes extreme underproduction or overproduction of hormone levels, as shown by the top and bottom 2 percent of a bell curve. This means your adrenal cortisol production could be functioning 20 percent below the mean, and your body experiencing symptoms of HPA dysfunction, yet the test will not recognize it.

To identify HPA dysfunction, a comprehensive hormone panel is recommended. One of the best is the DUTCH test, which stands for Dried Urine test for Comprehensive Hormones, developed by Mark Newman, founder of Precision Analytical Laboratory in Oregon. The DUTCH test is innovative in a number of respects, and offers several benefits over older hormone tests — all of which have their drawbacks and limitations.

One of the biggest problems is that some hormones fluctuate throughout the day. Cortisol, for example, rises as soon as you get out of bed and then declines as the day wears on. If your diurnal pattern is dysfunctional, meaning you’re low in the morning and high at night, you have a serious problem. But a 24-hour urine test cannot show you this. The DUTCH test, on the other hand, does. It also shows you hormonal metabolites, which helps reveal the underlying pathology.

The DUTCH test really outperforms all of the other methods when it comes to telling the story about what your hormones are doing, and this will allow you to figure out what areas you should be focusing on in terms of taking corrective action.

The DUTCH Complete test, which sells for $399, is a complete hormone panel, including estrogen, androgens, metabolites, melatonin, cortisol and more. You can learn more about it and purchase it directly from dutchtest.com. To receive a $50 discount, simply enter MERCOLA as a coupon code. This is not an affiliate program and I earn nothing from your order of this test. I only recommend it because I believe it’s the best one out there.

For insurance reimbursement, you’d have to order it through your health care provider and get an insurance receipt from Precision Analytical. You can then try to submit it to your insurance company for reimbursement (reimbursement is usually about 65 percent). In some cases, you may receive at least a portion of the cost back.

Common Medications and Head Trauma Can Dramatically Lower HPA Axis Function

Many people do not realize that certain common medications may in fact be suppressing their HPA output of cortisol. Drugs that fall into the “steroid” category, such as prednisone, can essentially shut down the pathway, which is why when taking this medication, the dose is often tapered so as to not cause a crash from lack of cortisol production.

Steroid asthma and allergy medications can also have this effect. Those who need inhalers or intranasal sprays such as those containing beclomethasone, triamcinolone, fluticasone, or budesonide are at risk, especially when taken over the long-term.

Mark Newman, founder of Precision Analytical Laboratory and the developer of the DUTCH Test discusses this in a 2015 blog post.5 He references a systematic review and meta-analysis6 that shows how often these medications suppress hormonal production. They also reported surprising data showing that these effects often last more than six months after discontinuing the therapy.

If you are taking Prednisone, most doctors will know that it suppresses adrenal production. Many of these other medications will do the same thing, but your health care provider may not be aware of their suppressive effects.

Another medication known to affect the hypothalamus and pituitary and thus the output of cortisol is isotretinoin, commonly used for the treatment of acne. In a 2015 Dermatology study,7 105 acne vulgaris patients were studied. The researchers found that many hormones, including Luteinizing hormone, testosterone, ACTH, cortisol, growth hormone and free T3 (thyroid) were decreased after three months of use.

Isotretinoin is often used in the teenage years and early 20s, but could have lasting health effects on energy, weight, the menstrual cycle and fertility. Another major one that likely affects a great number of people is opioid painkillers.

An internet search for a particular medication with the words “adrenal suppression” may not be the most accurate way to inquire about a medicine’s potential suppressive effects, but it can be a starting point. As an example, a Google search for the words “opioid” and “adrenal” together immediately returns a warning statement from a scientific journal article8 about the potential for opiate pain medications to shut down HPA axis, noting that this is “not always sufficiently appreciated in clinical practice.”

Testing is the best way to see if any regular medications being taken may be shutting off your hormone production. Newman notes that in order to determine whether your cortisol production is suppressed, you need to test both free cortisol AND metabolites. Lastly, studies have also shown that traumatic brain injury (TBI) or any serious head injury that affects the hypothalamus and/or pituitary can have a direct impact on your adrenal gland’s ability to produce cortisol.9,10,11

Car accidents, sporting events, slips and falls, bike crashes, boxing, military-related, or any other high impact motion resulting in trauma to the tissue in the brain are the most common causes. Unfortunately, TBI can also result in changes to both the male and female hormones and often results in fatigue and depression.

Recovery Is Possible

The good news is that natural treatments are quite effective and, with time, patience and the tips that follow, it is possible to recover.12,13 Just remember that treating “adrenal fatigue” or HPA dysfunction requires a whole-body approach — one that addresses the excess stress and unhealthy lifestyle habits that caused the impaired stress response in the first place.

