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/
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