“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” -Jim Rohn.

THE World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. As I grow as a physician, I think that definition should be amended to include spiritual well-being.

The adrenal gland demands that all aspects of your life be brought into balance.

Adrenal glands are small, but mighty glands and are the centre of steroid hormone production. There is a positive and negative feedback which keeps us in harmony. However, with too much stress, this harmony is disrupted and too much or too little of other hormones are produced.

As the manufacturer of adrenaline, they are the “glands of stress”, but are also the first glands to fail during prolonged or intense periods of stress. The problem with stress is that the adrenal does not distinguish between small and large amounts, but secretes the same amount of hormone for each stressful issue.

Some people call the time when the straw breaks a “camel’s back”, a “nervous breakdown”. However, nerves really don’t break down; adrenal glands do. A “nervous breakdown” is actually adrenal fatigue – the glands can no longer make more hormones to deal with the amount of stress. Adrenal fatigue used to be rare, but is now exceedingly common because of our lack of relaxation and other lifestyle factors, such as smoking, sleep deprivation, poor eating habits, and excessive caffeine intake.

SYMPTOMS OF ADRENAL FATIGUE

* Morning fatigue: You don’t really seem to “wake up” until 10:00 am, even if you’ve been awake since 7:00 am

* Afternoon “low” (feelings of sleepiness or clouded thinking) from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

* Burst of energy at 6:00 pm. You finally feel better from your afternoon lull.

* Sleepiness at 9:00 to 10:00 pm. However, you resist going to sleep.

* “Second wind” at 11:00 pm that lasts until about 1:00 am, when you finally go to sleep.

* Cravings for foods high in salt and fat.

* Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms

* Mild depression

* Lack of energy

* Muscular weakness

* Increased allergies

* Light-headedness when getting up from a sitting or lying position

* Decreased sex drive

* Frequent sighing

ADRENAL FATIGUE CAUSES

Excessive stress, an important cause of burnout, can be from many sources. Mental, emotional or spiritual stress all contribute to burnout.

Nutritional deficiencies are a common cause. When under stress, the need for nutrients is much greater. Carbohydrates, when excessive in the diet, stress the adrenals. Diets low in protein, inadequate or poor-quality water affects oxygenation of the tissues. Most diets are low in nutrients. The adrenals, when it is making a lot of stress hormones require B-complex vitamins, vitamins A, C and E, manganese, zinc, chromium, selenium, and other trace elements. Much of our food is grown on depleted soils.

Toxic metals and chemicals often play a large role in adrenal burnout. Everyone is exposed to thousands of chemicals in the air, the water and the food. Antibiotics and many other drugs accumulate, to some extent, in the liver and other organs.

Chronic infections play a critical role in some cases of adrenal exhaustion. Infections also cause inflammation and stress that must be countered using the adrenal hormones, such as cortisol and cortisone.

Stimulants damage the adrenal glands. They whip the adrenals. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol are among the most common stimulants. Stimulants also include anger, rage, arguing, hatred, loud music, fearful news, and even movies full of suspense or violence. Other activities that may act as stimulants and must not be overlooked include vigorous exercise, sexual preoccupations, recreational drug use or other thrills. These often provide a temporary “high”, which is caused in part by the secretion of high amounts of adrenal hormones. However, over time, this weakens the adrenals and can eventually lead to adrenal depletion and insufficiency. In our 21st century life, this is an important appeal of the drug culture, both legal and recreational. It is also the appeal of loud music, sexual addiction, and even anger.

Unhealthy responses to stress are also a cause of adrenal burnout. These include habits of worrying, or becoming angry or afraid. Don’t worry, be happy is a great prescription for adrenal burnout. This applies particularly to high-strung, nervous individuals and those with very active minds, as they are especially prone to adrenal burnout.

TREATING ADRENAL FATIGUE

Treating adrenal fatigue is as easy as:

* Adopting a natural whole-foods diet

* Avoiding junk food

* Drinking high-quality water, not from the tap. Distilled or spring waters are best.

* Eating five to six servings of vegetables each day through juicing or adding them to meals

* Avoiding white flour and other processed grains

* Adding sea salt to your diet, replacing your table salt

* Taking 2,000 to 5,000 milligrams of vitamin C each day

* Taking a high-strength B-complex supplement

* Taking high-quality fish oils

* Adding licorice root extract and kelp to your diet

* Doing a detox and using an infra-red sauna

* Replacing toxic chemical products used around the house with non-toxic alternatives

* Spending some time in the sun each day

* Doing something fun each day

* Getting lots of rest

* Laughing

* Exercising

* Minimising stress

* Taking negative people out of your life

TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE

If you take your treatment plan seriously, you can expect your adrenal fatigue to heal in:

* Six to nine months for minor adrenal fatigue

* 12 to 18 months for moderate fatigue

* Up to 24 months for severe adrenal fatigue

Dr Simone Van-Horne is a consultant in Internal Medicine. Currently she is a hospitalist where she does inpatient-hospital medicine in Florida, and sees patients in a medical spa setting at Metamorphosis Medispa ” Wellness Center Inc in Hollywood, Florida, and at The Face Place JA at 3 Carvalho Rd, Kingston. Contact info@spamorph.com and www.spamorph.com for questions.