Your adrenal glands are the two glands that sit on top of your kidneys. They produce hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine and nor epinephrine. Naturopathic and Chinese medicine practitioners use a diagnosis called adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue can be remedied by eating whole foods and changing your lifestyle.
Adrenal Glands
Rebuilding your adrenal glands can be done by eating mostly whole foods. Certain foods support the adrenal glands and other foods tax the adrenal glands, according to both naturopathic and traditional Chinese medicine. The two sections of the adrenal glands, the cortex and medulla, secrete many important hormones in a complex relationship with the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. Cortisol, secreted from the cortex, is important to the inflammation response. Inflammation is one of the body's responses to infection. Epinephrine and Norepinephrine are important to the "fight or flight" response in the body. The "fight or flight" response helps your body react to stress.
Adrenal Fatigue
According to naturopathic and traditional Chinese medicine, our bodies still react to stress in a way that doesn't work in a modern lifestyle. This can lead to the body being in a constant state of low-level stress and low-level inflammation. For example, a typical day might include drinking coffee while sitting at your desk at work, while worrying about how you will manage to pick your children up from school and how your boss may react to your latest project. Your body's adrenal glands will secrete epinephrine and nor epinephrine in response to the coffee and the worries. Your body makes no distinction between real and imagined stresses. Allopathic or conventional medicine does not recognize the term adrenal fatigue for lack of proof. Not enough studies have been done yet to prove or disprove the theory of adrenal fatigue according to the National Institutes for Health.
Foods to Rebuild Adrenals
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include relying on caffeine; craving sugars, refined carbohydrates and salt; depression; insomnia, or general fatigue even though you are getting enough sleep. If you are suffering from these symptoms, you may benefit from eating a whole-foods diet to support your adrenals. Eat at least five times a day to support your adrenal glands, and make sure that you sleep enough. Sleeping for at least 8 hours a night, and definitely between the hours of 10:00 and 2:00, helps support your adrenals.
A diet which supports your adrenals includes a breakfast rich in protein. Naturopathic Doctor Marcy Holmes of the Women-to-Women clinic suggests supplementing your diet with fish oils to support your adrenals. John G. Conner, Master Acupuncturist, suggests a breakdown of about 30 to 40 percent whole grains, 30 to 40 percent vegetables, 10 to 20 percent meat, 10 to 15 percent seeds and nuts, and just 5 to 10 percent fruits. Reducing sugar, even in the form of natural sugar found in fruits, is an important part of supporting your adrenal glands.
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