Megan Rand

Tag: adrenal fatigue

  • Postpartum Preparation Tips

    Postpartum Preparation Tips

     

    Lately I have been focused on getting everything prepared for the birth of my second child, due in December. Let’s face it, having a baby can really rock your world!!  With my first child, the hormonal transition didn’t go very smoothly in the postpartum period. So this time around, I am doing my homework to have all the tools to support myself in the best ways possible!!

    Things to do before baby arrives:

    Prepare your kitchen: Having nutritious food and drink prepared ahead of time is extremely helpful. A fully stocked freezer can make the difference between eating fast food or take-out day after day, or having home-cooked meals.

    Prepare your body: While you are taking the time to stock your freezer you can also stock up on some nutrients in your body!! Power eating is the way to go in the third trimester. My definition of power eating is to consume the most nutrient dense foods possible (think bone broth, liver, collagen, ghee, coconut oil, sea veggies) to fill up your vitamin and mineral reserves. By the time baby arrives, if you end up sleep deprived and eating less than ideal foods for a period of time, you will have stores to pull from.

    Prepare your friends and family: Although it may seem like a very basic tip to ask for help, many moms are reluctant to reach out. Don’t be!! Speaking of asking for help, www.mealbaby.com is a site that allows your friends and family to sign up and arrange meals for you. Many people are happy to relieve you of your cooking duties! You never know how you are going to feel so having a support system in place ahead of time could make a world of difference.

     

    Postpartum Tips for Natural Pain Relief:

    Homeopathic Arnica – My midwife recommended having homeopathic arnica on hand for swelling after labor. Arnica is supposed to help with bruising as well supporting the soft tissues that may have been strained. I am happy to have an arsenal of natural pain relief options just in case!

    Peri-Ease Organic Sitz Bath Herbs – Peri-Ease is an organic herb blend for perineum healing which includes Comfrey, Calendula, Witch Hazel, Uva Ursi, Shepard’s Purse and Yarrow. You can purchase the blend from everythingbirth.com or make your own herbal blend by buying herbs from somewhere like Mountain Rose Herbs. If you don’t want to invest in all of the herbs listed, Comfrey was the one that most highly recommended to me.

    A sitz bath is a great way to use these herbs – simply pour boiling water over the herb blend (instructions are on the package from everything birth.com) and add to a bath with 8 inches of warm water. You can also use this blend to make homemade soothing “padsicles”. Brew the herbs as if you are making tea, and pour the liquid over large sanitary pads. Put the pads on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen you can throw them into a bag and keep them in the freezer. These will provide a lot of relief in the days following the birth of your child.

    Tips for Nutrition and Hormone Balancing:

    Rest!  I can’t emphasize this tip enough.  You might be eager to get back in shape or get back to your usual tasks but this is one time in life that we really need to slow down and rest when we can.  You might really want to take advantage of the hour that you have to do something productive while your baby naps, but take a nap instead!  I know first hand that it is impossible to balance your hormones when you are not getting adequate sleep.

    Stock Up on Your Prenatal Vitamins. Don’t forget that adequate nutrition is equally as important in the 4th trimester (also known as the postpartum period) as it was during pregnancy. It is vital to get enough nutrients while you are nursing, sleep deprived or possibly just don’t have the time to make the best food.  Innate Prenatal Trimester 3 and Post is the supplement that I will took during the 3rd trimester and will continue to take for support to make up for anything that I am not getting from food.

    Placenta Encapsulation: The placenta is responsible for providing nutrients and oxygen to your baby as well as producing hormones that help us maintain pregnancy. When we give birth, our hormones levels drastically drop off from having an abundance of feel good hormones to the levels similar to a  post-menopausal woman. Although nature eases us through menopause over a period of 10 years, the hormone change after giving birth is immediate. One day we have them, the next they are gone! Because of this extreme fluctuation, as well as nutrient deficiencies and other factors many women end up with the “baby blues” or postpartum depression. You can replenish these hormones, iron, protein, vitamins and minerals, by keeping and consuming your placenta. This can help with depression, mood changes and milk production.

    Check with the hospital or wherever you plan to give birth about their rules and regulations of keeping your placenta ahead of time. The hospital where I planned on delivering (we now decided on a home birth!) asks that you bring a cooler and arrange for a person that can immediately remove the placenta form the hospital premises.

