A question we received back was, how to fix an overstressed adrenal gland?
It surprised me when I learned that the terms “adrenal fatigue” or “overstressed adrenals” do not actually describe exhausted glands. They describe a memorized way the body has learned to adapt to stress.
I always thought the adrenal glands had fatigued and “exhausted,” needing specific herbs and nutrients to rebuild.
The nutrients that the adrenal glands use the most to make cortisol and other hormones are sodium, magnesium, vitamin C, and B6.
The nutrients used by the adrenals account for our cravings during stress. Chocolate is an excellent source of magnesium. Sugar mimics the molecular structure of vitamin C, and they compete for the same binding sites. This is why when stressed, we all have our favorite snack food. Most often, women favor sugary foods, while men go for salty and spicy foods.For example, spicy chicken wings; vitamin C is in hot peppers, and there is plenty of salt.
The herb licorice can work on cortisol production, but most herbs work on relaxing the brain (hypothalamus – pituitary glands) to restore balanced signaling to the adrenals.
Think of car alarms going off while you are at a restaurant. We have trained our brains to tune out the noise. This is an adaptation to that form of stress.
In a high-stress environment, the brain doesn’t want to put out excitatory hormones like cortisol constantly, so it reduces the response to the alarm. Resulting in a lower than normal amount of morning cortisol.
This implies that a person experiences morning fatigue because of insufficient stimulating cortisol, which normally provides the “get up and go” sensation. Or, the signal reverses, and there is cortisol at night, and they can’t go to sleep.
When cortisol surges at night, the liver releases sugar, and we literally gain weight while we sleep.
Years ago I called Perque up and told them I was having a great deal of trouble finding what I called an “adrenal repair” product that worked. I still believed the adrenals were causing the problems. They said they were actually working on one. My response was,
“Next month when you’re done formulating, send me some”.
“We’ll call you back in two years. We actually go through clinical trials before we release a product.”
Two years later their product came out: Adreno Distress Guard. Why did it take so long? They found that the herbal combination, the ratio of one to another, had different effects on the brain, signaling the adrenals.
Here’s how to repair overstressed adrenal glands.
Under prolonged high stress, cortisol actually goes down in the morning. And even when the stress is gone, the cortisol does not rebound. You’re stuck.
Then we see the cortisol high at night. The person can’t sleep. And it doesn’t go away.
Testing Helps
The Adreno Distress Guard doesn’t work for everyone, and that is why we test the adrenals, hormones, and the signaling proteins the brain uses – neurotransmitters. We have to find out what the brain needs.
If you crave sugar or salty foods, especially when stressed, you need more ascorbate vitamin C – Perque Potent C.
If you crave chocolate or nuts, that is most often a magnesium demand.
The next step is changing how we respond to stress in the future and how to dissipate the effects of memorized stress.
First thing in the morning.
Three things you are grateful for. Take the time and really mean it. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and physician who wrote The Source, recommends this because it moves blood flow into the higher learning centers of the brain and away from the old, memorized stress pattern, “What do I have to do today?”
Pray. The goal is to have peace with yourself.
And in this quiet time, being mindful that reacting to stress reinforces the brain’s memorized pattern. Our goal is to rewire and respond to stress in a better way.
At bedtime.
Write 3 to 5 goals that are not about yourself. Write future goals for your family and things you care about. Things that are bigger than you. This will fill you with hope and joy.
Ask yourself how the day went? And then end on a strong positive. Tomorrow will be better. It’s about forgiving others and yourself.
If you want more information and a self guided plan below is a link to a 26 page PDF on stress management and nervous system support.
https://stan.store/DrBrianMcGuckin/p/get-my-pdf-stress–repair-now