A Medical Intuitive looks at Adrenal
Fatigue
By: Christopher Stewart
Many of my clients speak of having fatigue, sleeping
problems, weight gain, and depression. They say that their mind
feels 100 years ahead of their body. Sound familiar?
Many of these clients have what is known as Adrenal Fatigue or in
extreme cases Adrenal Exhaustion.
Your adrenals are small Brazil nut size glands which sit on top of
the kidneys. They are actually two different glands in one. The
center of the gland makes adrenaline (epinephrine) and is under the
control of the autonomic nervous system. Although it is known that
this part of the nervous system is also on the fritz in chronic
fatigue patients--contributing to such symptoms as hot and cold
sweats, cold sweaty hands, neurally mediated hypotension, and panic
attacks--it is not understood if or how this ties into the
adrenal's ability to make adrenaline in CFIDS/FMS. More likely,
adrenaline deficiency is a CNS (central brain) problem.
The outer part of the adrenal gland, the cortex, also makes many
important hormones. These include:
* Cortisol. The adrenal glands increase their production of
cortisol in response to stress. Cortisol raises the blood sugar and
blood pressure levels and moderates immune function, in addition to
playing numerous other roles. If the cortisol level is low, the
person has fatigue, low blood pressure, hypoglycemia, poor immune
function, an increased tendency to allergies and environmental
sensitivity, and an inability to deal with stress.
* Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). Although its mechanism
of action is not clear, DHEA is the most abundant hormone produced
by the adrenal cortex. If it is low, patients will feel poorly.
Patients often feel dramatically better when their DHEA-S levels
are brought to the mid-normal range for a twenty-nine-year-old.
DHEA-S levels normally decline with age, and appear to drop
prematurely in chronic fatigue patients.
* Aldosterone. This hormone helps to keep salt and water balanced
in the body.
* Estrogen and testosterone. These hormones are produced in small
but significant amounts by the adrenals as well as by the ovaries
and testicles. Half of a woman's testosterone is produced in the
adrenals.
The basic task of your adrenals is to rush all your bodys resources
into fight or flight mode when needed. When your adrenals are
healthy they will instantly increase your heart rate and blood
pressure, release your stored energy, slow your digestion, and
sharpen all your senses. All in the blink of an eye. This takes
priority over all other body functions, and it does not last very
long, as long as the body is healthy.
Now we live with constant stress. Instead of occasional demands
followed by rest, we're constantly over-worked, under-nourished,
exposed to environmental toxins, worrying about others, feeling
their feelings, all with no respite. Every challenge to the
mind/body creates a demand on the adrenal glands.
The destructive side of cortisol.
In its normal function, cortisol helps us meet these challenges by
converting proteins into energy, releasing glycogen and
counteracting inflammation. For a short time, that's OK. But at
sustained high levels, cortisol gradually tears your body down.
Sustained high cortisol destroys healthy muscle and bone; slows
down healing and normal cell replacement; co-ops biochemicals
needed to make other vital hormones; impairs digestion, metabolism
and mental function; interferes with healthy endocrine function,
and weakens your immune system.
Adrenal dysfunction may be a factor in many related conditions,
including fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome,
arthritis, premature menopause and others. It may also produce a
host of other unpleasant symptoms, from acne to hair loss. In my
medical intuitive work, the energy pattern that I see with a person
who has adrenal fatigue is that of survival, one who is not truly
connected with their physical life on the Earth. The person is
reacting as if they are under attack and are leaving their physical
body behind. With intention and focused effort, the adrenals can be
restored to health.
The first step is to have a full physical to rule out disease or
other factors. In my experience, people with mild to moderate cases
of adrenal fatigue can see significant improvement through these
steps:
Dietary changes to enrich your nutrition and reduce carbohydrates
and stimulants. Also recommended are the addition of high-quality
nutritional supplements, including essential fatty acids from fish
oil.
Stress reduction, including moderate exercise and taking more time
for your self. (It's helpful to make a list of your stressors,
especially those that are constant.)
Focused energy practice such as Hatha Yoga, Tai Chi, or QiGong is
very helpful.
Persons with more severe symptoms, or who have reached complete
adrenal exhaustion, usually need greater intervention. These may
include phosphorylated serines, low-dose compounded DHEA, ginseng
and glycerated licorice.
In my consultations, I personalize the recommendations to each
clients symptoms and test information. I do not recommend
self-prescribing any substance, as they can have adverse health
effects.
Christopher Stewart is a Medical Intuitive
assisting others in their healing process. His work is
compassionate, uplifting and empowering. You can visit Christophers
website at www.clairvoyantguide.com
for further information and to schedule a private
consultation. You can also look for frequent updates to his blog
at: intuitiveliving.blogspot.com/
Publisher"s Guidelines: You may freely publish
this article online, in email newsletters, or in print so long
as the resource box and byline are in tact. Author would
appreciate a notification, however that is optional.
|