Adrenal Fatigue is an often overlooked diagnosis, yet many people have it.  Patients are told, “Just get more sleep.  Just get more exercise. There’s nothing wrong with you-your blood tests show you are ok.”  This was where I was June of 2014. Yet I knew something was wrong with me physically.  Extreme exhaustion, brain fog, and the need to sleep 4-6 hours throughout the day was not fitting into my Type A personality lifestyle that involved clients, kids in competitive travel sports, being homemaker and owner of rental property business AND a Nutritional Healing business. I was beyond desperate for answers.  I looked fine on the outside, but something was broken on the inside.

A Journey from Stress on to Healing in Mind-Body-Spirit

Adrenal Fatigue is an often overlooked diagnosis, yet many people have it.  Patients are told, “Just get more sleep.  Just get more exercise. There’s nothing wrong with you-your blood tests show you are ok.”  This was where I was June of 2014. Yet I knew something was wrong with me physically.  Extreme exhaustion, brain fog, and the need to sleep 4-6 hours throughout the day was not fitting into my Type A personality lifestyle that involved clients, kids in competitive travel sports, being homemaker and owner of rental property business AND a Nutritional Healing business. I was beyond desperate for answers.  I looked fine on the outside, but something was broken on the inside.

My in-depth study on Adrenal Fatigue started early summer of 2014 when my blood tests showed a low normal.  Fortunately, my OBGYN doctor was open minded enough to recommend I take a saliva test to get a more accurate reading on my cortisol (the tell-all for adrenal fatigue and it also shows a different testing aspect of testosterone, progesterone, and DHEA).  Most westernized medicine doctors haven’t been introduced to saliva testing in med school, so I was excited to find a doctor that not only recommended the saliva testing but who had gone through Adrenal Fatigue herself. The saliva testing revealed a much lower lab result than the blood tests showed.  My adrenals were SHOT! I was considered  stage 3 out of a scale of 1-3 or stage 5/6 out of a scale of 1-7. My Cortisol had bottomed out and my progesterone/testosterone production and thyroid were affected profoundly. Because of this, Progesterone and Testosterone bio-identical hormone therapy immediately became the next step. Then I started on an array of supplements such as DHEA, high doses of Vitamin C, Pantothenic Acid, and adaptogenic herbs along with some essential oils (nutmeg, cloves, rosemary).

Who would have thought that a clean-eating, 4-5 days a week exerciser would get “Adrenal Fatigue?”  I sure didn’t! The ‘too many irons in the fire’ and not saying ‘no’ had finally caught up with me.  And in my mind, I had already moved on from trauma that had taken place before my 20’s, even though I never sought therapy for it.  I mean, I was holding it all together and had lived a great life so far and no one knew or could have guessed anything was wrong.

I was informed by a bio-identical hormone pharmacist that because I did eat clean and exercised regularly, I had pushed this diagnosis back by at least 10 years.  Yet because of my trauma (PTSD) that was never addressed by a therapist and by how I am “wired” –my working best under stress, trying to be superwoman each day, and a master multi-tasker with the inability to say ‘no’- it was inevitable… I had been traveling down the road of adrenal fatigue for years… I wasn’t just on the on-ramp, or on the plane, I was already OFF the on-ramp.

Healing takes 6 months – 6 years to heal, depending on how strict I was with the healing regimen.  From that day of my diagnosis, I stuck with the healing regimen of supplements, added adaptogen herbs (Ashwagandha and Maca),  rest often, and no intense exercise that would get my heart rate up.  The Lord also opened up the window of seeking EMDR therapy of 6 months for the trauma my body had been carrying for 20+ years.  Yes, the mind might move forward, but the body remembers… it holds in the grief and trauma – and builds up through the years- until it is addressed.  EMDR helps in reconnecting the body-mind breakdown and prompts that healing within.  Mindfulness Yoga was another route of healing for me. It is a form of Mediation, which has actually evolved into other forms of mediation for me, sometimes using brainwave music. Research shows it changes the brainwaves of how you handle stress (look up Neuroacoustic doctor, Dr Jeffrey Thompson at  www.scientificsounds.com and his brain wave music on you-tube).   Whole healing is WHOLE healing of Mind-Body-Spirit.

