Stress is unavoidable, but its dire consequences are not. In fact, when you allow stress to remain in your life, it takes a drastic toll on your mind and body. You don’t just feel anxious and irritable, you are mentally and physically exhausted. This is just the beginning of a condition known as adrenal fatigue. And unless you make some much-needed lifestyle modifications, it can persist and become even worse over time. Fortunately, it is possible to experience relief by taking some effective natural remedies for various adrenal fatigue symptoms. One of these is turmeric and honey. Some say that together, they form the elixir of life. This combination is perfect for combatting adrenal exhaustion.
When the body encounters stress, it depends on its NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response system to deal with it. This is comprised of six response teams which are made of various organs and vital functions in the body.
One of these response teams is the inflammation circuit. This involves actions by the microbiome, gut, and immune system. Typically, inflammation is the body’s way of defending itself against injury, toxins, or any intrusion by pathogens such as parasites, bacteria, and viruses. When these substances try to enter the body, the inflammation response moves into action by creating a hostile environment for these intruders. At the same time, it also cleans away all the cells and tissues that have already been damaged by injury, the immune system’s attack, or pathogens.
It is also possible for stress itself to induce inflammation. This especially occurs when the stress is chronic or prolonged. In fact, according to research conducted by Northwestern University, the University of British Columbia, Ohio State University and the University of California, Los Angeles, chronic stress can readily alter the gene activity of immune cells before they enter the bloodstream. Because of this modification, these cells become ready to fight off a trauma or infection even when they don’t exist. As a result, the body experiences increased inflammation.
Should the chronic stress persist, the inflammation eventually causes the adrenal glands to increase in size. Because of this, there can be a dysregulation in their normal functions. At the same time, the adrenals have to increase their production of cortisol to help deal with both the inflammation and the stress.
Over time, the adrenals become overworked and as a result, they can become severely weak. Even worse, the adrenal glands also reach a point where they can no longer produce enough cortisol to meet all of its needs. This leads to a significant hormonal imbalance in the body and triggers adrenal fatigue syndrome (AFS).
During the initial stages of AFS due to inflammation induced by chronic stress, one may experience symptoms such as low tolerance for exercise, sugar cravings, and hypoglycemia. As it worsens, advanced stage symptoms may manifest. These include anxiety, insomnia, brain fog, and even heart palpitations. You might also end up experiencing frequent flu and colds since the immune system has become compromised.
The key to combating adrenal fatigue is to reduce stress and relieve its symptoms as soon as possible so that your condition no longer worsens. Among the remedies suggested is a diet modification wherein you remove certain foods that might make your AFS much worse. These include foods and beverages with alcohol and caffeine. Sugary snacks and other foods are not advisable too.
It is also worth exploring natural remedies to relieve adrenal fatigue symptoms. One of the most recommended remedies is a combination of turmeric and honey. This is because both ingredients are known to be effective in relieving chronic-stress-induced inflammation.
According to research conducted by the University of California, turmeric is a spice that comes from the Curcuma longa root, which is a member of the Zingiberaceae family, or the ginger family. This spice mainly contains several components known as curcuminoids. These include demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcmin, and curcumin.
Curcumin, in particular, appears to have antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Moreover, human studies have also found evidence of curcumin’s anti-inflammatory activity. One study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in August 2016 found evidence of the efficacy of turmeric extract for managing joint inflammation and arthritis. Undoubtedly, turmeric can reduce the inflammation caused by chronic stress.
Likewise, a study conducted by Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis in The Netherlands found that application of honey on wounds resulted in reduced inflammatory symptoms. Another study conducted by the Dr. Vaishampayan Memorial Medical College found a dressing using honey achieved 84 percent satisfactory epithelialization when used for partial thickness burns.
Aside from this, honey has also been recognized to possess antiproliferative, antimetastatic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and even anti-cancer properties. This is why many experts have come to agree that honey possesses a number of medicinal properties, making it a highly recommended remedy for relief from inflammation due to chronic stress.
Now that you know the abilities of turmeric and honey to help heal inflammation caused by adrenal fatigue, you need to know how to prepare these ingredients together to make a potent remedy. Before you try anything though, it is best to consult with your physician or functional medicine doctor first.
This is because it is possible for an individual to have an intolerance or allergy to either honey or turmeric, and new sensitivities are especially likely if you have adrenal fatigue. If this is the case, you may end up experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headache, runny nose, sneezing, swelling, hives, watery eyes, itchy throat, rash, vomiting, stomach upset, diarrhea, and even abnormal heart rhythm.
That said, here are some recipes with honey and turmeric that you can try after you are cleared of any allergy or intolerance issues:
Any of these honey and turmeric recipes can help reduce the inflammation in your body caused by adrenal fatigue. For best results, it is recommended that you take honey and turmeric on a regular basis, whether you drink it, spread it on toast, or eat it by the teaspoon. It can help reduce the inflammation in your body and many other symptoms of adrenal fatigue that go along with that inflammation. This could be what your body needs to begin to heal.
When combined and made into a drink, spread, tonic, turmeric and honey can be taken to relieve adrenal fatigue. Specifically, it can help reduce inflammation in the body that has been induced by chronic stress.
