How Important Is Following The Adrenal Fatigue Diet For Recovery
Following the Adrenal Fatigue Diet is crucial for recovering from Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, or AFS. Proper nutrition is one of the key components to healing the adrenal glands and there are certain foods that must be avoided to ensure additional stress is not placed on the body.
“Thank You”
“Thank you. An honest response. You are certainly no quack – congratulations for your work in the alternative field. It is certainly hard to find a mainstream medical doctor who knows anything alternative. Even chiropractors have been labeled quacks. Things are changing for the better. Live long, and prosper, Dr Lam. I will continue to refer to your site for quality information.”
What Causes Adrenal Fatigue
Stress. Lots of it. “Adrenal fatigue is a condition caused by overstimulation of the adrenal glands due to long-term stress,” says Axe.
When you’re stressed the adrenal glands are being told to release cortisol into your bloodstream. When you’re overstressed, they’re constantly churning out cortisol, which overworks them and wears them down, says Axe. “And in the long term, this chronic stress interferes with their ability to do their job and produce cortisol when they need to.” This is when adrenal fatigue sets in.
“Adrenal fatigue hits when you can no longer produce enough cortisol, due to having been under chronic stress for a long period of time,” explains Dr. Berman.
To be very clear: This doesn’t mean one stressful day in the office or even a stressful week or month, but rather a p-r-o-l-o-n-g-e-d period of heightened stress. For example, months of doing high–intensity exercise like HIIT or CrossFit five or more times a week, working 60 hours per week, dealing with family/relationship/friend drama, and not getting sufficient sleep. (
Working With Your Natural Cortisol Cycle Timing Meals And Snacks To Support Healthy Cortisol Levels & Energy
Cortisol levels follow a natural cycle that aligns with your circadian rhythm. Normally, cortisol begins to rise around 6:00 AM and reaches its highest peak around 8:00 AM. Throughout the day, cortisol gradually and naturally declines with small upward bumps at mealtimes to prepare your body for nighttime rest. You can see in the chart below why timing your meals and snacks can help balance cortisol levels.
If you cant stick to the recommended timing for meals and snacks every day, keep these guidelines in mind:
Breakfast: Women tell us they often dont feel hungry in the morning. But having a nutritious breakfast within an hour of rising energizes your metabolism and supports your cortisol levels throughout the day. Include a little protein to make sure it sticks with you an egg, some yogurt, or even refried beans are good options.
Lunch: Eating your largest meal in the middle of the day helps keep cortisol in balance. Lunch is often rushed or gobbled down at a desk between work tasks. Instead, take plenty of time to eat, and choose a more relaxed setting if possible. Tranquil mealtimes are essential for good adrenal health.
Dinner: Try to eat an early dinner . If this is just too early to accomplish, you can at least make your evening meal the lightest one of the day. Many women tell us they tend to overeat at dinner and before bed. Unfortunately, a full stomach and the stress hormones it triggers can prevent restful sleep .
Recommended Reading: How To Recover From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Other Nutrients Valuable To Adrenal Health
Vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients found in a pharmaceutical-grade supplement are essential to restoring adrenal health, and supporting the entire endocrine system. Not only can they help the healing process, but they can provide extra nutrition to our cells, and support proper adrenal functioning every day. Following are some of the most important to adrenal function:
- Vitamins C, E and all the B vitamins help regulate stress hormones.
- Magnesium provides energy to the adrenal glands .
- Calcium and trace minerals including zinc, manganese, selenium, and iodine provide calming effects in the body. These mineral can reduce the stress of adrenal fatigue, which will help decrease unnecessary cortisol production.
Herbal support can help your body heal as well. Adaptogens are herbs that actually adapt to the individual needs of your body, providing the additional essential support your adrenals need. Begin with the first two herbs listed below, along with B vitamins. If you do not notice improvement within a few weeks, be sure to consult with a naturopathic or functional medicine provider for evaluation and a program that evaluates your specific needs.
Final Thoughts on Foods for Adrenal Fatigue
For more information, read our many informative articles in our adrenal health section and take our online Adrenal Health Quiz.
Recipes To Help With Adrenal Fatigue
All of us struggle with anxiety from time to time. But when stressful days turn into weeks, and those weeks turn into worn-out months, you may wonder if what youre actually experiencing is adrenal fatigue.
The theory behind the hotly debated condition goes something like this: When your body is in a state of constant, chronic stress, your adrenal glands become less effective at producing cortisol, the stress hormone that has multiple functions, from regulating blood pressure to decreasing inflammation. The result? Ambiguous but concerning symptoms that may include unexplained hair loss, body aches, and extreme exhaustion.
