Adrenal Stress Support

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It is estimated that 80% of Americans are dealing with adrenal stress and are unaware. We tend to think we just don’t feel well. Others try to diagnose the symptoms and think they have some other disorder. The symptons that we experience from adrenal stress can be very similar to many other illness, there for we often miss the real problem.

The following is a list of symptoms of adrenal stress

• Insomnia
• Tired in the morning even though we have had a full nights rest
• Lack of energy during the day for no apparent reason
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Frequent heart pounding
• Mild depression
• Slight constipation
• Weight gain around the waist
• Difficulty concentrating
• Cold hands and feet
• Stiffness in the neck and upper back causing occasional headaches
• Hair loss, more then normal
• Feet and hands are always cold
• Lack of a sex drive

If you are experiencing more then half of these symptoms then you may be experiencing adrenal stress.

What causes adrenal stress?

Stress is one of the major causes of this illness. The reason so many people in America are suffering from adrenal stress is that we have such busy stressful lives theses days. It seems our days never end. We are inundated with responsibilities in the work place and at home. We have bills that need to be paid and meals we need to create. Our todo lists never end. Then there are the occasional hassles that life throws at us out of no where that can’t be ignored. Well, I could go on and on here.

It is no wonder so many people suffer. Our bodies have no idea how to deal with so much stress. We experience anger and fear, guilt and we can’t sleep when something is bothering us. We don’t eat correctly. All these things and more end with chronic illness and fatigue.

What is happening in our bodies

We have two small adrenal glands that are located above the kidney. These adrenal glands secrete steroid hormones in a cycle. The highest secretion being in the morning and the lowest in the evening.

If your adrenal glands function abnormally you may have a hard time getting up in the morning or feel like you are in need of a nap during the day.

There is a lot to cover on this topic. And as the days go on I will try to get to the causes and how to deal with disorder. There are a lot of things that can be done naturally to get you through this. And I hope to offer inspiration and advice that will help.

And remember, with 80% of the US effected you are not alone. And believe me, I am right there with you.

adrenal disorder

The adrenal glands are responsible for many functions within the body. But there are two functions that are getting a lot of attention lately. The adrenal glands release hormones that are directly related to stress. When the adrenal glands are functioning normally, it allows the body to deal with stress appropriately. When dealing with adrenal this order, it can play having with the body.

When the adrenal glands do not work as intended, it can cause weight gain. This is because of two things; the release of too much cortisol in the adrenal glands will cause the body to be hungry and at the same time tells the body to slow down the metabolism rate. This is an old genetic design in the body from the caveman days.

Adrenal disorder can go on to cause many serious problems within the body. But the good news is that it can be corrected with proper nutrition, supplements, and exercise.

The adrenal system is responsible for producing several hormones that the body needs to function normally. We have all heard the “fight or flight” term. A primal function to protect us from harm. Hardly used in today’s society, but still, it’s there just in case.

Well what about those situations we run into where our adrenal glands kick in, wanting us to “fight or flight”? We now deal with them at a civilized level. We don’t run when we are confronted with a situation at work that we don’t like. And we certainly can’t beat up our coworkers or our boss.

We need to find other ways to deal with our daily stress. The following are a couple ideas on what you can do to lower your stress levels.

• Exercise daily (it doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise)
• Eat healthier (make sure you are getting your vegetables and protein)
• Breathing exercises are a great relaxer
• Take a daily supplement (just eating healthy alone does not supply our bodies with everything it needs)

Your adrenal glands, located just above your kidneys, are responsible for producing hormones for you body. These hormones are responsible for regulating organ function. When our adrenal glans stop working properly you start experiencing many side effects. These side effects can come on slowly to the point that you may not even realize it.

Some of the side effects related to adrenal dysfunction:

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Feeling like you are going to pass out
• Rapid heart beat
• Shortness of breath
• Short term memory loss
• Weakness
• Body aches
• Head aches
• Low sex drive
• Anxiety

And the list goes on…

A very severe case of adrenal dysfunction could be Addison’s Disease. With Addison’s Disease the symptoms and risks to your health are much more severe.

Some of the symptoms of Addison’s Disease:

• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Extremely low blood pressure
• Mood change
• Weight loss
• Kidney Failure

There are many different reasons that you could be experiencing adrenal dysfunction. The most common is stress, but there are other possibilities. Some of the other causes are environmental, genetics, kidney injury, surgery, head injuries.

We all know to well what stress is. We have such busy lives. It starts when we wake up and it doesn’t even seem to stop when we go to sleep. If you are like me, even when you lay down for the night your mind is still working. Your thinking about the day you just had, the day you will have tomorrow, and everything that still needs to be done. And oh isn’t life wonderful, the way it throws all those extras at us to deal with?

It’s the way our bodies deal with stress that seems hard to control. Sure, you can tell yourself your not going to worry about this and that, but you do…deep down inside you do. All this worrying and stress depletes our adrenal glands causing us adrenal exhaustion.

Seems like our bodies are in a constant “fight or flight” response. But “fight or flight” is not an option for us anymore. If you have a bad day at work, sure, you probably do want to beat somebody up, or run out the door. But it’s just not the way we have evolved. So when we are forced to deal with to much stress in our lives we are left with depleted adrenal glands.

When we are faced with repeated chronic stress the adrenal glands sustain high levels of cortisol. After a period of time the adrenal glands can not keep up with hormonal regulation. You see..the adrenals are also responsible for other hormonal regulation. And when we are under a lot of stress our adrenal glands are to busy creating cortisol to deal with our stress. When this happens our adrenals are unable to do the other jobs they are suppose to do.

As time goes on we will find ourselves facing issues like weight gain, fatigue, depression, unable to concentrate will, craving sugar or salty foods.

Basic Tips on Dealing With Adrenal Stress:

• Learn to deal with stress
• Learning to eat healthier
• Regular exercise
• Supplements

photo credit: greg westfall.

Cortisol is a hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is responsible for glucose metabolism, regulating blood pressure, our immune system and our inflammatory response.

In the morning our bodies contain the highest levels of cortisol, and it is at its lowest level in the evening.

When we are under constant stress our adrenal glands release higher levels of cortisol. It is responsible for several stress-related changes in the body. For example, when we are in danger a high level release of cortisol will give us a burst of energy helping us to deal with a dangerous situation.

It is important for the body to regain normal cortisol levels. This allows the body to return to normal functions. But today our lives can be very stressful, causing a constant stream of cortisol to be released from our dream implants. Because of this our bodies don’t always return to a normal state.

If you find yourself feeling tired all the time, you may want to consider making a few changes in your life. Such as trying to relax more, eating healthier, getting regular exercise, and adding supplements to your daily diet.

Cortisol and stress gone unchecked can lead to serious diseases. Being under constant stress and having low cortisol levels can bring down your immune system, slowing down your body’s chance to fight off infection.

It is not a big deal’s long as we can make the changes that will allow her body to recover from constant stress. But the consequences, if we do not take care of ourselves, can be deadly.