How often have you felt ‘run down’ lately? Do you frequently feel tired, lethargic…even depressed? We, as women, want to succeed at each thing that we do. In this day and age, our responsibilities and commitments are constantly growing and we want to do them all well. From having a successful career to being a good mother, wife, sister, friend…it can sometimes leave you feeling exhausted, can’t it?
The following is an excerpt from my book, I Am Woman: Our Journey to Health, Happiness and Harmony, on the topic of Adrenal Fatigue:
Adrenal fatigue results when the adrenal glands function below the necessary level. Most commonly associated with intense or prolonged stress, it can also arise during or after acute infections or illnesses. As the name suggests, its main symptom is fatigue that is not relieved by sleep; however, it is not readily identifiable entity like hypertension. You may look and act relatively normal with adrenal fatigue and may not have any obvious signs of physical illness, yet you live with an overall sense of feeling depressed, tired, and lethargic. People experiencing adrenal fatigue often have to use coffee, caffeinated beverages and other stimulants to get going in the morning and to keep themselves up during the day.
Although it effects millions of people in the U.S. and around the world, conventional medicine does not recognize it as a distinct syndrome. Most physicians don’t even list it in their differential diagnoses when a patient goes in with extreme, chronic fatigue. More often than not, traditional physicians have never tested their patients for this.
Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc on your life. In the more serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so low that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours per day. With each level of reduction in adrenal function, every organ and system in your body is more profoundly affected. Changes occur in your metabolism, thyroid and hormonal balance, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular system, and even in sexual function. Many other alterations take place at the biochemical and cellular levels in response to the adrenals not functioning well. Your body does its best to make up for the malfunctioning adrenal glands, but it does so at a price.
Adrenal fatigue is produced when your adrenal glands cannot sufficiently meet the demands of stress. What I have seen over the years is that adrenal fatigue occurs when stress has taken a toll, affecting your body to the point that your hormone and nutritional profiles are so out of balance that the body physically shuts down.
Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue Include:
- Weight gain
- Exhaustion
- Insomnia
- Mood swings
- Depression
Adrenal fatigue can present itself in symptoms that may mimic other conditions, which leaves patients confused and unfortunately, often times, misdiagnosed. In my practice, I often see very accomplished women who drive themselves to the point of their bodies shutting down.”
I Treat my Patients Suffering from Adrenal Fatigue in the Following Ways:
- From a hormonal standpoint
- From a vitamin/supplemental/nutritional standpoint
- From a lifestyle and stress management standpoint
It is my goal to help my patients, both men and women alike, find balance in every area of their lives because chronic stress can be detrimental to their health and well being.
For more information how I can help you with Adrenal Fatigue, you can visit my practice website and request a consultation.
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