Adrenal Fatigue and How to Overcome it

By Azriel ReShel on Wednesday March 16th, 2016

Can you Live a Fuller Life, Free from Fatigue?

Take care of your body. Its the only place you have to live.
Jim Rohn
Nearly every second person seems to be talking about adrenal fatigue today or is suffering
extreme tiredness. Adrenal fatigue or Wired Tired is fast becoming a real thing. The how are
you conversation seems to be peppered with the words adrenal fatigue or my adrenals.
So are we all chronically fatigued with life, and the ways of the modern world? And do many
of us suffer silently from this seemingly nebulous thing called adrenal fatigue? Its time we
got a handle on what it really means to be adrenally fatigued, and how to heal it.

So many of us are suffering from extreme tiredness

What is adrenal fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is a collection of signs and symptoms known as a syndrome that is caused by
the adrenal glands functioning below the necessary level. Adrenal fatigue is associated with
intense and prolonged stress.Our adrenal glands, the small acorn sized organs located above
the kidneys deal with stress by producing the hormone cortisol.

This hormone reduces the effects of stress. If stress is too prolonged or becomes chronic, then
cortisol production drops. When people are facing long-term stress, their adrenal glands
cannot keep up with the bodys need for these hormones, leading to adrenal exhaustion, or
fatigue.
It was a naturopath, James L Wilson, who coined the term adrenal fatigue in 1998, calling it
the 21st century stress syndrome. According to Wilson, people with adrenal fatigue often look
and act relatively normal, with no obvious outward signs of physical illness, yet they are
unwell and live with a general sense of grey feelings and ill health.

Anyone who does not get enough rest and relaxation to enjoy life, who drives him or herself
constantly, who is never satisfied or is a perfectionist, who is under constant pressure
(especially with few outlets or emotional release) who feels trapped or helpless, who feels
overwhelmed by repeated or continuous difficulties, or who has experienced severe or chronic
emotional or physical trauma or illness is probably already suffering from some degree of
adrenal fatigue. James L Wilson
In todays high pressure world, a huge percentage of people suffer from fatigue, stress and
generalized illness, yet adrenal fatigue is not officially recognized by the medical profession
as a condition. Just as modern medicine was reluctant to embrace fibromyalgia and chronic
fatigue syndrome, adrenal fatigue is rejected as a diagnosis.
The Hormone Foundation, the pubic education affiliate of the Endocrine Society, representing
thousands of doctors, says adrenal fatigue is not a real medical condition but recognizes a
condition called Adrenal Insufficiency where the adrenals are not functioning properly:
Symptoms said to be due to adrenal fatigue include tiredness, trouble falling asleep at night or
waking up in the morning, salt and sugar craving and needing stimulants like caffeine to get

through the day. These symptoms are common and non-specific, meaning they can be found
in many diseases. They also can occur as part of a normal, busy life.

Do you need coffee to get through your day?

Endocrinologists dismiss adrenal fatigue as an internet disease and would have people believe
they are being fatigued by a fake disease.Yet thousands of people across the globe are
suffering from burn out and what they believe is adrenal fatigue.

What causes adrenal fatigue?

Dr Michael Lam is an adrenal fatigue specialist who works with patients who have intractable
and advanced adrenal fatigue. He is a medical doctor specializing in nutrition and anti-aging
medicine and was the first to scientifically tie in Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) as part of
the overall neuroendocrine stress response continuum of the body.
Dr Lam says that the most common cause of adrenal fatigue is emotional and mental stress
and distress. He classes adrenal fatigue along with other conditions such as dysautonomia, and
POTS, as a new class of conditions in modern medicine linking the mind and the body.
Adrenal Fatigue can be considered a mind-body disorder. A strong mind-body connection is
a powerful healing force you can harness for better health. However, on the flip-side, as in
Adrenal Fatigue, the mind-body connection can be a devastating negative force capable of
ruining your body.

Adrenal fatigue can be considered a mind-body disorder

He believes that adrenal fatigue is one of the most prevalent conditions affecting almost every
adult in the world today. Adrenal fatigue has a broad spectrum of non-specific yet often
debilitating symptoms and the onset is often slow and insidious. Adrenal fatigue is a complex
condition.

The adrenal glands are the main stress modulation centres of the body. When stressors (either
physical or emotional) overwhelm the adrenals ability to compensate, Adrenal Fatigue may

ensue. This is usually a slow and insidious process that progresses through many years,
though some can experience it after an intense episode of acute stress, such as death of a
loved one, financial distress, or acute infection. The job of returning the body to its normal
function rests with the adrenals. This process is indeed complicated and convoluted,
accompanied by many unpleasant symptoms. They are mediated primarily by hormones. The
main ones are cortisol, adrenaline, estrogen, and androgen. The adrenals bear the brunt of this
responsibility, as it secretes over 50 different hormones in an exact and very precise manner
to maintain normal internal homeostasis. Dr Lam

