Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome; What Causes it? What are the signs and symptoms? What helps?
February 10, 2021
It is February and the Winter Blues seem to be at a peak. Caffeine doesn’t even seem to be working anymore; no matter how many cups of coffee you may consume throughout the day, the dark and heavy funk of low energy is ever present. Does this sound familiar? This constant feeling of exhaustion could be Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome.
Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome can happen when the adrenal glands have become overworked, are out of balance and are not functioning properly.
The adrenal glands purpose is to secrete many hormones, including one of the most commonly known stress hormones known as cortisol; which is used in the regulation of blood pressure, the way the body responds to stress, the body’s inflammatory response, and the body’s metabolism of glucose.
Potential stressors could be dietary and environmental such as toxicity in the environment. It could also include emotional stressors such as over thinking and anxiety, trauma, grief, self shaming and auto-immune conditions.
Symptoms can include; fatigue and energy crashes, mood dysregulation, compromised stress response, brain fog or cognitive impairment, symptoms of depression, dependency on caffeine and other simulants, low functioning immune system, sleep irregularities such as insomnia, weight gain and bloating, sluggishness and poor circulation.
Adrenal fatigue is not the same as Addison’s Disease however, it can be considered to be closely related with many of the same symptoms. Addison’s Disease also has insufficient cortisol production affecting the adrenal glands however, it is due to a specific pathology. So it is important to get tested, to rule out Addison’s Disease.
Adrenal fatigue is considered to be caused by the overuse and exhaustion of an otherwise healthy functioning adrenal system. The best recommendation holistically for Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is to decrease stress (since chronic stress is linked to lowered adrenal gland functioning), plenty of fresh spring water and hydration, replacing the high processed junk foods with nutrient rich plant based foods (especially foods high in vitamin C and B vitamins), then of course mindfulness meditation and spending time in nature to allow the stress response system to rest and repair itself so that it may function at it’s best.
Thank goodness Spring is well on it’s way in. Time to push forward, focus on health, getting outdoors to enjoy nature, and finding time for mindfulness, yoga and nutrition. I have noticed personally, that when I make room for spending time in nature, and mindfulness and yoga, I naturally crave healthier food options. Mindful Mountain Wellness L.L.C. will be offering an 8 week online course Mindfulness & Yoga for Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We will learn 8 steps to help aid in recovery from Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Each 8 week online course will be followed with an option to sign up for a Mindful Mountain Wellness, Health and Wellness Retreat hosted in Captiol Reef National Park. We will enjoy plenty of mindfulness, yoga, nutrition, stargazing, steam room and spa time and of course nature walks and mindfulness hikes in the beauty of Captiol Reef
Go to MindfulMountainWellness.com to view our new Spring Courses. Sign up for an online 8 week course or a Mindful Mountain Wellness Retreat.