Its important to note that this condition is not officially recognized by the majority of conventional medical practitioners, who point to a lack of scientific evidence to support the diagnosis. Many are also concerned that attempts to treat the unproven condition may prevent individuals from properly addressing a deeper underlying health issue.
If youre concerned about any of the symptoms we mentioned earlier and/or are considering taking medications or supplements to address them, step one would be to talk to a health professional.
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Im Doing Something Fun Every Day
I love to read. I dont get to read as much in this season of life as I would like, but reading a bit before bed has become part of my nighttime routine.
Im sticking to print books to not strain my eyes, though!
For you, it might be a walk, sewing, crafting, baking, etc.
What is it that makes your soul come alive but you dont usually make time for because of a busy schedule?
Im learning that sticking to my office hours, closing the computer by 9:00 p.m. and going to bed earlier affords me the 15 to 30 minutes per day I need to unwind with a good book. This is relaxing and soul building.
Is It A Myth
Thereâs no science to back it up. The Endocrine Society, the worlds largest organization of endocrinologists , flatly says that adrenal fatigue is not a real disease. And it says the symptoms of adrenal fatigue are so general, they can apply to many diseases or conditions or stem from everyday life.
And the society says some of the treatments can be dangerous. Improving your diet will probably make you feel better, no matter what ailment you have, but taking unidentified supplements to help your body produce extra cortisol if you dont need them may cause your adrenal glands to stop working, it warns.
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The Adrenal Glands And High Cortisol Levels
Research shows that when we experience chronic stress, our adrenal glandsthe tiny glands that moderate the stress responsewill suffer. These walnut sized glands have an enormous job, producing many hormones that regulate our bodys functioning. This includes cortisol, a hormone activated when our stress levels rise, which signals our body to enter a heightened state of emergency.
But high cortisol levels are intended to be short term prolonged elevation of cortisol can create a myriad of issues in your body. The problem is, our adrenals do not know the difference between different kinds of stressors they continue to pump out cortisol whether we are stressed due to a true emergency or are managing lifes everyday stressors.
What happens when cortisol levels remain high? So many things: high cortisol levels interfere with many of our bodies functions, including our immune function, digestion, sleep, and even the ability to produce other essential hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid hormones. When these functions are compromised, you can develop high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess abdominal fat, and inflammation. And these issues, in turn, compromise overall health, mood, and even sex drive.
Adrenal Fatigue Development
Why Would Someone Do The Adrenal Fatigue Diet
If someone believes they may have adrenal fatigue, their go-to diet may need to be the adrenal fatigue diet plan to get the most success. But, another situation where you may want to try the adrenal fatigue diet is if you tried the healthy keto diet combined with intermittent fasting, and you didnt have any luck with it.
If you do the basic plan , and youre not getting the results youre looking for, then its time to move on to one of my body type diets. This includes the adrenal body type diet if your situation has to do with a problem with the adrenals.
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My name is Cecilia van Miltenburg. I am a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant and an Esthetician.
I am so happy that you are here, because it means that you care about your and your Loved Ones’ health and well-being, and you are ready to take action in order to achieve a happier and healthier You!
In the beginning of my carer when people used to ask me what I did for living I said that I was board certified in Holistic Nutrition. Most people just stared at me and did not know what to say. Perhaps they did not know what I really do for a living and they were scared to ask for clarification.
SO now when I am asked the same question, I just say that “I transform health for a living by teaching my clients how to achieve and maintain their best health by implementing dietary and lifestyle changes and more!”
Superfoods For Adrenal Fatigue Sufferers
Taking a step beyond the foods to eat and avoid listed above, there is also a small group of foods that can actually help you to recover more quickly from Adrenal Fatigue. These foods do not form part of the regular Western diet, although they are now increasingly common sights in our supermarkets and kitchens.
Bone broth Before meats became so easy to purchase in the supermarket, our ancestors made use of every single part of the animal. This included the bone marrow, which would provide them with valuable nutrition and which would often be given to sick individuals. Today, we can do just the same by making bone broth. Bone marrow has been proven to reduce inflammation, boost the immune system and encourage healthy cholesterol. It can also provide essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are easily absorbable in our intestines.
Seaweed Seaweeds are rich in minerals and phytonutrients that we might not get from the rest of our diet. They are delicious mixed into a salad or stirfry, and can often give a much-needed nutritional boost to a meal. Most supermarkets now carry a selection of different seaweed. I would recommend eating a good variety to get the most benefit.
