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ADRENALSThe Most Important Hormonal

Glands in the Body

by Dr. Josh Axe

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1Your Amazing Adrenal Glands

Chapter 2Hormonal Balance and the Role of Adrenals

Chapter 3Your Adrenal Glands and Stress

Chapter 4Overcoming Adrenal Fatigue and Sluggishness

Chapter 5B Vitamins to Boost Adrenal Health

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INTRODUCTION

Adrenal fatigue is believed to affect up to 80 percent of adults worldwide and is caused by a hormonal imbalance, similar to a how thyroid disease develops. (1) But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Your adrenal glands are extremely important endocrine glands, which release more than 50 different hormones, including the energy-regulating hormones cortisol and adrenaline. That’s why it’s so important to maintain adrenal health. Without healthy adrenals, your hormones, energy levels and stress responses are all negatively affected.

So if you’re always tired, find yourself frequently stressed out or just seem off, you want to pay special attention to this ebook. And even if you aren’t suffering the symptoms of adrenal fatigue, you’ll want to keep reading to

find out all the benefits that healthy adrenal glands provide and how to maintain your adrenal health.

— Dr. Josh Axe

References: http://www.adrenalfatigue.org

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Your adrenal glands are two thumb-sized organs that sit above your kidneys and are part of the endocrine system. Also known as the suprarenal glands, they’re involved in producing over 50 hormones that drive almost every bodily function, many of which are essential for life.

Hormones affect every function, organ and tissue in the body directly or indirectly. They react to each other as well as respond to conditions in the body in an intricate and highly sensitive balancing act. The adrenal glands work closely with the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland in a system known as the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis).

Adrenal glands play a huge role in stress response. Your brain registers a threat — whether it’s emotional, mental or physical. The adrenal medulla releases adrenaline hormones to help you react to the threat (the fight-or-flight response), rushing blood to your brain, heart and muscles. The adrenal cortex then releases corticosteroids to dampen processes like digestion, immune system response and other functions not necessary for immediate survival.

Your adrenal glands are responsible for balancing hormones, such as:

• Glucocorticoids – hormones that balance your body’s blood sugar, help with energy and food metabolism, help your body bust stress, and manage your immune response (e.g., cortisol).

• Mineralocorticoids – hormones that maintain healthy blood pressure, manage your blood hydration level, and keep your blood healthy by keeping salt and water in balance (e.g., aldosterone).

• Sex hormones – estrogen and testosterone.• Adrenaline – hormones that affect your heart health, make sure that all

parts of the body are getting blood and convert glycogen into glucose in your liver.

CHAPTER 1

Your Amazing Adrenal Glands

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CHAPTER 2

Hormonal Balance and the Role of Adrenals

Hormones, such as estrogen and insulin, are chemical messengers that affect many aspects of your health as they travel in your bloodstream throughout your entire body. Some of the most common side effects of hormone imbalance include:

• Infertility• Weight gain• Depression• Fatigue• Insomnia• Low libido• Hair loss and hair thinning

Organs and glands like your thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, ovaries, testicles and pancreas regulate most of your hormone production, and if your hormones become even slightly imbalanced it can cause major health issues.

Also, new research shows that your gut health plays a significant role in hormone regulation so if you have leaky gut syndrome or a lack of probiotic foods lining your intestinal wall, it can also cause hormone imbalance.

The good news is there are ways to balance your hormones naturally.

The bad news is the majority of people across the world today turn to synthetic treatments such as hormone replacement therapy, which can do three things:

1. It makes people dependent on prescription drugs for the rest of their lives.

2. Simply masks the symptoms while you develop disease in other areas of

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the body.3. Causes serious side effects by increasing your risk of stroke,

osteoporosis and cancer.

If you don’t want these negative side effects but want to naturally balance your hormones, here are the top 10 ways to heal your hormones.

10 Ways to Balance Hormones Naturally

Eat Coconut Oil and AvocadosEating a variety of foods high in short-, medium- and long-chain fatty acids is key to keeping your hormones in check. Not only are these essential fats fundamental building blocks for hormone production, but they boost your metabolism and promote weight loss.

My four favorite foods packed with healthy fats include: coconut oil, avocados, grass-fed butter and wild-caught salmon.

Coconut oil uses are plentiful, avocado benefits hormonal balance and salmon nutrition holds many more health benefits.

Supplement with Adaptogen Herbs Adaptogen herbs are a unique class of healing plants that promote hormone balance and protect the body from a wide variety of diseases.

In addition to boosting immune function and combating stress, research shows that ashwagandha and holy basil benefit hormone balance by (1, 2):

• Improving thyroid function• Lowering cholesterol naturally• Reducing anxiety and depression• Reducing brain cell degeneration (3)• Stabilizing blood sugar• Supporting adrenal glands

Balance Omega-3/6 RatioSince the early 20th century, the use of vegetable oil in our diets has skyrocketed.

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Coincidently, because people didn’t boost their omega-3 foods intake to balance out the elevated omega-6s they consumed, I’ve seen an onslaught of chronic diseases and inflammatory processes literally take over our society.

Research from Pennsylvania State University suggests that jumping from the 1:1 omega-3/6 ratio our hunter-gather ancestors enjoyed to the astronomical 20:1 ratio most people take in today is the primary dietary factor of most diseases in America! (4, 5)

Rule of thumb: Be sure to steer clear from oils high in omega-6s (safflower, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, canola, soybean and peanut), and load up on rich sources of natural omega-3s (wild fish, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and grass-fed animal products).

I want to also mention, there is a type of omega-6 fat you want to try and get in your diet called GLA. GLA (gamma-linoleic acid) can be taken in supplement form by using evening primrose oil or borage oil, and it’s also found in hemp seeds. Studies show supplementing with GLA can support healthy progesterone levels.

Heal Leaky Gut Leaky gut is a condition that not only affects your digestive tract, but also causes hormone issues and can more specifically target your thyroid.

When undigested food particles like gluten leak through your gut into your bloodstream, it causes disease-causing inflammation of the entire body and more specific organs like the thyroid.

