Stress is an unavoidable part of life. We encounter it at work, at home, in our own bodies on a daily basis. The adrenal system is one of the main ways our bodies mitigate stress. In more stressful times, our adrenals produce more hormones to help our bodies function, creating adrenal fatigue; in less stressful times, our hormone levels reduce back to a normal level.
When you are exposed to a high level of stress over an extended period of time, for example a very high stress job or relationship or the illness or death of a family member, the adrenal system sometimes because dysfunctional or fatigued. Symptoms of adrenal dysfunction can include: all-day fatigue, difficulty waking in the morning, insomnia, changes in mood, feeling overwhelmed easily, changes in blood pressure and dependence on caffeine. You aren’t always able to remove yourself from stressful situations, and even once the stress has resolved, sometimes your adrenal system continues to be dysfunctional.
To address adrenal dysfunction effectively and comprehensively, it’s important to collect objective data on the current function of your adrenals through lab testing. This data helps us to understand how to create an effective treatment plan to correct your adrenal function and get you back on track. Treatment often includes herbal and nutritional therapies, physical activity and other stress reduction techniques.