Also please remember that chronobiology also has an important influence so it is vital you get regular outdoor sun exposure, especially before 10 AM as the blue light from the sun will trigger melatonin formation and help you sleep better that night. A good night’s sleep is crucial to improving your adrenal health.

✓ Address past and current emotional traumas and stress. Strategies such as mindfulness meditation and the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) can be very helpful.

Ditto for spending more time outdoors. Reducing and managing your stress is a central key to restoring adrenal health

 ✓ Eat a healthy nutrient-dense diet like the one described in my nutrition plan. Be sure to eat healthy fats every day and stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of clean, pure water.

Improve gut health and nutrient absorption by including homemade bone broth and fermented foods in your diet. Intermittent fasting should be AVOIDED if you have HPA dysfunction.

You need to be relatively healthy and your adrenals have to be functioning normally in order to allow the hormonal shift to occur that will take you from sugar- to fat-burning mode
✓ Listen to your body and rest when you feel tired. This includes during the day by taking short naps or just lying down. Sleep in if you need to ✓ Avoid stimulants like coffee and sugar, as these can further exhaust your adrenal glands
✓ Opt for gentle exercises such as walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, qigong or tai chi, ideally outdoors. Once you’re starting to feel better, gradually include more moderate exercise. Avoid overtraining ✓ Certain nutritional supplements may be helpful, including magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, animal-based omega-3 fat (such as krill oil) and curcumin.

(Avoid self-prescribing these supplements. You may easily make imbalances worse, if you don’t have all of the necessary information.)

Test your vitamin D level and if below 40 ng/mL, take steps to raise it, either by getting sensible sun exposure or taking a vitamin D3 supplement along with vitamin K2.

One caveat: Your adrenals do need a lot of certain vitamins, such as vitamin C, so if you truly have “adrenal fatigue,” a lot of vitamin C might be helpful.

However, if your problem is rooted in brain signaling, vitamin C is not going to make much of a difference.

The same can likely be said for other nutrients known to support adrenal function. In this case, certain adaptogens that work on the brain may be more useful.

Supplements that address cortisol metabolism, such as licorice root, may also be employed.
✓ Swap your table salt for Himalayan salt, which is rich in several dozen trace minerals that your body needs for optimal function, including the regulation of hormones ✓ Short-term (six to 12 months) hormone supplementation has been shown to restore and normalize adrenal function. This includes very low dosages of DHEA and pregnenolone.

DHEA is a natural steroid and precursor hormone produced by the adrenals, and levels are often very low in people with adrenal fatigue

Should You Exercise if You Have Adrenal Fatigue?

Posted by

0


Story at-a-glance –

  • Exposure to chronic stress from overwork, chronic inflammation or long-term illness can result in HPA axis dysfunction, more commonly referred to as adrenal fatigue or adrenal exhaustion
  • Exercise can be a challenge when you’re exhausted all the time. Since exercise is a physical stressor, it can also exacerbate HPA dysfunction if you’re not careful
  • If your stress response is dysfunctional, your primary objective is to rebuild your metabolic reserve. Gentle exercises such as walking, yoga, qigong or tai chi, preferably outdoors, are recommended during the healing phase

Your hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is the system responsible for one of the most important functions in your body — the management of stress. This includes stress from every conceivable source, be it injury or disease, work or relationship problems.

Exposure to chronic stress from overwork, chronic inflammation or long-term illness, for example, can result in HPA axis dysfunction, commonly — although perhaps somewhat inaccurately — referred to as “adrenal fatigue” or “adrenal exhaustion.”

There’s plenty of controversy on this issue. According to conventional medicine, there’s no such thing as “adrenal fatigue.” Some alternative practitioners disagree, holding fast to the hypothesis that your adrenal glands can become taxed and lose their ability to make cortisol due to overwork.

A more recent hypothesis is that most so-called adrenal fatigue cases are not really due to the adrenal glands’ reduced ability to make cortisol.

While this can occasionally occur, more often than not, people have dysfunction in the brain signaling portion of the HPA axis, meaning the primary problem is with the hypothalamus and pituitary (the H and the P, and not so much the A, or adrenal portion of the axis).

Exercise is an important component of optimal health, but it can be a real challenge to exercise when you’re exhausted all the time. Also, since exercise is a physical stressor, it can easily exacerbate HPA axis dysfunction if you’re not careful.

The Importance of Healthy Adrenal Function

While the cause of most “adrenal fatigue” may in fact be due to a dysfunctional stress response in your brain, opposed to fatigued or overtaxed adrenal glands, adrenal health is still important.

