Alternatives To Adrenal Supplements
Unfortunately, several disorders can cause the symptoms that adrenal fatigue describes. While there’s no evidence for adrenal fatigue, the ailments are real and frustrating. Instead of taking the risk and developing adrenal cocktail side effects, consider getting to the bottom of the symptoms.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, many people who believe they have adrenal fatigue actually have either lupus or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Not only do expensive adrenal support supplements put patients at risk for negative side effects, but they fail to treat underlying disorders.
Finding a doctor who takes your symptoms seriously and insists on finding the real problem can make a significant difference in your health. However, you might feel stuck with symptoms in the meantime. Try to manage each symptom individually while you wait for test results. For example, you can try safe and effective home remedies for muscle soreness.
I Cant Shed Any Pounds No Matter How Little Or How Well I Eat
Blame it on: High and low cortisol
Do you:
- Hate getting dressed in the morning because you have to find new ways to disguise the extra kilos that keeping appearing on your belly?
- Feel distressed by unpredictable fluid retention that makes you look puffy in the face, tummy and legs?
- Struggle to shed any kilos or even just maintain your current dress size even though you eat right for your body and exercise regularly?
- Complain that even if you ate nothing but air you still wouldnt lose any weight?
Then its highly likely you have adrenal fatigue. Its well accepted that stress and weight gain go hand in hand.
The culprit? Cortisol. The impacts of high cortisol can easily be seen in people who suffer Cushings disease, a condition that causes chronic excess cortisol. Cushings sufferers experience round puffy faces, high blood pressure and weight gain, particularly around the belly and chest.
But similar side effects can occur if you are exposed to sustained stress. Suddenly you pack on more pounds even though youre not eating more food. And exercise doesnt shift it either.
What Is Adrenal Fatigue
When the body experiences things like stress or illness, your adrenal glands become stimulated, and release the appropriate hormones. But what happens when youre in a constant state of stress? Things seem to be difficult at work, at home, and in your personal life. And it feels like these difficulties keep compounding on a daily basis. Your adrenal glands then become overstimulated, no longer releasing hormones at proper levels, placing the body in a perpetual state of fight or flight. And the consequences of this become readily apparent in your body.
Adrenal fatigue is a phrase to describe the bodys weakened state from the flooding of fight or flight hormones due to chronic stress. Constantly feeling stressed and worried causes the adrenal glands to work in overdrive, causing them to become worn out and exhausted. Your body no longer produces these hormones in the proper levels.
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Is Adrenal Fatigue Real
The concept of adrenal exhaustion or adrenal fatigue has become popular, but there is considerable debate about whether or not the condition is actually real.
In general, adrenal fatigue is an unproven diagnosis. While many people believe that it exists, there currently is not enough science to back the concept up. Additionally, many of the symptoms of adrenal fatigue can also occur as the result of other conditions.
For example, depression and sleep apnea can produce many of the same symptoms.
Its also worth noting that some authors cite problems like depression and poor diet as potential causes of adrenal exhaustion . Yet, those problems are associated with many of the same symptoms as adrenal exhaustion itself. This reinforces the idea that adrenal exhaustion may not actually be occurring at all.
Realistically, there is little evidence that adrenal fatigue exists and many other conditions and lifestyle factors that can cause similar symptoms.
But, at the same time, we do know that the adrenal glands play a key role in balancing the hormone levels in the body . Likewise, cortisol is one of the hormones that the adrenal glands influence, and this is considered to be the stress hormone.
There is the potential for the adrenal glands to become overloaded and not function correctly but as of yet, there is little research to support the concept.
The Case of Addisons Disease
Does it Matter?
Thats only one aspect of lifestyle.
Overuse Of Stimulants Like Sugar And Caffeine
Are you one of those people whose day revolves around finding your next shot of caffeine? If so, youre not alone! Millions of people rely on stimulants like coffee and sugar to lift them up when they get tired. However, theres a big difference between drinking an occasional coffee and consuming stimulants all through the day.
The problem is that stimulants tend to lose their effectiveness over time. As chronic stress takes its toll on your endocrine system, each cup of coffee or sugary snack gives you less of an energy boost. Caffeine can prevent you from getting a good sleep too. The more stressed and tired you become, the more stimulants you need. This vicious cycle is how many people unwittingly accelerate their decline into hormonal dysregulation and extreme fatigue.
It doesnt have to be this way. Simply becoming more mindful of your caffeine and sugar consumption will often help to reduce it. Limit yourself to one or two coffees each day at first, then try to give it up entirely. Eat a nutritious, healthy diet, and try some of these low sugar recipes. Look for low glycemic fruits instead of sugary dried fruits or fruit juices. Learn how to improve your sleep hygiene so you wont feel the need for those stimulants. And identify ways to work more efficiently during the day, so you take rests when needed.
