My Experience With Adrenal Fatigue

I wanted to talk about something that many people experience but few talk about. I want to talk about your adrenals but more specifically - adrenal fatigue. Now i’m not going to get into the science of it but instead i’m going to give you information that you can relate to, understand, and hopefully can help you!

Quick note #1: Your adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones that are essential to life. These hormones help with many functions one being stress reaction.

Quick note #2: Adrenal fatigue is a term applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms: body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances. digestive problems, anxiety, low libido, low blood pressure, even dry skin and dark circles under the eyes.

Earlier this week I completely broke down; tears streaming down my face, saying I never wanted to compete again, saying I hated everything… your typical over dramatic chick.

The thing is; I knew this was coming. Over the past few weeks I was demanding a lot from my body. My body which I love and do all I can to nourish and take care of was telling me loud and clear Fxck You!

Now what caused my adrenals to go hay wire?

- long hours working - between hands on clients and online clients I was running in overdrive.

- lack of solid nights sleep - waking up at 5:30 AM and not going to bed until midnight.

- weeks of dieting - stress on body.

- weeks of cardio - stress on body.

- intense training - stress on body without ample recovery.

- homelife - puppy is being a puppy!

- sickness - strep throat & ear infection! < this was the icing on the cake.

Now you need to understand that things that might not phase one person can send another into a a tailspin of emotions like anger, anxiety, etc.

I researched into this more and learned some interesting things such as why some people’s adrenals get taxed out far easier than others.

Some of it actually has to do with your past - starting from childhood; did you have any experiences that your body might have perceived as traumatic. And now traumatic isn't the same for everyone… it might be the loss of a loved one, a bad breakup for another, dealing with a mental health issue, watching others deal with mental health issues or illness, family distress, financial distress, etc. This is all individual as to how YOUR body perceives trauma. Over time these little or large experiences build up and if you don't find a way to manage them you might be left with your adrenals being always a little on the taxed out side.

Some examples I came across for people who are wondering if this is them….

When you walk into a room do you automatically pick out the things that are out of place, messy or don’t belong?

Do you find it hard to sit down and complete a task if something in that room is out of place?

Do you fly off the handles easily only later to look back and realize you were being a little dramatic?

Do you feel anxious or always rushed?

Do you feel it’s impossible to stop your mind from thinking?

I’ll start off by saying I answered YES to all of the above questions. What did I do next? I took action. I knew the herbs that would help me with my adrenals and I knew I needed to make lifestyle changes to get me into a better state of mind.

I picked up:

Fermented Ashwaganda (adaptogenic tonic) Licorice (liquid tincture) Kelp (liquid ioninc) Magnesium (liquid ionic) L.G. - W (extract)

Why theses?

Ashwagandha has numerous healing benefits for adrenal fatigue. It can boost the immune system, support improved thyroid functioning, enhance brain power and mood, and prevent the loss of cortisol.

Licorice can be taken by mouth for various digestive system issues. These range from stomach ulcers, heartburn, and inflammation of the lining of the stomach (chronic gastritis). The can also be taken for a sore throat, bronchitis, cough, and infections caused by bacteria or viruses.

Kelp helps in the function of the thyroid gland which is important when dealing with the adrenals and adrenal fatigue.

Magnesium may be the most important element needed by the human body. It’s a co-factor in activating over 350 different biochemical reactions in the body. These include energy production, protein synthesis, bone formation, creation of new cells, contraction and relaxation of muscles, activation of B vitamins, proper functioning of the nerves, heart, kidneys, adrenals, and brain.

L.G. - W is an extract that helps relieve inflammatory conditions of the digestive system and an alternative to help remove accumulated waste products via the kidneys, skin and mucus membrane.

I also had no option but to take an antibiotic for the strep and ear infection which I wasn't too happy about but I’m doubling up on my probiotic so my gut health should be good.

Along with all this I am making lifestyle changes. For the rest of prep I have decided to no longer take clients past 9PM; leaving the gym at 10PM is not in my best interest knowing how early my mornings are. I am taking Titus on walks that surround me with nature - our favourite spot is by a little stream which we walk on the rocks (he walks in the water) but just hearing the water and having no cars in sight is peaceful. I am talking to myself more! Reminding myself of all my blessings and to breathe and relax.

If you’re reading this and you feel like I described you in some cases; have no fear! Just take the time to assess what is in your control to change and take steps towards creating an environment that will help ease you out of this adrenal fatigue rut!

Natg