Tired of Being Tired?!

How long has it been since you have gotten up in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the challenges of a new day?  For most of us, this is the norm, but for some fatigue that is not relieved by sleep and dragging through the day is their reality.  Adrenal fatigue results when the adrenal glands become tired and worn out after intense or prolonged stress.  We have all heard of adrenaline or have experienced an ‘adrenal rush’.  This is a basic or primary response of the body to help us deal with stress.  The adrenal response is referred to as ‘the fight or flight’ response.   When there is real physical danger, a strong sympathetic nervous system response is triggered or initiated by the adrenal glands.  These small triangular cap-shaped glands (weighing less than a grape) sit atop each kidney secrete hormones such as cortisol into the bloodstream.  Changes in chemistry and physiology occur instantaneously causing the heart rate to increase, blood flow increases to your arms and legs (so that you can engage in battle or run away), pupils dilate increasing your visual focus, mental acuity sharpens, and the liver releases sugar to be burned as energy.  The whole body sharpens and focuses to deal with the stress or conflict at hand.  This is a powerful and necessary physiologic response designed to ensure our survival.

    However, we are not designed to cope with intense stress continually.  Imagine for a moment that you are walking through the forest.  Suddenly you catch a glimpse of a mountain lion.  Soon you realize that you are being stalked.  You go into a full blown sympathetic adrenaline response.  You raise your pack above your head (making you looker larger than you are) and begin shouting aggressive threatening tones as you carefully make it back to your car.  Once you are safe, your heart begins to settle down, but you are exhausted and justifiably so.  You notice something interesting though.  As you recount your adventure to friends, you find your heart again begins to pound and the adrenaline begins to flow.  Retelling your tale is exhausting.  While few of us experience threatening episodes with mountain lions, we do experience stress.  Whether the stress is a real physical danger, a perceived threat or something imagined, the body responds the same.  You may be working with a supervisor or with deadlines that your body interprets the same as physical danger.  Couple your daily stress with inadequate sleep, a poor diet and then a few episodes of intense or prolonged stress or an illness and your adrenal glands can become fatigued or exhausted.  The paramount symptom is fatigue that is not relieved by sleep.  You may look and act relatively normal with Adrenal Fatigue, yet you live with a general sense of unwellness, tiredness or ‘gray’ feelings.  People suffering from Adrenal Fatigue often have to use coffee, colas and other stimulants to get going in the morning and to prop themselves up during the day. 

    Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc with your life.  Adrenal Fatigue can lead to conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia but often begins as a growing sense of tiredness or lack of enthusiasm for life.  With each increment of reduction in adrenal function, every organ and system in your body is more profoundly affected.  Changes occur in your carbohydrates, proteins and fat metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance, heart and cardiovascular system, and even your sex drive.  Your body does its best to make up for under-functioning adrenal glands, but it does so at a price. 

The main purpose of the adrenal glands is to enable your body to deal with stress from every possible source, ranging from injury and disease to work and relationship problems.  These glands largely determine the energy of your body’s responses to every change in your internal or external environment.  Whether they signal attack, retreat or surrender, every cell responds accordingly, and you feel the results.  It is through the actions of the adrenal hormones that your body is able to mobilize its resources to escape or fight off danger (stress) and survive.  In a more primitive society, that could mean being able to run away quickly, fight or pursue an enemy or game, endure long periods of physical challenge and deprivation.  In modern society, these same responses are triggered by such circumstances such as a difficult boss, air pollution, family quarrels, financial problems, too little sleep, illness or overindulgence in or sensitivities to food or drugs. 

If your adrenal function is low, your body cannot respond and adapt properly to these stresses, which leads to a variety of physical and psychological health problems.  And sadly our current system of medical healthcare is designed more to treat and manage symptoms, rather than rebuild and correct the underlying problems.  Adrenal fatigue is often at the beginning of a domino effect of health issues and leads to hypothyroidism, weight gain, constipation and digestive problems, and chronic candida yeast infections

    The adrenal glands secrete many hormones that affect how we use carbohydrates, fats and proteins in our diet.  Often the person with adrenal fatigue will store fat rather than burn it.  Blood sugar regulation will be off resulting in hypoglycemia.  Heart and digestive problems can result from low adrenal hormone output.  The adrenal glands become the primary source of sex hormones after mid-life in men and women, as such, adrenal fatigue often results in a diminished sex drive.  Weight gain and a under active thyroid are very often the secondary result of Adrenal Fatigue.