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Hormones That Can Cause Your Fatigue Weight Gain And Mood Changes
Something we know for sure is this we all have hormones. These chemical messengers in your body are sent to your organs and tissues to perform a certain function. The communication that happens between your hormones and organs control major metabolic processes within your body, such as mood, energy, weight, temperature regulation and even digestion. An imbalance in these little guys are often what causes us to look at our health a little more closely, because its only until they are not working optimally that we remember we even have them.
Well discuss some of the most common hormone imbalances we see in our patients. Sometimes when you identify one hormone imbalance, you may find that it could be linked to another hormone imbalance, giving you the pieces of the puzzle you have been looking for!
1. Thyroid:
What you may experience with suboptimal thyroid:
- Feeling tired and exhausted
- Feelings of coldness in hands and feet
- Insomnia
- Thin/scanty eyebrows
- Thinning, dry and brittle hair
- Scattered brain
2. Cortisol:
What you may experience with an imbalance in cortisol:
- Poor stress response
3. Insulin:
What you may experience when insulin resistance is present:
- Blurred vision
What Is The Best Adrenal Fatigue Diet To Lose Weight
The weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar business. Despite that fact, you probably know by now that there is no magic pill, potion, or exercise routine that will banish belly fat instantly.
As mentioned, no two bodies are the same, so what works for one person might not work for another.
Before deciding on a diet to address your adrenal fatigue weight gain, its essential to figure out what caused the fatigue in the first place.
Is stress to blame? What about toxins? Do you have a nutrient deficiency?
This is wherefrom HealthierU comes in.
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What Supplements Help Adrenal Fatigue
There are several categories of supplements that can help to treat adrenal fatigue. They should be used in combination with lifestyle changes like avoiding stress, improving diet, and getting more sleep.
There are a few basic nutrients that are particularly important for supporting the adrenal glands and HPA axis, especially during times of stress. These include vitamins B5, B6, and B12, vitamin C, and magnesium. Omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, and probiotics can also be tremendously supportive during this time.
Herbal supplements can be useful for regulating cortisol levels and moderating the stress response. These include ashwagandha, licorice, Rhodiola rosea, Siberian ginseng, and maca.
For the best results, discuss your supplementation with your healthcare professional. Here is some more information on supplements for adrenal fatigue.
How To Overcome Adrenal Fatigue And Weight Gain Change Your Diet
I have many resources around eating well for adrenal health. Everything Ive said before both in my article eating for adrenal glands, and in my book, Is It Me or My Adrenals? applies here too. Here are a few brief suggestions to remember:
Eat Regular Meals and Two Snacks Per Day
Eat on a regular basis to convince your body that it is not starving and that its not in danger. Keeping your blood sugar stable prevents the release of large amounts of cortisol and, in the long run, decreases the burden on the adrenal glands. I recommend that you eat three balanced meals and two snacks per day. Make sure they are at intervals throughout the day that work with your bodies natural circadian rhythm.
Eating at the Right Times Does Matter
Cortisol has a natural rhythm, that works well with your circadian rhythm. Typically, cortisol is highest in the morning, and decreases gradually as the day progresses it is lowest at night so restful sleep can occur. Eating increases cortisol, so ideally youll eat your largest meal early in the day, giving your body the time it needs to process it for optimal well-being.
Have Your Favorite Foods Readily Available
- blueberries
- avocado
- lean proteins
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Tip #: Holy Moly Holy Basil
Holy basil, otherwise known as Ocimum sanctum, is just another step in helping combat the cortisol and body fat issue. Studies being done on humans, using holy basil, have shown that the leaf lowers stress13.
Therefore, the less stress, the less cortisol your body is producing to combat that stress. Adrenal fatigue weight loss can start in your diet, and holy basil might just be one of the pillars combating this imbalance of cortisol.
Key Insight: Working basil into your diet is simple, whether youre using it as a pesto or simply topping it on some of your favorite recipes.
Even in 2017, it appears as though we might be more stressed than ever. Whether its the pressures of work, family, or something else, were always feeling pushed upon by the world. That doesnt mean that we should run out of hope, though, because the answer is right in front of us.
All we have to do is make healthy living a routine, with habits that we can easily work into our lives to combat the negative effects of stress and cortisol in our bodies. This is all the simple answer to how to lose weight with adrenal fatigue and hypothyroid at play.
Have you been feeling stressed?
So, how do you speed up weight loss? Especially with adrenal fatigue and hypothyroid, its about making a change that is not only effective, but is sustainable on a long-term basis.
Changing the way you diet and exercise can make stress a thing of the past. Or, at least, how your body reacts to stress can be eliminated entirely.
Tip #: Meal Replacements For Adrenal Fatigue Weight Loss
The formula is simple: 2 shakes + 1 meal. The effects of meal replacement strategies have been well-researched and is a proven way to safely remove those unsightly pounds from your belly6.