Your body has two adrenal glands, located just above each of your kidneys. As part of your endocrine system, your adrenal glands secrete more than 50 hormones, including:

  • Glucocorticoids. These hormones, which include cortisol, help your body convert food into energy, normalize blood sugar, respond to stress and maintain your immune system’s inflammatory response.
  • Mineralocorticoids. These hormones, which include aldosterone, help keep your blood pressure and blood volume normal by maintaining a proper balance of sodium, potassium and water in your body.
  • Adrenaline. This hormone increases your heart rate and controls blood flow to your muscles and brain, along with helping with the conversion of glycogen to glucose in your liver.

Together, these hormones and others produced by your adrenal glands control such body functions as:1

  • Maintaining metabolic processes, such as managing blood sugar levels and regulating inflammation
  • Regulating your body’s balance of salt and water
  • Controlling your fight-or-flight response to stress
  • Maintaining pregnancy
  • Producing sex steroids such as estrogen and testosterone; initiating and controlling sexual maturation during childhood and puberty

Signs and Symptoms of HPA Dysfunction

From the point of allopathic medicine, there’s no such thing as “adrenal fatigue.” There is, however, a condition known as Addison’s disease or “primary adrenal insufficiency,” a condition where damage to your adrenal glands impairs their ability to produce cortisol.

Addison’s disease affects an estimated 110 to 144 out of every 1 million people, so it’s quite rare.

Symptoms of this potentially life threatening condition include muscle weakness, weight loss, low blood pressure and low blood sugar. An estimated 80 percent of Addison’s cases are due to autoimmune disorders.

Many alternative practitioners believe that there are grades of insufficiency beyond the extreme of Addison’s. But even here, there are open questions as to what is actually causing the diminished adrenal gland activity. As mentioned, it may be primarily related to dysfunctional brain signaling.

What seems clear is that HPA axis dysfunction affects a great many people.  Though the symptoms are less severe than in Addison’s disease, they can be debilitating.

In more serious cases, the physical fatigue is so great that the person may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours a day.  Signs and symptoms typically associated with “adrenal fatigue” or HPA dysfunction include:2,3

✓ Fatigue and weakness ✓ Depression, fearfulness or anxiety ✓ Hormonal imbalance and/or abnormal blood sugar levels
✓ Suppressed immune function ✓ Muscle and bone loss, muscular weakness and/or body aches ✓ Cravings for foods high in salt, sugar or fat
✓ Increased allergies ✓ Skin problems ✓ Autoimmune disorders
✓ Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms ✓ Lightheadedness when getting up from sitting or lying down; poor blood circulation ✓ Trouble waking up in the morning, despite a full night’s sleep
✓ Low sex drive ✓ Decreased ability to handle stress ✓ Poor memory; mental fogginess

Rebuilding Your Metabolic Reserve

Exercise can exacerbate the situation, so while exercise is important, now’s not the time to push. If you have HPA axis dysfunction, your primary objective is to rebuild your metabolic reserve. To do this:4

  • Reduce and address emotional and psychological stressors — anything that sets off your fight-or-flight response. Strategies such as mindfulness meditation and the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) can be very helpful. Also, be sure to set aside time for fun and play with those you love, for creative expression, and for spending more time in nature
  • Get appropriate amounts of physical activity, but don’t overdo it
  • Improve blood sugar regulation by eating a healthy diet, low in net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber) and higher in healthy fats, along with a moderate amount of high quality protein
  • Reduce inflammation by improving your gut microbiome (avoid antibiotics and processed foods, eat real food, including fermented vegetables, and/or take a high quality probiotic supplement, reduce your net carbs and increase your fiber intake)

Address circadian disruption by making sure you get proper light exposure at the right times of the day. This means getting natural, bright sun exposure during the morning and midday, and avoiding artificial lighting and light emissions from electronics in the evening. Also be sure to get enough sleep. Most need right around eight hours of sleep each night.

How to Exercise While Recovering From Adrenal Fatigue

Exercise is a physical stressor and as such, it can tax your adrenals. The key is to focus on gentle activities such as walking, yoga, gentle cycling or swimming, qigong or tai chi. Once you’re starting to feel better and have improved your exercise tolerance, gradually begin to add in some moderate exercise.

There’s great danger of overdoing it during this phase, however, so listen carefully to your body and be patient. Eventually, your metabolic reserve will be rebuilt, allowing you to resume whatever exercise regimen you were used to doing before adrenal fatigue set in. Relapse is possible, though, so carefully monitor your energy reserves, and back off if you start to feel like you’re backsliding.

How to Identify HPA Dysfunction

Download Interview Transcript

Both primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency can be diagnosed with a lab test. More subtle abnormalities in the HPA axis, on the other hand, are more difficult to diagnose, as there’s no accepted medical test for it. Many doctors will use an ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) test to check for problems with your adrenal glands.

