50 Tips for Improving Adrenal Health and Managing Stress

Our poor adrenals.

As a society, our adrenal glands are in poor shape and it’s no surprise since most of us live in a constant state of chronic stress (even if we don’t realize it).

I know my adrenals were WAY more taxed that I thought they were. When I quit my job last month, it quickly became apparent how exhausted they were. All the stress and 75 hour weeks for the last year really took a toll on my health, despite the fact that I was doing my best to support my adrenal health.

Recently, I came across a fantastic article from the Adrenal Fatigue Solution website and they allowed me to share a few of their favorite tips for adrenal health. Here are the Top 3 that really resonated with me. You can read all 50 tips here.

In addition, I started reading the Adrenal Fatigue Solution eBook and wow! Such amazing info. I am sharing more about that at the bottom of this post.

Tips for Improving Adrenal Health

#10  DR. FRANK LIPMAN

Integrative Doctor, Author, Be Well Cleanse Advocate
http://www.bewellbydrfranklipman.com

Adaptogens are a unique group of herbal ingredients used to improve the health of your adrenal system, the system that’s in charge of managing your body’s hormonal response to stress. They help strengthen the body’s response to stress and enhance its ability to cope with anxiety and fight fatigue – slowly and gently, without jolts or crashes. They’re called adaptogens because of their unique ability to “adapt” their function according to your body’s specific needs. Though the effects may initially be subtle and take time to make themselves felt, they’re real and undeniable.

I prefer combination adaptogenic herb formulas and the adaptogen herbs I consider most important include Asian Ginseng, Eleuthero, Ashwaghanda and Rhodiola Rosea. Depending on your needs and physical condition – consult your doctor before taking any herbs – you can take these adaptogens individually or in a combination formula like my Be Well Adaptogens. When buying a formula, look for one that has at least 3 of the above adaptogens and make sure it has some Rhodiola in it. Again, remember to consult your doctor first to get the all clear before you start.

Note from Jessica: Adaptogens have been a life-saver for me. I have written a lot of posts on the subject, which you can read here.

#13 ANDREA NAKAYAMA

Founder of Replenish PDX, Celebrated Functional Nutritionist, Speaker And Educator
http://www.replenishpdx.com

In my practice I talk to a lot of clients about their adrenal health. It’s a cornerstone of hormone balance and not only affected by the stressors of everyday modern living, but also by the challenges of chronic health concerns. I also teach about the adrenal glands to professionals in my Holistic Nutrition Lab, and to customers in our Winter Cleanse (winter is the season to focus on the kidneys and adrenals), so I get to say the word “adrenal” quite a lot!

One thing I do to support my own adrenal health while reminding others to do the same is to give my adrenal glands a little loving. Each time I say the word “adrenal”, I form my hands into fists and rub the area on my back where my adrenals are located. You can do the same! Locate your kidneys just above your waist on the back side of your body. The adrenal glands sit right on top of them, like little caps.

In fact a loving self-massage with some supportive essential oils is an easy Action Step to support your adrenal health. You can use oils that promote relaxation and simultaneously strengthen your system that may have been taxed for quite some time. Here’s one favorite mix I like to use, both personally and professionally:

• 20 oz carrier oil +
• 20 drops black spruce (for adrenal and immune health)
• 10 drops pine (also for adrenals and immunity)
• 10 drops geranium (for your adrenals and mental clarity)
• 10 drop bergamot (a natural anti-depressant and an appetite regulator)

You may not say the word “adrenal” as much as I do, but you can make this adrenal loving practice a daily routine.

#30 DR. DATIS KHARRAZIAN

Innovator In Non-Pharmaceutical Treatments For Chronic Illnesses, Autoimmune Disorders & Neurological Disorders
http://thyroidbook.com

One of the most important and most overlooked ways to combat stress is to manage your blood sugar. Most people today are dealing with low blood sugar, high blood sugar, or both. If you feel more energetic after eating your blood sugar is too low. If you feel drowsy after eating, your blood sugar is too high. You should simply feel no longer hungry — energy levels remain even when blood sugar is stable.

Blood sugar highs and lows are enormously stressful on the body and the brain, contributing to myriad health imbalances. It never ceases to amaze me how many symptoms can be resolved and health conditions improved simply by adopting eating habits that keep blood sugar stable.

Read all 50 tips over at The Adrenal Fatigue Solution website!

Supporting the Thyroid & Adrenals Through Herbs

When it comes to supporting the adrenals and thyroid (because they are very closely linked), caffeine may not be your best friend. While those with sluggish adrenal glands tend to feel run down and in need of a regular pick-me-up (like coffee and other caffeinated beverages), in the long run, caffeine can do more harm than good while you are healing. I go into the “whys” around caffeine and your adrenals in this detailed post here. In addition to the caffeine, there are other constituents, molds, and mycotoxins that can show up in coffee that some people find they react to.

When I was diagnosed with autoimmune disease and adrenal fatigue, one of the first things that had to go was coffee. To be honest, I never drank coffee because of the caffeine. I drank coffee for the taste and aroma, as well as the emotional experience I felt to my morning cup of joe. For me, it was a ritual that I looked forward to every day (and sometimes multiple times a day). Whether I was brewing it at home or going to my local coffee shops, the experience was one that I clung to tightly.

But, when I was faced with new health struggles, I knew I had to do whatever I could to support my body and give it the tools it needed to heal. Giving up coffee and caffeine was one step in this direction.

And it sucked.

I turned to the coffee substitutes on the market in a desperate attempt to recreate the ritual I had grown so fond of, but nothing ever tasted the way I wanted it to. Nothing ever gave me that same experience that my cup of “real” coffee did. I knew there had to be something better, but I simply could not find it on my health food store’s shelves.

Necessity is the mother of invention so that is why I created my own coffee substitutes. They were made with organic, sustainably harvested herbs with zero grains, zero gluten, and zero caffeine. Just herbs. Herbs that not only tasted delicious but supported my body’s function, like liver detox, bile production, digestion, etc. In my mind, if I can get something to not only taste amazing but do amazing things for my body, then it’s a no brainer!

I sold these pre-made blends on Etsy for awhile and the demand was more than I could keep up with. People literally LOVED these blends and were stunned at how much like coffee they actually tasted. Customers who had been dealing with a variety of chronic illnesses had given up coffee to heal their bodies, but like me were deeply missing their morning cup of joe ritual.

After careful consideration and work with some highly experienced advisors, I decided to stop selling the pre-made blends and instead share my proprietary recipes in the form of an eBook. That way I could arm people with the knowledge and recipes they needed to make their own caffeine-free, gluten-free, grain-free blends in the comfort of their own home. 

That is why I created the best-selling DIY Herbal Coffees eBook: A Complete Guide To Making Delicious Herbal Coffees to Support Healing & Stress Relief. Now in its second edition, this ebook features all of my proprietary herbal blend recipes to you can craft a homemade herbal cup of “coffee” at home.

In addition, you get a ton of researched information about coffee’s impact on the health of those dealing with issues like adrenal fatigue, blood sugar dysregulation, autoimmune disease, thyroid disease, and any other chronic illness.

Lastly, you get access to your own personal coffee shop. I show you how to recreate your favorite coffee shop drinks and pastries with wholesome, nourishing real food ingredients. No junk here.

This book truly is a comprehensive guide to supporting your health, reducing your stress, and bringing a little something special back into your healing journey. You can learn more and download your own copy of this revolutionary wellness guide here, or simply click on the image below.