Did you Know… Adrenal Gland Health

If you are feeling tired, run down and overly stressed, it is likely that your adrenal health is affected. Your adrenal glands are fundamental to the balance of your overall health and wellbeing, and can play a crucial role in your ability to lose weight.  Additionally, adrenal stress speeds up the aging process by decreasing anti-aging hormones.

Fatigue

Your adrenals glands are situated just above your kidneys. They serve a role in producing and regulating your hormones. Primarily, your adrenals are responsible for the stress hormone, cortisol. Excess stress brought upon by illness or infections, emotional instability, poor diet, lack of exercise or lack of sleep can affect cortisol production and could lead to a syndrome known as adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue is comprised of a “collection of signs and symptoms” that includes mental fogginess, depression and weight gain.

Symptoms

If you are suffering from adrenal fatigue you may notice several seemingly unrelated symptoms. For example, people with adrenal fatigue often crave salty foods and sugar, and rely on caffeine to stay alert. People with adrenal fatigue generally feel exhausted and run down, which can hinder them from getting appropriate exercise. The combination of a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle can cause excess weight and make it difficult to lose.

Cortisol

Cortisol is an adrenal hormone essential to maintaining the balance of your overall health. Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” because it regulates your body’s response to stress. Its influences are related to blood sugar levels, immune responses, anti-inflammatory actions, blood pressure, central nervous system activation, and metabolism. Your adrenals may over-secrete this hormone in response to stress, and the excess of cortisol can disrupt your system and cause problems — such as excess weight gain or challenges with weight loss; lowered testosterone levels and decreased libido.

 Treatment

You can usually treat adrenal fatigue by regulating your lifestyle habits. This includes maintaining a proper diet, exercising regularly, having adrenal therapy performed by acupressure and getting enough sleep. Some people also choose to include vitamins and supplements into their adrenal treatment plan. If you are interested in natural dietary supplements or adrenal therapy, speak with Dr. Pence to determine what specific nutritional approach is right for you. Once your adrenals are functioning optimally again, you should start to notice a change in your ability to lose weight.

Do you have questions and/or comments about adrenal gland health?
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