    Placenta encapsulation is a service offered by many midwives or doulas. The placenta can be steamed, dehydrated, ground into a powder and encapsulated.  Or some people choose to consume it raw hidden in something like a smoothie. Although this may seem like a crazy or extreme practice to some, my midwife taught me that all mammals consume their placenta. After all, we are mammals too!

    Functional Lab Work: Pregnancy and the postpartum period can definitely take its toll on our hormone balance and thyroid function. Many of my clients developed an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s during pregnancy. They were absolutely exhausted and depleted many months or even years after the birth of their child. Although you may have written it off as new mommy exhaustion, there might be more going on. It is a good idea to check your thyroid (including checking for autoimmune antibodies), vitamins D and hormone levels about 6 months after the birth of your child.

    Need more support?

    How to Conceive Naturally: and Have a Healthy Pregnancy After 30,  co-authored by my mentor, Christa Orecchio, is an excellent resource for the months prior to conceiving, during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The book even spells out a Postpartum Action Plan.

    You can also grab my free Holistic Pregnancy Guide if you need any more support throughout your pregnancy.

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    You can do it Mama!

    I have learned so much during this pregnancy that I believe I’ll be able to combat the hormonal imbalance and depression that I dealt with the first time. Just remember that planning ahead and calling on help when you need to is going to allow you to recover more quickly. Your body wants you to rest and connect with baby. This miracle is a beautiful thing to love and enjoy when you take care of YOU. Maximize your nutrition and minimize your stressors!!

     

     

     

     

  • Your Brain and Stress; Neurotransmitter Basics

    Your Brain and Stress; Neurotransmitter Basics

     

    Many people are becoming aware of the term adrenal fatigue and are starting to suspect that this might be something they are dealing with. But this term can be misleading, because more often that not, it is not as simple as supporting the adrenals to have your fatigue, inflammation and hormonal imbalances disappear. The adrenals gland themselves are often working just fine, but the communication channels and feedback loops might have become disrupted. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that deliver important and vital messages from the brain and the adrenal gland. These tiny messengers help you respond to stressors and if they become imbalanced, all sorts of symptoms will start to pop up because the correct messages are not being sent. Once I started looking at a neurotransmitter panel in conjunction with an adrenal/hormone panel, I saw a big shift for my clients. The combination of their hormone and neurotransmitter results helps to put the puzzle together as to where the breakdown is in the chain.

    What happens with our neurotransmitters during stress?

    In time of acute stress or when you are in a constant chronic state of low stress (not just mental/emotional stress but also hidden internal stressors such as food sensitivities, bacterial overgrowth or heavy metal toxicity) neurotransmitters can become depleted. Just having a thought or being scared will alert your brain to alter hormone and neurotransmitter production in response. The neurotransmitters are a part of the stress response cascade. Think about how often we are bombarded with negative imagery and high stress situations in our fast-paced lifestyle. By looking at the levels of different neurotransmitters as well as their relationship to each other, such as the ratio between serotonin and dopamine or norepinephrine and epinephrine, we can see how well your body is adapting to stress.

    We have both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters and some play both roles depending on the situation. Since our body likes to remain in balance, we also function optimally when our excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters are balanced. For example, stimulants such as caffeine push dopamine into the synapse and dopamine acts as an excitatory agent, which improves our focus. You know how you have your coffee and then feel pretty productive for a while? Feeling productive is great except there is a price we pay for that focus. Your body must now send in some inhibitory neurotransmitters to reign in the excitatory neurotransmitters. Serotonin and GABA come to the rescue. This is not necessarily a problem, because this is one of the ways that our amazing body stays balanced, but when we abuse ourselves daily by artificially forcing productivity with excess caffeine consumption, we eventually end up depleted in serotonin and GABA. Among many other functions serotonin is important for a stable mood and GABA is nature’s valium-like substance, you can see where we end up without these precious resources. You always have to ask… is this short-term benefit of being able to focus and have energy worth the long-term risk of an instable mood?

    Here is an example of the neurotransmitter testing results that the Healthy Hormones Group Program will have access to. These are just clues to get an idea of the bigger picture because your neurotransmitter levels will change throughout the day. Testing and then retesting after a period of time after trying a protocol or therapy will help us to understand how your body is reacting.

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    Here is a quick explanation of the neurotransmitters that we will be looking at during the next Healthy Hormones group program:

    Serotonin – This is considered the master neurotransmitter and helps to keep balance between the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. Adequate levels is necessary for a stable mood.

