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Do You Have ADRENAL FATIGUE?

Category: General Information | Permalink

Published: Thursday, June 16, 2011

Adrenals are SO important to keep healthy. Why?

They are necessary for energy production, fat burning and hormone production, especially after menopause.

Adrenals are the Glands of stress and the first glands to fail under stressful conditions.

Adrenal Fatigue occurs when:

Daily stresses add up over time. The adrenals eventually become "exhausted" and stress tolerance declines dramatically. You become very distressed. Think of it as a "leaky boat", you have to "plug the hole" or you will sink!

In our mother's day, adrenal fatigue was often called a "Nervous Breakdown"

BODY BURDENS RELATED TO ADRENAL FATIGUE

Low adrenal function contributes to:

Fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue
Rheumatoid arthritis
Lack of libido
Allergies
Feeling overwhelmed
Environmental sensitivities
Premature menopause
Auto immune diseases

ADRENAL FATIGUE IS NOT NEW!

The first cases were seen in 1898 in France following a severe flu epidemic. According to Dr. James Wilson, whom I call Americas Adrenal Doctor, "80% of Americans suffer from AF, the other 20% are in denial."

I find that adrenal fatigue is not properly diagnosed or treated.

People wander from doctor to doctor looking for help that never comes!

Guess what?

If you have low adrenal function, even treating your hypothyroid will not alleviate all of your symptoms.

Dr. Wilson Says: At the beginning of adrenal fatigue, the disease is difficult to recognize but EASY to treat.

At the end, the disease is easy to recognize but DIFFICULT to treat.

He says: "All peri-menopausal & menopausal women should be on adrenal supplements for at least 2-4 months"

SELF TEST:

If you can say: "After (event) I was never the same." It is most probable you have had an adrenal onslaught which has caused A.F.

A.F. Symptoms:

Wake up tired

Crave salt (you have no aldotestosterone, can't maintain your sodium levels)
Lethargy
Everything takes more effort, you feel exhausted
Irritable
Muscle weakness (due to low cortisol/low testosterone)
Episodic energy (not consistent)
Liver spots
Crave high fat foods
Crave salt & caffeine
Feel helpless
Dry, thin skin
Hair loss
Weight gain
Increased marital discord
Low libido
Increased allergies
Hyperventilation: frequent sighing
Asthma, frequent colds
Skin rashes

A.F. Energy Pattern

Best sleep is not at night but 7am-9am
You feel better after lunch
2-4 pm= low feelings
Around 6 pm you feel the best of the day

Aggravating Factors. These must change or you will not heal!

Constant life or work stress
Poor dietary habits
Unhappy relationships (work/home)
Lack of exercise of any type
Insufficient enjoyable activities
No control over how you spend your time

On Dr. Wilson's adrenal questionnaire, a score above 40 equals some degree adrenal fatigue

Email or call for a copy of the questionnaire! 877-539-6200

What To Do?

ADRENAL FATIGUE TREATMENT via LIFESTYLE CHANGES

You should not feel like this in the morning

Get sleep: bad sleep & bad adrenals go together. The adrenals repair at night

Bed by 9-9:30 pm
Try to sleep until 9 am if at all possible during the rebuilding stage
No nightly news, no horror movies, no animals in the bed!
Lie down on breaks for 15-30 minutes (at 10 am & between 3-5) if at

all possible

Alleviate the stressful situation (as best you can)
Laugh (enhances parapathetic system)
Chew food really well (30 times per mouthful)
Don't get out of bed until you think of something pleasant
Eliminate "energy suckers" from your life, including people
Increase protein intake: decrease carbs. (Vegans are difficult to heal from A.F.)
Eat regular meals. This is VERY helpful. (Email or call for the handout: How To Eat With Adrenal Fatigue 877 539-6200)
Raise your salt intake. Put salt in water until it tastes good to great, then drink it
No fruit in the morning
Very mild exercise if you can (increases low cortisol, decreases high cortisol)
Spend some time with a friend
Take a daily "Joy Break"

MAKE A "Good for Me" / "Bad for Me" list:

Make 2 columns. In the next 6 months try to concentrate on the "Good For Me" listings. Slowly eliminate the "Bad for Me"

A.F. Treatment With Supplements

Excellent complete formulas by Dr. James Wilson will help.

For mild-moderate A.F.:

Super Adrenal Stress Formula
Adrenal C Formula

Separate nutrients:

Pregnenelone (precursor to adrenal hormones) 25 mg at night
Phosphatidylserine
Siberian Ginseng

For Severe A.F.

Use these with the other supplements.

Adrenal Rebuilder - (By Dr. Wilson) contains glandular extracts which will heal deplenished adrenals. 6 capsules daily for several months. Severe cases: take for 1 year.

Also for severe cases, you can use actual cortisol (Isocort, Cortef) in addition to the glandulars. After 6 months, you withdraw the cortisol.

For children: Crush any of these and put in food. Children respond very well. (Adrenal supplements can actually decrease asthma in children.)

Other Helpful Nutrients:

Melatonin 3-6 mg at night
L-Theonine/GABA 200 mg or more (increases alpha brain waves)
Calming herbal teas: passion flower, lemon balm

Time Frame to Healing Adrenal Fatigue

Mild 6-9 months

Moderate 12-18 months

Severe 12-24 months

The Good News: When healed your gland will stop struggling and you will feel like yourself again!

If you do not wish to purchase a complete formula, here are the separate healing nutrients.

Niacin 125-150 mg/day
B6 150 mg/day
Vitamin C 2000-5000 mg/day
Vitamin E 800 IU/day
Calcium 400 mg in the morning
Magnesium 800 mg in the evening
Licorice (unless you have high blood pressure) It elevates cortisol levels and keeps receptor sites active

LAB TESTS for Cortisol levels

Blood - not a great way to test for A.F.

Best are urine, saliva (4 vials of saliva are sent to a lab)

You can order your own tests from ZRT laboratories and have the results sent directly to you.

Beloveds, This is now an epidemic, even in children. Let's stop it now for you and your family!

I have a college aged son on a regimen of good adrenal support for the past two years. He definitely notices the difference. My husband and I do not miss a day of our adrenal support. It's too important! - Barbara Hoffman