Are you feeling tired and you don’t know why? It could be adrenal fatigue.

Do you ever wake up and feel tired? It’s a strange feeling and if it happens on a consistent basis, there may be an underlying problem. 

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Well let us start with what the adrenal glands do to help you live. Located right above your kidneys, the adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system. They work closely with other organs in your endocrine system (hypothalamus, pituitary, pancreas, thyroid, etc.) to produce balancing hormones. These hormones assist in balancing your body’s blood sugar, hydration levels, and libido. 

Adrenal fatigue occurs when there is an inadequate production of any of the hormones from the adrenal glands. 

Symptoms

• Fatigue, but also insomnia
• Weight issues
• Brain fog
• Anxiety
• Body aches
• Irritability
• Craving sweet or salty foods
• Decreased libido
• Hair loss
• Difficulty concentrating

Causes

Adrenal fatigue can be controversial because some in the medical community question its existence. It’s not something that is often taught in medical school because people often experience different and non-specific symptoms. Other doctors diagnose it as stress, depression or even fibromyalgia. 

The one thing that is certain is that the adrenal glands get overwhelmed during periods of stress.  The causes of stress on the body include exposure to toxins, lack of sleep or exercise, and poor nutrition. 

So, what kind of foods should you avoid?

• Sugar (as well as artificial sweeteners) – too much sugar causes instability in your blood sugar levels and burdens your adrenals.
• Caffeine – not only does caffeine interfere with your sleep cycles, it also stimulates your adrenal glands. Now, this isn’t entirely bad, but if you’re drinking several cups of coffee and soda a day, it can lead to your adrenals becoming depleted.
• Processed food – foods that contain preservatives are hard to digest and this creates more work & stress on your digestive system.
• Hydrogenated oils – oils (other than healthy oils, like olive or avocado) cause inflammation, especially in the endocrine system. Avoid vegetable, soybean, corn and canola oil. 
• Gluten – we know that for many gluten causes inflammation and irritation in your digestive tract. And poor digestion creates adrenal stress.
• Dairy – similar to gluten, dairy does inflame the digestive system which also makes it harder for your body to process nutrients. 

It’s quite simple, any sort of toxicity in the body (especially from heavy metals) can lead to adrenal fatigue.  If you’re interested in getting tested for infections and toxicity, contact a qualified health coach to help reduce your toxic burden.    

Treatment for Adrenal Fatigue

It’s no secret that since I am a holistic health practitioner, I focus a lot on the foods we eat. As a result, I firmly believe that your diet is the first thing to consider when suffering from any condition.

If you are experiencing adrenal fatigue, it’s recommended that you add these nutrient-dense, whole foods to your diet:

• Coconut
• Avocado
• Olives
• Raw vegetables
• Fatty fish
• Organic chicken & turkey
• Nuts & seeds

In addition, it’s important to take supplements to treat your adrenal fatigue. Supplements like fish oil, magnesium, vitamin B12, vitamin C and zinc are great to boost your adrenal function.

Essential Oils for Adrenal Fatigue

Essential oils are also considered an effective treatment for adrenal fatigue because many of them stimulate the adrenal glands, including:

• Basil
• Clove
• Geranium
• Rosemary
• Peppermint

Add 5 drops of each of the oils listed above into a roller bottle, then fill the rest of the bottle up with fractionated coconut oil.  Each morning and each night, roll on your lower back on both sides where your adrenals are located. Click here to get these essential oils and products for adrenal fatigue.

Finally, you must remember to take care of your body and mind. If lack of sleep or stress is also a factor in your adrenal fatigue, it’s necessary to rest when you’re tired, minimize stress, and exercise.

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Leann Forst, MBA, CHC, CEOC — Holistic Health Practitioner

Leann is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and Certified Essential Oils Coach. She holds a Master’s degree from Drake University and a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University. Accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, Leann is an award winning author of 2 books “How to Get Your Kids to Beg for Veggies” and “100 Ways to Lose Weight”.

Born and raised as an Iowa farm girl, she moved to Texas in 1998 where she lives with her husband and 2 kids.

As a wife of a brain cancer survivor, Leann has a special interest in anti-cancer nutrition and detoxification. She works with individuals and groups, and speaks regularly at hospitals, schools and organizations. Leann’s goal is to teach people how to attain optimal health by getting to the root cause of chronic and inflammatory conditions, while using healing modalities such as essential oils. Click here to get Leann’s free report, “37 Cancer Facts You Should Know…But Probably Don’t”

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

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