Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) is a condition hallmarked by numerous symptoms and profound faigue unreleived by rest. These symptoms can become debilitating and influence your quality of life. Unfortunately, modern medicine tends to address only the symptoms while not looking for the root cause of the condition. Before despairing, however, take note of the adrenal fatigue treatment you can employ based on the holistic standpoint.
The idea behind adrenal fatigue syndrome is that your adrenal glands, which are responsible for the "fight or flight" response, can become overwhelmed and ineffective due to chronic stress or illnesses. It's important to note that adrenal fatigue is not a medically recognized condition by the Endocrine Society or other medical professional societies because symptoms associated with it are common to many medical conditions, including sleep disorders, depression, autoimmune diseases, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
However, chronic stress causes a constant activation of your body’s NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response. This puts an increased demand on your adrenal glands for higher stress hormone production. It could lead to adrenal hormone imbalances that can impact the production of other hormones throughout your body. The result is a cascade of hormone imbalances that throws the body’s internal functions into disarray. Symptoms such as fatigue, impaired cognitive function, allergies, recurrent infections, and depression may result. Following proper adrenal fatigue treatment protocols as soon as one suspects adrenal fatigue is thus crucial for recovery.
Interestingly, many of the symptoms of the two conditions overlap. And, while they are not the same, the conditions have a connection. Many people with AFS have CFS symptoms. The opposite also applies. This begs the question: are treatments for the two conditions interchangeable?
The most common symptoms include the following, amongst many others:
Conventional medicine does not recognize AFS. The condition has no standard medical response. The approach is a palliative and not a curative one. In other words, it addresses the symptoms and not the cause of the condition. You may find yourself on a cocktail of medications, each designed to address specific symptoms. These include sleep aids, thyroid medications, and antidepressants, amongst many others.
The various medications only serve to alleviate symptoms while doing nothing to address the root cause. Unfortunately, these medications serve to mask the true state of the body, making a proper diagnosis extremely difficult. And just as with CFS, the current conventional medical philosophy is ineffective in healing AFS. This type of adrenal fatigue treatment does not promote healthy adrenal function. The various medications may also add to the load of already overburdened adrenals.
While current conventional medicine seeks to manage your symptoms, the alternative approach looks at the body holistically. It understands that treating symptoms only do not address the root cause of the condition or the symptoms presented. A holistic approach may encourage dietary changes, reducing stress, and even changing the way you exercise. Interestingly, many conventional healthcare practitioners may prescribe similar changes even while unable to do anything to help cure the condition.
Alternative medicine follows a holistic approach in adrenal fatigue treatment and looks at all aspects of your health and wellbeing. It looks at the ‘psychological, familial, societal, ethical and spiritual as well as biological dimensions of health and illness’ [1].
The modern American diet is one filled with sugar, processed foods, an excess of sodium, and refined grains. These foods tend to be low in vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, Americans eat less fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, and healthy oils than they should [2].
The modern American diet is one of the contributing factors to adrenal fatigue as it adds to the adrenal glands’ stress load. Addressing your diet by cutting out that which is harmful while incorporating healthy foods will help your adrenals to heal and help address many of the symptoms we see with adrenal fatigue.
If unsure of how to change your diet, please consider a low-glycemic or the adrenal fatigue diet. Both of these reduce the stress load on the adrenals while promoting healthy blood sugar levels. The proper diet should ideally address any nutritional insufficiencies currently present in your body. Also eat regular meals. Skipping meals could interfere with your blood sugar levels. Meals should include protein, healthy fats, and healthy carbs.
Many people believe they should follow a strict exercise regime to stay healthy. While this is true, certain types of exercise could cause more harm than good if you have overtaxed adrenals. The best exercise for those with adrenal fatigue is gentle in nature. Good examples include tai chi, yoga, Pilates, or a brisk walk. You should avoid high impact exercise.
Do remember the level of exercise you should engage in vastly depends on the state of your adrenal fatigue. Those in the latter stages may need to stop any form of exercise until such time as their body is better able to cope.
Sleep encourages healing [3]. Because of the various processes our bodies go through when we sleep, our cells can repair and renew themselves. This enables our bodies to better fight infections and deal with stress. Also, our cortisol levels go down when we sleep, thereby providing some much-needed adrenal relief.
If you have trouble sleeping or falling asleep at night, the following tips may help:
Deep breathing exercises have a calming effect on both the body and mind. Most of these exercises are easy to practice. If unsure what is meant by deep breathing exercises, think of the breathing technique used by people while meditating.
A deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals could contribute to adrenal fatigue and its various symptoms. IV vitamin therapy sees the administration of these nutrients intravenously. The most common ingredients in such therapy include B vitamins, vitamin C, glutathione, and magnesium.
You can consider the use of supplements to help address possible dietary shortages in your body. Examples:
Because we understand that people become overwhelmed when presented with the wide variety of supplements and brands out there, we have formulated our own range of safe, effective, all-natural supplements to help with adrenal fatigue. Our supplements are made to the strictest of standards. Our suggestions include the following:
Please remember to only use supplements with the guidance of your healthcare provider. Supplements could potentially interfere with medications or not be suitable under certain circumstances. Your healthcare provider is best able to determine suitability and dosage.
Curing your adrenals is not something that happens overnight. It took a long time before you developed symptoms associated with adrenal glands in a state of stress. While someone in the initial stages of adrenal fatigue may see a quick return to normal once they start following helpful protocols, those in the latter stages of the condition may take a while before noticing an improvement. The further along your adrenal fatigue, the longer your recovery period.
When dealing with adrenal fatigue, you deal with adrenal glands in a state of crisis. Addressing the root cause of your symptoms will see the severity of symptoms ease and possibly finally disappear. Do remember that effective adrenal fatigue treatment involves not only taking appropriate supplements, but making lifestyle and other changes to encourage healing.
If you're feeling the toll of relentless stress and believe your adrenal health needs a boost, consider exploring the world of supplements. Products like Liponano C and Pandrenal, have shown promising effects in supporting stress resilience and aiding in the regulation of fatigue levels. These supplements could potentially offer the support your adrenals need, helping you regain your vitality and zest for life. As always, before starting any supplement regimen, it's advised to consult with a healthcare professional to ensure it's the right fit for your specific health needs.
If you would like to know more about AFS treatment, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1 (626) 571-1234 where we will privately discuss your condition.
Achieve balance, restore energy, and start your journey towards improved adrenal health today.
