Do you experience any of the following?

· Morning grogginess
· Afternoon fatigue 2-4 PM, feeling best after 6:00 PM
· Caffeine dependence
· Difficulties falling or staying asleep
· Increased PMS, peri-menopausal or menopausal symptoms
· High or low blood pressure
· Allergies
· Suboptimal thyroid function
· Need to lie down or rest after sessions of psychological or emotional pressure/stress
· Decreased sex drive
· Crave salt and foods high in salt
· Feel better with high fat diet 
· Feel hypoglycemic (lightheaded, anxious, irritable) especially under stress
· Depression
· Difficulties losing weight, especially in the midsection
· Frequent acute illnesses (colds, flus)
· ADD/ADHD
· Mental fogginess

Yes to any? Then your adrenals may be in need of some support.

Many of us know how it feels to be stressed or overworked. However, not many of us realize what this stress does to our bodies on a physical level. Over-extended periods of stress can overburden our bodies, creating a situation that’s not so easy to bounce back from. 

The adrenal glands are the organs that sit just above the kidneys that regulate stress and energy patterns. Cortisol is normally released by the adrenals in a 24-hour daily cycle with a burst in the morning to help us wake up and its lowest levels in the evening so we may sleep. As an individual feels mental or physical stress, the  adrenals secrete cortisol and other hormones to prepare the body for a “fight or flight” response. But with prolonged stress, they become unbalanced and either releasing too much cortisol, or burn out so that cortisol is not released properly. This is referred to as “adrenal fatigue.” The symptoms listed above and below are common signs of adrenal fatigue.

ENERGY
Caffeine should not be required by the body to start the day. Many individuals find that they require coffee or other sources of caffeine to feel awake in the mornings or after lunch. This pattern suggests an irregular cortisol rhythm and adrenal fatigue. While attempting to raise cortisol levels with caffeine to feel awake, the body is sent a chronic state of stress leading to increased fatigue.

WEIGHT GAIN
Cortisol also affects sugar, fat and protein metabolism. With chronic stress or adrenal fatigue, weight issues arise. High levels of cortisol are associated with central adiposity or belly fat. It is very difficult to lose weight during times of stress and low adrenal function.

PAIN
Adrenal fatigue also compromises tissue healing and can increase tissue breakdown. This leads to slower recovery after an injury, increased muscle and joint degeneration, and thus pain. Sleep is very important for patients with adrenal fatigue and musculoskeletal pain for this is when tissues heal.
 
IMMUNITY
Inflammation and allergies may be more resistant to treatment with adrenal fatigue.  Cortisol is an immune suppressant so in times of high stress, the body is unable to properly fight an infection. 

MOODS
The ability to enter REM sleep cycles and experience regenerative sleep is interrupted by high cortisol values at night and in the morning. Chronic lack of REM sleep can reduce a person’s mental vitality, vigor and induce depression. 
 
 #1 TREATMENT FOR THE ADRENALS: ROUTINE

SLEEP!!!
· Sleep in a completely dark room
· Go to bed and wake at the same time every night and morning, even weekends.

MIND
What are your triggers? Stress can be disguised or felt as grief, fear, anger or hurt. Also consider environmental factors such as visual and aural overstimulation. Work with your stress and find a way to process it effectively.
 
EXERCISE
If in an early response to stress it may feel great to go for a run or other vigorous workout.  If in a more decompensated state you may need to choose something like yoga or walking--you should not feel exhausted after your exercise.  If you have a lot of fatigue and you are getting sick often your body may be telling you to slow down and replenish with sleep and nourishing foods.

DIET
· Eat several balanced meals a day.  Eat within 1 hour of waking and not within 1 hour of bed. 
· Include a protein with each meal and don’t shy away from the good fats (olive oil, coconut oil, butter, seeds, nut butters). 
· Eat dark, leafy greens such as collards, kale, chard or spinach every day.
· Do not be afraid of salt. Use sea salt, Himalayan pink salt, or kelp powder to taste
· Drink half your weight in ounces of filtered WATER every day.

Avoid:          
· Sugar and refined (white) carbohydrates
· Fruit juices with the following ingredients: fructose, glucose, corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin
· Processed foods 
· Hydrogenated fats
· CAFFEINE, Alcohol
· Allergic or sensitive foods

SUPPLEMENTATION
· Vitamin C: 2-6 grams per day. Work your way up as too much may cause loose stools.
· B complex         
· Magnesium citrate 400 mg per day or 1 packet of Magnelevures each day    
· Licorice tea or tincture

Questions? 

Call Dr. Birr today to find out how you can individualize your treatment plan for optimal adrenal health.

The integumentary system, or the skin, is the largest organ in our bodies. So why not give it all the love and attention it deserves? The skin is a power-sponge absorbing whatever is smeared on it. Yet we often forget this when we apply deoderents, make-up and lotions containing heavy metals such as aluminum and arsenic. 

While being an important toxin eliminator in the body, the skin can be clogged with wastes and dead skin leading to blemishes and general toxicity. By dry skin brushing before showering or going to bed every night, you promote the lymph (immune system) to release toxins and wastes more effectively.  The skin forms a new layer every day. Brushing it removes old, dead layers leading to softer, smoother, healthier skin and more efficient detoxification. The light stimulation of the nervous system also tightens the skin and tones underlying muscles.

Be sure to start gently using firm long upward strokes from the fingers and toes toward the heart and groin and counter-clockwise strokes around the abdomen. Loofa sponges, a dry towel, natural fiber brushes, or light pressure with your fingertips all work great.

Other skin health tips:
1. Ensure that whatever you apply to your skin is free of parabens, mineral oil, petroleum-based ingredients, dioxane, fragrances, dyes, and alcohols. If you don't want to eat it, then you don't want to put it on your skin. Use natural soaps, deoderants and lotions like JASON or Tom's products or make your own!
2. Drink plenty of water every day. Half your weight in ounces. (160 lb individual needs 80 oz of water each day). Since skin is a giant sponge, we need to continue to rinse it of toxins from the inside out.
3. Eat plenty of good fats like avocados, nuts and ground seeds (flax is great!). Omegas (EPA and DHA) are highly beneficial for inflammation and skin conditions. Talk to Dr. Birr about taking a quality fish oil supplement every day.
4. End your showers in a cool spray. The decrease in temperature helps to close pores and prevent clogging/blemishes.
5. Optimize digestion. The cause of many skin disorders begin in the gut. Have constipation, bloating, or abdominal pain? Call Origins today to discuss how you can improve digestion, immunity, and skin health.