How To Strengthen Your Adrenal Health
The adrenal glands produce a number of chemicals and hormones that help you adapt to stress and keep you healthy and vital. When you experience chronic stress or illness, the adrenal glands work continuously to produce hormones to help you cope with it. Unfortunately, over time, the adrenal glands can become fatigued and can no longer keep up with the demands that stress places on the body. We are going to look at several different techniques to help you strengthen your adrenal glands and improve your adrenal health.
Nutritional needs – One of the primary functions of the adrenal glands is the regulation of glucose levels. Unfortunately, refined carbohydrates can cause imbalances in your glucose levels. For this reason, it is essential that you follow a protein diet that contains healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil and avocados to help stabilize your blood sugar levels. These foods are needed for the production of DHEA and pregnenolone, which are precursors to adrenal hormones. Protein provides the amino acids needed for hormone production, glucose stabilization and overall healthy adrenal glands.
Hydration – When it comes to balancing hormones, one of the most important things you can do is to ensure that you are staying hydrated. Dehydration taxes the adrenal glands, causing them to produce stress hormones. Drinking water throughout the day can help reduce the stress response and improve your adrenal functions. Experts recommend that you drink at least a half of an ounce of water for each pound that you weigh to ensure you remain properly hydrated. If this seems impossible, try consuming eight ounces of water every couple of hours to help maintain proper hydration.
Avoid caffeine – Caffeine can help wake you up; however, it also stimulates the adrenal glands and causes them to produce more stress hormones. When you suffer from adrenal fatigue, it can cause further exhaustion. Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee, opt for an herbal tea. Herbal teas also contain antioxidants and tannins that help to decrease inflammation in the body and reduce disease-causing free radicals.
Sleep – When you are sleeping, your body makes repairs and produces life-sustaining hormones. In our society, it can seem impossible to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Luckily, there are several things you can do to sleep better. First, you must make your bedroom conducive to sleep. You can do this by lowering the temperature a couple of degrees, installing light blocking blinds or curtains, using a sound machine to block outside noises and only using your bedroom for sleep and sex. In addition to this, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends establishing a nighttime routine that involves going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, turning off electronics, computers, televisions and smartphones an hour before bedtime and avoid eating near bedtime.
Exercise – If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, you are at an increased risk of experiencing chronic stress. Exercise helps to heal the adrenal glands by reducing stress, improving mood and decreasing inflammation in the body. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days to improve adrenal function. If you do not have 30 minutes to spare, you can break your exercise into three 10 minute sessions. Do 10 minutes of strength training exercises in the morning, take a 10 minute walk during your lunch and spend 10 minutes of flexibility exercises like yoga in the evening to improve your adrenal gland health.
Stress – Because the adrenal glands work harder when you are subjected to stress, it is essential that you manage your stress through supplementation and stress management techniques. Stress management involves focusing your mind inwardly and releasing all negative emotions. Yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, prayer and journaling can help to lower stress and improve adrenal health.
Food sensitivities – If you have a food sensitivity, it can cause inflammation and adrenal issues. A food sensitivity test can help determine if you have any food sensitivities. Some of the most common food sensitivities include dairy products, gluten, eggs, corn, soy, nuts and sugars. If you determine that you have it, avoid these foods to reduce your stress levels and systemic inflammation.
Your adrenal glands produce several different hormones. When the adrenal glands are not functioning properly, you can experience health issues, including weight gain, an increased risk of disease, systemic inflammation and mood issues. Strengthen your adrenal health by eating a healthy diet, managing your stress levels, getting adequate exercise and a good night's sleep.
