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Adrenal fatigue
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ken Wilkens on -
Hi Helena
Welcome!
Although I never worked with an MD (or DO) on my Adrenal Fatigue (they tend to only treat Cushing's or Addison's Syndromes... the two EXTREMES of AF)... I did work with some alternative folks.
For me, I really had to dial back and give my body time to heal.
Physically: This meant my workouts (not sure if you are an athlete or not) had to be less than an hour and below around 75% MHR. When I was really bad, I also needed to workout first thing in the morning (while I had enough energy to function!)... I also needed to listen to REST more than ever. If my body was telling me not to workout, I didn't (and still don't) -- if you don't already workout, casual walking would be a good start, as well as a beginner yoga class or perhaps Tai Chi (both will quiet and center the mind)... Also, a friend of mine who is a former pro triatlhete (and Adrenal Fatigue 'survivor') suggested no more than a total of an hour each day for workouts.
Mentally: I really had to (and still have to) work on stress management. There are a ton of books on this subject, but I really liked Phil Maffetone's stuff (www.philmaffetone.com) -- which was to make a list, and keep it simple. I made a list of all things stressing me physically, mentally, chemically, etc. and figured out which ones I could change and which I couldn't ... I think if you go to his website he may have that article on there. In fact, I highly recommend his methods of training and stress relief, just don't agree with his nutrition philosophies fully.
Spiritually: Not sure where you are at with this, but I need the Serenity Prayer like nobody's business! Enough said there!
Nutritionally: Read Brendan's book Thrive, and get his new book. GREAT STUFF! His principles are sound and the one thing I would suggest is eat OFTEN -- every 2 or 3 hours be eating a balanced, low glycemic plant based "meal." This will keep your body fueled, not peaking and valleying and not shooting your cortisol all out of range (mine was super low too, some folks get high cortisol -- it's basically what I have found, that cortisol is doing the right thing at the wrong time!)....
Think of the term "FIGHT OR FLIGHT." This is what our bodies are doing all the time in Adrenal Fatigue or Exhaustion, and we need to ACTIVELY work on getting our bodies out of that state (Sympathetic) and into a more relaxed state (Parasympathetic) whenvever we can.
I also worked with a B.E.S.T. practicitoner (Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique), actually still work with him, and that helps me tremendously. Find that info at www.morter.com.
Hope that helps, and welcome to the group!
Ken -
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Permalink Reply by joanna on -
Hey Helena-
i was alone in my journey years ago as well although i had some great practitioners and a nutritionist i was working with out of california. i became a nutritionist based on my journey to help others heal and also worked with Ken way back when. and it is always easier to work with someone who has had it, too to be able to validate what you are experiencing and what to be able to do with it.
i agree with Ken that there are numerous things to do. i am going to assume your natropath has suggested some supplementation to resolve the low cortisol issues (like licorice root extract??). You still need to move (exercise) but like Ken said, at a mild level. if you wear a heart rate monitor, then make sure no exercise gets your heart rate over 75%, preferably under 70%. initially 30-40 minutes of anything will wipe you out. i know for me even a walk would send my heart rate to 70% so that is all i did (and the year before i had run a marathon at that same HR at a 9 minute pace - do big difference).
one of the other key things you need to do is to make a list of the things that are causing you stress. adrenal fatigue (or exhaustion which is what i had) are all because you load up the stress. environmental, emotional, physical, mental, relationship, etc. and it all builds on top of each other, then one day, the adrenals which have been on overdrive for however many months, reach their limit. and you become really tired.
so make a list of the stresses you have. then go thru each one, and see if you can eliminate it or change the way you react to it so it reduces the stress brought on. and do only one at a time. and sometimes the smaller ones are easier to do (and sense of accomplishment, too) and other times tackle the really big one to at least make it lesser of a stress. make sense?
i know for me, i was also nutrient deficient. so i was juicing daily and my juicing consisted of mostly green veggies. i did not (and still do not) do well on all carrots, fruits and sweet juicing drinks. and i actually now juice every day! 14 years later i returned to it and cannot live without it.
