Hi, I am here hoping to get lots of wonderful advice and suggestions from people on adrenal fatigue. It's something I've been dealing with for awhile and would love to get people's suggestions on what to do. Any suggestions anyone?

Hey, did you watch the video in the end [www.youtube.com]

These are some of the tips that helped my adrenal fatigue. As always consult a professional before making any serious lifestyle changes.

step one is always go 100% raw and for the first year make sure to be low fat so you can actually detox properly. during this first year of 100% make sure to ingest herbs that are known for adrenal support and rebuilding. without the 100% raw it is less likely you will rebuild and detox enough to notice anything. GO 100% !!! then reap the benefits......

Low fat is one of the worst things you can do for adrenal fatigue in my opinion, because fat soluble vitamins, fats and Cholesterol are required for the synthesis of ALL adrenal steroid hormones.

Raw diets are also extremely rich in Copper whilst often being low in balancing Zinc, which is not good for adrenal fatigue, Copper toxicity is a cause of adrenal insufficiency. Many raw diets are also excessively rich in Potassium which is also not good for many suffering from adrenal fatigue. People with adrenal fatigue tend to have problems retaining sodium due to disturbed levels of a hormone called Aldosterone. The excessive Potassium has a natural diuretic effect and lowers sodium further.

Most with adrenal fatigue have hypoglycemia and blood sugar regulation issues, so will find they do better with a small amount of protein at each meal to help keep blood sugar balanced.

Always consult a professional before any major dietary change also.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2012 06:06PM by powerlifer.

For adrenal fatigue, I would recommend getting enough rest so that your adrenals can heal. Taking an adaptogen to counteract stress is just like putting a bandaid on a cancer. Most of these adaptogens (say like ginseng) are stimulants, and as such, exact a price on the body that is higher than the benefit they confer.

It is way better to eliminate the elements of stress in your life rather than try to use stimulants to work around the stress.

I like rawlion's advice, if 100% raw works for you. I found it very healing, especially eating low fat for some extra cleansing, as fat requires much more digestive energy to process the fat than does other foods.

Also having a spiritual practice will help. Stress is a reaction form of fear, and a good spiritual practice will reduce the effects, perhaps even eliminate fear.

thinking also depletes your nervous energy. If you think about the future or the past, you may experience moderate anxiety which drains your 'energy.' Strong emotions also deplete this energy. Lots of sleep and thinking on the present help to regain this nerve mental energy.

Most of the adaptogens herbs aren't stimulants minus korean ginseng, american licorice root and rhodolia rosea which have very very mild stimulant properties. These herbs also support the adrenal glands and are adaptogenic so the very mild stimulant properties don't tend to negatively effect an individual.

That is simply 3 adaptogens Prana i like how you lump them all in despite having this conversation about 5 times on the forum, most of the adaptogens or adrenal support herbs aren't stimulative such as american ginseng, amla, ashwagandha which is sedating through its ability to increase levels of the neurotransmitter GABA, schizandra berry, nettle leaf, suma root, cordyceps, yucca root etc. None of these are stimulative at all and all help to naturally increase energy and support the adrenal glands.

But yes without adequate nutrition and rest the adrenals won't repair and the adaptogen is sort of a band aid. Adaptogenic herbs will increase the bodies resistance to stress though which is very helpful, help to balance endocrine hormones and overall support the adrenal glands.

Also herbs such as licorice root work in completely different ways to support the adrenal glands. Licorice root is very useful for individuals with low cortisol because it helps to slow the breakdown of cortisol in the liver, keeping levels elevated for longer.

Before adding any supplements or herbs, its always best to consult a professional. Licorice root for example has the ability to raise blood pressure if used in high doses, long term due to the depletion of potassium. Not everyone can take half a year off work to rest and recover, many have families to take care of and jobs to go to, so herbs can be a helpful support. No one is saying they are an all round cure.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2012 11:19AM by powerlifer.

