The adrenals are small but mighty glands in the endocrine system that produce hormones to help regulate metabolism, blood pressure, the way you handle stress and even your immune system. The pituitary gland in the brain reacts to signals from the hypothalamus which is the part of the brain that controls our fight or flight response, mood, sleep, body temperature, thirst, hunger, and more. Signals from the hypothalamus are transmitted to the adrenals which tell the adrenals what hormones to produce - cortisol, aldosterone, DHEA, and more.
Adrenal fatigue can include all sorts of symptoms.
4 SIGNS OF ADRENAL FATIGUE
1) FEELING TIRED ALL DAY – when you start feeling like you need stimulants, namely caffeine, to get through the day that’s a good indicator that something is awry.
2) CRAVING JUNK FOOD – beyond the obvious junk, food and drinks that contain sugar, alcohol and caffeine, snacks/foods that contain dairy, gluten, and soy can also be in the danger zone.
3) STAYING AWAKE ALL NIGHT – chronic stress during the day and lead to your adrenals over-producing cortisol which can lead to your body not knowing it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to be awake. During the day higher levels of cortisol allow us to deal with our daily stressors. These cortisol levels are supposed to lower in the evening and allow us to become sleepy.
4) POOR QUALITY OF SLEEP – it’s possible to sleep, but not feel rested in the morning. If you struggle with concentration, consistent yawning, or falling asleep at random times throughout the day chances are you’re not getting good quality sleep at night.
Your adrenals may be in need of support if you have general fatigue, body aches, head tension, low blood pressure, dizzy spells, or just generally feeling run down and overtaxed too.
SUPPORTING YOUR ADRENALS
1) Eat fatty fish, including salmon, halibut or mackerel, that are high in magnesium and protein. Magnesium supports the bodies muscle and nerve function as well as helps with our energy production.
2) Eat avocados, dark leafy green, and legumes. These also contain healthy doses of magnesium.
3) Lower your caffeine intake or, dare I say, cut it out altogether. Caffeine is a stimulate that releases adrenaline and increases dopamine. Plus it signals the adrenals to produce extra cortisol, which you probably don't need.
4) Take an Epsom salt bath with doTERRA Adaptiv™. To be honest it doesn’t have to be a bath. What I want you to focus on is actively managing the stress in your life*.
5) Meditate and relax. I like to use different breathing techniques along with my favorite essential oils to support my meditation practice.
*Hang in there with me to next week. I’m going to teach you some simple ways to actively manage your stress as well as what essential oils are best known for supporting our body/mind with stressful events.
I'm always here if you have any questions or want to chat about your specific needs.
xoDanette