Also, most people with leaky gut have a deficiency of probiotics in their guts. Probiotics actually help your body produce certain vitamins that affect hormone levels like insulin.

The top foods and supplements that support healing leaky gut include: bone broth, kefir, fermented vegetables, and high-fiber foods like vegetables and sprouted seeds.

In addition, supplements like digestive enzymes and probiotics can aid in repairing your gut lining, which in turn can balance your

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hormones. (6)

Some of the main things that damage your digestive health include processed foods, gluten, hydrogenated oils and emotional stress.

Eliminate Toxic Kitchen and Body Care ProductsAnother way to eliminate toxins in your body is to stay away from conventional body care products that are high in DEA, parabens, propylene glycol and sodium lauryl sulfate.

The Environmental Working Group evaluated over 72,000 products and ranked them in an easy-to-understand guide to make sure you have a resource to keep your family safe. Check out EWG’s “Skin Deep Cosmetic Database” today!

Also, the use of plastic bottles should be replaced with glass and stainless steel because of BPA toxic effects. In addition, switching from teflon pans to stainless steel, ceramic or cast iron can make a big difference in your hormonal health.

Interval ExerciseOne of the best all-around activities you can do for your health is burst training. If there is a silver bullet out there, this is it! Exercising opens the hormone faucet to release the right amount of hormones that your body NEEDS!

Whether endorphins, testosterone, growth hormone or insulin, burst training helps reduce stress levels, enhance your immune system, regulate metabolic function and keep you at the body weight your body was designed for.

But don’t overdo it — bursting 20 minutes three times a week is plenty, and if you want to add in more exercise try classes like Barre and Pilates.

Get More SleepUnless you get seven–eight hours of sleep every night, you’re doing your body no favors. Lack of sleep and sleeping at the wrong time actually may be the worst habits people have that disturb hormone balance.

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Why? Because hormones work on a schedule! Case in point: Cortisol, the stress hormone, is regulated at midnight. Therefore, people who go to bed late never truly get a break from the sympathetic flight/fight stress response, which has led to widespread stress-related health disorders in our country.

To maximize hormone function, get to bed by 10 p.m. Endocrinologists (hormone experts) claim that one hour of sleep between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. is equal to two hours of sleep before or after these time slots!

Limit CaffeineOK, don’t kill the messenger! Drinking too much caffeine is almost as bad as not getting enough sleep. It elevates your cortisol levels, lowers your thyroid hormone levels and basically creates havoc throughout your entire body.

If you need a little boost, try not to drink more than one–two cups of matcha green tea or tulsi tea. You’ll keep your hormones in check and enjoy the weight loss and cancer-killing benefits as well!

Supplement with Vitamin D3According to an article from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin D3’s role in promoting human life is more profound than previously suspected. (7, 8)

“These physiologic arenas are the adaptive immune system, the innate immune system, insulin secretion by the pancreatic β cell, multifactorial heart functioning and blood pressure regulation, and brain and fetal development.”

This is why people who live in dark areas suffer from significant depression and health disorders unless they supplement.

Most people should supplement with around 2,000 IU to 5,000 IU daily of vitamin D3 on days they’re not in the sun.

Back Off Birth Control PillsI will keep on harping on this until birth control pills are banned.

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Just say no to birth control pills! In its simplest sense, “the pill” is hormone therapy that raises estrogen to such dangerous levels that it causes:

• Increased risk of breast cancer• Increased risk of blood clotting, heart attack and stroke• Migraines• Gallbladder disease• Increased blood pressure• Weight gain• Mood changes• Nausea, irregular bleeding or spotting• Benign liver tumors• Breast tenderness

I cannot urge you strongly enough to stop using them immediately. There are many other (safer) ways to prevent pregnancy.

Hormones and Thyroid

An article published in the journal Die Pharmazie (German for “The Pharmacy”) describes that the hypoglycemic effects of holy basil is possibly due to its ability to regulate serum cortisol levels. (9)

Oftentimes ignored, the “stress hormone,” as it’s commonly referred to, is responsible for an alarming number of diabetes mellitus cases throughout the world. Its far-reaching effects on the body can play havoc on learning, memory, lowered immune function, bone density, weight gain and heart disease.

Elevated cortisol levels are so dangerous that Psychology Today refers to cortisol as “Public Enemy #1”! Another benefit from lower cortisol is supplementing with holy basil has been found to reduce anxiety and emotional stress. (10)

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References:Kalani A, et al. Ashwagandha root in the treatment of non-classical adrenal hyperplasia. BMJ Case Reports 2012; 10(1136).Agrawal P, et al. Randomized placebo-controlled, single blind trial of holy basil leaves in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 1996; 34(9):406-9.http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2012/jan2012_Using-Hormones-Heal-Traumatic-Brain-Injuries_01.htmhttp://chriskresser.com/how-too-much-omega-6-and-not-enough-omega-3-is-making-us-sickhttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/71/1/179S.full?ijkey=5c7af875f3dc71a303f7df78c52145e8b7c31643Panda S, et al. Withania somnifera and Bauhinia purpurea in the regulation of circulating thyroid hormone concentrations in female mice. Journal Ethnopharmacology 1999; 67(2):233-9.Kris-Etherton PM, et al. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food chain in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71(1):179S-188S.Norman A. From vitamin D to hormone D: fundamentals of the vitamin D endocrine system essential for good health. Am J Clin Nutr August 2008; 88(2):491S-499SVats V, et al. Evaluation of antihyperglycemic and hypoglycemic effect of Trigonella foenum graecum Linn, Ocimum sanctum Linn and Pterocarpus marsupium Linn in normal and alloxanized diabetic rats. J Ethanopharmacol 2002; 79:95–100.https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201301/cortisol-why-the-stress-hormone-is-public-enemy-no-1

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CHAPTER 3

It’s likely that you’ve heard about the detrimental effects of the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels can affect every physiological system in your body, including your thyroid and adrenal glands. It can make you anxious and irritable, lead to weight gain and bone loss, contribute to diabetes and heart disease risk, and deplete your energy levels.

