Stress comes in many forms and affects everyone to some degree. When you think of “stress” you can probably visualize a time when your heart and thoughts were racing. Perhaps you were very busy and under a lot of pressure in your family or work life, with barely a moment to breathe! This is just one example of what stress can look like, but it’s important to know that stress comes in many forms and we don’t always recognize it in our own lives.
Emotional stress can come from experiencing the loss of a loved one or the break-up of an intimate relationship, whereas mental stress is usually high when studying for a big exam or starting a new job.
Physiological stress refers to what is physically going on within the body, such as hormonal imbalances, allergies, food sensitivities and chronic disease. Environmental stress involves factors such as pollution, noise, overcrowding and radiation. All of these types of stressors influence the whole of every person, since as humans our minds, bodies and spirits are interconnected.
Your body responds to stress primarily with the help of your adrenal glands. These small pyramid-shaped glands sit on top of each kidney and are responsible for secreting many important hormones. During acute stress the inner part of the adrenals secrete epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. These hormones give you that “get up and go” rush of energy when you encounter something acutely stressful or when you drink a big cup of coffee. Cortisol is another hormone released from the adrenal glands, that becomes elevated during chronic stress and can cause many changes in the body, such as breakdown of muscle mass, increase in fat storage (especially at the waistline) changes in blood pressure, reduction in thyroid hormone absorption and changes in insulin response. When your adrenal glands have been overtaxed by years of stress, cortisol levels then decline, and you may feel fatigued, not be able to sustain a workout, experience changes in sleep, or become depressed or anxious.
There are a variety of approaches to treating Adrenal Fatigue, including vitamins, supplements, dietary and lifestyle changes. You will need to get adequate sleep (8-10 hours per night), and implement a stress management or reduction program. The best treatment I have seen includes receiving weekly vitamin IV infusions until your adrenals restore themselves, which may take 2-3 months with the IV’s and longer without. Your adrenals require high doses of vitamins to make hormones like cortisol.
For more information on adrenals or to develop a personal treatment plan, contact your naturopathic physician. Adrenal hormone testing is also available, the best test being a saliva test.
Authors:
Dr. Brandie Gowey, NMD
Founding Pres. Naturopaths Int’l
1100 N. San Francisco St, STE F
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
928-214-8793
www.naturopathsinternational.org
Jessica Carfagnini,
Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine 4th year NMD student
Toronto, Canada
References:
1) Barker, J. Meletis, C. The Naturopathic Approach to Adrenal Dysfunction. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. Feb-March 2005.
2) Greenspan, Francis. Basic and Clinical Endocrinology. 1997, Appleton and Lange.
