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The Adrenal Glands
The Adrenal glands sit on top of each kidney. The purpose of your adrenal glands is to help your body cope with stresses and survive. In fact, the adrenals are known as the glands of stress. It is their job to enable your body to deal with stress from every possible source, ranging from injury and disease to work and relationship problems. Your resiliency, energy, endurance and your very
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life all depend on their proper functioning.
The adrenals provide a healthy response to stress. This reaction wasn't meant to be chronic though, it was only meant to help you escape danger. If stress continues on, adrenal exhaustion can occur. If you're overworked, undernourished, relying on caffeine and sugar to get you through, over or under exercise, have unresolved emotional issues, are constantly exposed to environmental toxins, and constantly worrying about others and yourself, your adrenals may be over-stressed. Menopause can also affect the health of your adrenals if you're not sleeping well, dealing with hot flashes and suffering from other stresses.
Do you live with constant stress, instead of occasional demands followed by rest? Are you over-worked, under-nourished, exposed to environmental toxins, worrying about others - with no let-up?
How do you know when your adrenals are functioning well?
If you feel happy and well, have steady energy and emotions throughout the day, sleep soundly 7-9 hours a night, wake up feeling rested, recover well from stress, and maintain a healthy weight without dieting, your adrenals are healthy.
If you feel depressed or anxious, feel like you're on an emotional roller coaster, sleep poorly and wake up tired, need caffeine or sweet foods to pick you up, can't lose weight and keep it off even when dieting---these are red flags that indicate unhealthy adrenals.
In most cases you can restore healthy adrenal function if you ...
Eat 5 or more servings of fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits every day. Organic is preferred because since it doesn't have the toxins of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
Eat non-farmed oily fish (salmon, chunk light tuna, herring, sardines) once a week or take 2 teaspoons of cod liver oil or fish oil capsules daily.
Avoid caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, sweets, fried foods, and processed foods.
Exercise daily. Some good choices are cross training with aerobics and weight lifting, yoga, walking, gardening, and dancing.
Reduce stress by taking more time for yourself. Get a Do Not Disturb sign and use it. Tell yourself you deserve to be calm and relaxed. Listen to relaxation tapes from your library or purchase one at your book store. Learn to meditate and consciously relax the large muscles of your body. Get more rest. Your body needs time to heal.
What you can do: (from Adrenal Fatigue by Dr. James L. Wilson)
Vitamin C 2-4 grams daily for adrenal fatigue
Pantothenic Acid 1,500 mg. per day for adrenal exhaustion
Vitamin E 800 IU of mixed tocopherol Vitamin E per day
B Complex 100 mg.
Vitamin B6 50 to 100 mg.
Magnesium approximately 400 mg. magnesium citrate (to bowel tolerance)
Calcium 750 1000 mg. per day after 8:00 p.m. away from magnesium
Multi mineral
Adaptogenic herbs: Licorice Root, Ashwagandha Root and Leaf, Siberian Ginseng, Korean Ginseng Root, Ginger Root **also available in combinations like AdrenaSense.
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