Signs of Adrenal Fatigue

• Fatigue that is not relieved by sleep
• Tired for no reason
• Trouble getting up in the morning even when you go to bed at a reasonable hour
• Feeling rundown or overwhelmed
• Can’t bounce back from stress or illness
• Crave salty and sweet snacks
• Need coffee, cola, sweets or salty snacks to get moving or keep going
• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling best only after 6 PM
• Oscillating Pupil – shine a flashlight in your eye (in a mirror).  The pupil should constrict.  If it constricts but then dilates (while the light is still in the eye).  Constricts – dilates – constricts – dilates.  This is a sign of adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal Fatigue affects 80% of Americans at some point in their lives.  Sometimes it is temporary and lasts only a few days.  At other times it can be debilitating and last for years.  The key to recovery is to focus on supporting, strengthening and rebuilding the body and the adrenal glands rather than further stimulating the body and trying to manage your symptoms.  The good news is that by supporting and rebuilding, we can dramatically improve your tiredness and fatigue as you are restored to health.


Recommendations for Adrenal Recovery
Diet/Nutrition: 
Avoid:    

•        All processed foods. – Foods with chemical sounding names on the label
•        Foods high is carbohydrates (sweets, treats  - anything with white sugar or white flour)
•        Foods containing hydrogenated fats – avoid soy oil, canola oil and any other processed oil.
•        Caffeine (coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, soft drinks)

Emphasize:    

•         Fresh and fermented vegetables and fruits
•         Raw local honey
•         Celtic Sea Salt
•         Organic healthy meats and Fish
•         Organic dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese) – preferably fermented like yogurt or kefir
•         Organic butter and cream – These healthy fats are necessary for rebuilding adrenal function
•         Organic free-range eggs

Your diet must be nutrient dense and free from toxins and impurities.  Your weight will stabilize by eating nutrient dense fats such as butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and organic eggs.  Always purchase the best quality organic foods from local sources, if you can.  This is the time to nourish your body and stay off of deprivation, nutrient restrictive diets.  Now is not the time to adhere to a strict vegetarian diet.

Supplements:   

• Earth Nutrition by Western Botanicals – 1 or 2 scoops daily – as a whole food supplement.  We prefer Earth Nutrition over our Bountiful Blend because it is very high in the B-vitamins because of the nutritional yeast
• Super Adrenal Support by Western Botanicals – 1 dropperful 2 to 4 times daily or as need when you feel a sudden drop in energy.  – This combination of herbs will help to rebuild your adrenal glands as well as provide you with energy when you need it
• Cod Liver, Krill or Salmon Oil–For Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Vitamins A, D & E – Carlson Norwegian Cod Liver Oil is the best in both taste and quality.
• Nature’s ‘C’ Complex by Western Botanicals – This is a whole food herbal vitamin C complex that contains everything nature intended in vitamin C, not just ascorbic acid or one of its derivatives.
• Celtic Sea Salt – one good healthy pinch in water daily for mineral/electrolyte support
• Glandular Adrenal Supplement – take 6 tablets daily divided into 2 or 3 doses.  This will provide your adrenal glands with real adrenal tissue to use to rebuild your own adrenals.  We like using Drenatrophin PMG by Standard Process.

Support for Associated Conditions that are often secondary to Adrenal Fatigue:
Hypothyroidism (under active Thyroid gland)
Thyroid Formula by Western Botanicals – if you have symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland.
Thyroid Glandular -Thytrophin PMG by Standard Process is a good choice.  Take 1-2 tablets
3 times daily.

Constipation        
Colon Cleanse™- by Western Botanicals – if you are not having 2 to 3 bowel movements each day.  You cannot get well and stay constipated.

Candida/Yeast Infection
Oregano oil – 3 to 4 drops under the tongue twice daily.  You must use an infused oregano oil, NOT an essential oil.  This will treat any kind of fungal or yeast infection from the inside out.
Probiotics – We recommend getting the good bacteria into your gut by eating yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, fermented vegetables, sourdough as well as through probiotic supplements.
Pau d’arco tea – drink 2 to 3 cups daily of this anti-fungal immune boosting tea
Coconut oil – strongly anti-fungal can be taken internally, 1 Tbs. 4 times daily.  You may use coconut oil in cooking, baking or mixed with warm water. And NO, coconut oil will not make you fat.  In fact, many use coconut oil as the key to their weight loss plan.  See Dr. Mary Enig’s book, Eat Fat, Lose Fat.
Olive Leaf capsules – 2 capsules three times daily

Exercise
You must exercise – walk or ride a bike but never to exhaustion.  You should always feel like you could have done more.  Stretching and yoga are also important as well as deep breathing exercises.

Meditation 
This must be a time for reflection and introspection.  Make long term plans and goals.  Live according to your inner voice.  Let your spirit be your guide. Listen to and obey your conscience.
   
Adrenal Fatigue is a condition that often is months or years in the making, and as such usually takes at least two to six months to fully recover.  I often have patients who perk up within a couple of weeks but then crash back down with fatigue when they discontinue their supplements.  Please understand that you will be feeling a lot better before you are completely recovered.  Continue taking the supplements.  Continue with a healthy nourishing diet. An excellent cookbook you may want to pick up is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

This information is for educational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat or prescribe.  We strongly recommend consultation with a competent health care provider before you begin any new treatment program or alter an existing treatment program.