The ginsengs are all stimulants, and they will drain you of chi/life force energy in exchange for some stimulation. The best way to get chi/life force energy is to simply rest and sleep, and this is probably the best thing for healing of any kind.

The syntropic antioxidant microorganism are high in chi, and taking them will add some chi to your body. You get life force energy and better absorption of nutrients, but you don't get any stimulation.

If some substance makes your body not feel the effect of stress, this is not a good thing. The symptoms of stress are an indication from your body that you are in a situation that is not healthful for you. By taking an stimulant like ginseng, what your mind has said to the body is that we don't care about your health, because for whatever reason we need to be in this stressful situation. So taking a stimulant like ginseng will make it so you don't have to feel the stress, but the damage is still going on.

Its kind of like drinking alcohol, you may not feel the effects of the alcohol on your liver, and you may not even suffer any noticeable external symptoms other than the intoxication, but that doesn't mean your liver in not being damaged when you drink.

So you get some symptoms of stress, ignore it, not feel it, and after a while, the stimulant quits working, because all along its also been draining your life force energy, your chi. So then you get really sick(say like cancer), and no amount of stimulation is going to make you feel better.

Is it worth risking your health for some short term gain (say perhaps with career or finances)? For me nowadays, no. For others yes. (Before I knew betters in my SAD days, stimulants were ok with me).

Actually only one ginseng has been found to have mild stimulant properties which is korean ginseng and even that won't drain your "chi". Traditional chinese medicine highly regards Ginseng as one of the best herbs for increasing "chi and lifeforce".

Again you are singling out one adaptogen, what about the rest i listed above such as ashwagandha which actually has mild sedative properties through increasing GABA? or Schizandra berry which is actually a fruit, which is also a non-stimulative adaptogen. The truth is only 3 adaptogens are very very mild stimulants and even then they are adaptogenic and still support the adrenal glands.

The whole point of adaptogens is that they don't drain you, they support natural energy production and increase the bodies resistance to stress with little to no side effects. To be classified as an adaptogenic herb, a herb must be non-toxic and have non-specific normalizing action on the whole body. It is nothing like alcohol or taking drugs to cover stress. The damage isn't still going on because adaptogenic herbs not only increase the bodies defenses, but they also have a normalizing action on the body. Please do some research on these herbs Prana because you clearly don't understand what an adaptogen actually is. An adaptogen is not a stimulant such as caffeine or guarana.

To compare adaptogenic herbs to drugs like alcohol is a terrible example. I can tell you have clearly never tried adaptogen herbs either because they don't numb you out to stress in the way drugs like alcohol do. Nor is that how they work, the whole point of adaptogen herbs is to help normalize the whole body and achieve homeostasis in times of illness and stress.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2012 10:18AM by powerlifer.

Prana, this article is good for explaining the difference between a stimulant and an adaptogen. It even has a table to show you the differences.

[en.wikipedia.org]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2012 10:32AM by powerlifer.

PL, would you say that a person will not notice an immediate affect from adaptogens, but rather, a better response to stress over time? How much time does it take for one to realize the benefits of taking them?

februarygirl

Februarygirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PL, would you say that a person will not notice an
> immediate affect from adaptogens, but rather, a
> better response to stress over time? How much
> time does it take for one to realize the benefits
> of taking them?

Hey FG,

Most adaptogens you will likely feel a very mild energy boost straight away. Alot of it an depend on how severe ones adrenal fatigue. Many with severe adrenal fatigue even tolerate adaptogens poorly, which alot of the time can be due to being allergic to the herb. Poor adrenal gland function is what partially causes allergies. The adaptive effect takes place over time though, but usually only a few days of use and you should start seeing benefits. With peak results occuring from 1-4 weeks.

As with all herbs you should take a break from use and consult a professional. Most of the adaptogens are some of the safest herbs around, but shouldn't be taken without guidance.

