Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal Fatigue... you may be wondering what this is, but the truth is
that MANY people living in North America suffer from tired or burned out
adrenals without even knowing it.

The hectic pace of life, made up of time pressures, money pressures,
insufficient sleep & exercise, and poordiet habits (i.e. lots of fast, refined
and processed foods, and consuming sugar and other stimulants to keep 
you going when you feel tired and fuzzy headed - coffee, Red Bull, pop
and other sources of caffeine, all contribute to Adrenal Fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue is a collection of signs and symptoms, known as a
syndrome, that results when the adrenal glands function below the
necessary level.  Most commonly associated with intense or prolonged
stress, it can also arise during or after acute or chronic infections,
especially respiratory infections such as influenza, bronchitis or
pneumonia. 

A keynote symptom of Adrenal Fatigue, is just that, fatigue, and that
fatigue is not relieved by sleep.  You may look and act relatively normal
with Adrenal Fatigue and may not have any obvious signs of physical
illness, yet you live with a general sense of unwellness, tiredness or
generally feeling blah emotionally. 

If you regularly experience one or more of the following symptoms,
please talk to a nutritionist to find out what diet & lifestyle changes,
and supplements can help you:

1.  Fatigue, despite adequate sleep
2.  Trouble getting up in the morning even when you go to bed at a
  reasonable hr
3.  Feeling rundown or overwhelmed
4.  Can't bounce back from stress or illness
5.  Crave salty and sweet snacks
6.  Feeling best only after 6 PM
7.  Insomnia
8.  Lethargy, especially in the morning and mid-afternoon
9.  Decreased sex drive
10. Increased effort to do every day tasks
11. Decreased ability to handle stress
12. Increase PMS weight gain
13. Thoughts less focused, more fuzzy or memory less accurate
14. Suppressed immunity; it takes you longer to recover from illness
15. Mild depression or less enjoyment or happiness with life

The good thing is that this syndrome is fairly easy to treat, once you
are aware that you have it.  So, if this sounds like you, consider
making the following changes...

1.  Go to bed at the same time each night, and preferably 10 or
    10:30pm
2.  Eat some protein in the morning
3.  Eat something every 2.5-3 hrs - this will help keep blood sugar
    stable
4.  Choose whole grain over refined, white flour products
5.  Limit/Avoid sugar - or at least eat less, and make better choices
6.  Take EFAs (essential fatty acids = Omega 3s)
7.  Eat 2-4 servings of fruit, and 5-8 servings of vegetables each day
8.  Exercise - try to move daily
9.  Take time for yourself, at least 20 minutes a day of rest or
    self-indulgence
10. Take the necessary supplements to help rebuild or support your
    adrenals (talk to an expert)

Good luck, and wishing you balanced adrenals!
:)
m

Spring... and Allergies are soon here!

With Spring fast approaching, most of us are eagerly awaiting the warmer weather, spending more time outdoors and the beautiful flowers and leaves that will soon be budding. That is, if you don't suffer from allergies.

Runny nose, itchy watery eyes, sneezing, headaches oh my! Many dread Spring for all the discomfort it brings, and the fear they have each time they step outdoors as to how their body will react. But this does not have to be so.

There are many natural things that can be done to help alleviate allergies, but in most cases, the sooner you start, the better, ideally 4-6 weeks before symptoms usually begin. Here are a few things to consider...

1) Liver cleanse - cleansing the liver can help take the toxic load off the body so that it can more readily respond to foreign invaders!

2) Probiotics - increasing the good bacteria in your stomach will increase your immune response which can alleviate many symptoms and make you more resilient

3) Antioxidants - especially Quercetin, Rutin, vitamin C, grape seed extract - all help reduce histamine, much like an anti-histamines

4) Homeopathics - there are many homeopathics for allergies. Some are complex remedies that help reduce several specific triggers, like pollen, grass, & buds; whereas others are single remedies that help alleviate the symptoms, such as: runny nose, difficulty breathing, congestion etc. It is best to talk to a professional to see which is best for you

5) Diet changes - many people benefit by reducing or eliminating certain foods from their diet, because of the effect they have. For example, dairy is mucous inducing and can increase congestion. Garlic and onions are high in antioxidants, which can ease many symptoms.

6) Nasal Lavage - netti pots or sea salt nasal mists are great at clearing mucous and congestion in the sinuses. Both are great for sinus infections and allergies alike, and can really help open the air passages. An added bonus is that they can also help with some headaches!

There are many amazing remedies in natural medicine that can help reduce the suffering that an allergy season brings, so if you do suffer, consider having a nutritional assessment to see what options you have, in addition to the typical over-the-counter medicines you may have been using up until now, because you will be surprised by just how many options there are.

Wishing you a symptom-free Spring!
:)
m