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Steps to Heal Adrenal Burnout

The adrenal glands are the triangular shaped glands situated over the kidneys. They secrete a number of essential hormones, including epinephrine, dopamine, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol. These hormones influence bodily functions such as energy production, glucose regulation, blood pressure, metabolism, and sexual activity. They even impact the ability of the immune system to function at optimal levels. Long periods of stress or physical activity can over-stimulate the adrenal glands and prevent them from operating as they normally would. This type of adrenal burnout can lead to a depletion of beneficial hormones and feelings of fatigue, muscular weakness or even depression.

  1. Diet

    • According to Dr. Lawrence Wilson in "Adrenal Burnout Syndrome", one of the easiest ways to help your body recover from adrenal burnout is to modify or change your diet, at least temporarily. Avoid coffee, soda, chocolate and other foods containing caffeine, choosing water, herbal tea or juice instead. Stimulants of this sort overwhelm the adrenal glands and only aggravate the situation. Additionally, you should try to choose foods that will not cause a rapid elevation in blood glucose levels, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins such as fish, and whole grain bread products. Sweets and baked goods made with refined white flour should be avoided as they elevate the blood sugar and are quickly processed, leading to a swift decline in glucose that strains the adrenal glands and increases feelings of fatigue.

    Rest

    • Alter your patterns of physical activity with recovery in mind. Go to bed early enough to allow yourself nine full hours of rest. The standard medical advice is to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night, but you should also allow a bit of time for falling asleep and for waking up gradually. Adding an extra hour to the total removes the additionally pressure to jump straight out of bed and rush headlong into the day. It buys you time to hit the snooze button once or twice before facing the world. Also, whenever possible, take a short nap at around 10:00 AM and another between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Even if you don't sleep, lie down and rest for 15 to 20 minutes as this can help you to feel more relaxed and less stressed.

    Supplements

    • In addition to avoiding sugar, refined white flour and caffeine, you may want to consider adding a multivitamin to your daily diet. Choose a formula that contains B-complex vitamins as these play an important role in the body's metabolism and are, therefore, crucial for adrenal health. You may also want to choose chamomile or lemon balm tea for your morning beverage. These herbs are known to have a calming effect, helping those who drink them regularly to relax.

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