However, the test only recognizes extreme underproduction or overproduction of hormone levels, as shown by the top and bottom 2 percent of a bell curve. This means your adrenal cortisol production could be functioning 20 percent below the mean, and your body experiencing symptoms of HPA dysfunction, yet the test will not recognize it.

To identify HPA dysfunction, a comprehensive hormone panel is recommended. One of the best is the DUTCH test, which stands for Dried Urine test for Comprehensive Hormones, developed by Mark Newman, founder of Precision Analytical Laboratory in Oregon. The DUTCH test is innovative in a number of respects, and offers several benefits over older hormone tests — all of which have their drawbacks and limitations.

One of the biggest problems is that some hormones fluctuate throughout the day. Cortisol, for example, rises as soon as you get out of bed and then declines as the day wears on. If your diurnal pattern is dysfunctional, meaning you’re low in the morning and high at night, you have a serious problem. But a 24-hour urine test cannot show you this. The DUTCH test, on the other hand, does. It also shows you hormonal metabolites, which helps reveal the underlying pathology.

The DUTCH test really outperforms all of the other methods when it comes to telling the story about what your hormones are doing, and this will allow you to figure out what areas you should be focusing on in terms of taking corrective action.

The DUTCH Complete test, which sells for $399, is a complete hormone panel, including estrogen, androgens, metabolites, melatonin, cortisol and more. You can learn more about it and purchase it directly from dutchtest.com. To receive a $50 discount, simply enter MERCOLA as a coupon code. This is not an affiliate program and I earn nothing from your order of this test. I only recommend it because I believe it’s the best one out there.

For insurance reimbursement, you’d have to order it through your health care provider and get an insurance receipt from Precision Analytical. You can then try to submit it to your insurance company for reimbursement (reimbursement is usually about 65 percent). In some cases, you may receive at least a portion of the cost back.

Common Medications and Head Trauma Can Dramatically Lower HPA Axis Function

Many people do not realize that certain common medications may in fact be suppressing their HPA output of cortisol. Drugs that fall into the “steroid” category, such as prednisone, can essentially shut down the pathway, which is why when taking this medication, the dose is often tapered so as to not cause a crash from lack of cortisol production.

Steroid asthma and allergy medications can also have this effect. Those who need inhalers or intranasal sprays such as those containing beclomethasone, triamcinolone, fluticasone, or budesonide are at risk, especially when taken over the long-term.

Mark Newman, founder of Precision Analytical Laboratory and the developer of the DUTCH Test discusses this in a 2015 blog post.5 He references a systematic review and meta-analysis6 that shows how often these medications suppress hormonal production. They also reported surprising data showing that these effects often last more than six months after discontinuing the therapy.

If you are taking Prednisone, most doctors will know that it suppresses adrenal production. Many of these other medications will do the same thing, but your health care provider may not be aware of their suppressive effects.

Another medication known to affect the hypothalamus and pituitary and thus the output of cortisol is isotretinoin, commonly used for the treatment of acne. In a 2015 Dermatology study,7 105 acne vulgaris patients were studied. The researchers found that many hormones, including Luteinizing hormone, testosterone, ACTH, cortisol, growth hormone and free T3 (thyroid) were decreased after three months of use.

Isotretinoin is often used in the teenage years and early 20s, but could have lasting health effects on energy, weight, the menstrual cycle and fertility. Another major one that likely affects a great number of people is opioid painkillers.

An internet search for a particular medication with the words “adrenal suppression” may not be the most accurate way to inquire about a medicine’s potential suppressive effects, but it can be a starting point. As an example, a Google search for the words “opioid” and “adrenal” together immediately returns a warning statement from a scientific journal article8 about the potential for opiate pain medications to shut down HPA axis, noting that this is “not always sufficiently appreciated in clinical practice.”

Testing is the best way to see if any regular medications being taken may be shutting off your hormone production. Newman notes that in order to determine whether your cortisol production is suppressed, you need to test both free cortisol AND metabolites. Lastly, studies have also shown that traumatic brain injury (TBI) or any serious head injury that affects the hypothalamus and/or pituitary can have a direct impact on your adrenal gland’s ability to produce cortisol.9,10,11

Car accidents, sporting events, slips and falls, bike crashes, boxing, military-related, or any other high impact motion resulting in trauma to the tissue in the brain are the most common causes. Unfortunately, TBI can also result in changes to both the male and female hormones and often results in fatigue and depression.

Recovery Is Possible

The good news is that natural treatments are quite effective and, with time, patience and the tips that follow, it is possible to recover.12,13 Just remember that treating “adrenal fatigue” or HPA dysfunction requires a whole-body approach — one that addresses the excess stress and unhealthy lifestyle habits that caused the impaired stress response in the first place.

