You have no energy.
You lie awake thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow.
If one more thing goes wrong you are going to LOSE it.
You YELL at the kids, the dog, your spouse….
Now granted these things could be due to any number of things but if you’re unable to deal with one more stinking thing….you may have adrenal fatigue.
Any of these sound like you?
- Abdominal pain
- Abnormal blood sugar – hypoglycemia or low blood sugar
- Anxiety
- Asthma
- Chronic colds, flu, respiratory illnesses, asthma
- Constipation
- Decreased mental acuity
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Edema in the extremities
- Fatigue
- Gastric duodenal ulcers
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- Immune issues
- Insomnia
- Joint pain
- Learning difficulties
- Low body temperature
- Muscle pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Skin rashes
- Suicidal tendencies
Adrenal fatigue typically occurs from repeated stress and poor eating habits. The good news is that while stress is unavailable we can still prevent or improve the situation with lifestyle changes.
The adrenals are two little glands that sit on top of the kidneys and do a lot of work to keep you rocking and rolling….and sleeping at the appropriate time. They release adrenalin (neurotransmitters epinephrine and norepinephrine), cortisol and other stress hormones preparing the body for mental and physical activity.
We have all heard of fight or flight so I won’t pursue that too much. When this occurs at the appropriate time it is absolutely necessary and helps us deal with the problem or emergency at hand. But if this happens all day, every day, eventually the adrenals can get depleted and/or unable to keep up especially if you aren’t sleeping. Sleep is when your body rejuvenates and essentially restocks the pantry for you.
And of course there is the point before depletion where cortisol is running rampant and your blood is loaded with glucose. Guess what that turns into? Fat.
So why do you end up feeling depleted of energy?
These little glands and the hormones and neurotransmitters they release do a big job.
Cortisol helps the body respond to the excitement of everyday life, perform basic functions, and regulates the levels of thyroid hormones and estrogen. If you have any familiarity with thyroid hormones, you know it can wreak havoc in the body if those levels are off. When cortisol is chronically raised, the thyroid can make less hormone leaving you an unhappy blend of wound up and exhausted at the same time.
When the adrenals are overworked and busy making cortisol, their ability to make other hormones is diminished. Insufficient DHEA, for instance, leads to fatigue, bone loss, loss of muscle, depression, aching joints, decreased sex drive, and impaired immune function. The body can end up depleting other hormones too trying to fix the problem.
So what do you do? Here are my Top 2 suggestions for healing adrenal fatigue.
First and foremost, reduce and learn to deal with your stress. The bottom line here is that It is critical to give the adrenals a break so they can produce more than just cortisol and hopefully get back to optimal levels. You can get my stress management program, Stress Closet Cleanout, for FREE if you join my Private Facebook Group at http://hhwigroup.com. Just click the {Join} button to request access to the group.
Make a date with sleep. The body needs good quality sleep to repair and rebuild. You must make the time and ensure it is a quality 7-8 hour sleep. If you need to be up at 6AM, you need to be to bed by 10PM. And no matter what because of how cortisol and the sleep hormones work, you want to be in bed no later than 11PM. Stay away from any electronics that can mess with your sleep at least an hour before bed, preferably longer. Write down anything you don’t want to forget and your plan for tomorrow so that you aren’t mulling over it while you are counting sheep.
Read my article, “5 Steps to Begin Healing Adrenal Fatigue,” for more tips at http://suzpro.com/5-Steps-Adrenal-Fatigue.
Bio:
Suzanne helps motivated women who have found themselves in a debacle with their weight, less than vibrant energy, skyrocketing stress levels, and tanking mindset create a wellness system that fits their unique lifestyle so they can regain that mythical thing called energy, finally walk by a mirror without cringing, and ditch some or all of the small pharmacy located on their kitchen counter. Suzanne also specializes in helping women with autoimmune and Type II Diabetes better manage their illness through holistic methods. Suzanne has “been there and done that,” having battled weight issues and chronic illness for years herself while working in the business world.
Suzanne also helps online entrepreneurs develop a clear blueprint to get their business off the ground faster through the power of discovery, social media, and web presence so they can cut through the struggle and start making money doing what they were meant to do.
Suzanne is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach, an AADP Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, a PHR and SHRM-CP Certified Human Resource Professional with over 16 years of Human Resources experience, a Huffington Post Contributor, and the Founder of Holistic Health and Wellness Innovations and SuzPro. Suzanne also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management.