My favorite at the moment again is Cordyceps mushroom. My energy, adrenal function and libido are at peak at the moment. I feel the benefits of Cordyceps from the first dose also.

Alot can depend how severe ones adrenal insufficiency is. The more severe ones adrenal fatigue is, generally the longer it takes to see changes with anything.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2012 12:38PM by powerlifer.

Thanks, that's wonderful that you are feeling so great

februarygirl

Adrenal fatigue could be related to stress (which could be caused by imagination of bad scenarios, job problems, relation problems, etc).

There are stages of adaptation or reaction to stress from Hans Selye 1936 and his General Adaptation Syndrome. These are the generalized defensive responses of the body to compensate for stress. After prolonged stress, an individual advances through these stages.

alarm stage (migranes, cramps, urinary disfunction, fast heart rate, etc)
resistance stage (hypofunctioning, lower level of energy)
exhaustive stage
destructive stage

These are not linear and they can jump particularly if there is enhanced stress from toxic substances.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2012 03:17PM by Panchito.

Have been taking ashwaghanda when needed, turmeric and black pepper for inflamation, bitters to stimulate good digestion and liver function, getting enough sleep (that one is tricky for me) and exercise (also tricky but my physical busy-ness hopefully adds to the purposeful exercise I fit in), and probiotics. Also, I have scaled way back on holiday madness this year, I am choosing something other than the usual stress and anxiety. It's all helping . Thanks Powerlifer for all your help along the way, it has made a difference for me.

Thanks FG and Coco .

Here is an article i found on google which explains the 3 stages of adrenal exhaustion well. Stage 3 is truly the worst, this is when cortisol levels remain low throughout the day, aswell as often lowered levels of DHEA and other adrenal hormones. I was probably stage 2 for most of the years, in which cortisol levels are low throughout the day, then you suddenly get a little energy after 6pm.

Stage 3 though you are fatigued all day and night from low cortisol levels, bed ridden basically.

[www.coreonehealth.com]

The site above explains the stages of adrenal fatigue very well. Which is why a professional is recommended. The amount of money many often waste on untailored supplements will be made up by finding a professional in your area, with access to the appropriate lab tests.

Whatever you do, don't spend years like i did with no help from my doctors and feeling alone with this condition.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2012 07:46PM by powerlifer.

I am actually sheduled for an ACTH stim test. My doc will prescribe cortisone if the results are positive for AI. I don't want the medication, but I have insurance, so I am going to have the test done to see what it says. I already have confirmed low DHEA, cortisol, testosterone...The article is a good explanation of why I do feel my best in the evening. It kind of sets me up though, because I tend to stay up too late because of it. It's a good link, thank you!

februarygirl

Its great that you are getting these tests FG and have a practitioner to help. Whilst blood hormone testing can be inaccurate, it is better than nothing.

Low DHEA, cortisol and testosterone can be symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. I hope you manage to find some relief soon FG you deserve it.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2012 09:06PM by powerlifer.

I remember back when i had adrenal fatigue mentioning to my doctor that id like to have my DHEA levels tested if possible, and he hadn't even heard of DHEA. There was a trainee doctor also in the room at the time who was there for work experience as part of his medical degree and he too didn't know what DHEA was. He had to look it up on the computer then after having a little laugh said that they couldn't even test DHEA on the NHS anyway and that it probably wasn't important anyway lol.

I had to laugh to myself, it is little wonder these people couldn't accurately diagnose my adrenal insufficiency if they didn't even know what one of the basic hormones was. I had to pay for a private blood DHEA test which showed lower than normal levels, which can be an indication of adrenal insufficiency.

Another endocrinologist that i visited once said to me that DHEA had no function and was useless. Im not one for conspiracy theories but either these people purposely play ignorant to how important the adrenal glands are for health or they are not receiving adequate training.