Also please remember that chronobiology also has an important influence so it is vital you get regular outdoor sun exposure, especially before 10 AM as the blue light from the sun will trigger melatonin formation and help you sleep better that night. A good night’s sleep is crucial to improving your adrenal health.

✓ Address past and current emotional traumas and stress. Strategies such as mindfulness meditation and the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) can be very helpful.

Ditto for spending more time outdoors. Reducing and managing your stress is a central key to restoring adrenal health

 ✓ Eat a healthy nutrient-dense diet like the one described in my nutrition plan. Be sure to eat healthy fats every day and stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of clean, pure water.

Improve gut health and nutrient absorption by including homemade bone broth and fermented foods in your diet. Intermittent fasting should be AVOIDED if you have HPA dysfunction.

You need to be relatively healthy and your adrenals have to be functioning normally in order to allow the hormonal shift to occur that will take you from sugar- to fat-burning mode
✓ Listen to your body and rest when you feel tired. This includes during the day by taking short naps or just lying down. Sleep in if you need to ✓ Avoid stimulants like coffee and sugar, as these can further exhaust your adrenal glands
✓ Opt for gentle exercises such as walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, qigong or tai chi, ideally outdoors. Once you’re starting to feel better, gradually include more moderate exercise. Avoid overtraining ✓ Certain nutritional supplements may be helpful, including magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, animal-based omega-3 fat (such as krill oil) and curcumin.

(Avoid self-prescribing these supplements. You may easily make imbalances worse, if you don’t have all of the necessary information.)

Test your vitamin D level and if below 40 ng/mL, take steps to raise it, either by getting sensible sun exposure or taking a vitamin D3 supplement along with vitamin K2.

One caveat: Your adrenals do need a lot of certain vitamins, such as vitamin C, so if you truly have “adrenal fatigue,” a lot of vitamin C might be helpful.

However, if your problem is rooted in brain signaling, vitamin C is not going to make much of a difference.

The same can likely be said for other nutrients known to support adrenal function. In this case, certain adaptogens that work on the brain may be more useful.

Supplements that address cortisol metabolism, such as licorice root, may also be employed.
✓ Swap your table salt for Himalayan salt, which is rich in several dozen trace minerals that your body needs for optimal function, including the regulation of hormones ✓ Short-term (six to 12 months) hormone supplementation has been shown to restore and normalize adrenal function. This includes very low dosages of DHEA and pregnenolone.

DHEA is a natural steroid and precursor hormone produced by the adrenals, and levels are often very low in people with adrenal fatigue

Adrenal fatigue – A natural solution revealed

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The old way of ‘treating’ disease symptoms with toxic medications, produced by the pharmaceutical industry, has failed to successfully eliminate the true cause of most chronic health conditions – especially adrenal fatigue. Simply put, toxic drugs will only add to the problem of stress experienced by the body.

The best way to eliminate disease symptoms. On the next NatrualNews Talk Hour, you’ll discover the most effective way to regain your energy and vitality – without the need for toxic drugs. Don’t ignore fatigue and brain fog issues any longer.

Understanding the common symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue

One of the most common issues with someone suffering with adrenal fatigue is feeling sluggish or tired – even after plenty of time in bed. Other symptoms include difficulty with mental concentration, strong cravings for salty food and a low tolerance for stress of any kind.

When you overstress your adrenals – by way of too many toxins or emotional stress – you are at a much greater risk for chronic disease conditions because of a weakened immune system. An experienced healthcare provider should carefully analyze your family and personal health history, as well as have the ability to advise you on the best foods, supplements and lifestyle habits to restore your natural energy levels.

On the next NaturalNews Talk Hour, we’ll talk about the connection between fatigue and emotional issues. Plus, Dr. Zodkoy will talk about his vast experience in helping people with post-traumatic stress disorder – a major reason for fatigue.

Why depending on health insurance for your healthcare needs is a BIG mistake

According to Dr. Zodkoy, “our insurance system is falling apart.” In the past, people were used to getting lots of attention from their doctor and the ‘out-of-pocket’ expense was minimal. Today, thanks to Obamacare, health insurance premiums are skyrocketing; co-pays are going up and medical services are being denied – because it’s all too expensive for insurance companies to afford.

To make matter worse, the mainstream media and conventionally-trained physicians promote the idea that fatigue is not a serious medical condition. Instead, those suffering from burnout are told to ‘get some rest’ or resort to taking some kind of stimulant (temporary fix) such as, coffee or a sugary snack.

