Ok – before you read this post, ask yourself “when was the last time I felt completely relaxed?”
Maybe you can’t remember.
We put our bodies through so much stress on a daily basis, whether that be emotionally, physically, chemically, etc. We have never been as inundated with toxins in our every day environment as we are today.
So, what in our body takes on this pressure and keeps us going day after day?
Our adrenal glands!
These glands sit on top of the kidneys (they almost look like little caps or pyramids sitting on them!) near the spine, just underneath the last rib.
These little guys do so much for us; they control our “fight or flight” (adrenaline) responses, regulate our sex hormones, and help with blood sugar regulation to name a few. They are there for emergencies and help the body balance itself out or keep going even if everything in you wants to quit.
Now here’s the problem – these babies aren’t invincible and they can wear out. This can lead to adrenal fatigue.
I would guess that a large percentage of the population is living with adrenal fatigue and has no idea!
If you keep pushing yourself, the next step past adrenal fatigue is Addison's disease - where your adrenals no longer make enough hormones for your body.
This can't be cured and you will need to begin hormone therapy - how terrible!! So continue reading to see if you might have adrenal fatigue and come see me sooner than later!
How do you know if you have adrenal fatigue? You might have:
Difficulty getting up in the morning/continuing fatigue not relieved by sleep
Craving for salt or salty foods
Lethargy (lack of energy)
Increased effort to do everyday tasks
Decreased sex drive
Decreased ability to handle stress
Increased time to recover from illness, injury, or trauma
Light headed when standing up quickly
Mild depression
Increased PMS
Symptoms increase if meals are skipped or inadequate
Thoughts less focused, more fuzzy
Memory less accurate
The good news: you can do most of what is necessary to recover and regain your adrenal health, yourself.
First and foremost – your recovery depends upon your lifestyle. How you spend, conserve, and create your energy are all extremely important.
Second – your recovery is dependent on what you eat and drink.
“In many cases of adrenal fatigue, poor diet is one of its main causes but in all cases of recovery from adrenal fatigue, a nutritious diet is a major factor” – James L. Wilson, N.D., D.C., Ph.D.
If you think you might have adrenal fatigue or even if you’re not entirely sure, reach out to me and I’d love to help out with meal plans, supplemental support, relaxation techniques, etc.