In today’s society the more you have going on in your life and take on or the more stress you’re under seems to be attached to a badge of honor. That you’re doing “big things” and can juggle it all. This mentality is doing us all a disservice and creating a host of health problems along the way. Acute amounts of stress are normal and are important for optimal alertness, cognition and behavioral functioning. It becomes problematic when that stress becomes chronic and starts impeding on your daily life and overall health.
The adrenal glands sits atop your kidneys and produces hormones such as norepinephrine, epinephrine, aldosterone and cortisol. The adrenal glands are accountable for up
holding homeostasis during stress. When stress is perceived, the HPA axis kicks into gear, starting in the brain and ending the communication at the adrenal glands where those hormones are released. Cortisol, the most notable hormone in stress response, is responsible for regulating your sex hormones, insulin secretion, controlling your sleep cycle, mediating immunity and more. There are typically 3 stages of progression in the exhaustion of your adrenals.
· Stage 1: Increase in cortisol and is commonly known as “fight or flight.” That quick release of adrenaline allows you to take action in a stressful situation-fight or run. This is in response to acute stress and is normal
· Stage 2: “Resistance Reaction” Cortisol remains high even when the fight or flight stage has ended and can last for years. People tend to feel like they can conquer it all, take on lots of responsibility, have high energy, feel resilient to stress because they are living in a body with high levels of cortisol. When someone shifts into a more chronic stress state, the demand for more cortisol release has been upped, but the adrenal glands can’t always keep up with the requirement. Over time this will take a toll of a person’s overall health and can lead to exhaustion, an increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart disease, weight gain, and insomnia
· Stage 3: “Exhaustion Phase” Extreme fatigue sets in, cravings for salt occur because of a loss of sodium ions and steroid hormones are now depleted.
Stress Management is key to restoring adrenal function and can be anything that has a calming effect on your mind and body. It may look different for each individual, so it’s important to find what works best for you. These are just some examples that I personally use.
· Meditation
· Yoga
· Long walks
· Breath work
· Gardening
· Cooking
· Reading
· Knitting
· Taking a bath
· Delegating tasks
· Removing certain stressors if possible
Nutrition for adrenal health
· Vitamin C is the adrenals number one nutrient for supporting its various functions
· Avoid caffeine
· Avoid refined grains and sugar
· Omega 3-fatty acids, healthy fats, and quality protein
· Adaptogens
· Magnesium
· Sea salt
These are general suggestions that can be beneficial for your adrenals. It’s always best to seek out professional care if you’re feeling any of the symptoms mentioned above as the plan would be tailored to each individual.
Reference: Adrenal Fatigue-the 21st century stress syndrome
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