The Holistic Pharmacist

Archive for the ‘Adrenal Fatigue’ Category

Mind over matter. This is a mantra familiar to most people today. It can help us get through our day, tend to our daily tasks and responsibilities, and motivate us during physical activity. The outcome is positive to the naked eye: we’re able to conquer our laziness, fatigue, or lack of motivation, and take action. However, is there a price to pay without knowing it?

Our ability to move, get up, or grab something is determined by our Nervous System, which consists of our brain, spine, and the many nerve endings that go across our body. However, there is a part of our nervous system that’s not within our control, which helps dictate our survival and adaptation as a human being. This is called the Autonomic Nervous System, and regulates our bodily functions such as¹:

• breathing

• digestion

• heart rate

• urination

• sexual arousal

*Note: “Autonomic” is related to the word “autonomous,” which means independent, self-determined

In a healthy body, when we are at rest or relaxed, the part of the Autonomic Nervous System that becomes activated is called the Parasympathetic Nervous System. This is the “Calm” branch of our Autonomic Nervous System. This means our heart is not beating fast, the food we ate earlier is digesting normally, and we are breathing normally. But when we are anxious or frightened, the part of the Autonomic Nervous System that becomes activated is called the Sympathetic Nervous System. This is the “Stressed” branch of our Autonomic Nervous System. This means our heart beats faster, the food we ate earlier doesn’t digest as well, and we breathe more rapidly. This is also referred to as our “fight or flight” response, when we decide to fight (become angry or aggressive), or flee (withdraw). This has had a primitive origin for our survival throughout human history, allowing us to adapt accordingly to different situations.

This is important to know, because many of us today are operating in a predominantly sympathetic state without knowing it. If you experience anyone or more of the following:

• Need coffee or tea to get through the day

• Have difficult napping

• If you are not on the move, you feel tired or sleepy

• Difficult for you to be idle

Then you might be Sympathetic Dominant². This occurs when there is an imbalance between your Sympathetic Nervous System and Parasympathetic Nervous System, meaning your body has difficulty relaxing like it’s supposed to. This is an internal state, meaning you feel wound up without any necessary external triggers, but it’s as if you are constantly anxious or frightened. For example, you may have a tendency for heart palpitations, tremors, and/or restlessness.

Although, more often than not, you may feel fine. Meaning, you don’t feel anxious or frightened. However, this is because Sympathetic Dominance is a compensatory mechanism your body enlists when your body is lacking in energy. This is generally caused by sub optimal functioning of your thyroid and adrenal glands, so you have to “will” yourself more to get things done, strongly activating your Sympathetic Nervous System. Some ailments that may arise from being sympathetic dominant include²:

• Hypo or Hypertension

• Hypo or Hyperthyroidism

• Grave’s Disease

• ADHD

• Constipation

• Nerve Pain

• Chest Pain

• Joint Pain

So what is the best way to prevent or remedy Sympathetic Dominance?

1. Adequate sleep: Getting at least 9 hours every night³

2. Limit caffeine: Limiting yourself to 1 cup of regular coffee or black tea a day (if desired)³      

3. Meditation: This will help activate your parasympathetic nervous system

4. Napping: If and when possible, try to take a short nap everyday

5. Avoid strenuous physical activity: If you are pushing yourself everyday in the gym, then it’s too much

6. Avoid always “Being on the Go”: Try to take time to read, listen to music or an audio book

7. Get a Hair Mineral Analysis: Check to see if you have sympathetic dominance, sub optimal adrenal and/or thyroid glands, which can cause you to become sympathetic dominant in the future. Visit Services on my website if interested in a Hair Mineral Analysis.

Willpower is a very precious and powerful thing we have, from helping us get through the day, to helping us reach our life’s highest goals and aspirations. However, it shouldn’t have to come at the cost of our health. Happy 2018, and I hope for success and wellness for everyone.

Thank you for reading.

*All information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health conditions.

1. Schmidt, A; Thews, G (1989). “Autonomic Nervous System”. In Janig, W. Human Physiology (2 ed.). New York, NY: Springer-Verlag. pp. 333–370.

2. Wilson, L. (2016, August). Sympathetic Dominance. Retrieved from http://drlwilson.com/articles/SYMPATHETIC%20DOMINANCE.htm

3. Wilson, L. (2017, December). The “Free” Nutritional Balancing Program. Retrieved from https://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/HEALING%20LIFESTYLE.htm

Many of us know that vitality means “energy.” When it’s low, we feel tired or down. When it’s high, we feel good or optimistic.