Cortisol is also known as the aging hormone. When cortisol gets too high, it puts you into a “fight or flight” response, which stimulates your sympathetic nervous system and your adrenal glands. When this occurs, there is a decrease in your digestive secretions and an increase in blood pressure. This puts your body in a state of constant stress, which will burn out your adrenal glands, stress your digestive tract and cause you to age more rapidly. So if you want to look younger, feel younger and be healthy, you must get your cortisol levels balanced.

Side effects of chronically elevated cortisol can include:

• Anxiety• Autoimmune diseases• Cancer• Chronic fatigue syndrome• Common cold• Hormone imbalance• Irritable bowel disease• Thyroid conditions• Weight loss resistance

So what can help us adapt to stress, help our adrenal glands and lower cortisol? Adaptogens ...

Your Adrenal Glands and Stress

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What Are Adaptogens?

Phytotherapy refers to the use of plants for their healing abilities. Adaptogens are a unique class of healing plants: They help balance, restore and protect the body. As naturopath Edward Wallace explains, an adaptogen doesn’t have a specific action: It helps you respond to any influence or stressor, normalizing your physiological functions. (1)

Naturopath Marcelle Pick of Women to Women reports that adaptogenic herbs can recharge your adrenal glands, helping you to respond to stress. (2) Adaptogens include ashwaganda, astragalus, ginseng, licorice root, holy basil, some mushrooms and rhodiola. According to Jan Whiticomb, there are 16 proven adaptogenic herbs. (4)

Top 7 Adaptogen Herbs

Ginseng

Ginseng is the most well-known adaptogen, and Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) is considered the most potent. According to Wallace, research has validated Asian ginseng’s use for improving mental performance and your ability to withstand stress. This red ginseng also has antioxidant effects, antidepressant effects, and can help naturally lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

There are a number of adaptogens referred to as ginsengs that aren’t technically ginsengs but have similar composition or effects, and the benefits of ginseng are undeniable.

Holy Basil

Holy basil, also called tulsi, is known in India as the “elixir of anti-aging.” Preliminary studies suggest that holy basil benefits include helping

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you fight fatigue and stress; boost your immune system; and regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and hormone levels.

Ashwaganda

Ashwaganda is often referred to as Indian ginseng. Often used in Ayurvedic medicine, ashwaganda regulates the immune system and eases anxiety. Ashwaganda has been used in eastern medicine for over 2,500 years and has immuno-modulating effects that boost your immune system and aid the body in lowering cortisol levels.

Astragalus root

Astragalus root is used in Chinese medicine. It boosts immunity and buffers the effects of stress. It increases the amount of anti-stress compounds our bodies use to repair and prevent stress-related damage. It may also reduce the ability of stress hormones like cortisol to bind to receptors.

Licorice root

Licorice root can increase energy and endurance, boost the immune system, and protect the thymus from being damaged by cortisol, but its use requires professional supervision because of how it may affect blood pressure.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola (rhodiola rosea), or golden root, is a potent adaptogen that has been the focus of much research. Rhodiola provides a buffer to stress-related mental and physical fatigue. According to Whiticomb, Rhodiola was used by Russian cosmonauts, athletes

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and military personnel, and years of study have begun to uncover the very mechanisms by which it acts as an adaptogen.

Rhodiola rosea contains a phytochemical known as salisdroside. This component helps combat anxiety and aging. Rhodiola suppresses the production of cortisol and increases levels of stress-resistant proteins. Studies have found that it restores normal patterns of eating and sleeping after stress; combats mental and physical fatigue; and protects against oxidative stress, heat stress, radiation and exposure to toxic chemicals. Rhodiola protects the heart and liver, increases use of oxygen, improves memory, and may extend longevity. Also, new research proves it is also effective in weight loss.

Mushrooms

Cordycep mushrooms, reishi, shiitake and maitake mushrooms are funguses with antioxidant properties. That means mushrooms have all the nutritional benefits of antioxidant foods. They may not be adaptogens in the classic sense, but each has adaptogenic, antitumor and immune-enhancing properties.

Eating well, getting proper rest, staying active, writing down what you’re grateful for and maintaining social connection all help protect you from chronic stress, which kills your quality of life. Adding adaptogens to your routine can make you even more resilient to the damaging effects of high cortisol levels.

16 Ways to Bust Stress

Stress is a part of everyday life. Without it we would never get off the couch, never worry about our work efforts, what our kids are up to, never

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put out the fire or avoid the car that veers into our lane!

The degree of stress that we encounter on a constant basis in modern society, however, has reached epidemic proportions.

It’s important to remember that stress triggers the “fight-or-flight” response. The surge of adrenaline and the slowing down of other basic functions provide us with the instant energy we need to run from a predator or battle an attacker.

This survival response comes with side effects though. Over time, that extra energy and alertness comes with altered hormone levels, heightened blood sugar, depleted nutrients and lowered neurotransmitters.

Over time, our bodies adapt to invoke that same response with smaller and smaller triggers.

“Fight or flight” is the normal operating mode for many of us, rather than the true emergency survival mechanism it was meant to be. We rarely work off that energy, take restorative actions or release ourselves from that state of mind.

Chronic stress affects every bodily system. It suppresses the immune system, slows metabolism and cell regeneration, makes airways reactive, and creates muscle tension. It is estimated that 90 percent of doctor visits can be traced back to stress.

Decrease Stress in Your Life

Stress can be linked to weight gain, heart disease and depression. It increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and osteoporosis.

Stress impairs cognitive function over time, reducing creativity, memory and problem-solving skills.

Headaches, sexual dysfunction, irritability, problems sleeping and addictive behaviors are often stress-related.

The degree of stress we experience on a daily basis might be a cultural

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norm, but personal priorities, personal choices and our purposeful reactions to stress can limit the negative health effects of stress.

Pick a few of these suggestions below to reduce stress in your life and promote health and healing in your body.

1. Spiritual triathlon. This is my personal method for keeping my focus throughout the day. Every morning when I wake up, I spend five minutes saying all that I am grateful for, five minutes in healing prayer, and five minutes reading my Bible or something inspirational.