A wonderful book I recommend is Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, by Dr. James Wilson. Dr Wilson is considered the father founder of Adrenal Fatigue. He notes that it is impossible for a person with tired adrenal glands to achieve optimal hormonal balance (including Thyroid). Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant adrenal hormones like cortisol help to minimize allergic and negative reactions, such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. These Adrenal hormones have impact on several functions including: the conversion of fats and proteins into energy, the utilization of carbohydrates and fats, precursors of other hormone production, and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal function.  So basically, with Adrenal Fatigue, there are domino effects on the gut health, thyroid health, and possibly liver and hypothalamus.

To Summarize,  What IS Adrenal Fatigue?

It is defined as a prolonged, increased excitatory stimulus to the adrenals (known as the stress glands) having resulted in a prolonged, increased cortisol output, usually with a corresponding prolonged decrease in DHEA. This eventually leads to decreased cortisol output.  In other words, it’s like you are constantly being chased by a bear with no breaks.  This makes it hard for the mind to relax at night.  Cortisol is always paired with Adrenal Dysfunction, Adrenal Fatigue, and Adrenal Failure.  Cortisol, testosterone, and estrogen are hormones secreted by the adrenal glands so as the gland becomes fatigued, it effects these hormone levels, which in turn will effect other hormone levels.

 Adrenal Gland Excitatory Stimuli Can Be One Or All Of The Following:

  • Type A personalities (brain doesn’t shut down, long to-do lists, multi-tasker, perfectionist)
  • Excessive food stimulants (caffeine, simple carbs, processed foods)
  • Stress (financial, emotional, physical): simply means the body’s non-specific response to any extra demand. This includes any extra psychological, physical or bio-chemical demands on the body. Some common examples promoting stress within the body are:
    • PTSD/Trauma
    • Mental and physical strain with no play. Strain includes: working long hours, financial struggle, emotional struggle, family dynamics strain, etc
    • Improper or excessive exercise with no recovery
    • Eating junk food/processed sugary foods/excessive caffeine
    • Infections such as the flu, viruses, bacterial infections
    • Poor digestion and inflammation in the GI system

 

If you have any of these symptoms below, I suggest you take the Adrenal Fatigue Quiz on Dr. Wilson’s website (www.adrenalfatigue.org):

  • Decreased immunity & increased sickness
  • Increased abdominal fat deposits
  • Decreased thyroid hormone production
  • Depression and mood swings
  • Increased appetite making body insulin resistance
  • Wake up in the middle of the night a lot
  • Feel wired yet tired at the same time
  • Difficulty recovering from exercise
  • Fatigue – This is the major symptom and may be the only one people have.
  • Insomnia (especially people who wake 2 – 3AM)
  • Low blood pressure – may feel faint when standing up quickly
  • More frequent urination
  • Fuzzy memory (aka Brain Fog)
  • Weight gain (mostly in the belly or mid-section)
  • Possible bone & muscle loss
  • Dark circles around eyes
  • Anxiety
  • Stress (emotional, psychological, physical)
  • Cravings of salt, chocolate, sugar or cheese (especially at night)

As I have been transparent about this journey since 2014, more people have come to the realization that they too have adrenal issues that were never address by their westernized medicine physician.   I work with everyone regarding this journey.

It is extremely important to take the healing supplement regimen and any bio-identical hormones as prescribed, seek a form of mindfulness meditation DAILY, try yoga, decrease stressors as much as possible, listen to some brainwave music by Dr Jeffrey Thompson, and rest. Listen to your body and stop trying to fight against the signals.

Whole healing is WHOLE healing of Mind-Body-Spirit.

Christie Brooks, MS, RD, LD

Registered Dietitian, L1 Crossfit Trainer