Adrenal Insufficiency - The cause of your fatigue?

Adrenal Insufficiency is an increasing and dramatically under diagnosed problem that is a significant cause of fatigue. The tiny little adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and are one of the most common imbalances in our society today. In short Adrenal Insufficiency is when the gland can't produce the normal quantity of hormones. This can have devastating effects on our energy as anyone who has suffered from this would tell you.

The adrenals are the fight or flight glands. When a crocodile jumps out at you they are the gland that produces among other things the energy you need to deal with the crocodile. Of course all stresses aren't as significant as this but you can get the point. When you are under stress they help you to deal with it. Not enough hormones therefore equals the inability to deal with the stress and this leads to a negative effect on the body.

Insufficiency or burnout of the adrenals occurs when the destructive tearing down stresses on the adrenals overwhelm the ability of the body to heal and thrive. Essentially it is like a bank account. If you keep making withdrawals without making deposits eventually you will go bankrupt. No one likes bankruptcy, not even your adrenals.

The causes of this adrenal insufficiency (or burnout to use the terms interchangeably) are many. Genetics can affect the adrenal glands to weaken but far more common is congenital weakness. This means present at birth and is from nutritional deficiencies of the mother that are passed on to the child. It can also be from toxic metals passed on from the mother and this is a very common cause.

Nutritional imbalances, pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, and other organic chemicals can all act as stressors that weaken the adrenal glands causing adrenal insufficiency. Other causes are emotional or psychological stresses and this is a large reason for burnout. A single stress like the death of a loved one can do it but it is more often from ongoing stressors like pressure from families, school, work, social pressure, financial stress and others. Stimulants also contribute to this. By whipping the adrenals constantly with things like caffeine, alcohol, sugar, excessive exercise or drugs in the long run we simply get more and more fatigued until eventually even the stimulants don't help us get through our day. Other causes include Infections, structural imbalances, toxic substances of all sorts, and occasionally poor mental attitudes including a lack of gratitude.

So what to do?? Start with a hair tissue analysis to assess you cellular response and adrenal function. Eat a wholesome diet that is appropriate for your specific oxidation or metabolism. Take the correct supplements. This will likely include vitamins A, C, E, pantothenic acid, manganese and zinc. Other supplements can help if they enhance your overall metabolism, eliminate toxic metals and enhance absorption and digestion of food.

Above all is a great need to rest. Speak to your Nutritional Balancing practitioner to get started on the road to recovery. This is a problem that can be solved but you need to be asking the right questions to the right people. For more information or to have specific questions answered please feel free to contact us here at Lifestyle Integration.