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Recovering from adrenal fatigue: How your body can overcome chronic stress and f
eel energized again
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The easy, relaxed lifestyle experienced by our ancestors no longer exists, and w
e're not even aware of how much stress we're under. The problem? "Our lifestyles
have changed, but our bodies haven't," Dr. James Wilson said in his November le
cture at the First Arizona Choices Exposition in Tucson, Ariz. A large portion o
f our population is feeling tired and stressed out, and we want to know why.
The adrenal glands sit over the kidneys, where they play a significant role in t
he body, secreting more than 50 hormones necessary for life, including epinephri
ne (adrenaline), cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), progesterone and testo
sterone. Since they produce so many essential hormones, the adrenal glands are r
esponsible for many of the functions we need to stay alive and healthy, includin
g:
Energy production -- carbohydrate, protein and fat conversion to blood glucose fo
r energy
Fluid and electrolyte balance
Fat storage
One hormone in particular, cortisol, is extremely important for keeping our body
systems in balance, as well as protecting our cells. For example: It controls the
strength of the immune system: Too much cortisol weakens the immune system, set
ting the motions for increased susceptibility to infections and cancer, while to
o little leads to an overactive immune system and autoimmune disease.
It normalizes blood sugar.
It regulates blood pressure.
These small but mighty glands also work with other hormones and systems in what
Dr. Wilson calls a "symphony." As he points out, when one part of this symphony
drops out, such as what happens after menopause for women and andropause for men
, the adrenal glands have to pick up the slack by producing larger amounts of se
x hormones. Because of this, Wilson claims, good adrenal gland function is linke
d to longevity.
Unfortunately, the adrenal glands' health is paradoxical. As the manufacturer of
adrenaline, they are the "glands of stress," but are also the first glands to f
ail during prolonged or intense periods of stress. The problem with stressors is
that they are "cumulative," in the sense that their impact tends to add up in t
he body over time until your adrenal glands (and probably your mental state) jus
t can't take anymore. "One more stress is the stress that breaks the camel's bac
k," Dr. Wilson says.
Some people call the time when the "camel's back" finally breaks a "nervous brea
kdown." However, nerves really don't break down; adrenal glands do. A "nervous b
reakdown" is actually adrenal fatigue, or when the adrenal glands can't deal wit
h the amount of stress they're given. Adrenal fatigue used to be rare, but is no
w all too common because of our lack of relaxation and other lifestyle factors,
such as smoking, sleep deprivation, poor eating habits and excessive caffeine in
take, as well as allergies.
Diagnosing (and misdiagnosing) adrenal fatigue
To make matters worse, doctors often don't diagnose this problem. Dr. Wilson off
ers the example of a woman who has been to 37 doctors before finally receiving p
roper diagnosis and a renewed sense of hope. So, why don't doctors recognize adr

enal fatigue? In medical school, they are only taught to look for extreme adrena
l malfunction -- Addison's Disease, which occurs when the glands produce far too
little cortisol, and Cushing's Syndrome, which stems from excessive cortisol pr
oduction. They check adrenal function by testing ACTH levels, using a bell curve
to recognize abnormal levels. This is where the problem occurs. ACTH tests only
consider the top and bottom 2 percent of the curve abnormal, yet symptoms of ad
renal malfunction occur after 15 percent of the mean on both sides of the curve.
In other words, your adrenal glands can be functioning 20 percent below the mea
n and the rest of your body experiencing symptoms of adrenal fatigue, yet most m
ainstream physicians won't recognize that you have a problem.
Fortunately, there are ways you can test yourself for adrenal fatigue. To start
off, go ahead and "check off" the symptoms you have been experiencing.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue:
Morning fatigue -- You don't really seem to "wake up" until 10 a.m., even if you'
ve been awake since 7 a.m.
Afternoon "low" (feelings of sleepiness or clouded thinking) from 2 to 4 p.m.
Burst of energy at 6 p.m. -- You finally feel better from your afternoon lull.
Sleepiness at 9 to 10 p.m. -- However, you resist going to sleep.
"Second wind" at 11 p.m. that lasts until about 1 a.m., when you finally go to sl
eep.
Cravings for foods high in salt and fat
Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms
Mild depression
Lack of energy
Decreased ability to handle stress
Muscular weakness
Increased allergies
Lightheadedness when getting up from a sitting or laying down position
Decreased sex drive
Frequent sighing
Inability to handle foods high in potassium or carbohydrates unless they're combi
ned with fats and protein
In addition to noticing these symptoms in yourself, you can objectively check fo
r adrenal fatigue by using the following three tests:
1.Ragland's sign (blood pressure test) -- (Equipment required: Home blood pressu
re kit) Take your blood pressure while sitting down. Then, stand up and immediat
ely take your blood pressure again. Your systolic (first) number should have rai
sed 8 to 10 mm. If it dropped, you probably have adrenal fatigue.
2.Pupil dilation exam -- (Equipment required: Flashlight and a mirror) Look into
the mirror and shine the flashlight into the pupil of one eye. It should contra
ct. If after 30 seconds, it stays the same or, even worse, dilates, you most lik
ely have adrenal fatigue.
3.Pain when pressing on adrenal glands (located over kidneys)
Though the ACTH laboratory exam doesn't effectively test for adrenal fatigue, a
salivary cortisol test can. You don't need a prescription for the exam. In fact,
you can even buy the test online, do it at home and send in your sample to a la
b for the results. Dr. Wilson is very positive about the effectiveness of the sa
livary cortisol test in diagnosing adrenal fatigue. It is so valid and accepted
that Plan B Medicare covers it and "they don't want to cover anything they don't
have to," he quips. If you don't have insurance, rest assured that this non-inv
asive test is also very affordable.
Treatment of adrenal fatigue
"Optimal adrenal health is one of the major keys to the enjoyment of life," acco
rding to Dr. Wilson. If you have adrenal fatigue, you can fully live life again

by making the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes to treat your disorder.
Treating adrenal fatigue is as easy as:
Lying down during your work breaks (preferably at 10 a.m. and again anytime from
3 to 5 p.m.)
Sleeping until 9 a.m. as often as possible
Laughing
Exercising
Minimizing stress
Taking negative people out of your life
Eating regular meals
Chewing well
Doing something fun each day
Combining unrefined carbohydrates with protein and oils
Avoiding junk food
Eating five to six servings of vegetables each day
Taking calcium and magnesium supplements
Adding sea salt to your diet
Taking 2,000 to 5,000 milligrams of vitamin C each day
Supplementing vitamin E with mixed tocopherols
Taking B-complex supplements that are high in B6 and pantothenic acid
Adding licorice root extract to your dietary supplement regimen
Taking back your life
If you take your treatment plan seriously, you can expect your adrenal fatigue t
o heal in:
6 to 9 months for minor adrenal fatigue
12 to 18 months for moderate fatigue
Up to 24 months for severe adrenal fatigue
For help along the way to taking back your life, you may want to read Dr. Wilson
's book, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome. You can learn more a
bout this informative book or about adrenal fatigue in general by visiting Dr. W
ilson's web site, AdrenalFatigue.org, or by calling 1-888-ADRENAL.
Editor's note: This article is not an infomercial. Truth Publishing was not paid
to write this article and receives no money from your purchase of the products
mentioned here.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/019339_adrenal_fatigue_chronic_stress.htm
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