Two low-carb, high fiber shakes per day, followed by a low-calorie meal is all it takes. This will help keep your adrenaline surges in check, and will help you manage your cravings with ease.
Meal replacement plans help speed up weight loss and create a large amount of it at the same time. While also providing improvement in weight management, inflammation and oxidative stress7.
Basically, it is a way of giving your body what it needs. All done without giving into the tried-and-true cravings which keep us from cutting those inches from our waistline.
Key Insight: 2 shakes + 1 meal = an effective weight loss strategy.
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Im Always Getting Sick Or I Take A Long Time To Recover
Blame it on: High adrenalin and cortisol
Apart from stress management, the adrenals are also responsible for regulating your immune system. Remember a problematic project at work or a family crises that took time to resolve? You had sufficient energy and focus to get through the hard time . But, as soon as it was over, you fell sick. Sound familiar?
Ongoing stress can weaken the adrenals so much so that they are not able to sufficiently stimulate the immune system to keep you healthy. Im not just talking here about superficial conditions like cold and flu but more serious ones like cancer or autoimmune conditions.
I vividly remember my interview with Dr. Veronique , of The Breast Cancer Conqueror, who in spite of being that super healthy person, developed breast cancer.
Let’s Talk About Metabolism
Before we dive into the adrenals, we need to address the metabolism elephant in the room. I don’t typically recommend calorie restriction as the way to lose weight, and it’s because when you restrict calories, you “reset” your internal metabolism to get used to the new intake. So, when you first start this new “diet,” you’ll lose weight, but then after some period of time, the weight loss will stall out. This is because your body has become “used to” the new caloric intake level and adjusted accordingly.
In addition, when you go on a “diet” it implies a temporary state, and then inevitably, when you stop your “diet” you gain all the weight back that you lost. This is because you trained your body to get by on a smaller amount of calories, so when you increase the calories, you gain weight. An effective weight-loss plan needs to be designed around the quality of the food, the nutrient density, and the avoidance of processed and sugary foods.
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Tackling Adrenal Fatigue For Weight Loss
Individuals gain weight for a variety of reasons. There’s usually not one glaring culprit for weight gain, but instead, a variety of factors that contribute to the problem. From your diet and exercise routine to your genetics and external factors like stress, there are a myriad of reasons why you might be putting on the pounds. In recent years, many doctors and scientists have been focusing on adrenal fatigue as a possible contributing factor towards weight gain. Adrenal fatigue is a process during which the body releases cortisol, a hormone that helps regulate sugars and fats, and some studies have shown that adrenal fatigue and cortisol play a role in a vicious cycle of weight gain.
It would be nice if you could simply snap your fingers to make weight loss easy. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. There’s no magic solution that makes losing weight easy. Safe and healthy weight loss requires time, effort, and dedication, but it’s our goal to work with you every step of the way to achieve positive results. One of the approaches we often recommend, based on the needs and lifestyle of the particular patient, is to focus on adrenal fatigue. By combating adrenal fatigue, many of our patients have reported positive results on their medical weight loss journey.
What is Adrenal Fatigue?
How is Adrenal Fatigue Diagnosed?
How Does Adrenal Fatigue Impact Your Weight?
How Can You Fix Adrenal Fatigue?
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After A Really Stressful Week My Belly Suddenly Looks Bigger
Even women who have a healthy weight, have excess abdominal fat if theyre stressed, shows research from the University of Yale:
This study also showed that women who reported more stress in their lives, also secreted higher levels of cortisol in response to doing stressful tasks.
Cortisols job is to ensure you have enough energy to get through an emergency. And when stress triggers you to release cortisol it remains in your system for around nine hours . When in high circulation, cortisol can widen your waistline because it:
- Triggers gluconeogenesis: Cortisol wants high levels of blood glucose and other fuel sources in your bloodstream. Now. To produce that quick energy it triggers your liver and muscles to release and break down stored protein and fat as well as glycogen, so you have readily available blood glucose. But if the cause of your stress is a huge house repair bill or fight with your boss, you cant burn up that blood glucose through fighting someone or sprinting away. So you end up with an excess of sugars in your bloodstream, which usually get stored as fat.
- Makes you store tummy fat: Cortisol tells your brain youre under threat. If that threat appears day after day, it tells your body to lay down fat cells in your tummy and start storing fat there in case food becomes scarce. Those fat cells in your belly also contain more cortisol receptors.
So when youre stressed, along with the adrenal glands, your fat cells release cortisol too .
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Make Sure You Have Nutritious Enjoyable Foods On
Sugary snacks and caffeine are convenient for a quick burst of energy. They will give you that energy spike, but then leave you feeling worse after your blood sugar crashes.
Try replacing those convenient snacks with healthy, nutritious options. Fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins are always good choices. Try adding some of these options:
- Fruits like blueberries, apples, dates, or bananas
- Vegetables like avocados, broccoli, or edamame
- Lean proteins like turkey, nuts, or beans
