Stressed?
Tired? Craving sugar? Can’t sleep?
All
of these can be related to the constant stress we feel in our lives.
We know that stress can have a huge impact on our health and
wellness. And, since your adrenal glands produce stress hormones,
adrenal fatigue (or “HPA Axis Dysregulation,”) is a popular theme
lately.
Your
adrenal glands look like walnuts that live on top of both of your
kidneys. These important glands produce many hormones, including
stress hormones.
What happens when they become “overworked?”
You’ve
heard of “adrenaline junkies,” right?
Adrenaline
and cortisol are the stress hormones that give you the commonly known
adrenaline rush; when you’re totally alert and living in the moment.
This feeling is known as your body’s “fight or flight”
response.
Some
people (perhaps you?) just love that intense feeling.
The
release of hormones in the fight or flight response is your body’s
normal reaction to stress. Stress can sometimes be positive, like
when it helps you swerve and prevent a crash.
After
a short time, the flight or flight response dissipates, your body
goes back to normal, and all is good.
But
what would happen if you felt constant stress? Like all day, every
day? Like “chronic” stress?
It wouldn’t feel like an awesome (once-in-a-while) “rush,” any more would it?
And
what do you think happens to your poor adrenal glands when they’re
constantly working?
They’d
get fatigued, right?
Do I have adrenal fatigue?
When
your adrenal glands start getting tired of secreting stress hormones
day in and out, you can start getting other symptoms.
Symptoms like chronic fatigue, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, weight loss or gain, joint pain, sugar cravings, even frequent infections like colds and the flu are signs that your adrenals are overworked.
First
off, I have to tell you that there aren’t medically accepted blood
tests for adrenal fatigue. In fact, it’s not recognized by most
medical professionals until the point when your adrenals are so
fatigued they almost stop working. At that point, the official
diagnoses of “Adrenal Insufficiency” or “Addison’s
Disease” may apply.
However, if you do have symptoms, you should see your doctor to rule out other conditions. He or she may even be open to discussing adrenal fatigue, or at the very least, wellness strategies that can help to reduce your stress (and symptoms).
If you think you have adrenal fatigue, contact Kate and book a free 15 minute fatigue breakthrough call to discuss your options.
What do I do if I have these symptoms?
There
are many actions you can take to reduce your stress and improve your
health and energy levels.
Ideally, if you think stress is starting to burn you out, stress reduction is key. There are tons of ideas how you can reduce your stress. My favourites are meditation, walking in nature, more sleep, or taking an Epsom salt bath.
Of course, I also recommend reducing your sugar and processed food intake and eating more fruits and vegetables. Better nutrition can only help your body. So go ahead and do it.
Conclusion
Your
adrenal glands produce hormones in response to stress. After
long-term daily stress, they may get tired.
Adrenal
fatigue is a controversial disease that doesn’t have a true
diagnostic test, nor specific telltale symptoms.
The most important thing you can do is to get tested to rule out other potential conditions. You can also try stress reduction techniques like meditation, walks in nature, more sleep, or even a lovely Epsom salt bath.
Recipe
(Stress-reducing bath salt): Lavender Bath Salts
Recipe (Stress-reducing bath salt): Lavender Bath Salts
Per
bath
1 cup (around 300g) Epsom salts
3 drops lavender essential oil
As
you’re running your warm bath water, add ingredients to the tub. Mix
until dissolved
Enjoy
your stress-reducing bath!
Tip:
You can add a tablespoon of dried lavender flowers.
References:
https://www.thepaleomom.com/adrenal-fatigue-pt-1/
Photo by Abbie Bernet on Unsplash
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