propensity toward the development of some diseases, including fi bromyalgia. “Your resiliency, energy, endurance and very life depend on the proper functioning of the adrenals,” Wilson says. We’ve inherited our sympathetic nervous system and its stress response of fi ght-or-fl ight from our prehistoric ancestors. It hasn’t evolved to differentiate between an acute threat to survival and the chronic threats from looming deadlines, fi nancial pressures and other modern-day worries. “The adrenal stress response to physical danger or any
perceived psychological threat is identical—the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine responsible for cascading physiological reactions,” explains Dr. Vijay Jain, who treats fatigue from an integrative perspective at his Mind Body Wellness Center, in Palm Coast, Florida.
Suggested Treatments
Adrenal fatigue is mainly a self-induced health problem that doesn’t just appear. It results from an accumulation of ongoing choices that we can change. Jain applies ayurvedic principles to reestablish balance in the body’s three prominent mind-body types that infl uence personal well-being. These are known as vata, pitta and kapha. For people primarily characterized by vata and pitta typology, fatigue is the result of being overactive and burning the candle at both ends. For those with kapha constitutions, fatigue is the outcome of a sedentary lifestyle with insuffi cient movement and eating the wrong foods for them. He further recommends getting more sleep with regular bedtimes, practices such as yoga nidra meditation, pranayama (yogic breathing) and a slower-paced yoga practice with longer- held meditative poses, as well as massage and a diet designed to restore our biological energies, or doshas, to a balanced state. “Depending on a patient’s constitution I advise some to slow down and burn 50 percent less of their candle, while I tell others to increase their physical activity and improve their diet.” Jain also recommends a type of ayurvedic purifi cation and detoxifi cation treatment that involves a series of fi ve therapies including massage and herbal treatments. Performed in sequence, these allow the body and mind to drop into a state of peacefulness. Acupuncture treatments are also helpful, along with a regimen of adaptogenic herbs such as ginseng, schisandra and ashwagandha, according to Jain. In Happy Healthy Thyroid: The Essential Steps to Healing Naturally, author Andrea Beaman writes about how she recovered naturally from adrenal fatigue. To restore energy and vitality to the body, she further recommends the healing
More Tips to Beat Fatigue by Linda Sechrist
T
he earliest signs of adrenal fatigue are low energy and the need for several strong shots of caffeine to kick-start the morning or get through an afternoon slump. If these symptoms arise, take steps to begin nourishing, restoring and de-stressing the adrenal glands. Eliminate stressors. Reevaluate daily schedules to make room for a regular session of yoga, meditation, tai chi or qigong.
Establish a regular sleeping schedule aligned with the
body’s natural cycle. Slipping between the sheets no later than 10 p.m. can mean better and deeper rest. Make dietary changes, starting with 40 grams of protein
each morning. Limit the intake of stimulants, including caffeine. Eliminate sugar and processed grains. Add adaptogenic herbs and organic coconut and olive oils to dishes and food preparation. Eat nutritious foods such as greens and brightly colored
vegetables. As a result, blood sugar and insulin levels will take fewer rollercoaster rides, easing the work of the adrenals. Refrain from over-exercising. Excessive cardio or
endurance training is hard on the adrenals, so substitute more relaxing forms of exercise. Practice calming mindfulness and deep, controlled, diaphragmatic breathing.
practices of hatha yoga, qigong and tai chi. “These modalities build energy, whereas power yoga, and cardiovascular exercises drain energy in fatigued individuals,” advises Beaman. She notes that it can take six months to two years to restore desired energy levels. Beaman counsels individuals with behavioral
characteristics that make it more challenging to burn less of their candle. She grabs their attention with the critical nature of their situation. “‘You are in and out of life in a blink. If you’re exhausted at age 48, how are you going to live a vibrant, happy and exuberant life right up to the fi nish line?’ That generally works,” she says.
Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at
ItsAllAboutWe.com.
LET NATURE BE YOUR TEACHER
Spring Rayne is a gluten-free, vegan and raw food chef. She is conscious about what she puts into her body and has a passion for teaching people to be healthy through diet and nutrition. Spring has written a number of books on these topics, provides special diet preparation consultations, and her detox plan is now available to purchase at
www.springrayne.com or Call/Text: 407-314-8840.
Florida School of
Holistic Living
December 2016 27
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