Adrenal fatigue kicks in when were running on empty

Traditional Chinese medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are your most important organs. They regulate
the internal Chi. If you are balanced, strong physically, sound mentally and emotionally your
kidney chi will be abundant. Western chronic conditions of adrenal fatigue like back pain,
depression, hypothyroidism, kidney inflammation and sexual dysfunction parallel the
conditions of kidney yang deficiency. Traditional Chinese Medicine regards adrenal fatigue as
a deficiency in the kidneys. Treatment includes building up the kidney yin with herbs and
dietary changes to support health.
Jacinta McEwen is a nurse, Herbalist, Naturopath and Ayurvedic Practitioner who has been
working with clients in her busy practice, for over 30 years. She says that adrenal exhaustion
is a symptom and that just looking at the symptoms is not enough. It is important to treat the
whole system. You cant just take adrenal herbs and think it will fix your adrenal exhaustion.
For most of us were exhausted because we are over-pushing.
Most people say Im exhausted, lets get that fixed so I can go back to living how I was
before. But we need to get back to living a balanced life and looking at what we need to
change in order to do that.

The importance of living a balanced life

She says that the counseling aspect of treating adrenal exhaustion is as important to her as the
herbs. I ask people: what is your lifestyle? What are you expecting from yourself? How
much are you pushing yourself, and why? You cant say to people, you need to rest more,
as people need to pay the rent and look after their kids. So we need to find a better balance in
our lives.
It is the daily regimes that are the pillar of good health. We need to treat holistically and to
treat the individual. As an Ayurvedic practitioner, I would be treating the adrenal exhaustion
differently according to the constitution of each client. Jacinta McEwen

Do you have adrenal fatigue?

Some of the major symptoms of adrenal fatigue are: feeling tired all the time, allergies,
diminished tolerance to stress and an increase in anxiety, being easily startled, lethargy,
dizziness, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, hypothyroid, being caffeine dependent,
weight gain, specifically as a layer of belly fat, sensitivity to bright light, getting your best
sleep in the morning, low libido, food cravings, multiple stress factors in your life, dark
circles under the eyes, minor cold symptoms, muscle weakness and toxic relationships. None
of the signs or symptoms by themselves can definitively pinpoint adrenal fatigue, it is the
combination of these symptoms that forms the picture of adrenal fatigue.

Do you have adrenal fatigue?

Dr Lam has conducted extensive research into adrenal fatigue and has come up with over 75
signs of adrenal fatigue. You can read more here. If you think you may have adrenal fatigue it
is vital to get help early on and not to let it develop into something unmanageable.
So how do you know if you have adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue or are just bone
tired? Adrenal fatigue and chronic fatigue are conditions that share similar symptoms but have
different causes. There is always a relationship between persistent fatigue and adrenal
insufficiency.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS/ME seems to come on suddenly. Many people who have
adrenal fatigue have extreme stress for some time before the exhaustion. There is growing
research into unusual infectious microorganisms that may be the cause of chronic fatigue
syndrome and fibromyalgia. These microorganisms are not detected by standard lab tests, but
sophisticated lab tests are confirming the link between microorganisms and CFS.

Chronic fatigue seems to come on suddenly

How to heal adrenal fatigue

Many people question whether a total and complete recovery from adrenal fatigue is possible.
The answer is yes in the vast majority of cases, but only if done right. Adrenal fatigue often
takes a decade or more to develop. It is important to allow the body time to recover. A few
months of recovery is considered a short time within this time horizon. Time is a great healer
when the body is given the proper nutrients along with proper lifestyle and dietary protocols.
Those who demand a quick recovery invariably become disappointed because the body is not
a light switch that can be turned on and off at will. A systematic and logical approach works
the best under professional guidance. Dr Lam.
Adrenal crash is the bodys strategy of returning the person to homeostasis and balance. It is
important not to fall into a cycle of crash and recovery without healing the underlying issues
and finding long term balance.

Preparing healthy food can help us overcome adrenal fatigue

Changing your diet can have a significant impact on reducing the symptoms of adrenal
fatigue. Eating foods that nurture the kidneys and eating smaller more frequent meals. Its
important to avoid sugar, alcohol and highly salty foods. Jacinta recommends eating meals
suited to your ayurvedic dosha, especially warming food and believes that a raw food diet can
aggravate adrenal fatigue. She also recommends nourishing exercise like yoga and tai chi and
proper supplementation.
Healing practices like Restorative Yoga and meditation, as well as Pranayama, especially
alternate nostril breathing and Yoga Nidra, are all highly beneficial to the nervous system
which will support the endocrine system.
Adrenal fatigue is very much a Neuro-Endocrine imbalance and the more we can bring the
body mind into a calm baseline, the better. It is recommended to go to bed early at the first
wave of tiredness and to take nutritionally supplements that are specially prescribed for you,
as some supplements may be too heating and will cause burnout instead of treating it.

Meditation and breathing exercises are good for the nervous and endocrine systems

The gift of adrenal fatigue

For many people, being stopped in their tracks by adrenal exhaustion can in some way be a
positive thing, as it is indicating some area of their life that is out of balance. Addressing
adrenal fatigue can often be the starting point for a wake up call to a deeper experience of life.
It can force you to simplify your life and discover what is really important and valuable in
life, such as love, forgiveness, peace, connection, contentment, gratitude, spirituality etc.
Adrenal Fatigue or any serious condition is not to be handled as quickly as possible with
a quick fix. If you act this way, you may miss the greatest blessing of your life. Dr Lam