2. Schedule relaxation. Write it down in your planner, and stick to it. Make time at least once a week to do something you love — something that refreshes you. Maybe that’s a game of tennis, spending an hour alone with a good book or taking a yoga class.

3. Pour yourself a cup. Many varieties of hot tea have calming effects on the body and can help lower blood pressure. Try green or black tea or herbal teas with chamomile.

4. Take a deep breath. Try deep breathing for a few minutes every day. Tighten and release muscles. Hum to release nitric oxide and improve blood pressure.

5. Just say “no.” I promise it’s OK! Don’t spread yourself too thin or you won’t be able to give 100 percent of your efforts to any of the tasks you attempt. Your value does not depend upon how much you do for others at the expense of your own time, relationships and health.

6. Expel excess adrenaline. Before, during and after stressful situations, walk briskly for five minutes, run up a flight of stairs, do backward pushups on your chair or do five minutes of deep breathing. A short burst of physical activity can expel anxiety and give you clarity and calm.

7. Ask yourself why. The next time you’re racing around trying to accomplish too many things in too short a time, ask yourself why you’re doing it, who it really serves, what belief it’s based on, whether this feeling is really what you want, whether this is a value or principle you want to base your life on.

8. Nix the caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Don’t add to nervous energy with stimulants, and don’t mask stress with alcohol. The long-term effects compound the negative effects of stress.

9. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps expel built-up tension, stress hormones and clears the mind. Exercise helps to release

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endorphins, the brain’s natural feel-good chemicals. I recommend burst training for the most health benefits.

10. Sleep. Staying up late to get more done robs you of your total productivity. It dulls your mind, increases stress, promotes weight gain and contributes to mood swings.

11. Use your senses. Find colors that soothe you, and wear fabrics that please you. Take a scented bath or play music you love. Paint, get a massage or take a walk in the woods.

12. Connect with others. Making time for social connection is very important and restorative. Social connection is what makes us a part of something larger than ourselves and our worries. It gives us perspective.

13. Serve someone else. Related to connecting with others, try volunteering at a soup kitchen, making meals for parents with a newborn baby or helping with home repairs for an elderly neighbor. Remind yourself that it’s not always all about you

14. Be prepared. You can combat alarmist or catastrophic thinking by being prepared. Keep a change of clothes in the car, create an emergency fund for car repairs and have an alternative proposal in mind at work.

15. Make a vision board. Write down your goals, and post them on a board where it can be seen every day. What do you want to accomplish? Who do you want to become? Print out pictures to visually remind yourself of what is most important to you.

16. Share responsibility. Delegating really is an important skill. Instead of complaining about how much you have to accomplish, teach your kids to cook, share the credit with a co-worker or work out sports shuttling with another parent.

References:http://www.chiro.org/nutrition/FULL/Adaptogenic_Herbs.shtmlhttps://www.womentowomen.com/adrenal-health-2/eating-to-support-your-adrenal-glands-2/https://www.womentowomen.com/adrenal-health-2/eating-to-support-your-adrenal-glands-2/http://www.lef.org/magazine/2011/9/Reducing-the-Risks-of-High-Cortisol/Page-01

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Overcoming Adrenal Fatigue and Sluggishness

It’s hard to believe, but adrenal fatigue is estimated to affect around 80 percent of people in the world! According to James Wilson (author of “Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome”), chronic stress and lifestyle affect the body’s ability to recuperate from physical, mental or emotional stress. (1)

In fact, whether for a short time or a chronic condition, most people struggle with adrenal fatigue at some point in their lives. Symptoms include:

• body aches• trouble concentrating• racing thoughts• moodiness and irritability• always tired• feeling overwhelmed• hormone imbalance• cravings for sweet and salty foods

These symptoms can be indicative of a few different disorders and are often overlooked by doctors, but more and more people are starting to realize that a combination of these could indicate the onset of adrenal fatigue, also known as adrenal insufficiency.

And if you have adrenal fatigue, it can also be a major cause of excess fat storage and low energy levels.

What Causes Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is a condition where your body and adrenal glands can’t keep up with the tremendous amount of daily stress many people experience. Sometimes misunderstood as an autoimmune disorder,

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adrenal fatigue can mimic some precursors to other common illnesses and disease.

Wellness doctors and practitioners believe that an episode of acute stress or prolonged, chronic stress can cause adrenal glands to become overloaded and ineffective. They believe that adrenal fatigue can be caused by:

• Stressful experiences like death of loved one, divorce or surgery• Exposure to environmental toxins and pollution• Prolonged stress due to financial hardship, bad relationships or work

environment, and other conditions that entail feelings of helplessness• Negative thinking and emotional trauma• Lack of sleep• Poor diet and lack of exercise

Also, according to the Mayo Clinic, severe adrenal fatigue symptoms may actually be Addison’s disease. (2)

Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms

What happens when the adrenal glands stop producing hormones efficiently? Every bodily function is affected, and as adrenal hormone levels shrink, even the normal “get-up-and-go” you get from them disappears. Adrenal fatigue symptoms include:

• Morning fatigue or trouble waking up• Decreased libido• Depression• Muscle weakness• Poor focus• Bone loss• Inflammation• Increased allergies• Difficulty sleeping• Irritability• Fatigue• Cravings for sugar• Hair loss

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• Weight gain• Muscle tension• Inability to tolerate high-carb/potassium foods unless paired with fat and

protein

If you’ve experienced any of these adrenal fatigue side effects, take heart, for there are now many natural ways to treat and support your adrenal system.

3 Steps to Heal Adrenal Fatigue

Treatment for adrenal fatigue involves reducing stress on your body and your mind, eliminating toxins, avoiding negative thinking, and replenishing your body with healthy food and positive thoughts.

1. Adrenal Fatigue Diet

In every case of adrenal recovery, diet is a huge factor. There are a number of foods that support adrenal function. They help replenish your adrenal energy so your system can come back to full health. But first you must start by removing any hard-to-digest foods and any toxins or chemicals in your environment.

The idea is to remove anything that taxes your adrenals.

