Adrenal Fatigue ~ The Silent Epidemic

Stressed?  Tired all the time?  Have to peel yourself off the ceiling every time you hear a loud noise that catches you off guard?  Can't pull yourself out of bed in the morning?  Crave salty food or sugar like it's nobody's business? Carrying some extra "sumthin sumthin" around your midsection that just won't go away?  Have you been to the doctor to try and figure out why you just don't have any "get up and go" yet all tests have come back negative and there are just no answers for you?  You could be suffering from what I call the "silent epidemic" that is sweeping the modern world thanks to our ever increasing levels of stress.  That silent epidemic is ADRENAL FATIGUE.

As each and every year goes by, and as technology has made modern-day life and commerce a 24-7 requirement, there are more demands on us and our time than ever before and we are paying the price with our health.  Adrenal Fatigue (aka Hypoandrenia or Hypoadrenalism) has been one of the most widespread health issues for the past half a century, yet also one of the most under-diagnosed.   Despite being described in medical text books back in the 1800's, and despite the development of the first effective treatments in the 1930's, most Western trained medical doctors simply just don't believe that the problem exists.  Heck, when I was diagnosed by my naturopathic doctor back in 2010, I mentioned it to my family doctor at a routine visit and he literally laughed out loud and smacked his leg saying "there is no such thing".   Yes there is.  And while adrenal fatigue may make you feel like you're constantly on an uphill battle to feeling well, it can be treated and you can feel like your blissful and energetic self again.

But What are Adrenals?

Before I get into what exactly adrenal fatigue is and how you can help your body heal, I want to give you a very brief anatomy and physiology lesson on our adrenal glands.   So, please excuse me as I briefly go into "Geek Mode"...

Photo courtesy Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Our adrenal glands are little cone-shaped glands that sort of sit like a hat on each of our kidneys.  They are responsible for secreting both male and female sex hormones and aldosterone (a hormone which helps regulate the salt content of our blood).  But perhaps their biggest job is secreting our stress hormones.  Two of these stress hormones you may have heard of already are ephinephrine and norepinephrine, the hormones which are released when we feel a sense of immediate danger or "fight or flight".  Like when we're being chased by the neighbour's crazy dog or slamming on the brakes in our car to avoid a collision.  These hormones help the body cope with a brief or short-term stressful situation. 

The other stress hormone that our adrenals secrete is called cortisol.  This is our long-term stress hormone...the one that deals with all of the other constant stressors we deal with like work stress, financial stress, relationship stress, parenting stress, illness and more.  The more stress we have in our life, and the more we don't work to manage the stress, the more cortisol our adrenals kick out every day.  Eventually, these poor little guys get burnt out and start to shut down on us causing us to suffer burnout as well as some other potentially serious health issues including hypoglycemia, cardiovascular disease and more.

So What Is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is a slow building condition and can manifest in many different ways depending on the person and their level of fatigue.  But for each person, there are typically four stages of the condition, each one having progressively "worse" symptoms:

1. Phase 1 - "Wired For Sound":  Here you are just on the go all the time.  Always on edge, always buzzing.  Cortisol is pulsing through your body all the time and your neurotransmitters are firing on all cylinders.  You don't feel too bad at this point.  Just stressed and unable to relax.  You're like a  Super Nova Diva on the brink of burnout.
   
   
2. Phase 2 - "Wired and Tired":  Similar to Phase 1, you are still going like the Energizer Bunny.  Cortisol is still coursing through your veins like crazy but your neurotransmitters are starting to get low and as a result you're starting to feel a little more tired and cranky than normal.  The Super Nova Diva has left the building.  Now you're just all revved up without much energy to do all you seek to do and your resistance to colds and allergens is getting low leaving you susceptible to illness.
   
   
3. Phase 3 - "Wired and Even More Tired":  In this phase you're still buzzing around but you feel like crap.  Tired all the time, irritable, jumpy and having difficulty coping with the every day things that normally wouldn't be such a big deal.  Your adrenals are getting worn out now and not producing as much cortisol as they were previously.   Your neurotransmitters are firing again to try and sustain you.  You wish someone would come along and wind you up every day somewhere around 3pm so you can make it through to bedtime. 
   
   
4. Phase 4 - "Tired...Oh So Tired":  This phase is situation critical.  Your adrenals have tanked and you have no get up and go.  You are starting to notice some extra weight around your midsection, you're waking in the middle of the night for no reason with a raging case of "monkey brain", you never wake feeling rested and you're hunting down secret nap spots in the office in the afternoon.  Your body isn't producing much in the way of cortisol or neurotransmitters anymore.  You're tired, unhappy, gaining weight and unable to cope.

If you're not sure whether or not you could be dealing with adrenal fatigue, the following are the most common symptoms:

• Inability to cope with stressful events;
• Your voice rises to a high pitch or is "lost" during stress
• You are easily shaken up or startled from unexpected noise
• You prefer to be alone, uneasy when the centre of attention
• You are a perfectionist and set high standards
• You find it difficult to relax and must always be doing something
• You have mood swings and cry easily
• You have unusually strong cravings for salty foods
• You have regular neck, shoulder and head tension
• You have an increase in allergic reactions
• You notice extra weight gain in your midsection
• Your blood pressure drops when you go from a seated or lying position to a standing position (i.e. you get dizzy when you stand up)
  

Sound like you?  I have been on this adrenal fatigue roller coaster ride since 2004 and have hit Phase 4 more times than I care to admit.  It's an unpleasant and dangerous place to be for a prolonged period of time.  But, with proper nutrition, appropriate supplementation and dedication to lifestyle changes that work to regenerate and rebuild the adrenal glands, adrenal fatigue can be overcome. 

