Adrenal Fatigue

If you suffer from fatigue, the root cause may be your adrenal glands. Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys. They produce over fifty hormones to regulate organ function in your body. The adrenal glands produce testosterone which keeps you strong and potent. They produce aldosterone which controls blood pressure. These are just some of the many hormones produced by adrenals which would not be able to function without. Adrenals help us deal with stress. When we get stressed our body goes into what is called "fight or flight mode" which is an innate survival mechanism. The nonstop stressors we face from jobs and finances to children and traffic, overburden our adrenals. Toxins are also stressors to our bodies. When get stressed our adrenals swing into action and start pumping adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones give us quick energy necessary to deal with the stressor. When this keeps on happening, too long and too often, our adrenals get overworked and don't function how they used to. then you start feeling tired, can't sleep properly and get moody. 

  There are a few ways to test if you are suffering from adrenal fatigue. One way is the pupil test. To perform this test go into a dark room and stand in front of a mirror. Hold a flashlight to the side of your face and shine the beam of light across your eye. As the light hits your eye, your pupils should contact. If you have adrenal fatigue the pupil will start contracting and than dilate, back and forth for about 30 seconds. 

   Another test is the white line test. Carefully, use a fork or pen and lightly stroke the skin of your forearm or abdomen. Make a mark of four inches long. In a healthy individual the mark will turn from white to red, right away. But for those with slow adrenals it will stay white for around two minute before turning red. 

  Another test is a blood pressure test, called a tilt test. It measures ones blood pressure when laying down and right after standing up. Lay down and relax for 10 minutes. Measure the blood pressure while laying. Stand up after ten minutes and take blood pressure again, immediately. If the standing blood pressure is lower than the lying pressure it can indicate adrenal fatigue. 

  If you think you are suffering from adrenal fatigue you may want to take adaptogens. An adaptogen creates a balance in your body. You can take ashwagandha, licorice or cordyceps. If you are drained you will also want to be giving yourself adequate nutrients and rest.