The only time most conventional doctors will even recognize the adrenal glands is in cases of Addison's Disease, which is ludicrous seeing how we go through varying stages of adrenal health throughout our life. Every other gland in the body has the ability to under function such as the thyroid but not the adrenal glands seemingly according to western medicine. Ive had many doctors laugh in my face in regards to adrenal fatigue, with what i know now in regards to the adrenal glands it should be me laughing at them.

I did manage to find a doctor who after much pushing finally accepted that it was very likely that i had adrenal insufficiency with proof of tests i had done private. Although he had no idea how to treat it, viewed adrenal fatigue as a psychological disorder which it isn't. Adrenal fatigue whilst can be brought on due to intense emotional stress, is purely a physical disorder.

The most frustrating aspect of adrenal fatigue is not even the condition itself. It is the lack of support and help from the so-called professionals.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]



Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2012 11:44AM by powerlifer.

Frustrating isn't it? The lack of knowledge especially regarding nutrition in the medical profession is just incredible.
Years ago I had debilitating skin condition. I was very, very sick and my skin was so broken out in open wounds on my hands that I could not go to school as a teen. That's what started my steroid use. It was the only thing doctors could do. Every time I went off them, my skin flared again. I finally went to a naturopah and started an elimination diet and after a week my skin was completely healed and the problem was solved.
My health issues as an adult began with the onset of my son's illness and I have never been able to get a grip on it. It's been 20 years and I'm just done with not functioning at a happy level. There are a lot of things I wish to do in this life!
My doctor does humor me, which I appreciate. I asked for all of these tests and she ordered them. I asked for B12 injections and she went along with it even though my level was 400. She did agree with me that some countries view that as a low level, although she did not know how to order methyl B12 so I decided to switch to sublinguil. I'll take what I can get!
PL, did you ever take cortisone back then? My research on it scares me, not to be vain, but I'm afraid I will gain weight on it, not to mention physical side effects, including atrophy, etc...

februarygirl

Its really frustrating when it goes on for years, i hope you manage to find a level of health where you are happy at soon. After all my rant about DHEA and doctors i forgot to ask what you just asked me.

Ive never tried cortisone, although at my worst i did question trying it. I did try adrenal cortex glandulars which is comparable to iso-cort, at times it would boost my energy and help the low cortisol symptoms, at other times it would just make me panicky, shakey and on edge even during my low cortisol times of the day.

DHEA supplementation can come with serious side effects also but if you are seriously low according to blood tests and aren't finding relief elsewhere it may be worth asking your doctor what he thinks. I know many who have had massive success with adrenal cortex glandulars also, but they do have the ability to atrophy the adrenal glands long term in a similar way to cortisone.

DHEA is a pro-hormone to estrogen and testosterone so care really must be taken and under the use of a professional only. In your case FG you may find that your low DHEA is the cause of your low Testosterone, this is very common. If you can find a good professional in your area id recommend it, if your doctor isn't willing to help of course.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]

I have taken low doses of DHEA for a long time now. I have read that a short term stint on some of these hormones can give the glands a break, but as you said, long term can be detrimental.

I found a thereapist who specializes in relaxation techniques and i'm going to try her, what do I have to lose? Life just seems to happen too often for my stress levels to lower for enough time to heal. I need some help in that regard, I think.

I really have slipped back into eating too many grains, as of late...kind of a quick fix during the months that I was working so much. It's incredible how just a week off of wheat and my belly is not bloated and my digestion is improved. Also eating small amounts of healthy fats seems to be beneficial if I don't overdo it. Have to get more fermented foods and seaweeds in too. I absolutely crave nori like crazy! My daughter just laughs as I chomp it down in sheets! Have been making some amazing bean soups and dishes. This combined with lots of raw fruit and veggies is consistently agreeable to me.
I feel very hopeful many thanks to you Powerlifer Thank you for all of your guidance.

februarygirl

Thank you everyone for your replies and input in this subject? I have some questions, if I may. What would you guys recommend as the most adequate type of nutrition/diet while trying to get better from adrenal fatigue? What is good to eat, what should I avoid? And I don't feel though that the raw diet is for me. I went to this place called Hippocrates Health Institute which is based on a raw diet and although I did feel better when I left I just did not have the energy and I never really weighed much to begin with but I lost even more weight and got down to 95 pounds which isn't good.