Foods to avoid include:

• Caffeine: This can interfere with your sleep cycle and make it hard for your adrenals to recover. If you must drink coffee or a caffeinated beverage, then have a limited amount in the morning before noon.

• Sugar and sweeteners: Includes avoiding high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners as well. Avoid sugary foods, cereals, candy, sweets, etc. Be aware that sugar is an additive in many breads, condiments and dressings. Try to avoid as much extra sugar as possible. Seek the benefits of raw honey or stevia as an alternative.

• Processed and microwaved foods: First of all, the microwave has its own dangers, but additionally, most microwaveable foods have many preservatives and fillers that are hard to digest and wear out your body’s energy and digestion cycle. Try to buy food on the outer walls of your

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grocery store and prepare your own food whenever possible.• Hydrogenated oils: Vegetable oils like soybean, canola and corn oil are

highly inflammatory and can lead to adrenal inflammation. Try to only use good fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, organic butter or ghee.

Next, you want to add nutrient-dense foods that are easy to digest and have healing qualities. Some of the top superfoods for adrenal health include:

• Coconut• Olives• Avocado• Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.)• Fatty fish (e.g., wild-caught salmon)• Chicken and turkey• Nuts, such as walnuts and almonds• Seeds, such as pumpkin, chia and flax• Kelp and seaweed• Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

These foods help overcome adrenal insufficiency because they’re nutrient-dense, low in sugar, and have healthy fat and fiber.

See also my healing diet for more food suggestions. (3)

2. Adrenal Fatigue Supplements

Another big key to overcoming adrenal fatigue is taking the right supplements. I always recommend eating the right foods to heal your body. However, due to soil depletion (from over-farmed and unhealthy farming practices), much of the fruits and vegetables don’t have the same amount of nutrition that they did even 50 years ago.

Thus, certain adrenal-boosting nutrients are needed to get your adrenal function back up, such as:

• Ashwagandha• Holy basil• Fish oil (EPA/DHA)

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• Magnesium• Vitamin B5• Vitamin B12• Vitamin C• Vitamin D3• Zinc• Licorice root

Taking these supplements in their whole-food form could greatly improve your symptoms of adrenal insufficiency.

For instance, in the medical journal Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, licorice was found to help the body more efficiently regulate cortisol — the stress hormone — thus giving your adrenals a break. (4) It turns out it’s one of the main adaptogen herbs to lower cortisol.

Additionally, ashwagandha has also been proven effective in supporting adrenal function helping you overcome adrenal fatigue and chronic stress.

Your adrenal glands are endocrine glands that are responsible for releasing hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) in response to stress on your body.

If your adrenals are overtaxed due to an overabundance of emotional, physical and mental stress, it can lead to a condition known as adrenal fatigue. As you can see from this chart below, if your adrenals become exhausted it can also disrupt your other hormones, including progesterone, which can cause infertility and lower DHEA — which can cause you to age faster.

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Medical studies have shown that ashwagandha improves cortisol levels, improves insulin sensitivity and naturally balances hormones. A case study reported a case of a 57-year-old woman with non-classical adrenal hyperplasia. She was treated with ashwagandha for six months, and after her treatment she saw improvements in four adrenal hormone markers, including corticoosterone and 11-deoxycortisol, which decreased by 69 percent and 55 percent respectively — a major improvement!

This hormonal improvement was also accompanied by a noticeable reduction in hair loss.

3. Adrenal Fatigue Stress Reduction

The last and most important key to restoring your adrenal function is to heed your mind and stress needs. Pay attention to your body!

Rest when you feel tired as much as possible.Sleep 8–10 hours a night.Avoid staying up late and stay on a regular sleep cycle — ideally, in bed before 10 p.m.Laugh and do something fun every day.Minimize work and relational stress.Eat on a regular food cycle, and reduce your caffeine and sugar addiction.Exercise (even moderate exercise and walking can help).Avoid negative people and self-talk.Take time for yourself (do something relaxing).Seek counsel or support for any traumatic experiences.

Let’s talk about “self-talk” for a minute. Our bodies are made to heal. However, the words we say have a great impact on our body and our ability to heal. Regardless of what diet and supplements you take, your environment is one of the most important components.

So, be kind to yourself. Try to avoid saying negative things about yourself and others. It’s important to choose to be around positive people and stay positive about yourself as well.

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Adrenal Insufficiency Recovery Time

Recovery for adrenal fatigue can take a little while. After all, it took months, maybe years, to wear out your adrenals; so it takes a little time to build up their strength again. For full adrenal recovery, you can expect it to take:

6–9 months for minor adrenal fatigue12–18 months for moderate fatigueUp to 24 months for severe adrenal fatigue

The best approach is to make solid changes to your lifestyle for lasting results. If you aim for a balanced lifestyle with a healthy level of sleep, exercise, fun and positive environment, then you are most likely to keep your adrenal system going strong!

Maca Root and Adrenal Health

Maca root (lepidium meyenii) is an adaptogen and a member of the cruciferous family, like broccoli and cabbage, but due to its unique properties, it’s considered one of the world’s natural “superfoods.” Maca is grown high in the mountains of South America, mainly in high altitude regions of Peru.

The pleasant-tasting root is usually available in powder form after being harvested and grounded down. Maca root benefits include increased fertility in both men and women; hormone balance; booster for the immune system; and increased energy, stamina, improved sexual function, memory and focus. (5, 6)

Maca is considered an “adaptogen,” a name given to certain herbs, plants and natural substances that help the body naturally adapt to stressors like a busy schedule, demanding job or illness, for example. (7)

Another unique fact about maca root is that historically it has been considered a very potent aphrodisiac and a traditional fertility secret of populations living in the Andes.

Consuming maca often makes people feel more “alive,” energetic and leaves them with a sense of well-being, all of which are thought to be

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due to its ability to restore proper hormone balance and elevate “feel good” endorphins. Another benefit of maca is its relatively high amount of absorbable plant-based nutrients, including protein, fiber, calcium and magnesium, among others.

A 2008 study from the journal Menopause showed that maca benefits had positive results on boosting menopausal women’s moods and decreasing levels of anxiety and depression.