and initially, you will probably sleep alot, too. and this is how you recover. if you are not sleeping well, then we need to work on that. at least for the next 2 weeks, go to bed when you are tired and do not let the 2nd wind kick in. make another list or the things you have to do, and things you want to do. somehow you will get that 'have to do' list done. but if you are tired, then that want to do list remains untouched and you go to sleep. this was really helpful for me - i started out sleeping at 7 Pm and getting up at 6 AM. yep, 11 hours of sleep. and initially i still dragged thru the days. and took naps when i needed them as i needed them. even now, 14 years later, i am under alot of stress now and find that my need for sleep is way up from normal. so i know i am stressed eventhough i really don't feel it that much.
i found alot of help from a chapter from Optimal Wellness called Adrenal Fatigue. i have it on my website: www.nutrition-in-motion.net/articles.html and scroll down to that link. great read on understanding how you get there and how to get out of it.
drop me a line directly if you want to chat about it sometimes.
joanna
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Permalink Reply by joanna on
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oh, and for me, i did Bikram yoga 2 times per week which was a huge help. now i do yoga probably 3-4 times per week (got back to it last year) and i say 'it helps my head!" as it helps you get centered and relaxed via the breathing. helps rejuvenate! i do alot of online classes from yogatoday.com as they have over 200+ classes and offer one free class per week. love that site!
i can send you an invitation to 2 free weeks if you are interested. just send me your email to jbanana3@verizon.net
thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Helen T on -
My AE must be progressing pretty rapidly. I joined the annual Bikram contract in May and have not used it very much. Tried the 60-day twice (having done 37 days of it in 2009) and these two times am wasted after each class. Certainly found that it increased my endurance to heat, and this year that would be a boon to ANYBODY, wtih heat indices US-wide unfathomly high. I probably was in AE back then, having been in endless stressful situations since 2003 and, not surprisingly gaining weight. It's a time for me to attempt to blockade any further downhill development of my body's fatigue, and by what Brendan notes (other authors, too) that my cortisol load is very, very high...Any comments so encouraged.
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Permalink Reply by Helen T on
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Thank you, Ken for your comments to Helena's and other posts on this condition, AE. I'm reading through all of them. - Helen T.
Ken Wilkens said:
Hi Helena
Welcome!
Although I never worked with an MD (or DO) on my Adrenal Fatigue (they tend to only treat Cushing's or Addison's Syndromes... the two EXTREMES of AF)... I did work with some alternative folks.
For me, I really had to dial back and give my body time to heal.
Physically: This meant my workouts (not sure if you are an athlete or not) had to be less than an hour and below around 75% MHR. When I was really bad, I also needed to workout first thing in the morning (while I had enough energy to function!)... I also needed to listen to REST more than ever. If my body was telling me not to workout, I didn't (and still don't) -- if you don't already workout, casual walking would be a good start, as well as a beginner yoga class or perhaps Tai Chi (both will quiet and center the mind)... Also, a friend of mine who is a former pro triatlhete (and Adrenal Fatigue 'survivor') suggested no more than a total of an hour each day for workouts.
Mentally: I really had to (and still have to) work on stress management. There are a ton of books on this subject, but I really liked Phil Maffetone's stuff (www.philmaffetone.com) -- which was to make a list, and keep it simple. I made a list of all things stressing me physically, mentally, chemically, etc. and figured out which ones I could change and which I couldn't ... I think if you go to his website he may have that article on there. In fact, I highly recommend his methods of training and stress relief, just don't agree with his nutrition philosophies fully.
Spiritually: Not sure where you are at with this, but I need the Serenity Prayer like nobody's business! Enough said there!
Nutritionally: Read Brendan's book Thrive, and get his new book. GREAT STUFF! His principles are sound and the one thing I would suggest is eat OFTEN -- every 2 or 3 hours be eating a balanced, low glycemic plant based "meal." This will keep your body fueled, not peaking and valleying and not shooting your cortisol all out of range (mine was super low too, some folks get high cortisol -- it's basically what I have found, that cortisol is doing the right thing at the wrong time!)....
Think of the term "FIGHT OR FLIGHT." This is what our bodies are doing all the time in Adrenal Fatigue or Exhaustion, and we need to ACTIVELY work on getting our bodies out of that state (Sympathetic) and into a more relaxed state (Parasympathetic) whenvever we can.
I also worked with a B.E.S.T. practicitoner (Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique), actually still work with him, and that helps me tremendously. Find that info at www.morter.com.
Hope that helps, and welcome to the group!
Ken -
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