Stress Management: Meet your adrenal glands

What are the adrenal glands you ask? Excellent question. The triangular shaped organs sitting on top of your kidneys actually perform a multitude of different functions including the important job of operating the body’s alarm system by producing the hormones epinephrine (otherwise known as adrenaline) and norepinephrine when the body is involved in stressful situations. These hormones are responsible for the “flight or fight” response needed to take on or run away from an invader should one cross your path. In today’s’ environment, people are rarely running away from something, rather it’s more that we seem to be consumed by the mental trauma brought on by family, work, traffic or financial situations which creates a bit of confusion for the over-achieving adrenal system. If the stress is obvious, it is easy to determine when we’ve gotten away from it and the system can relax however, with the less tangible things, the stress just seems to go on and on without break. This continuous stimulation not only creates need for the flight or fight hormones, it also encourages the adrenals to produce steroid based hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, DHEA and sex hormones. These hormones, which regulate kidney function, glucose regulation, blood pressure, muscle function, anti-inflammatory function and reproductive health, allow the body to maintain its adaptive ability and support the body in recovering from stress effectively.

When discussing short term bouts of stress, these hormones should easily be able to manage the demand, however, in periods of ongoing stress, the adrenal glands can become overworked and result in symptoms such as anxiety, digestion distress, insomnia, irritability, headaches, PMS, increased infections or greater susceptibility to allergic issues. If you can’t adapt to a situation, your body will encourage you to get away from the situation by stimulating the again “flight or fight” hormone cascade. This is a helpful response when you’re being chased by a bear but in a quiet room, we call this feeling “anxiety”. Stress can be defined as really anything that forces the body to adapt to a change in environment and while these things can be good or bad, if the body adapts to the changes well, there are minimal symptoms however, long term stress decreases the body’s adaptation ability and these “stress related” symptoms begin to manifest.

So what can we do to ensure our bodies can adapt to stressors well? There are many lifestyle based fixes to support the adrenal glands. These include:
• Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night
• Following a healthy diet comprised of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats (like fish, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil) and complex carbohydrates (which are grains that look as close to their original forms such as brown rice, quinoa, oats etc.
• Exercising 4-5 times a week
• Engaging in mind body exercise such as yoga, mediation, visualization
• Consuming protein prior to engaging in the well loved cup of coffee
• Laugh… a lot. Laughter has been extensively studied and has been shown to increase immunity and decrease cortisol levels

Think you need more than just lifestyle help? Here are some supplements that can support the stress response and revitalize your fatigued adrenal glands.

• Vitamin C – an important vitamin that is used in adrenal metabolism, humans are one of the only species that can’t produce vitamin C within the body and must get it from outside sources. The more steroid hormones demanded by the body, the more vitamin C is required. Vitamin C is quickly used by the body and therefore, must be consumed throughout the day in no more than 1000 mg dosages at a time.

• B-Vitamins – such as a B-complex provides all the B-vitamins in one capsule. The combination of B-vitamins work synergistically to support the adrenal response to allow energy production, blood sugar management, healthy sleeps patterns and overall stress management. B-vitamins are well known for their energy and nervous system support functions however, they are also fundamental in regulating blood sugar levels within the body.

• Licorice root – an herb that has been shown to increase endurance, energy and promote anti-inflammatory function is one of the most well known herbals for supporting adrenal function. Licorice has been shown to increase immunity, decrease hypoglycemic symptoms, aid in healing and support energy production. Licorice root prevents cortisol from begin broken down in the bloodstream so it can remain at the cellular level longer which is helpful to provide the adrenal glands a break in hormone production however, because of this effect, it shouldn’t be taken by individuals with high blood pressure.

• Siberian Ginseng – known for it’s ability to increase resistance to stress, normalize neurotransmitter function and support metabolism, this herbal is better known as a supportive rather than a stimulating hormone which creates a calming effect decreasing anxiety levels and promoting healthy sleep patterns.

Stress management is fundamental in maintaining a long and healthy life. While avoiding stress can be difficult, if not impossible, supporting the adrenal glands is an important first step on the road to feeling fantastic again. Everyone could benefit from adrenal support in some capacity. At the Integrative Health Centre, we can design a program that best suits your stress needs.

Original Article- http://www.integrativehealthcentre.com/page.aspx?page_id=61