Are you feeling stressed, tired and moody? Having difficulty falling and staying asleep, but then struggling to get up in the morning? In today’s hectic world, almost everyone will be exposed to extreme stress at some point in his or her lives. While the stress response is the body’s way of dealing with an immediate stressful event, over time this can have negative effects on the body and prevent the body from recuperating physically, mentally and emotionally. If you have any of the following symptoms, you may want to speak with your Naturopathic Doctor about adrenal fatigue. Common symptoms of adrenal fatigue include:
- Chronic fatigue
- Brain fog
- Hair loss
- Hormone imbalances
- Weakened stress response
- Insulin resistance
- Lightheadedness
- Decreased libido
- Irritability
- Depression
- Muscle/bone loss
- Sleep disturbances
- Weight gain
- Salty and sweet food cravings
- Skin issues
- Autoimmune conditions
WHAT ARE YOUR ADRENAL GLANDS?
The adrenal glands are the organs that sit on top of the kidneys. Despite their small size, they are involved heavily in the endocrine system and are essential in the production of over 50 hormones (eg. Sex hormones and hormones that balance the blood sugar, metabolism, immune system and blood pressure)
WHO IS AT RISK FOR ADRENAL FATIGUE?
Anyone going through a prolonged stressful life event such as new parents, students, caregivers (healthcare workers and/or family members caring for relatives), those starting new careers/jobs or experiencing death of a loved one, divorce or surgery are at high risk for adrenal fatigue symptoms.
MY APPROACH:
My first step is always to take a detailed intake of your health history to examine your diet and lifestyle and to rule out other causes of your symptoms. Click here to book your initial consultation
LAB TESTING
Based on the intake, I may request specific lab tests (Naturopaths are able to requisition an array of tests including blood, saliva and urine testing) to rule out other underlying causes of your symptoms. Contact me for information on different methods of testing hormones, and the pros/cons for each.
TREATMENT
Once there is a clear picture of what is causing the adrenal fatigue, a personalized treatment program is developed for you. Treatment involves gently rebalancing the hormones in a gently way, using a combination of some or all of the following (depending on your personal needs)
- Dietary modification (custom meal plans available),
- Avoiding foods that negatively impact the adrenal system (eg. Caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners, carbohydrates, processed foods and meats and hydrogenated oils)
- Including adrenal friendly foods (nutrient dense, low sugar, healthy fats, fiber)
- Optimal food timing
- Lifestyle advice
- Optimizing sleep
- Exercise
- Mental health
- Relaxation strategies
- Nutritional supplementation (eg. B vitamins, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Selenium etc…)
- Herbal/botanical medicines (eg. Rhodiola, Ginseng, Licorice Root, Ashwagandha, Schisandra, Holy Basil etc..)
- Acupuncture (a series of at least 10 treatments is recommended for optimal benefit)
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HEAL THE ADRENAL GLANDS?
Most people will notice a difference in just several weeks, however it is important to recognize that it will take to get back to full strength. It likely took a while to wear out the adrenal glands, so it will take time and consistent lifestyle changes to induce long lasting positive change.
MONITORING
It is important that there is regular monitoring of your progress. Visits with me will include following-up on your symptoms, continuing acupuncture treatments, rechecking labs when appropriate and/or altering the treatment plan as needed.
Do you think you are having issues with adrenal fatigue? Click to book your consultation with your naturopath Dr. Maria