But do you know the source of your energy? The source of what makes you feel more alive?

Many of us cannot feel the difference between stimulation and real energy. Not surprisingly, many of the pleasures we pursue such as sex, exercise, food, music, alcohol, and drugs are methods we use to enliven us.

Is there a way to tell whether the pleasure we engage in provides us with stimulation or real energy?

Inherently, ‘pleasures’ such as drugs and alcohol are harmful due to the plethora of negative effects it has on our body. In addition, they’re often sought after with an impulsive quality or desire because of the lift it can bring.

Other ‘pleasures’ such as sex, exercise, music, and food often go under the radar because they aren’t inherently harmful to the body. But they can be equally detrimental to our health based on:

1. The degree in which we engage in the pleasure

2. The quality in which we engage in the pleasure

And both of those factors are directly affected by how strongly we pursue the activity whether consciously or subconsciously to relieve our anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other negative states of mind. In other words, we do it to stimulate us into a “better” state of well-being.

My point being, just because you’re not on an antidepressant doesn’t mean you’re not depressed. And by depressed I mean, your body’s inherent vitality or real energy can still be working at a suboptimal rate. What are some signs of this?

“I need to exercise in the morning to wake myself up”

“If I don’t have my morning coffee, I’m a zombie.”

“I’m soo tired in the afternoon.”

“All I need is 6 hrs of sleep, then I’ll be okay.”

“I’m not an alcoholic, but if I don’t drink for awhile, I feel down.”

“If I don’t exercise every other day, I feel down.”

“Loud music gets me going in the morning.”

“If I don’t eat chocolate or candy for awhile, I feel down.”

So what constitutes ‘real energy‘ then? Strong Adrenals + Strong Thyroid. This provides the person a constant healthy state of natural euphoria through hormones such as cortisol. Then, one is less likely to impulsively go after ‘pleasures’ to feel better. Rather, more effortlessly their pleasurable pursuits are done at the cost of moderation for the benefit of healthier enjoyment.

Adrenal glands are located right above our kidneys. Without them, we cannot live. They are probably the important glands in our body because they affect us in so many ways: our energy, metabolic rate, immune system, and blood sugar.

While blood and saliva tests look at the quantity of adrenal hormones secreted, the Sodium/Magnesium ratio in Hair Mineral Analysis indicates their overall effects on the body. If our body is a car, no matter how much fuel (adrenal hormones) we have in our tank, if our engine (adrenal effects) is weak, it will always impair our movement (physiology).

I would say more than 90% of our population suffers from some degree of adrenal impairment. The people who disagree, would only have to take note if they experience any of these symptoms:

• Fatigue

• Needing exercise or coffee to get your day going

• Allergies

• Sensitive to skipping meals

• Difficulty sleeping

• Weight gain in the belly or trunk

And to be honest, many of us do experience at least one of these symptoms. Fortunately, there is one simple remedy that anyone can try to help their adrenals: eating every 3 hrs. You are not eating more in total, but more in the frequency of your meals.

Just divide your ideal weight by 15 (credited by the work of Dr. George Watson). This will give you the minimum number of ounces of chicken, fish, or beef as a source of protein that you should consume everyday for your adrenals. Divide that by 4 or 5, which is the number of meals you eat if you’re eating every 3 hrs.

For example, an adult male who’s ideal weight is 150 lbs, should eat 2 ounces of protein per meal, if they are eating 5 meals/day. Initially starting out, if you don’t measure out these quantities in the beginning, you will most likely under eat your minimum protein content. Just a rough estimate to keep in mind:

-1 glass of milk= 1 ounce of protein

-1 egg= 1 ounce of protein

– 1 deck of cards= 3 ounces of chicken

Eating every 3 hrs, ensures optimal levels of glycogen (storage form of glucose) to help prevent those dips in energy, blood sugar, and/or headache spikes in people who have adrenal impairment. In addition, benefits include potential weight loss. Refer to this link for more information: http://www.3hourdiet.com/home/index.php?page=Faq

But remember that restoring your adrenal glands for good requires many more factors than just changing your eating pattern. One’s oxidation rate has to essentially become balanced. But this could be a good way to start.