- Are you tired one hour after your workout?
- Are you tired all day but have difficulty sleeping at night?
- Do feel like your brain is a little foggy?
- Have you lost interest in doing things that previously energized you?
You may be suffering from adrenal fatigue, also called HPA Axis Dysregulation (HPA-D). Our experts at the Anti-Aging and Wellness Clinic can help you heal your adrenal glands, optimize your hormone levels, increase your level of energy and eliminate any other symptoms you may be experiencing.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include:
- Fatigue
- Lightheadedness
- Dry skin
- Frequent urination
- Insomnia
- Joint pain
- Brain fog
- Food cravings (salt, sugar)
- Late night snacking
- Apathy or disinterest
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Asthma or allergies
- Loss of muscle tone
- Low blood pressure
- Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
- Lower back pain
- Lines in your fingernails
The adrenal glands, vital to your health and wellbeing, sit just above your kidneys in your lower back, and are responsible for regulating the levels of stress hormones, sex hormones and neurotransmitters. Some of the hormones produced by the adrenal glands include; DHEA, DHEA-S, androstenedione, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine and cortisol. During or after periods of stress, your adrenal glands must work harder to produce and maintain the required levels of hormones and neurotransmitters and after a while they can no longer keep up with your body’s demands. If left untreated, your body will have very low levels of hormones. In women, because estrogen levels are low, this is frequently misdiagnosed as early menopause.
Rest is essential to healing your adrenal glands and restoring function however; that is not always easy. During the early stages of adrenal fatigue, your body will respond by increasing cortisol and adrenaline production which will leave you feeling more alert in the evening, disrupting your normal sleep cycle which will increase your fatigue. Our professionals at the Anti-Aging and Wellness Clinic will help you achieve your optimal hormone levels which will decrease your cortisol levels and improve your quality of sleep.
During your initial consultation one of our physicians will conduct a physical, collect a through medical history and run a blood test which will provide your current hormone levels and help the physician make an accurate diagnosis. If diagnosed with adrenal fatigue you will be prescribed the necessary bioidentical hormone therapy and supplement plan to help you attain your optimal hormone levels. You should begin to notice an improvement within 1 week but it can take 6-9 months before your adrenal glands are restored and healthy.
Some changes you can make that will help speed recovery include:
- Diet
Diets high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat have been associated with adrenal fatigue while diets rich in zinc, magnesium, healthy fats and seafood can help improve adrenal function. Supplement your diet with organ meats, bone broth, seaweed and eggs.
- Drink lots of water
Nutritionists recommend drinking at least 6-8 ounce glasses of water per day
- Light exercise
Heavy exercise will place an increased demand of your adrenal glands and should be avoided but 20-30 minutes of light exercise (walking, yoga, tai-chi) will help reduce stress and improve your sleep patterns.
- Rest
Get 8 hours of sleep a night and take time to rest several times during the day. For example, take 15 minutes to relax at 10:00 in the morning, 1:00 in the afternoon and 3:00 in the afternoon.
Additional recommendations:
- Avoid stress
- Meditation or deep breathing exercises
- Reduce your consumption of alcohol, sugar and caffeine
- Avoid air travel
- Keep your blood sugar levels even by eating several meals a day
Don’t suffer another day, contact the experts at the Anti-Aging and Wellness Clinic to discuss how we can help.
