More on Adrenals.

We have an Epidemic of Chronic Stress.

Adrenal fatigue.  Often means a flat line of your adrenal production.  Doesn’t sound good right?  Trust me.  It isn’t.  It often comes about from going and doing.  And going and doing.  And going and doing.  Which seems to be a badge of honor these days.  And, trying to keep up with all that you “think” is “expected” of you.  I’ve been there.  And it is exhausting. 

Following my diagnosis, I moved forward with a multi-pronged approach and sought professional help from some trusted practitioners.  First, I reached out to a colleague in Calgary because he had helped a World Champion Cross Fitter return from the same situation.  I wanted someone who had successfully worked with athletes.  I gathered important information through labs.  I looked at my habits and made some hard decisions to change some critical things about my lifestyle.  I didn’t do it all at once.  But I slowly peeled away the onion.  I never wanted to feel the way I felt ever again. 

I had a bad case of adrenal fatigue.  But you don’t have to have a flat line of your adrenals to be floundering around sub optimally.  In fact, there is a relatively high level of adults with some type of adrenal dysfunction.  Sadly, chronic, debilitating stress is epidemic.  And we simply weren’t designed to be in a chronic “fight-or-flight” state.  We need ongoing, consistent opportunities to relax and rejuvenate for long-term wellness. 

The adrenal glands (we have two) control the body’s metabolism and its response to stress.  Most people know they produce the steroid cortisol and catecholamines such as adrenaline.  But they also produce androgen hormones such as DHEA and androstenedione (a precursor to testosterone).  They control the secretion of sodium and potassium, thereby affecting our blood pressure.  And they fuel the fight or flight response in our body via epinephrine and norepinephrine. 

The first that happens with stress is elevated cortisol and a hyper-stimulated stress axis.  One may experience insomnia or a racing mind, hypertension, a racing heart, poor digestion, and hypervigilance.  These things were designed to keep us alive in a temporary and stressful situation.  But we were never designed to be under chronic stress.  Stress can be good for us short-term.  But then we need to return to a rest and recovery state. 

In the body’s infinite wisdom, it realizes this isn’t a sustainable state.  When stress becomes chronic, the body forces us to rest.  It reduces the production of cortisol and creates an under-stimulated stress axis.  We may experience exhaustion, lethargy, depression, pain, inflammation, hypotension, hypoglycemia, and/or low motivation.  We are forced to slow down, usually against our wishes. 

Unfortunately, the adrenals are often overlooked and inadequately tested.  Blood levels are not very useful, and nor is a single assessment.  What’s needed is a 24-hour multi-sample urine collection with hormones which will reflect hormones and diurnal rhythm. 

Hypercortisol and Hypocortisol can “look” quite similar.  But they require very different support.  Test.  Don’t guess.  Otherwise, you can head down the wrong pathway. 

Adrenal dysfunction can hit at any time.  For athletes, this is a common time of year for it to set in.  They have been pushing their body’s hard all season.  Each week, they have continued to ask for more and more from it. 

I am passionate about helping others heal their adrenals and return to a life of vitality!  I test and use data to guide my recommendations.  And I’ve been there. I understand.  Let’s lock arms and restore your body to health.  Let age be irrelevant.