The same study also showed that the improvement in mood led to increased sexual libido. (8) A separate study done in 2008 by CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics showed that maca had the ability to increase sexual libido in women, likely due to its positive effects on serotonin levels, the “feel good” hormone. (9)

Maca is believed to restore women’s hormonal balance by supporting the endocrine system and aiding in the regulation of healthy adrenal and thyroid hormone production. (10)

The adrenal gland and thyroid gland play a major part in regulating many feelings — everything from stress levels to appetite. Restoring the health of these glands is paramount for someone wanting to feel her best.

In clinical studies, serum levels of testosterone were not shown to be affected by maca. Black maca, however, has been shown to have positive effects on sperm production, more than yellow maca and red maca.

Red maca has its own benefits for male hormonal health. It has been shown to reduce prostate size in studies done on male rats. This points to the conclusion that maca may possibly help improve human prostate health as well.

In other studies, maca has also been shown to improve sperm production, mobility and volume, all important factors of increasing fertility. (11)

In another 2010 report summarizing the results of four clinical trials carried out by BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, maca was able to show benefits related to improving sexual dysfunction and sexual libido in adult men and women. However, the other two trials did not show the

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same positive results, so more formal research is still needed to determine the exact power of maca on fertility. (12)

Those who regularly use maca powder report that it makes them feel more awake, energized and driven, often relatively quickly after beginning to use it. A positive attribute of using maca for increased energy compared to using caffeine is that maca does not give most people “jitters” or a sense of shakiness like high levels of caffeine can.

Clinical trials have shown that maca has positive effects on energy, stamina and mood. Maintaining positive energy levels is related to having lower levels of anxiety and depression, both of which maca has been shown to positively help achieve.

Exactly how maca increases energy is still unknown, however it’s believed that it may be able to do so by helping to stabilize blood sugar levels (which decrease energy spikes and dips) and to maintain adrenal health, which regulates mood and energy throughout the day. (13)

Maca benefits also include regulating the hypothamlus, helping the pituitary gland to properly function, which is another key element in balancing focus and energy. (14) An increase in focus, energy and mood enables people to concentrate better and therefore to improve memory and ability to complete tasks — and overcome adrenal fatigue.

Boosting Energy

If you find yourself feeling sluggish mid-afternoon, struggling to stay alert throughout the day, struggling with adrenal fatigue or just plain exhausted, then it’s time for a change! Luckily, there are easy, affordable ways to banish tiredness and get a spring in your step once again — naturally.

Skip the extra cups of coffee or “energy” drinks, and try these 10 easy and inexpensive ways to boost your energy levels instead.

1. Vegetable Juice

Drinking fresh vegetable juice is a shock to your body — in a good way! Losing the fiber during juicing makes them easy for your body to absorb

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and digest. And because less work is required for your body to reap the nutritional benefits, you’ll notice an increase in energy. Additionally, drinking your veggies helps eliminate toxins from the body while also feeding your cells.

If you feel an illness coming on, vegetable juice is also a good way to stop it in its tracks and keep energy up before it dips. Pass over store-bought juices, which are often loaded with sugar, preservatives and other unpronounceable ingredients — they’ll leave you feeling worse and more exhausted! Make your own instead.

2. Better Quality Sleep

Spending your nights tossing and turning can definitely make you feel exhausted the next day. While you sleep, your body is restoring and repairing the day’s damage. Additionally, adenosine, a by-product of cell activity that’s produced by the body, is believed to be a favor in humans’ perception of being tired. Adenosine builds up during the day, but during sleep, our bodies clear it from our systems, helping us feel alert.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, try some of my favorite tips:

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same times each day, including weekends. This will help regulate your internal body clock.

• Eliminate caffeine after 3 p.m. — the effects can last up to 12 hours.• Write out what’s stressing you out or keeping you up at night before

heading to bed.

3. Adaptogenic Herbs

When you’re feeling exhausted, fatigued or stressed, adaptogenic herbs can help. These healing plants balance and restore the body’s natural ability to handle stress by regulating the adrenal system, which is responsible for controlling the way hormones respond to stress. Adaptogens don’t target a specific body part; instead, they help your entire body gently cope with stress, anxiety and, of course, fatigue.

Some of the best adaptogen herbs to boost your energy include:

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ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil, licorice root and ginseng.

Incorporating adaptogenic herbs into your daily routine will help you feel calmer, less exhausted and more focused.

4. Reduce Carb Consumption

While they do provide your body with energy, foods heavy in carbohydrates can leave you feeling sluggish. The main culprit? Simple carbs, like those found in sugary drinks, cookies and processed foods (think white bread and pasta), which burn through your body quickly. Though they provide a fast boost of energy, it’s quickly followed by a crash as your blood sugar spikes and then drops.

The solution? Stick to whole-grain, low-glycemic carbohydrates that take the body longer to digest and avoid the crash-and-burn effect. Nuts, legumes, sweet potatoes, oats and brown rice are all low-glycemic carbohydrates that will provide the body with a steady supply of energy.

5. Eat Chia Seeds

If your only experience with chia seeds is the Chia Pet, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. These magic little seeds will boost energy levels and provide your body with a lot of nutritional bang for the buck.

The ancient Mayans and Aztecs used to ingest chia seeds to keep up energy and alertness among warriors during war. For us mere mortals, the essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) found in chia seeds help regulate glands, fight adrenal fatigue and combat inflammation, which keeps your body feeling fresh. Combined with high levels of protein and fiber, which keep blood sugar stable (no afternoon sugar crashes!), and it’s no wonder chia seeds are being heralded as a superfood.

6. Stay Hydrated with Water and Electrolytes

Did you know that one of the first signs of dehydration is feeling tired or exhausted? That’s right — not drinking enough water could be the reason your energy levels are lacking and you feel exhausted. Because our bodies are made up of mostly water, even small dips in H2O levels are enough to

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affect your metabolism.

Stay hydrated by making sure you’re drinking enough water and other fluids throughout the day. The Institute of Medicine suggests about nine cups of fluids a day for women and 13 cups for men.