But the real solution for fatigue is a simple change to lifestyle habits. Just because your doctor and/or friends fail to mention its effectiveness – doesn’t make it less significant. In fact, just improving your sleep habits alone will dramatically improve the quality of your life. (Hint: Don’t sleep next to your cell phone)

On the next NaturalNews Talk Hour, Jonathan Landsman invites you to discover the most comprehensive (successful) methods for overcoming adrenal fatigue.

Dr. Steven Zodkoy has spent the last 20 years striving to improve the physical and emotional potential of his patients. He has been involved in groundbreaking alternative treatment therapies for both musculoskeletal and neuro-emotional health conditions. His practice primarily consists of treating patients that have not responded to traditional care with his expertise being sought out by patients, companies, government agencies and physicians alike.

Dr. Zodkoy has been a longtime pioneer and leader in his field. He became the first Chiropractor to become a Certified Nutritional Specialist, a certification previously awarded only to MDs and PhDs. He developed the Nutritional Education Council, which is responsible for educating 1000s of physicians every year and is now one of the largest organizations of its kind.

Could Adrenal Fatigue Be The Cause Of Your Chronic Exhaustion?

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Remember when your heart was pounding out of your chest, your palms became sweaty and you felt nauseated before a big exam or speech in school? If anything traumatic has ever happened in your life, do you remember being physically and mentally exhausted in the aftermath? How about dizzy after having the flu or in between meals? All of these examples highlight the adrenal system.

tiredwoman

The adrenals are part of our intricate endocrine system that releases hormones throughout the day, all working together to help our bodies run efficiently. In fact the whole system is a giant feedback loop that is exquisitely controlled. Unfortunately, it can get overwhelmed.

The hypothalamus in the brain stimulates the pituitary which then activates the adrenal cortex to produce hydrocortisone, cortisone, aldosterone and sex hormones like estrogen, or testosterone (although these are mostly produced in the actual sex organs). These regulate metabolism, cardiac function, blood pressure support, inflammation, immune system support and the ability to fight off infections, sexuality, and much more.

For example, one of the most important things that cortisol, released by adrenal cortex, does is to control immunity (IgA) in your gut. Hence, if you’re stressed, the immune response in your gut suffers, increased gut wall permeability occurs and good bacteria gives way to bad bacteria, causing immune dysregulation.

But that’s not all… The adrenal glands also have an adrenal medulla (the inside part of the gland) which is responsible for the famous fight of flight syndrome that occurs when adrenaline or epinephrine/norepinephrine, is released. It is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system and can be quieted by some simple Eastern medicine techniques.

What Causes Adrenal Fatigue?

Over time, with stresses of continued negative thinking, perfectionism, physical or emotional trauma, anger, grief, a processed diet full of sugar like the Standard American Diet, interrupted sleep patterns, daily stress, and chronic diseases the adrenals become taxed. If the adrenals are constantly stimulated under stress (which served its purposes in evolutionary times if we were being chased by a bear), they become drained like a bank account, and operate at chronic low levels which affect immunity, behavior, sleep, energy, and blood pressure levels.

What Are Some Signs Of Adrenal Fatigue?

Asthma, allergies, respiratory issues
Dark circles under the eyes
Dry skin
Extreme exercise exhaustion
Frequent urination
Joint pain
Loss of muscle tone
Low blood pressure/dizziness
Low blood sugar
Numbness in your fingers / Poor circulation
Weight gain
Morning fatigue or trouble waking up
Decreased libido
Depression
Muscle weakness
Poor focus
Bone loss
Inflammation
Difficulty sleeping
Irritability/Fatigue
Cravings for sugar/salt
Hair loss

What Else Can You Look For To Identify Adrenal Fatigue?

As mentioned above, the adrenal cortex also produces aldosterone, which works with the kidney to regulate our fluid and electrolyte excretion. When the adrenals become fatigued and drained, less aldosterone is produced and large amounts of important minerals can be lost in our urine. Individuals with depleted endocrine systems often report frequent urination, which is attributed to aging, but may actually be caused by depleted adrenals.

This means that people with chronic adrenal fatigue effectively lose the ability to balance the levels of electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium in their blood. (Just to show how critical this is, remember blood tests are only able to measure 1% of the total stores of magnesium as only 1% is free in the blood. The other 99% is bound by protein and unmeasurable. Most of us are deficient and magnesium has a turn in nearly every physiologic reaction in the body.) In turn, this often leads to cravings for foods which will replace the sodium that we have lost. If you crave salty or sweet, especially late at night, this is a sure sign that the adrenals are stressed as the cortisol levels are reversed. This causes low levels in the morning leading to morning drowsiness combined with abnormal spikes at night that can lead to insomnia.

