Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal Glands are the

“Glands of Stress”

Factors

Affecting the

Adrenal

Gland

Signs and Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

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 every

day tasks Increased PMS Symptoms increase if meals

are skipped or inadequate Afternoon lows between

3:00 and 4:00 pm

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 Less enjoyment or

happiness with life Thoughts less focused,

more fuzzy Memory less accurate

Why Medicine Has Not Recognized Adrenal Fatigue

It is still not taught in Medical schools

Only form of hypoadrenia that is recognized is Addison’s Disease

Lab tests for adrenal function can drop ½ of its normal value and still fall within normal range

Home Tests: Iris Contraction. Shine

light across eye. Pupil should contract and remain contracted. If it alternately dilates and contracts – low adrenal function

Blood pressure. Lie down for 5 minutes take BP. Stand up. BP should rise 10-20 mmHG or stay the same. In Adrenal Fatigue the Blood Pressure will drop

Circadian Rhythm of Cortisol

Highest levels secreted at 8:00 am (rising cortisol helps up wake up in the morning)

Lowest levels between midnight and 4:00 am

After 8:00 am, it downtrends through the rest of the day with a small dip between 3:00 and 5:00 pm.

Eating something, even a little snack, causes a small burst in cortisol levels

Exercise also elevates cortisol levels

Adrenal Fatigue and Cortisol

Secretion may be irregular

Some may experience low cortisol at every point in the cycle

Others have a normal level at 8:00 am, but by 10:00 am cortisol levels have fallen below normal

Some have a normal pattern with a severe drop between 3:00 and 5:00

Actions of Cortisol

CELLS: protects against effects of excess insulin; regulates sodium and potassium levels

HEART AND BLOOD VESSELS: regulates blood pressure, sodium/potassium levels, strengthens contractions

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

WHITE BLOOD CELLS: lymphocyte products, counters inflammation of tissues, prevents tissue damage

BRAIN-CNS: mood excitability, thoughts, memory, mental clarity

NORMALIZES BLOOD SUGAR

Adrenals Role in Stress

Cortisol primes the different parts of your body to respond when called into action

Without cortisol, the body cannot react adequately to significant stress challenge

People who suffer from low blood sugar frequently suffer from Adrenal fatigue

People with adrenal fatigue almost always have an irregular blood sugar pattern

General Rules for Adrenal Fatigue

Be in bed before 10:00 pm

Look for things that make you laugh

Make your lifestyle a healing one

Notice one thing to be grateful for each day

Move your body, breathe deeply

Believe in your ability to recover

Keep a journal Eat the foods your body

needs

Salt your food, salt your water (use sea salt)

Eat lots of colored vegetables Chew your food well Take responsibility for your

own health Laugh several times a day Enjoy your recovery Take your dietary supplements

regularly Eliminate energy robbers

(things in your life that drain your energy)

Take 1000 mg of Vitamin C every day. (Best in afternoon when the low hits)

Things to Avoid

Getting overtired Caffeine, sugar,

alcohol and white flour products

Coffee, even decaf Staying up past 11:00

pm Pushing yourself Energy suckers Being harsh or

negative with yourself

Foods you are addicted to

Foods you suspect an allergy to

Foods that make you feel worse

Never skip breakfast Avoid fruit in the

morning Never eat starchy

carbohydrates be themselves. Include other vegetables in the meal

Hormones of the Adrenal Glands

Epinephrine: Responds to “fight or flight” situations

DHEA, Pregnenolone, Progesterone, Estrogen, Testosterones: Anti-oxidants, Tissue repair, Sex hormones, balancer of cortisol

Cortisol: Blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, immune response, heat and blood vessel toning, nervous system, stress reaction

Aldosterone: Regulation of Sodium, Potassium and Fluid Volume

HPA Axis – The Regulation of Cortisol

Hypothalamus – Pituitary – Adrenal Axis

Hypothalamus (similar to a thermostat – senses the heat in the room (the stress in your body) and compares to desired temperature – ignites furnace if necessary)

Pituitary (like the relay switch)

Adrenal Glands (like the furnace – and Cortisol is like the heat output

HPA Axis in one of the most important elements of the whole body process known as homeostasis.

Herbal Formulas for Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

Cerra-logic and Pituiten for Brain

Gall-astic and Nerv-all

Adrenix

Check for infections and parasites

Lepterra

*Supplements available from Inno-Vita This company sells to professionals only so you may need to find a practitioner in your area for evaluation and purchase. http://www.inno-vita.com/

Sample Program

Foundation Formulas: Lepterra with Adrenix

Priority Formulas: Pathogens (Bacteria, Virus, Fungus, Parasites) Drainage (Tox-Ex, Xpleen) Chemical/Metal: (Meta-Ex)

Secondary Formulas: Liver (Livergy, Gall-Astic) and Endocrine (Pituiten, Cerr-logic, Thyroiden, Nerve-all)