Adrenal Fatigue Recovery – HPA-D – Part 3 of 3

If you’ve been following our Adrenal Fatigue Series, Part 1 discussed Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms, Part 2 mentions the 4 Stages of Adrenal Fatigue and now in Part 3 we’ll discuss Adrenal Fatigue Recovery.  If you are willing to put in the time and effort to recover from your symptoms, you will feel like you can not only tackle life but live life – and be much healthier.

Before we discuss the recovery process, I’d like to mention some of the common contributing factors that may have led you to Adrenal Fatigue.  Your body has become overwhelmed with constant stress.  Stress can be physical or mental and may not be perceived stress.

Common Contributing Factors to Adrenal Fatigue

• Autoimmune conditions (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac, multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, etc.)
• Major life events (weddings, divorce, death, etc.)
• Physical injuries (surgeries, health conditions)
• Chronic infections (viruses, respiratory infections, H. pylori, etc.)
• Stressful events/lifestyle (acute or chronic)
• Poor dietary habits (nutrient deficiency, excess sugar, excess caffeine, excess alcohol, etc.)
• Food intolerances
• Leaky Gut/Dysbiosis (imbalances in gut bacteria)
• Improper sleep habits
• Excessive and exhaustive work hours
• Excessive exercise
• Toxic system

There are two disciplines which you will need in your Adrenal Fatigue Recovery:  lifestyle and dietary changes.  Let’s first discuss the lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle Changes for Adrenal Fatigue Recovery

1. Rest – Yes, I realize this may be obvious but you need to take rest seriously.  Take the time to rest; schedule it in if necessary but you need to focus on resting as much as you focus on tasks.  Rest can be in the form of meditation, prayer, reading, napping; just relaxing.
2. Listen to Music – Music can be relaxing and inspirational.  Music has been proven so effective for treatment on numerous disorders and conditions that it has become an accepted alternative practice.
3. Deep Breathing – Practice focusing on deep breathing which helps relax the body.  It is important to practice proper deep breathing exercises.
4. Heal your GI tract – Often the toxins or leaky gastrointestinal tract is a contributing factor for your adrenal fatigue.  Healing the gut will allow you to absorb the necessary nutrients to get and stay healthy.
5. Eliminate Food Sensitivities – Eliminating the food that create reactions to your system is vital to your healing process.  You may have noticed that you have become more sensitive to specific foods or even more foods as the Stages of your Adrenal Fatigue progressed.  You need to give your adrenals and your gut the time it takes to heal.
6. Gentle Exercise – Low impact exercise and stretching is healthy for the body.  Walking and swimming are also a very good low impact form of exercise.  Until your adrenals recover, you should stay away from intense exercise.
7. Laugh – Laughing is good for the soul.  It allows more oxygen into your lungs, stimulates the heart, lungs and muscles and releases endorphins (our natural pain reliever) from the brain, and relieves stress.
8. Play – If you ever needed an excuse to play more, this is it. When we play, we relax and forget about how poorly we are feeling, and we enjoy the moment.  So, play more – stress less.
9. Soak in the Sun – Allow your skin to be exposed to the sun as often as possible – but in short bursts as not to burn – to absorb vitamin D.

Along with lifestyle changes, you will need to address your dietary changes as well.

Dietary Changes for Adrenal Fatigue Recovery

1. Consume an Anti-inflammatory Diet – Remove/reduce sugars, gluten and dairy.  (While removing these inflammatory foods is strongly suggested for best results, drastically reducing them will also help.)
2. Avoid Caffeine & Alcohol – Caffeine and alcohol aggravate the adrenals.  Avoid all stimulants.
3. Drink Plenty of Water – Typically, the aim is to drink eight-8 ounce glasses of water per day; you may need more or less.  As a guide to your water consumption, your urine should be a pale yellow; any more vivid and you should consume more water.  Keep in mind that some medications, vitamins (i.e. B vitamins) and foods (i.e. beets) will alter the color of your urine and may therefore, give you an inaccurate result.
4. Consume Necessary Nutrients – B Vitamins, Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D are essential to your healing process.
5. Adaptogens – Adaptogens are substances or herbs that stabilize the physiological process and promote homeostasis within the body.  Some examples of adaptogens are Rhodiola Root, Ginseng, Holy Basil and Ashwaghanda. There are many conditions that prohibit the use of adaptogens. Therefore, it is not advised to use adaptogens without the professional guidance from your holistic or functional medicine practitioner.

If you are suffering from Adrenal Fatigue or HPA-D Dysregulation, seek guidance from your functional medicine or holistic practitioner or your certified nutritionist.  With patience, knowledge and the proper protocol, your adrenals can recover.