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis controls so many functions of daily life that if it is dysregulated, the system will eventually show physical signs that manifest as disease. Unfortunately, one of the main ways it can manifest disease is through the thyroid. Hypothyroidism is more and more common in western countries. High cortisol levels, which occur with chronic stress that continually activates the adrenals, down regulate the thyroid gland. Therefore it is of utmost importance to heal the stress in your life and to follow guidelines to improve adrenal support in order to protect the thyroid and other glandular organs.

Adrenal Support

How do we heal the adrenals? Easier said than done in an overworked, Capitalistic society. Excessive stress is not ideal for overall physical well being.

Here are some tips to keep yourself in a zen state of mind and to down-regulate the stimulation of the adrenals and sympathetic system. It literally does start in your brain!

  1. Eat fermented foods that boost beneficial gut bacteria which equal increased immunity. Examples include kimchi, kombucha, or kefir.
  2. Cut out white refined sugar and artificial sweeteners as well as simple carbs, which continue to stimulate insulin surges and can stress the body.
  3. No caffeine! Zip. Caffeine burns the adrenals out like a champ and leaves you with afternoon exhaustion and cravings for more.
  4. Hydrate yourself liberally. As those with chronic adrenal fatigue urinate more due to less aldosterone production, drink up!
  5. Go to bed before 10, the liver and adrenals work to rid yourself of toxins and housekeep at night. Staying awake and eating during these times can be counterproductive. Get 7-8 hours/night.
  6. Regulate meal times so the body expects food at certain times and knows when to perform and when to relax. Do not eat after 8pm.
  7. Try Ashwaganda formulas, Tulsi or Holy basil, valerian root or kava root for relaxation at night. Many herbal root teas have a calming effect.
  8. To help replace magnesium, try Epsom salt baths, foods with a naturally high magnesium content like nuts. Topical magnesium oil is also beneficial.
  9. B vitamins, Zinc, & vitamin C (highest source of vitamin C being Amla or Indian gooseberry) help support bodily functions and drive synthesis of other essential building blocks.
  10. If you aren’t vegan or vegetarian, multiple research studies have shown eating chicken liver, ghee, bone broth and foods high in DHA can also support adrenal health. If you are plant based, there’s plenty of other ways listed above to regulate adrenal health like blue green algae/seaweed.
  11. Daily meditation and Ujjayi breathing helps to stimulate the vagal nerve which can lead to relaxation. To accomplish Ujjayi Pranayama breathing, simply constrict the back of your throat so that the breath has textured sound.
  12. To satisfy salty cravings, try a handful of nuts or use Himalayan sea salt.

For severe adrenal burnout, be patient as healing with these techniques can take nearly a year. The amount of time that damage has been done to our bodies is approximately how long it will take to heal the body.

Overcome adrenal fatigue naturally

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In this period of higher mental stress, poor nutrition, pervasive toxins, and overuse of stimulants, it has become difficult to properly support the adrenals. As a result, people have become afflicted with poor energy, bad sleep, obnoxious cravings, and a roller coaster of emotions.

There are several solutions to help balance depleted adrenals, and it often takes a multifaceted approach. Start by considering these four factors, and with proper implementation, you can recover from adrenal fatigue.
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Manage your mindset

The primary reason your adrenals are kaput will ultimately lead back to your mindset, to some degree. The thoughts you initiate, foster, and emotionalize determine your state of mental balance, and if the balance is overwhelmingly negative, this state of constant “fight or flight” will deplete adrenal energy. Stay unbalanced long enough and you will eventually wear out your adrenals, which will leave you with a wide variety of ailments.

To combat this you have several weapons at your disposal, but the primary thought pattern you need to practice is perspective. Consider a paradigm shift in which you focus on those things in your life that make you happy, and live in that space more often. Slow down the constant chatter and noise in your head by connecting to nature, or by practicing meditation. Consider “being” instead of “doing”. Stay in the moment more. Stop obsessing about negative things the past or in the future. Start having more fun. Laugh, express gratitude, breathe deeply, and enjoy life on your terms!

To help with this process, consider anxiety relieving herbs like chamomile and passion flower, essential oils like lavender and frankincense, Bach flower remedies, and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).

Proper sleep

Proper sleep patterns are crucial for the health of your entire body, including your adrenals. Not obeying the body’s natural biological clock, leads to abnormal and untimely secretions of the main sleep-wake hormones, melatonin and cortisol, which then leads to erratic biological rhythms and disrupts the harmonious functioning of your body.

If you don’t maintain this biological rhythm, your cortisol levels (controlled by your adrenals) could become too high in the evening and too low in the morning, which will disturb your sleep patterns. Over time, this lack of sleep will leave you mentally exhausted and set you up for more perceived negative experiences, which puts additional strain on your adrenals.

