Grab some tea and let’s talk adrenal health.
So, you may have heard about adrenal fatigue. Maybe you’ve been feeling really tired lately so you decided to google what you can do to combat this, thus the internet has led you to this article. Well, today we are going to go over what adrenals are, signs of adrenal fatigue, and how to keep your adrenals healthy.
Let’s dive in.
WHAT ARE ADRENAL GLANDS?
In essence, your adrenal glands are known as an endocrine gland. They sit right on top of the kidney and their main function is to send out hormones. Specifically stress hormones such as cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Adrenal glands also help regulate immune response, blood pressure, digestion and more. They work together with your thyroid to regulate hormones in the body.
We are constantly exposed to stress from external factors and all the stimulation around us. All that stress depletes our adrenals because they are working hard to regulate stressful situations.
Now let’s talk about adrenal fatigue..
SIGNS OF ADRENAL FATIGUE
When your adrenals have been working overtime it may result in an increase or decrease in your cortisol levels. An imbalance in cortisol levels can negatively impact your digestion and immune response. Some symptoms you may experience are:
- Chronic fatigue
- Anxiety
- Poor memory
- Body aches
- Poor digestion
- Low libido
- Lightheadedness
- Weight gain or loss
HOW TO KEEP YOUR ADRENALS HEALTHY
If you suspect adrenal fatigue, I recommend following these tips. I also advise getting your adrenals tested with a Naturopathic Doctor. Let’s discuss how to maintain optimal adrenal function.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Even if you aren’t experiencing adrenal fatigue, stress management is good for overall health. Simple practices you can implement to reduce stress are:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Diffusing essential oils like lavender
- Planning out your week in advance
- Laugh often
- Sleep 8 -10 hours
- Drink herbal tea
- Take a bath
- Limit screen time
- Journaling
- Learning how to say no
- Exercise
- Spending time outdoors
- Knowing that you can only control your actions and reactions
EAT CLEAN
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates
The benefits of consuming a diet rich in whole foods are endless. It’s been proven that it can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. I recommend to eat foods that will support your overall health and avoid foods that may be detrimental. Here are my tips for optimal nutrition for adrenal health.
Foods to limit:
- Refined sugar
- Processed foods
- Animal products
- Excessive amounts of alcohol and caffeine
Foods to consume:
- Legumes
- Dark leafy greens
- Fruits
- Whole grains
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Veggies
- Fermented foods like kimchi
- Small amounts of Celtic or Himalayan salt
- Healthy fats like avocado
- Turmeric tea
- Adaptogenic herbs like Holy Basil aka Tulsi, Ashwaganda, Maca, and Cordyceps
REST AND RESTORE
Sometimes we need to schedule in down time. As a society we often associate being busy with being productive. While that may be true in some cases, I believe that we need to also schedule in relaxation days. We need more days where we have nothing scheduled other than rest. No cleaning, working out, or running errands, just rest.
THE TAKEAWAY
I hope you are able to restore your adrenal health with these simple tips. Our body is not compartmentalized, everything works together as a whole. These tips are geared towards your adrenal glands, however I believe that it will have a positive impact in your overall health.
Use this information as a guide to take control of your health. I encourage you to team up with a Naturopathic Doctor so they can help you on your journey.
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