Symptoms
of adrenal stress include fatigue, weak immunity, allergies, low blood sugar, being groggy in the mornings, crashing in the afternoon, sleep problems, and more.
Not exact matches
Cortisol is a
stress hormone produced by the hypothalamic pituitary
adrenal (HPA)- axis which, if overproduced, can contribute to a host
of chronic ailments
including cardiovascular disease and mental illness.
D'uh
of the year award, maybe, but the findings —
including a link between
stressed adrenal glands and salt cravings — aren't so futile if you use them to identify what's going on in your head and deal with it, well, head on.
In my previous three posts, I've shared about my journey
of recovering from
adrenal fatigue
including reducing
stress, improving sleep, and altering my diet (if you missed the previous posts, read part 1, part 2, and part 3 here).
So, multiple things contribute to a higher level
of estrogen
including the environment, lifestyle, our intrinsic ability to handle
stress, the
adrenal glands, and adipose tissue.
Poor handling
of anxiety and
stress can lead to
adrenal fatigue, whose symptoms may
include morning lethargy, memory loss, lowered immune system function and an inability to focus on daily tasks.
A diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugars can also lead to
adrenal fatigue, common symptoms
of which
include feeling mentally and emotionally
stressed, sugar and salt cravings, mood swings, feeling weak and lethargic, brain fog, depression, dizziness and a host
of other complaints.
Marcelle has served as Medical Advisor to Healthy Living Magazine, writes a weekly newsletter from WomenToWomen.com, and lectures on a variety
of topics —
including weight loss resistance, infertility,
stress and illness, and
adrenal dysfunction.
The
adrenal glands are unable to adapt to
stress and are unable to produce adequate levels
of hormones,
including cortisol.
Over time, the effects
of excess work, high
stress, little vacation, fast - paced lifestyle, poor diet, and environmental toxins lead to
adrenal gland dysfunction, the symptoms
of which are different for everyone but usually
include:
Illnesses frequently associated with POTS
include fibromyalgia, viral illness, autoimmune disease,
adrenal disorders, mast cell disorders, hypersensitivity
of baroreceptors, chronic fatigue syndrome, post traumatic
stress disorder, panic attacks, inappropriate sinus tachycardia, irritable bowl syndrome, type 1 diabetes, Lyme disease, and mitochondrial diseases.
Examples
of these factors that can amplify the
adrenal's constitutional weakness
includes aging, obesity, excessive childhood illness, prolong
stress, excessive use
of prescription antibiotics, emotional trauma such as death
of a loved one, physical trauma such as a car accident, relational difficulties such as divorce, and psychosomatic illnesses.
If you are one
of them — whether because
of overexercise,
stress, or a diet
of refined, nutrient - poor foods — your body will suffer fatigue, thyroid and
adrenal issues, food cravings and numerous health symptoms
including muscle cramps.
Key Benefits
of GS B - Complex: ● Supports Optimal Energy Levels and
Adrenal Function * ● Promotes Healthy
Stress Response * ● Supports Healthy Homocysteine Metabolism * ● Activated B Vitamins for Optimal Bioavailability ● Contains 5 - MTHF and Folinic acid for Extended Bioavailability * ●
Includes Vitamin C and PABA for Comprehensive GS B - Complex provides activated forms
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of benfotiamine, a fat soluble and physiologically active form
of thiamin.
Your
adrenals are the tiny little endocrine glands on top
of your kidneys that secrete several
stress hormones,
including cortisol and DHEA.
I will help you map out a personalized plan for recovery that
includes supplements, diet changes, and identifying the causes
of stress in your life to reverse the effects
of stress on your
adrenal glands.
The more I thought back to my lifestyle and thought patterns and the
stresses that had been out
of my control,
including my own weak
adrenal system (a hereditary thing), it was only a matter
of time before something like this happened.
Many common reasons for fatigue
include poor
adrenal function, low thyroid, chronic infection, leaky gut syndrome, elevated heavy metals, toxic overload, inadequate nutrition, not breaking down foods, poor absorption
of nutrients, emotional
stress, depression, structural imbalances, disease, low hormones, overuse
of stimulants and poor lifestyle choices.
I've written quite a bit about other root causes
of Hashimoto's,
including toxins like fluoride (which may damage the thyroid), nutrient deficiencies like selenium (Selenium helps to neutralize oxidative
stress in the thyroid gland, which occurs whenever we make thyroid hormones), an impaired ability to handle
stress that often manifests as
adrenal dysfunction (this weakens our natural defenses and suppresses our thyroid production) and chronic infections like Blastocystis hominis (infections can be inside the thyroid, inside the gut, or in another part
of the body leading to immune system confusion).
Some
of the symptoms
of adrenal fatigue
include feeling tired all the time (
including after a workout or after a good night's sleep), low blood sugar, poor sleep, getting sick easily, lack
of a sex drive, startling easily, cravings for salt, low
stress tolerance, anxiety and dark circles under the eyes.
If you still have troubles falling asleep even after implementing all
of these tips, make sure to pay attention to fixing any hormonal issues you might have,
including any possible
adrenal fatigue, since being overly
stressed out during the day can cause imbalances in your natural cortisol cycle which can make you more awake at night and more tired in the morning (obviously the opposite
of what you want).
Frequent over-consumption
of sugar (
including in most processed foods, honey, marmalade, golden syrup, fruit juices, fizzy drinks), caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, etc all
of which
stress the pancreas as well as the
adrenals.
Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century
Stress Syndrome by Dr. James L. Wilson contains a complete profile
of symptoms and
includes a comprehensive questionnaire and detailed descriptions
of tests for
Adrenal Fatigue.
Additional factors, such as severe injuries, illnesses and emotional
stresses can debilitate the
adrenal glands
of anyone,
including athletes.
Our
adrenal glands handle our
stress response,
including the production
of the hormones such as adrenaline, DHEA, and cortisol.
These
include stress (leading to the production
of high cortisol levels by the
adrenal glands), lack
of exercise, and poor nutrition.
Adrenal fatigue is caused by any or all types
of stress on the body (
including emotional, mental or physical
stress) which lead to the dysregulation
of cortisol — our body's main anti-
stress hormone.
For example, vague problems from nutritional malabsorption
of can bring vitamin K and iron deficiencies, physical problems such as exhaustion, dermatitis (skin conditions), bone (osteoporosis) and muscle problems,
adrenal dysfunction, and mental
stress including depression.
There can be a variety
of causes for this type
of PCOS,
including Vitamin D or Iodine deficiency, hormone - disrupting toxins, thyroid disease, and
adrenal stress.
But not in a) someone who is both
stressed and leptin resistant, since increased leptin levels from the re-feed might not be powerful enough to offset other excitatory pathways b) someone who is currently emerging from yo - yo dieting or caloric restriction c) someone who is dealing with an over-stimulated appetite, d) someone experiencing
stress, e) someone who has had a history
of insomnia, f) someone who is underweight, since they have low leptin levels, g) anyone who has ever had an eating disorder, particularly bulimia or binge eating disorder or h) anyone with HPA axis or endocrine dysregulation, particularly women,
including overt
stress, hypogonadism, hypothalamic amenorrhea, hypercortisolism, or hypocortisolism (
adrenal fatigue.)