Recommended Reading: Best Energy Supplements For Chronic Fatigue
Eat Regularly Timed Meals
Starvation=stress. Stress=elevated adrenaline and cortisol.
I know that your adrenal dysfunction may have caused unwanted weight-gain. But starving yourself thin just WILL NOT WORK. You know this. But maybe you get busy and forget to eat. Or maybe youve heard of the success of intermittent fasting and want to try this method to lose some weight. However, in our compromised condition, this will most likely backfire as cortisol levels increase in order to keep energy levels elevated.
On the other hand, we can actually use a well-thought-out dietary plan to help re-organize our cortisol function. By coordinating our meals with our circadian rhythm, we can restore proper functioning of our adrenals. As we mentioned here, cortisol is supposed to be highest in the morning, and eating a meal that contains all three macronutrients is important for keeping the cortisol levels steady.
The remainder of the meals need to be spaced evenly throughout the day, with lunch being fairly early , an afternoon snack between 23 , and an early dinner . If you enjoy late evening snacking, combining protein with a high-quality fat can stabilize blood sugar and help you sleep more soundly.
Menu Of Meals For Adrenal Fatigue
What you eat not only affects your energy levels, but how you physically feel as well. While adrenal fatigue is not a recognized medical condition, a healthy diet can help make those feeling run down from the stresses of life feel a little better. Consult your doctor before making changes to your diet, and discuss any ongoing fatigue to rule out an underlying medical condition.
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Adrenalcalm Includes Nutrition Backed By Science To Heal Your Adrenal Fatigue
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What To Eat And What Not To Eat For Adrenal Health
Stress often exposes our worst food choices. We reach for foods and drinks for instant energy and the brief moments of comfort cookies, doughnuts, coffee or soda. But craving sweets perfectly makes sense its your bodys normal response to low blood sugar.
Unfortunately, the surge of energy from these foods is followed by a plunge in energy and you end up feeling worse very quickly. Sugar and simple carbohydrates stimulate a spike in blood sugar and a subsequent surge in insulin that clears sugar from your bloodstream so fast that you crash. Complex carbohydrates dont cause this same spike-and-crash cycle, though too many carbs in general will still imbalance blood sugar.
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Eat At The Right Times
Too many of us follow a similar, unhealthy pattern. Skip breakfast, have a sandwich for lunch and then a big meal in the evening. If youre looking to make your Adrenal Fatigue worse, this is a great plan to follow!
The importance of breakfast for Adrenal Fatigue sufferers cannot be overstated. When we sit down at our breakfast tables we have been fasting for approximately 12 hours. Our bodies need fuel, and the need the right kind of fuel that is going to last us through the morning. At breakfast you should be eating a high quality source of protein combined with a small amount of high quality carbohydrates. A vegetable omelet or two poached eggs with blueberries would be two good examples. A healthy breakfast smoothie packed full of healthy fats would be another. The typical American breakfast, packed full of sugary cereals, waffles and more, is exactly what you shouldnt be eating.
Also be aware that Adrenal Fatigue sufferers struggle to maintain optimal blood sugar levels throughout the day. This is because cortisol is intimately involved with blood sugar stability. As a consequence, Adrenal Fatigue sufferers should focus on eating lots of small meals throughout the day, with a maximum of three intervals. This will help to reduce food cravings, blood sugar crashes and stresses on your HPA axis.
Sample Meal Plan For Adrenal Fatigue
- Breakfast : Sauteed greens and onions in 1 Tbsp coconut oil with 2 eggs or 4 oz leftover steak or chicken . Seasoned with sea salt, pepper and other desired herbs. Warm lemon water. Add a side of kimchi or Beet Kvass as a fermented food bonus.
- Snack : Carrots and celery sticks with 2 Tbsp almond butter .
- Lunch : Broccoli and Chicken salad with 1/2 cup brown rice, drizzle with grass-fed butter and spices. Sparkling water with lemon or decaf green tea.
- Snack : 1 oz Beef jerky and small handful cashews and 8-10 Terra chips .
- Dinner : Crockpot stew with more veggies than meat and a side of 3/4 cup baked sweet potato.
- Snack : Piece of fruit or whole-fat organic yogurt OR avocado slices on rice crackers OR small piece of cheese and berries .
Its amazing to think that our adrenals can take so much control over our lives especially when they are out of balance. When we allow them a chance to heal with proper nutrition, exercise, relaxation and sleep, our bodys natural rhythms will be supported and we will feel young again.
Update: I was recently introduced to an awesome website where you can learn more about adrenal fatigue and get awesome evidence-based information! They also have a great book with WAY more information than I can put into a blog post. I highly recommend.
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