And what would be the best type of exercising as I understand it's not good to do any heavy type of exercising with adrenal fatigue.

And yes, PL, thank you I did watch the you tube video.

Hi again, more questions. After reading through more things I see that so much is good and recommended for the adrenals and overcoming adrenal fatigue including addressing things like possible allergies to any of the herbs and/or food allergies/sensitivities, poor liver function, heavy metal toxicity, poor digestion. This all seems very overwhelming to figure out how to go about addressing all these issues which I understand need to be addressed before taking care of the adrenal fatigue so how do I address all these first and transition into dealing with the adrenal fatigue itself?

And also I've come across that all of the following are good for adrenal fatigue and it's overwhelming to know what to get and what to do and I can't afford to get them all so what is best recommended from the following: schizandra berry, jiaogulan, ashwagandha, maca, suma root, reishi, siberian ginseng, nettle leaf, amla berry, bee pollen, yucca root, cordyceps. This is alot of stuff, I don't know what to do!!

powerlifer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I remember back when i had adrenal fatigue
> mentioning to my doctor that id like to have my
> DHEA levels tested if possible, and he hadn't even
> heard of DHEA. There was a trainee doctor also in
> the room at the time who was there for work
> experience as part of his medical degree and he
> too didn't know what DHEA was. He had to look it
> up on the computer then after having a little
> laugh said that they couldn't even test DHEA on
> the NHS anyway and that it probably wasn't
> important anyway lol.
>
> I had to laugh to myself, it is little wonder
> these people couldn't accurately diagnose my
> adrenal insufficiency if they didn't even know
> what one of the basic hormones was. I had to pay
> for a private blood DHEA test which showed lower
> than normal levels, which can be an indication of
> adrenal insufficiency.
>
> Another endocrinologist that i visited once said
> to me that DHEA had no function and was useless.
> Im not one for conspiracy theories but either
> these people purposely play ignorant to how
> important the adrenal glands are for health or
> they are not receiving adequate training.
>
> The only time most conventional doctors will even
> recognize the adrenal glands is in cases of
> Addison's Disease, which is ludicrous seeing how
> we go through varying stages of adrenal health
> throughout our life. Every other gland in the body
> has the ability to under function such as the
> thyroid but not the adrenal glands seemingly
> according to western medicine. Ive had many
> doctors laugh in my face in regards to adrenal
> fatigue, with what i know now in regards to the
> adrenal glands it should be me laughing at them.
>
> I did manage to find a doctor who after much
> pushing finally accepted that it was very likely
> that i had adrenal insufficiency with proof of
> tests i had done private. Although he had no idea
> how to treat it, viewed adrenal fatigue as a
> psychological disorder which it isn't. Adrenal
> fatigue whilst can be brought on due to intense
> emotional stress, is purely a physical disorder.
>
> The most frustrating aspect of adrenal fatigue is
> not even the condition itself. It is the lack of
> support and help from the so-called
> professionals.
>
> [www.natuhealth.co.uk]


Amen to that brother, those people are idiots! How can a person be that intelligent and not know anything lol.

Februarygirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have taken low doses of DHEA for a long time
> now. I have read that a short term stint on some
> of these hormones can give the glands a break, but
> as you said, long term can be detrimental.
>
> I found a thereapist who specializes in relaxation
> techniques and i'm going to try her, what do I
> have to lose? Life just seems to happen too often
> for my stress levels to lower for enough time to
> heal. I need some help in that regard, I think.
>
> I really have slipped back into eating too many
> grains, as of late...kind of a quick fix during
> the months that I was working so much. It's
> incredible how just a week off of wheat and my
> belly is not bloated and my digestion is improved.
> Also eating small amounts of healthy fats seems
> to be beneficial if I don't overdo it. Have to
> get more fermented foods and seaweeds in too. I
> absolutely crave nori like crazy! My daughter
> just laughs as I chomp it down in sheets! Have
> been making some amazing bean soups and dishes.
> This combined with lots of raw fruit and veggies
> is consistently agreeable to me.
> I feel very hopeful many thanks to you
> Powerlifer Thank you for all of your
> guidance.


Most Nori is cooked! eat dulse or other seaweed.

I would not do cortisone or DHEA and approach it from another angle. I believe most adrenal fatigue is caused by years of poor diet and lifes little stressors. And I also believe that emotional problems ARE! a big problem, it would be ridiculos to think otherwise. We all have them to some degree but combined with so many toxins and stress it's almost impossible to avoid adrenal issues. My contention is that alot of these issues are caused by low grade infections and this was definately my issue combined with emotional stress. I would take an HSO probiotic, a quality immune stimulator and a digestive stimulator and see how this works. I would also rotate the immune stimulators every two weeks or so. I would also not allow any doctor to put radioactive dye into my body to see how the adrenals "are". Yeast bacteria and parasites can cause havoc with the adrenals as they are so small and don't to lerate much pathogens flowing through them. Cheers

Have you found the low dose of DHEA has given any benefit FG ?. What dosage are you on if you don't mind me asking. Is your doctor able to monitor blood levels ?.

Exercise is a tricky topic and it really depends how severe ones adrenal insufficiency is. Someone who is bed ridden with adrenal fatigue, will likely have such poor exercise tolerance that they won't be able to handle anything other than a gentle walk. Gentle walking is good for maintaining circulation.

Someone with mild adrenal fatigue might find they respond beneficially or at least not negatively to gentle aerobic exercise such as a slow run or aerobics etc. Weight training is a big no no in my opinion and really stresses the adrenal glands. Weight training requires peak endocrine, nervous and adrenal gland function.

Everyone has there opinion on what diet is best, generally the most accepted opinion is to make sure you have a small amount of protein at each meals, this will help keep blood sugar balanced which is a big problem in people with adrenal fatigue. Lots of vegetables and if you can tolerate a small amount of fruit.I find most with adrenal fatigue can handle some fruit such as berries because they are lower GI and they are a good source of Vitamin C which is one if not the most important nutrient for proper adrenal gland function.

Stay away from dietary stimulants such as caffeine and hidden sources of caffeine/stimulants such as chocolate. Fats are very important because saturated fats are required for steroid hormone synthesis, as is cholesterol which is required for production of all adrenocortical hormones, these can be problematic nutrients to get on a raw vegan diet if at all. Coconut is a good plant based source of saturated fats however.

These are just my thoughts and should not be mistaken as professional advice.

[www.natuhealth.co.uk]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2012 08:58PM by powerlifer.

PL, thanks for advice. You think smoothies with vegies like kale, swiss chard, etc with some fruit is a good idea? I was going to start having them for breakfast instead of something like eggs? And proteins for every meal, like some kind of meat, or some kind of shake like sunwarrior or what should I do for proteins with every meal?

I understand staying away from caffeine. One of my supplements I take for adrenal fatigue though one of the ingredients listed is green coffee bean extract. I was concerned about it so I emailed them and they just said it was decaffeinated but what are anyone's thoughts on whether this is ok or not?

Also, any suggestion on my other post on addressing certain issues like allergies to any of the herbs and/or food allergies/sensitivities, poor liver function, heavy metal toxicity, poor digestion and my question on all of the recommended herbs?

Powerlifer- I was wondering if you have any proof or storys about long term use of glandulars causing the adrenals to atrophy. In the past Ive used a glandular for the thyroid/parathyroid and found it to be quite beneficial!