However, a more accurate amount is take your body weight and divide it in half, then drink that many ounces per day, plus more if you work out, are really active, pregnant, nursing, or fighting an illness or disease.

If that sounds like a lot, remember that many foods, like fruits and vegetables, contain water as well.

If you have an intense workout, you might want to supplement water with a drink that helps replace the electrolytes your body sweats out. Forget sports drinks loaded with high-fructose corn syrup and additives. Opt for coconut water or water naturally flavored with lemon and honey instead.

7. B Vitamins

Also known as the “energy vitamin,” B12 is the most complex of all vitamins. It supports thyroid function and keeps blood cells happy and healthy. If you’re vitamin B12-deficient, one of the first signs can be lower energy levels.

Because it’s a water-soluble vitamin, your body cannot store extra amounts of B12 and relies on getting the vitamin from the foods you eat or supplements.

8. Herbal Teas

Coffee isn’t the only option when you need a pick-me-up. Sipping on an herbal tea can provide an all-natural temporary boost in energy levels without the risk of scary stimulants or processed ingredients.

Two wonderful options are green tea and rooibos tea. Green tea has many benefits to your body, such as anti-aging and fighting free radicals. It’s loaded with catechin, an antioxidant that helps fight damage in the body’s cell. If you’re looking for a wonderful green tea, I love matcha.

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Rooibos tea is another type of tea that’ll fight fatigue. Made from South Africa’s red bush plant, this refreshing red tea is packed with antioxidants, including aspalathin, an antioxidant that regulates the adrenal hormones, helping to reduce stress and keep energy levels high.

9. Peppermint Essential Oil

If you need an easy way to stimulate your mind and increase focus, peppermint oil might be what you’re looking for. Commonly used in aromatherapy, this refreshing essential oil increases oxygen to the brain, which heightens focus and stimulates the mind.

Try dabbing a few drops on your wrists when you find your energy lagging, add some to your shower to get an early morning energy boost or add several drops to a steam diffuser to breathe in the benefits throughout the day.

10. Daily Exercise

Are you wiped out after a tough workout? Take solace in the fact that incorporating regular exercise into your routine will actually boost energy levels. Torching calories and engaging in physical activity sends oxygen and nutrients to your body’s cells, helping your heart and lungs work more efficiently and boosting energy levels.

And remember, you don’t need to run a marathon to get the benefits — moderate levels of your favorite fitness activity will reap energy benefits, too.

Referenceshttp://www.adrenalfatigue.org/what-is-adrenal-fatiguehttp://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/addisons-disease/expert-answers/adrenal-fatigue/faq-20057906http://draxe.com/healing-diet/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21184804http://science.naturalnews.com/maca.htmlhttp://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/maca.htmlhttp://www.natures-whey.co.uk/articles/the-benefits-of-maca/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18784609http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/maca.htmlhttp://www.natures-whey.co.uk/articles/the-benefits-of-maca/http://science.naturalnews.com/maca.htmlhttp://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/maca.htmlhttp://www.natures-whey.co.uk/articles/the-benefits-of-maca/http://natural-fertility-info.com/maca

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CHAPTER 5

B vitamins play an important role in adrenal healthy. They support the adrenals, fight fatigue and balance hormones. Here are some of the most important B vitamins for adrenal health.

Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that is found in all living cells within the body.

Studies have shown that there are plenty of important B5 vitamin roles within the body, such as converting nutrients from food into energy, balancing blood sugar, reducing bad cholesterol, lowering high blood pressure, preventing nerve damage and pain, and preventing heart failure.

Like the other B vitamins, vitamin B5 plays a role in energy metabolism, acting as a coenzyme to energy-producing chemical reactions. It plays a role in the synthesis of fat, hormones and carbohydrates that we take in from the foods we eat, turning them into usable energy that the body uses in many ways.

The energy that vitamin B5 helps to produce is what fires the neurotransmitters in your brain. These neurotransmitters carry chemical signals throughout our entire bodies to keep every system functioning properly. Because of this role, B5 vitamins are crucial for maintaining the health of the nervous system.

Aside from being critical in manufacturing red blood cells, vitamin B5 also plays a part in producing sex and stress-related hormones produced in the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are small glands that sit atop the kidneys and control numerous important functions in the body.

Vitamin B5 is also important in maintaining a healthy digestive tract,

B Vitamins to Boost Adrenal Health

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boosting immunity in the process. It importantly works with other B vitamins in the B vitamin complex, helping the body use other vitamins like riboflavin (vitamin B2).

B5 vitamin sources include both plants and animals foods, such as meat, organ meat, beans and legumes, certain nuts and seeds, raw milk, and eggs. There are plenty of ways to get proper amounts of vitamin B5 into your diet, and because many people consume B5 vitamin food sources frequently, luckily today we don’t see a large percentage of adults suffering from dangerous B5 vitamin deficiencies.

12 Vitamin B5/ Pantothenic Acid Food Sources

Here are 13 foods that are naturally high in vitamin B5, in addition to many other important nutrients too, especially other B vitamins.

1. Beef Liver 2. Avocado3. Sunflower Seeds4. Duck5. Portabella Mushrooms6. Eggs7. Salmon8. Lentils9. Sun-dried tomatoes10. Yogurt (whole milk)11. Broccoli12. Veal (responsibly raised)

Vitamin B5 and Adrenals

B vitamins in general are often correlated with improving mental function because they can decrease the risk for many problems such as brain function illnesses or age-related memory and function loss.

Obtaining proper amounts of B vitamins, including vitamin B5, may be able to help prevent memory loss, migraine headaches, chronic brain syndrome, depression, motion sickness, insomnia and even alcohol dependence.

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Vitamin B5 is known to regulate our hormones, therefore it has the ability to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Vitamin B may also cut down on body fatigue because it balances hormones related to feelings of alertness or fatigue, and boosts our metabolism.

Physicians sometimes see vitamin B5 deficiencies in people who are chronically stressed. When we are deficient in vitamin B5, we lose our ability to react to stress effectively and show signs of adrenal fatigue. This can include having trouble sleeping, exercising, coping with problems, mood swings, weight gain or loss, and other stress symptoms.

