Adrenal Fatigue: Expert Guides and Resources

Treating adrenal fatigue includes improving nutrition, replacing key nutrients, supplementing with antioxidants, reducing stress, and beginning a controlled exercise program. Before you can treat the condition, though, you need to recognize the symptoms that suggest you have adrenal fatigue.Recognizing the symptoms of adrenal fatigueIt’s hard to recognize the symptoms of adrenal fatigue for what they are.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating inflammatory arthritis that can cause adrenal fatigue and typically occurs in middle-aged individuals, but it can occur in people as young as their 20s and 30s. This deforming type of arthritis needs to be actively treated because, when full blown, it causes erosion of the joints.

The development of adrenal fatigue has five distinct phases: adrenal surge, sustained adrenal secretion, the turning point stage, adrenal decline, and adrenal exhaustion. Each of these produces a different effect on the body. Adrenal surge. A stimulus causes a rise in the secretion of cortisol and other hormones such as aldosterone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine from the adrenal glands.

At the most basic level, adrenal fatigue refers to chronically overworked and overstressed adrenal glands that can become completely exhausted over time. Picture yourself working double shifts for a month straight with little sleep and little opportunity to take a break and recover. You're tired and worn out, right?

Intestinal dysbiosis is a general term that refers to an unhealthy small intestine due to an imbalance in gastrointestinal bacteria. This can cause adrenal fatigue. You see the loss of the integrity of the intestinal cells; the tight junctions are worn down, and gaps exist between the cells. The cells have lost the glue that keeps them working well.

Diet plays an important role in managing adrenal fatigue. You need to know which foods to add to your diet and which foods to avoid. The foods listed here can acutely stress out an already fatigued adrenal gland. They may provide a short-term energy boost, but cause you to crash later in the day. Foods high in sugar Anything with high-fructose corn syrup Caffeinated beverages Energy drinks Carbonated beverages, especially colas (even if they’re caffeine-free) You also want to avoid any foods to which you have a sensitivity or allergy.

The health of your intestine is directly connected to the development of adrenal fatigue. Your intestine contains trillions of bacteria, which form an ecological community often referred to as an intestinal microbiome. These bacteria communicate with each other. They’re also important in regulating your immune system.

Work is one of the leading sources of stress in people’s daily lives, and stress is a key trigger of adrenal fatigue. The initial question is why your job is causing so much stress. Do you dislike your job? Is your boss driving you nuts? Do you like the job but hate the commute? After identifying why your work stress level is high, you can address the sources of stress and ease your adrenal fatigue.

Detoxing your way out of adrenal fatigue takes time and patience. Your body doesn’t have the reserves required to go full-throttle into detox mode, so add the following foods to your diet slowly. Start with only one food and add in one more food per week. You need only 10 weeks — 2-1/2 months — to work all of them into your diet, heal your body, and boost your adrenal function!