Sitting just above your kidneys are two small glands, no bigger than about 1 x 2 inches in size, yet they have a major role in regulating your weight, energy, blood pressure, bone health, overall mood, blood sugar, and immune strength.
The main job of your adrenal glands is simply to adapt your body to outside (real or perceived) stress. Healthy adrenal glands perform synergistically. They secrete the right amount of hormones to adequately respond to your body’s needs. For example, elevate your blood sugar/pressure during times of exercise and return them to normal during times of rest.
As the adrenal glands are “over-worked” due to signals of constant stress (mental, physical, emotional, etc.) – they tend to over secrete hormones, supplying a steady stream of signals that affects almost every system you have, often resulting in elevations (high blood pressure, sugars, cholesterols, triglycerides, etc.)
If left unchecked, the adrenal glands simply begin to underperform, aka “burn out” which leads to a condition known as Adrenal Fatigue. As the hormone response is now inverted (lower than normal), typical symptoms match those of your body systems dropping in function: fatigue, weakness, difficulty maintaining a healthy weight, nausea, low blood pressure, hypoglycemia, depression, etc.
Natural Ways to Support, Nourish and Repair Your Adrenal Glands
Your Diet: The food you eat is very much a part of who you are, literally. Healthy adrenal glands require a full array of nutrient-dense protein, healthy fats as well as vitamins, specifically B, C, D3, and Magnesium. According to the “Adrenal Fatigue Diet,” you should remove white sugar, flour, alcohol, caffeine, sodas, fried foods, processed foods, fast foods, and all artificial sweeteners (blue, yellow, pink packets) and simply eat real food: Grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, free-range poultry and their eggs, nuts/seeds, leafy green vegetables, Himalayan salt, and load up on healthy oils (olive, coconut, avocado, grapeseed).
Doesn’t this diet sound familiar? Yes – it’s the Cellular Healing Diet we have been sharing with you all along.
Your Supplements: Nutritional support for adrenal health is essential for their recovery. Here are some of the most powerful adrenal supports.
Adaptogenic Herbs: Ashwagandha, Rhodiola Rosea, Schisandra, and Holy Basil
Evidence supports adaptogenic herbs in helping to nourish, repair and recover fatigued adrenals. Those listed above specifically help to lower cortisol and regulate the stress reactions of the body, thus giving your adrenals a “break” for self-rejuvenation.
Licorice root: Licorice root (via extracts or teas) has been shown to increase DHEA, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that helps to maintain bone health, regulate mood, control thyroid function, enhance libido, maintain weight loss as well as stimulate your immune system. Licorice also helps to prevent the breakdown of cortisol, which is often lower than normal when the adrenals are fatigued. Licorice’s cortisol-sparing effects help to elevate and enhance energy.
Vitamin D3/C: Vitamin D3/C are directly involved in the production of adrenal hormones and deficiencies in both are extremely common in those with adrenal fatigue. They also boost the immune system and protect against oxidative stress. Recommended dose of 5-10,000 IU D3 and 1,500-3,000g of Vitamin C daily.
Salt: One primary function of the adrenal gland is to maintain your body’s salt and water levels. Fatigued adrenals result in lower sodium reabsorption, which in turn makes it more difficult for the body to retain water, thus leading to dehydration regardless of how much water is consumed. Salt, therefore, is an absolute essential when recovering from adrenal fatigue. Simply add 1/8th to 1/4 tsp of Himalayan salt to 8-10oz of water 1-2x daily.
Maca Root: Several studies have shown maca root to have effects on cortisol regulation and blood sugar. Maca root allows for efficient uptake of hormones into our cells, increasing their effectiveness.
Cordyceps: Cordyceps is a type of mushroom with extremely potent energy and immune-enhancing power. Perhaps one of the most popular adrenal fatigue supports as it helps to alleviate most symptoms due to its ability to increase the amount of oxygen into the blood and tissues. Additionally, Cordyceps has very powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties, which along with its ability to directly increase T-Cells leads to stronger immunity.