One of the most important things to do to boost your metabolism is to reduce stress levels. Emotional stress and lack of sleep are really hard on your body and run down your hormones and metabolism, so the stress-reducing effects of vitamin B5 is clearly a great tool in regard to your state of mind and metabolism.

B5 vitamin benefits include the ability to cope with stress. In fact, without vitamin B5 and other B vitamins regulating hormones, the body could not survive, due to how the B vitamins help with adrenal function.

This is why people who are chronically stressed, or who are dealing with adrenal fatigue symptoms, are highly encouraged to take B vitamin supplements. B vitamins including pantothenic acid are useful in calming the nervous system, battling chronic stress and regulating hormones — which control appetite, energy, mood, temperature and more.

Vitamin B5 is partially responsible for regulating adrenal function and creating the stress hormone cortisol. (1) Studies have shown that pantothenic acid supplementation stimulates the ability of adrenal cells.

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands and is heavily involved in the body’s stress response, helping us to be alert and fight off danger and perceived “predators,” which are any external sources that cause the body to go into a stress state.

Although it gets a bad reputation for leading to weight gain, anxiety and other fatigue, cortisol does have important jobs in the body; we need

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to maintain proper cortisol levels in order to have enough energy and concentration each day. Cortisol also helps our body fight inflammation on a day-to-day basis.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 has the most complex and largest chemical structure of all vitamins. Unlike other vitamins, it contains cobalt (a metal) and is commonly referred to as “cobalamin,” a catchall term for all of the various compounds that contain vitamin B12 properties.

Commonly known as the “energy vitamin,” vitamin B12 can definitely improve your energy and help you overcome fatigue and exhaustion. It improves energy by supporting thyroid function and cellular methylation. But vitamin B12 does far more than give you an energy boost. It’s completely essential for human life, and people deficient in it will suffer from serious health issues if the problem is not addressed.

A few of the more important roles that vitamin B12 play in the body include:

• Red blood cell formation• Memory recall• Cellular energy• Nutrient absorption• Adrenal gland support• Nerve and brain regeneration• DNA synthesis• Female and male reproductive health

Just think about the ramifications that someone will experience if they don’t get enough of this essential vitamin! One of those issues that can crop up is adrenal fatigue.

Vitamin B12 and Adrenals

If you suffer from adrenal fatigue, you might be deficient in vitamin B12. Your best way to address the issue is to start consuming foods that are high in vitamin B12.

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You may find it interesting, however, to learn that plants and animals do not produce vitamin B12. Bacteria do! This is why consuming probiotic-rich foods and foods from the ground that contain soil-based organisms from your local farmers market are essential to your health.

Since most animals are able to concentrate and store significant levels of vitamin B12 in the bacteria that they house in their flesh, eating grass-fed meat is one of the best sources that you can get. Seafood also concentrates vitamin B12 in large quantities.

Top 12 Vitamin B12 Foods

According to the George Mateljan Foundation, the most vitamin B12-rich foods are (2):

• Beef and Chicken Liver (550% RDA)• Sardines (337.9%)• Salmon (236.2%)• Tuna (110.8%)• Cod (109.1%)• Lamb (104.5%)• Scallops (101.6%)• Beef (grass-fed) (60%)• Yogurt (37.9%)• Venison (36%)• Raw milk (22.9%)• Turkey (10%)

Vitamin B2/Riboflavin

Vitamin B2, also called riboflavin, is an important vitamin that also acts as an antioxidant within the body. Vitamin B2 is responsible for maintaining healthy blood cells, helping boost energy levels, facilitating a healthy metabolism, preventing free radical damage, contributing to growth, protecting skin and eye health, and even more. (3)

Because it’s a water-soluble vitamin like all B vitamins, vitamin B2 must be obtained through a healthy diet and replenished often, ideally every day, in order to avoid a riboflavin deficiency. All B vitamins are used to help digest

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and extract energy from the foods you eat; they do this by converting nutrients from carbohydrates, fats and proteins into useable energy in the form of “ATP.” For this reason, vitamin B2 is needed for the functioning of every single cell within your body, and a riboflavin deficiency or lack of B vitamins in your diet can create a number of serious side effects.

Vitamin B2 is used in combination with other B vitamins, which make up the “B Vitamin Complex.” In fact, B2 must be present in high enough amounts in the body to allow other B vitamins, including B6 and folic acid, to properly do their jobs. All B vitamins are responsible for important functions, including contributing to nerve health, heart and blood health, skin and eye health, reducing inflammation, hormonal function, and are used to maintain a healthy metabolism and digestive system.

The 12 Best Sources of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Based on the adult RDA of 1.3 mg/daily for adult men, these are the 12 best food sources of riboflavin:

1. Liver (from lamb, beef, veal, turkey, or chicken)2. Seaweed3. Organ Meat (including beef or lamb kidneys)4. Mollusks/ Cuttlefish5. Organic Feta Cheese6. Almonds7. Grass-Fed Beef (or Lamb)8. Tempeh – Fermented Soy 9. Mackerel Fish10. Eggs11. Organic Goat Cheese12. Tahini/Sesame Seed Paste

Vitamin B2 and Adrenals

Vitamin B2 is used by the body to metabolize food for energy and maintain proper brain, nerve, digestive and hormone function. Without high enough levels of riboflavin, riboflavin deficiency occurs and the molecules found in carbohydrate, fat and protein foods are not able to be properly digested and used for “fuel” that keeps the body running. This is one reason why

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riboflavin is very important for growth and bodily repair.

Vitamin B2 is needed in order to break down proteins into amino acids, fats and carbohydrates in the form of glucose. This helps convert nutrients from food into usable bodily energy that helps to maintain a healthy metabolism.

Riboflavin is also needed to regulate proper thyroid activity and adrenal function, and a riboflavin deficiency can increase the odds of thyroid disease. It is useful in calming the nervous system; battling chronic stress; and regulating hormones that control appetite, energy, mood, temperature and more.

References:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18520055http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=107http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20858216