Getting Past Adrenal Fatigue

So how do we help our body heal from adrenal fatigue?  Well, it takes time, wholesome foods, therapeutic supplementation and allowing your body to rest and regenerate ~ which, as I can vouch for, is dang hard when you're Type A and resting just isn't part of your vocabulary or genetic wiring.

Each and every one of us is unique and experiences adrenal fatigue differently, so the best method of treatment that works for one person may not work for someone else.  This, combined with the fact that there are varying degrees of adrenal fatigue, is why it is important to align yourself with a health professional such as a holistic nutritionist or naturopathic doctor to thoroughly go over your symptoms and nail down a clear course of action.  But there are some standard things that need to be put into place and I will discuss them here.

Nutrition

• Clean and wholesome nutrition is vital for all aspects of life, whether or not we're dealing with adrenal fatigue or another health concern.  Our bodies thrive on whole foods.  "Garbage in, garbage out" is one of my favourite sayings when it comes to the effect of food on our bodies, but it's especially important when we're trying to heal and regenerate our adrenal glands.  The toxins found in processed foods put additional stress on our bodies and, in turn our adrenal glands, so they must be eliminated.  A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains is essential to providing the body with B vitamins, Vitamin C and magnesium which are nutrients that the adrenal glands thrive off of and use a ton of when they're stressed.  Add lots of dark green leafy and colour vegetables, citrus fruits, red peppers and whole (non-refined) grains every day.  
  
  
• Avoid caffeine and other stimulating beverages.  I am the first to testify that this one is HARD, especially if you're in Phase 4 and just can't get through the day without multiple cups of coffee.  But here's the thing...when we drink coffee or energy drinks, we are adding more burden on to our adrenal glands, causing them to secrete (or try to secrete if they're really knocked out) more cortisol.  You're basically kicking them when they're already down.  Sure, we'll temporarily feel better after the jolt of caffeine, but in the end we just wind up feeling worse when the stimulating effect of the drink wears off.  Gradual tapering off of caffeine is recommended because going cold turkey will make you want to jump in front of a bus (okay, maybe that was just me).  Save yourself the constant headaches and wean yourself off caffeine over the course of a couple of weeks. 
  
  
• Eliminate all refined carbohydrates.  Refined carbohydrates (white sugar, white bread, white rice....basically all processed and pre-packaged cheap carbs) have a similar effect on the system.  They all act as sugar in the system causing a stimulating effect.  The best carbohydrates for adrenal support are whole grains and non-starchy carbohydrates (translate:  EAT YOUR VEGGIES). 

Supplementation

Most people who suffer from adrenal fatigue need some form of therapeutic supplementation to help support and, if needed, rebuild the adrenal glands.  It all depends on the level of exhaustion, the individual's current nutritional status and lifestyle factors.  Adaptogenic herbs, glandular remedies, vitamins and minerals all play a role in assisting the body to overcome adrenal fatigue and it is best to work with a qualified professional to determine the right remedies for you. 

Lifestyle

This is by far the most important aspect of regenerating the adrenal glands and overcoming adrenal fatigue.  Our bodies are desperate to get into our para-sympathic nervous system (our "rest and digest" mode) and out of our sympathetic nervous system (our "fight or flight" mode).  The best ways to do this are:

• GET ENOUGH SLEEP.  Trust me on this one....this has been my biggest downfall when trying to get over my many dips into Phase 4 adrenal exhaustion.  Sleep is EVERYTHING.  It is when our adrenal glands (and many of our other organs) regenerate themselves.  A minimum of 8 hours every night is a must.  Ideally, get to bed no later than 10pm with at least 30 minutes to an hour of before bed wind down time, turning off all electronics and sensory stimulation.  Take a nice warm bath, read a book...whatever you need to do to set yourself up for a blissful night of sleep.
  
  
• Exercise regularly.  No matter what is going on with your body or what state of health you are in, regular exercise is a must.  For people suffering adrenal fatigue, the best forms of exercise are the mind-body forms such as yoga, pilates or anything else that has you connecting with your body both mentally and physically.  High intensity activities are not advised since the more intense the workout, the more cortisol is released and you end up just running yourself into the ground even further.  Brisk walking, mild aerobic exercise, yoga, swimming, weight training...all of these are great choices.  Aim for 4 to 5 days per week.
  
  
• Perform deep breathing exercises.  Now this may seem a little too "woo hoo" for some of you, but trust me...this is one of the best ways to calm the mind and get your body into the para-sympathetic nervous system.  And the great thing about it is that you can do it anywhere, anytime.  Taking deep breaths in through the nose for a count of 8, holding the breath for a count of 8 and then releasing the breath through the mouth for a count of 8 will have you feeling calm and restored in less than five minutes.  I'm serious folks....this works. 
  
  
• Take time for body work as often as you can.  Things like massage, acupuncture, reflexology and Reiki treatments help support and regenerate the mind, body and spirit.  We don't take enough time for ourselves in this crazy world so scheduling these appointments for self-care needs to be made as high a priority as getting regular dental check-ups and oil changes for your car. 
  
  
• Spend time in nature.  Nature therapy is by far one of the best forms of therapy the body and mind can ask for.  It is a time to reconnect with the beautiful land that we are surrounded by, to breathe deep and oxygenate our cells and become more grounded. 

Stress will always be a part of our lives.  There's really no way to get around it (at least I haven't been able to think of a way yet).  By taking proper care of ourselves through nutrition, appropriate supplementation when necessary, and taking time to support our mind, body and spirit, we can avoid and recover from this ever growing silent epidemic of adrenal fatigue and go on to enjoy blissfully energetic days.   And who doesn't want that?!