Nutrition is especially important for sufferers of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, but following an adrenal fatigue diet may be confusing for some. The body is often so stressed and bent out of shape that inadequate nutrition can actually hurt the body and make the road to recovery longer. Making sure the body gets proper nutrition starts with the right diet. Every body is different, and the right diet must be specifically tailored for each person. Here are some general best practices to help the body recover.
The ideal adrenal fatigue diet for health should consist of frequent small meals and snacks. This kind of diet keeps energy levels consistent and causes the least stress on the body, which can affect the health of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome sufferers. The first meal should be before 10 am to replenish the waning glycogen supply upon waking, and a nutritious bedtime snack of soaked raw nuts can provide a more peaceful sleep. Meals and snacks should be balanced, combining whole grains, proteins and fats. 6-8 servings of a wide variety of bright colored vegetables should be eaten each day.
Whole, unrefined grains should be eaten in moderation with other foods. It is best to avoid any genetically modified wheat, corn, and soy products
Meat, fish, eggs, fowl and dairy, free of hormones and antibiotics, are a healthy combination of both fats and proteins. Soaking raw nuts also provides a good source of essential fatty acids for a bedtime snack. Monounsaturated oils should be used for low heat cooking, and 1-2 tablespoons of oil should be mixed into grains, vegetables and meats throughout the day. While most health conscious experts advocate a diet high in vegetables that is biased towards an alkaline body (high pH), those in adrenal fatigue may need more meat and protein and indeed do better with a slightly more acidic body (low pH).
Eating different brightly colored vegetables provides a greater array of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. Sprouts and sea vegetables are an especially concentrated source of high quality nutrients. Soups and broths are valuable when the body is weak. Foods with high amounts of sugar can cause spikes and drops in blood sugar, and are to be avoided. These include dried fruits and fruit juice, soft drinks, and foods with honey, sugar, high fructose corn syrup or syrup. Pastas, white rice, breads, pastries, and other baked goods contain refined flour and also should not be eaten.
Poor choices for the adrenal fatigue diet include bananas, dried figs, raisins, dates, oranges, cantaloupe and melons are also high in potassium, which often makes Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome worse.
Trans-fats, also known as hydrogenated oils, are another bad influence on the body and are to be avoided. Once common in many junk foods and fast foods, greater awareness of the health risks of trans-fats have led to a decline in their use. Deep frying and browning foods can make them taste better, but can also make them less digestible and even harmful to your health. The extra stress from these kinds of foods should be avoided, especially for sufferers of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome.
Two other considerations include fruit intake, which should be limited to around 3 servings a day; and polyunsaturated fats such as corn, safflower, sunflower, and peanut oil, contain essential fatty acids and can be mixed with foods, but should never be used to cook.
Lastly avoid beverages that can congest the liver or stimulate your body. These drinks include alcohol, caffeinated beverages, coffee and energy drinks. One of the most frequently overlooked mistake in adrenal recovery is not drinking enough fluids. Most AFS sufferers are in a subclinical state of dehydration. During adrenal fatigue, the body’s ability to retain salt is reduced. Net loss of body fluid is the natural consequence if fluid replacement ( often with a bit of salt and lemon ) is not aggressively replenished.
Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome affects the entire body; a proper adrenal fatigue diet with optimum nutrition starting with the right diet personalized and designed to fit the proper metabolic type of the sufferer, is key to keeping the body healthy on the road to recovery.
Having a good nutritional baseline is not only essential for fighting off adrenal fatigue syndrome but it also plays a role in keeping the balance within our body, the maintenance of homeostasis. This is important because disrupting this balance will deregulate the neuroendometabolic (NEM) stress response structure that plays a holistic role in preserving the body’s natural ability to cope with stress. When the NEM’s stress response is weighed down, symptoms will appear in the form of fatigue, supplement intolerance, lowered libido, weight gain, and sleep disturbances cardiac arrhythmia, irritable bowel disease and a compromised immune system. It is evident that our dietary habits need to be well managed in order for a properly running biological system to ward off potentially harmful conditions.
Each kind of berries has their health benefits. Even though goji berries have been recently promoted to have many health benefits. Remember that a balanced lifestyle, a good clean diet, proper exercise, eat in moderation are more important.