“When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot become manifest, strength cannot be exerted, wealth becomes useless, and reason is powerless.” – Herophilus



FATIGUE – BURNOUT – and – JUST PLAIN TIREDNESS



Is this YOU?


Fatigue, exhaustion, tiredness, weariness, low energy…whatever you choose to call it, it’s a real problem and it happens to real people like you. One out of every two people are complaining of some form of Adrenal Exhaustion! Maybe your neurotransmitters are sluggish and you have difficulties with focus, or your digestion and you’re constipated, or your hormones are giving you havoc, and you have menstrual irregularities, mood swings, coldness etc. etc.

What About The Adrenal Glands?



The adrenal glands may only be approximately the size of an almond, however, they are power houses! These glands are extremely important in the body and they affect the way you think and feel. They affect how fats and carbohydrates are used, are a factor in fats and proteins being converted to energy, how stored fat is distributed, blood sugar regulation and proper cardiovascular and gastrointestinal functions.
The adrenal glands are responsible for helping the body cope with stress and survive through stress; these glands are referred to as the “glands of stress.” They allow the body to deal with stress from every possible source whether it is job related, injury, disease, relationship problems or just the stresses of everyday life in the 21st Century.



The outer adrenal cortex comprises 80 percent of the adrenal gland and is responsible for producing over 50 different types of hormones in three major classes – glucocorticoids, mineralcorticoids and androgens.



The most important glucocorticoid is cortisol. When this is lowered, the body will be unable to deal with stress. This happens in adrenal fatigue.



When our body is stressed, our cortisol level rises in an environment where the negative feedback system is dampened. While this is happening, our DHEA level continues to drop. The result is a high cortisol to DHEA ratio andas Dr. Lam states that the following occurs:



“1. Reduced insulin sensitivity, reduced glucose utilization, and increased blood sugar, which leads to diabetes.



2. Reduced secretory IgA (the main cellular defense factor), natural killer (NK) cell and T-lymphocyte activity.



This leads to increased chances of getting infections such as Herpes, yeast overgrowth, and viral infections.



3. Increased loss in bone mass, as calcium absorption is blocked. The demineralization of bone occurs, leading to osteoporosis.



4. Increased fat accumulation around the waist and protein breakdown, thus leading to muscle wasting, an inability to reduce weight.



5. Increased water and salt retention, leading to high blood pressure at first, with low blood pressure as the condition worsens.



6. Estrogen dominance, leading to PMS, uterine fibroids, and breast cancer.”

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The adrenals are so extremely responsive to the changes in your physical, physiological. and emotional world and there are many things that can throw them out of balance. Too much physical, emotional, or physiological stress can cause your adrenal glands to produce excess hormone and therefore leave them depleted and unable to handle any further stressors in your life. The extreme of this condition may result in Addison’s disease which if not treated can be a life threatening disease.



Adrenal fatigue occurs when the activity of the adrenal glands diminishes. The less function that is going on in the adrenal glands, the more organs and systems in the body are affected. Changes occur in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance, heart and the cardiovascular system and sex drive.



Some Signs of Adrenal Fatigue



- you may notice a general fatigue



- coffee may be the essential beverage to get you going in the am



- you may have a craving for salty foods



- lack of energy



- you may experience increased effort to do get through the day



- you may feel light-headed when standing up quickly



- mild depression may poke its head…



- you may find difficulty in focusing



- your memory may be less accurate



- you may notice weight gain



- decreased sex drive



- you may have an afternoon low between 2 and 4 pm



- if you have an illness: you find that your recovery time takes longer.



- Your symptoms worsen after any period of stress…
………and there are many more…



What May Be the Cause?



-Death of a Close Friend or Family Member
-Shift work with an inadequate sleeping schedule
-Disease
-Drug or Alcohol Abuse (organ abuse)
-Head Trauma
-Moving to a New Place
-New Baby arriving
-Loss of Job
-Relationship problems
-Steroid Drugs and Type Two Diabetes
-Serious Burns…including a severe sunburn
-Severe Emotional Trauma
-Stress
-Money Problems
-Student Stress…Exams etc.
-Fear
-Infection
-Environmental Toxins
-Poor Nutrient Intake
-Smoking
-Sugar Intake
-Negative Attitudes
-Inadequate Sleep



What Happens to You?

When you are experiencing a stressful situation; the following may occur as your body responds from a hormonal standpoint…



- Your hypothalamus signals your pituitary gland to release ACTH.
- The ACTH will stimulate the adrenal medulla to secrete
epinephrine, and the adrenal cortex to secrete cortisol, among
other hormones.
- The cortisol level will increase and convert more stored glycogen
into blood sugar for energy. Energy is also increased from the
release of epinephrine from the adrenals.
- Your heart rate will increase (from epinephrine)
- You will perspire more (from cortisol)
- Muscle tension will increase (from cortisol and epinephrine)
- Digestion slows down as the blood is diverted away to
the stressed area.
- Rectal and bladder muscles may relax.



When the above physiological response occurs over a long duration, or in certain cases when there is acute stress, then adrenal fatigue is the result as the adrenal glands become worn out.



Stages of Adrenal Fatigue

ADRENAL FATIGUE PROGRESSION

Diseases follow a downward progression as the body deteriorates:

Stage 1: Alarm Reaction (Flight or Fight response)



In this stage, the body is alarmed by the stressors and mounts an aggressive anti-stress response to reduce stress levels.
During this period, the body needs cortisol to overcome stress, so the production of cortisol is therefore increased. After some time, the adrenals will experience difficulties in meeting the body’s ever increasing demand for cortisol.



Stage 2: Resistance Response



With chronic or severe stress, the adrenals eventually are unable to keep up with the body’s demand for cortisol. Anxiety starts to set in, and the person becomes easily irritable. Insomnia becomes more common, as it takes longer to fall asleep. There is also frequent awakenings as well. Infections can become more recurrent. PMS and menstrual irregularities surface, and symptoms suggestive of hypothyroidism (such as a sensation of feeling cold and sluggish metabolism) become evident.



Stage 3: Adrenal Exhaustion



Early in this stage, mild symptoms characteristic of the first and second stages of adrenal fatigue continue to worsen and become persistent or chronic.
Finally, as the body’s key hormones, such as cortisol, falls below the minimum required reserve for normal function and output fails, the body may down-regulate the amount needed in order to preserve what is on hand for only the most essential body functions. This near-failure state is quite serious and requires professional attention. This is a state of extreme low energy as the body tries to conserve to survive.



Stage 4: Failure



Eventually, the adrenals are totally exhausted. When adrenal fatigue has advanced to this stage, the line between it and sub-clinical and clincal Addison’s disease, also called adrenal insufficiency, can be blurry.
Typical symptoms of Addison’s Disease may start to emerge. Fatigue becomes extreme, with weight loss, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, hypoglycemia, headache, sweating, irregular menstrual cycles, depression, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances. The body appears to have lost its normal homeostasis and is breaking down. It this is not attended to, death may occur.

PART 2: Next Post… What Can You Do About Your Adrenal Fatigue?