To get in the proper rhythm, ensure you get to bed by no later than 11 p.m., and get at least 8 hours of sleep. For natural ways to improve sleep, visit the first source below.

Adaptogenic herbs

Another key to good health is adapting to circumstances we are exposed to in our lives. The adrenals play a major role in our ability to adapt, and the more depleted they become, the less able we are to properly respond to our circumstances.

Adaptogenic herbs are critical for adapting effectively to the chronic stress we face today. They assist in modulating the stress response in order for us to enhance stress adaptation, which can then take significant pressure off our adrenals and help rebuild them over time.

For some excellent adaptogenic herbs, visit the second source below.

Avoid or remedy those things that cause adrenal fatigue

When improving the function of any organ, gland, or system, the whole body needs to be taken into consideration. In the case of adrenal function, we must realize that supporting other areas of the body is just as important as supporting the area that directly affects their optimal function.

For example, an overabundance of Candida in the intestinal system will eventually cause adrenal fatigue. In order to restore proper adrenal function, the digestive system must be cleaned up by eliminating Candida and other pathogenic microorganisms.

In order to do this, one must strongly consider the elimination of any stimulants (like coffee or soda), sugar (including foods high in sugar), refined flour products, dairy, vinegars (ACV is fine), alcohol, and gluten. Then, one must consider daily consumption of green leafy vegetables, seaweed, algae, fermented foods, chia, and other enzyme, probiotic, and fiber rich foods.

To learn more about the top foods to consider for your adrenals and overall hormonal balance, visit 8 Superfoods That Can Heal Your Entire Body. To find out more about the adrenal glands and a natural protocol to restore them, check out Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue.

Sources:

http://www.healingthebody.ca

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.healingthebody.ca

http://www.healingthebody.ca

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/047544_adrenal_fatigue_hormones_natural_remedies.html#ixzz3IOzAmOor

Adrenal fatigue symptoms and seven ways to support and heal your adrenal glands.

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In our modern world, adrenal fatigue is extremely common and estimated by some experts to affect approximately 80 percent of the population to some degree. Adrenal fatigue is caused by all types of stress – physical and emotional – and if left unchecked, it can lead to other illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, thyroid disease and heart attack.

fatigue

The symptoms caused by adrenal fatigue are numerous and varied. The following are some of the more common ones:

  • Anxiety
  • Panic attacks
  • Diarrhea
  • Frequent urination
  • Thyroid issues
  • Salt cravings
  • Sugar cravings
  • Insomnia
  • Waking tired
  • Needing caffeine to ‘get going’ in the morning
  • Feeling stressed
  • Inability to handle stress
  • Overthinking (having a brain that won’t turn off)
  • Dizziness when rising from seated or lying position
  • Fluid retention in feet and ankles
  • Low blood pressure


As you can see, adrenal fatigue can cause many symptoms and eventually lead to many health challenges. However, the good news is that there are plenty of things we can do to support our adrenal glands to help return them to a healthy state.

Reduce or eliminate stimulants

Stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and drugs cause a stress response in the body and, if used chronically, will wear out the adrenal glands. Those who feel that they need their morning coffee should understand that, although it might feel as though caffeine is helping, it is actually stealing their health by exacerbating their adrenal fatigue.

Practice meditation

Meditating daily can help reduce stress levels. Finding even 10 or 15 minutes a day to quiet the mind by meditation has been proven to be of benefit for reducing stress.

Clean up your diet

Eating a highly processed diet creates stress in the body. Many people don’t consider the stress caused to the body by eating processed foods. Processed foods contain chemicals that have no place in the body, such as preservatives, colors, stabilizers and more. These chemicals can have negative effects on the various systems of the body and add additional waste products that need to either be eliminated or stored.

Make good use of adaptogenic herbs

There are a number of adaptogens that are useful for the adrenal glands. These herbs can be taken in the form of teas, tinctures, powders or capsules and include:

  • Rhodalia
  • Ashwaganda
  • Tulsi, or Holy basil
  • Korean Ginseng
  • He Shou Wu
  • Licorice (Note: Licorice can raise blood pressure)

 

Make time to relax

Take time to chill out and make the time to do the things that you love doing and make you happy.

Eat more salt

Adrenal glands love salt. Buy a good quality, unprocessed salt, such as Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt, and use it liberally.

Try this adrenal cocktail

Try taking this adrenal cocktail either before bed if you suffer from insomnia or upon rising if you have trouble getting going in the morning. It really works!

1/2 cup orange juice (or another form of vitamin C)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
Mix and drink.

Finally, don’t watch horror movies and don’t do things that get your adrenaline pumping. They will simply cause more stress for your already overworked adrenal glands, leaving you feeling tired and wired.