How to recover naturally from Adrenal Fatigue?

What did I do to heal my adrenal glands?

I quit my job. Haha. 

No joke, lifestyle changes are very important when making health a priority. But there are other things too, such as herbal supplements and food, which promote healing. Keep reading to learn the secret to adrenal healing.

How did I burn my adrenals, you may ask?

Being overworked by preparing, stocking and working four farmers markets a week, coping with a romantic break-up and facing a major move (all at once!) will definitely burn your adrenal glands, break down your immune system, and land you in bed.

Day in and day out, we rely on our adrenal glands for life sustaining healthful hormone production. For instance, cortisol for managing stress, regulating energy and proper digestion, balancing hormones, and helping our bodies get a good night’s sleep.

Adrenal exhaustion is when the adrenal glands are under-functioning, due to constantly sustaining high cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol levels from chronic stress have a cascade effect on other hormones including estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone.

~Hearing a text message makes cortisol go up.~

The adrenals are two small glands that sit on the top of the kidneys. They’re responsible for producing fight or flight hormones such as the above-mentioned cortisol and adrenaline. The adrenals help you to handle stress. But if you’re in a constant state of emotional and physical stress, they can easily become exhausted.

Physiological stress matters just as much as emotional and physical stress does on affecting adrenals — for example, not getting enough protein. Vegetarians often find immediate relief and energy when they introduce red meat back into their diets.

Adrenal fatigue happens is universal and most people will struggle with it in their lifetime. It’s estimated to affect about 80% of all people in the world, resulting from emotional stress, anger, depression, physical stress, over exercise, sleep deprivation, chronic illness, infections or surgery.

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue:

Fatigue

Insomnia

Sore muscles and body aches

Irritability

Reduced sex drive

Dark circles under the eyes

Depression

Cravings for salt and sugar

Absentmindedness & difficulty focusing

Hormone imbalance

I decided it was wise to eliminate the stress of working four farmers markets because adrenal burn out can become very serious, taking six to nine months—even up to two years—to recover.

Bottom line—we must eliminate as much stress as possible from our lives. We must move past our stories that “we can’t” or “someday.” It’s time to make a change. Your life depends on it.

“’Someday’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you” -Tim Ferris

Recover and heal the adrenal glands. 

The adrenals didn’t burn out over night and they don’t fully recover over night. Please be kind to yourself and rest. A reset takes time.

I’m otherwise healthy. I don’t eat processed foods, gluten or refined sugars, but if you do—please ELIMINATE them. By taking in too much sugar, you’re indirectly taxing your adrenal glands from the release of cortisol. Eat nutrient-dense foods that include raw animal fat and animal protein.

Eliminate coffee, chocolate, alcohol, citrus, and any other stimulants.

~Cortisol levels are high all day when you drink coffee.~

I’m working my recovery from all angles. I’ve been using four tonic herbal supplements and adrenal glandulars (from dried animal adrenal glands).

Four adaptogenic herbs I like are: He Shou Wu, Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, and Licorice to help relieve stress and restore adrenals.

One caveat about taking supplements for adrenal fatigue: they will work and suppress the symptoms for awhile so you can get back to your normal crazy stressed life, but will they fix the problem long term? Will they get to the real root cause of the stress? Will you crash again?

~Symptoms are Gods Warning Signs~

While taking supplements, make some simple lifestyle changes.

1. Minimize stress

2. Avoid rigorous exercise. Walk and practice yoga

3. Rest and relax

4. Do something truly and meaningfully fun everyday

5. Go in nature

6. Meditate and take deep breathes

7. Get regular massages

8. Take naps

9. Get 20 minutes daily sunshine

10. Smile! Why so serious?

How is the Raw Paleo way of eating good for Adrenals?

It’s the highly bioavailable B vitamins in the raw grass-fed meat, baby! 

Bioavailable means: nutrients are highly absorbent, digestible, and easily assimilated into the tissues.

All the B vitamins are required for proper adrenal function and stress management, especially vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), which is great for combatting stress.

~Stress depletes vitamins at an alarming rate.~

Eating B vitamins from raw red meat in its whole food form, gives a burst of energy, wards off stress and promotes adrenal support and brain support.  For B vitamins, make steak tartare for dinner tonight and accompany it with some raw fat such as avocado or raw butter.

~Supplements are fragmented and lose their synergist effects.~

Another important amino acid found in raw red meat is tyrosine, which helps to eliminate excess stress on the glands. Tyrosine stimulates the production of dopamine in the brain, allowing a general “good” feeling and helping with motivation.

I eat both cooked and raw meat but truly focus on the raw meat when my adrenals need support. Raw protein is much easier to digest due to its inherent enzymes and good bacteria. Cooked protein is harder to digest, and when suffering from adrenal burnout, people often suffer from gastrointestinal issues too.

Let’s not forget our friend cholesterol!

Eating cholesterol-rich foods such a raw eggs, raw meat, and full-fat raw dairy supports hormones. Adrenal fatigue is a cause of low hormone levels. The hormones made in the adrenal glands are synthesized by cholesterol.

Low fat and low cholesterol diets worsen adrenal gland exhaustion.

Raw butter and raw red meat from grass-fed cows are high in CLA, which is very nourishing for adrenals.

And if you’re feeling daring — eat a raw adrenal gland. I ate a small piece of raw adrenal gland at a raw organ party and I got a high feeling from it!

Also, eat protein for breakfast or have a smoothie loaded with raw dairy. And eat frequent meals throughout the day to keep your blood sugar stabilized.

Practice in action:

1.  Eat frequent nutrient dense raw foods

2.  Manage stress

3.  Eliminate Caffeine

4.  Rest and take naps

5.  Make lifestyle changes

Remember: quick fixes and fad diets aren’t a recipe for sustainably. Lifestyle changes are.

Your Healthy Friend,

Melissa Henig

P.S. If you would like a one on one consultation or coaching program with me or Dr. Alfredo please email me at melissa@rawpaleo.com. Thank you.