    Dopamine – Key player in reward-seeking type of behavior such as pleasure, satisfaction and focus. Dopamine also influences muscle control and gastrointestinal motility. Really low or high dopamine levels is correlated with memory issues.

    Norepinephrine– Important to the fight-or-flight response and also helps to make epinephrine.

    Epinephrine– Also known as adrenaline which we all know well. Epinephrine prepares the body for fight-or-flight by increasing your heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate so that you can run away or fight off the danger. This will also elevate your ACTH which raises your cortisol

    GABA– Nature’s valium-like substance which also helps regulate muscle tone.

    Glutamate– Important for memory and learning but can be damaging in excess leading to depression, seizures and damaging nervous tissue. This is often seen high for those with PTSD but you also have to watch that you are not accidentally consuming glutamate from MSG or DSG sources in food.

    Histamine – Helps to control sleep-wake cycle, energy production and memory recall. This reading on your lab is a window into inflammation and the higher the number the more mental fogginess, allergy symptoms and irritability you might be experiencing.

     

    If your neurotransmitters are all trending low in conjunction with low cortisol levels, than this is a sign you are in a chronic state of stress and are now in the tired and “burnt-out” phase.  At this point you will need a good amount of support to return to a healthy level.

    Ready to find out what is going on at a sub-clinical level before symptoms occur? Ready to get to the root of why you can’t seem to kick the anxiety or get your energy back? Come join us for the Healthy Hormones Group Program!!

  • Hormone Helping Coconut Chips

    Hormone Helping Coconut Chips

     

    As Alex of Dig Primal and I have been working on the content for our Healthy Hormones Group Program for the last few months, my favorite part of the process is that I get to learn the tips and tricks that she uses too! We all have different tools that we pick up along the way and I think that it is important to have a really varied toolbox for my clients. Each person that I work with is so uniquely different in their bio-individual and genetic makeup that often a suggestion that works amazingly for one person will leave another feeling sick. A supplement that gives me energy though the roof might cause you to fall asleep at your desk. That is all a part of the puzzle!! I love learning lots of different options, recipes and suggestions so that we can find the perfect combination for each person.

     

    Alex shared this recipe with me for Hormone Helping Coconut Chips and I can’t get enough! I love incorporating coconut flakes into my diet for a lot of reasons. For one, they have an amazing composition of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. Not only does this combination of macronutrients help keep you full longer after meals (which also helps prevent unhealthy snacking you weren’t actually intending), but fueling your body with such balanced caloric intake is great for the hormonal system. Additionally, the fatty acids found in coconut products directly play a role in healthy hormone synthesis so their presence in the diet greatly increases the success of all your other hormone-helping interventions; after all, it makes sense that if you don’t have the building blocks to create hormones, no amount of adjunctive therapies are going to help your cause in the long term.

     

    The spices found in this recipe work through a variety of mechanisms to help the endocrine and adrenal system along. Since glucose metabolism is a huge problem in people with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal dysfunction (which is often simply referred to as “adrenal fatigue” but is actually an incredibly limited way to look at the problem since it encompasses so much more than the adrenals…no wonder people have a hard time treating it on their own!), the cayenne, turmeric, and cinnamon are in here to help with the proper use and balance of sugar in the body.

     

    As an added bonus, cayenne pepper and turmeric are incredibly effective in tempering the inflammatory response in the body due to stress, high glucose levels, and underlying hormonal imbalances (see how they all work off each other??), incorporating these spices into meals regularly can be really helpful.

     

    Ingredients:

     

    • 2 cups coconut flakes
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon ghee (replace with coconut oil if you can’t tolerate dairy products)
    • 5 tablespoons raw honey

     

    Steps:

     

    1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
    2. Place your coconut flakes into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
    3. Add in the cayenne pepper, ground turmeric, and ground cinnamon to the coconut flakes and stir well so that all the spices are well distributed (trust me when I say that you do not want a big bite of cayenne pepper down the line).
    4. Place the tablespoon of ghee (or coconut oil) into a small bowl and microwave it until the ghee has melted.
    5. Add the honey and vanilla extract to your melted ghee and mix them all together.
    6. Slowly pour your honey, ghee, and vanilla extract mixture of the spice-dusted coconut flakes. Mix it all together until everything is evenly distributed.
    7. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and evenly spread your coconut flake mixture over the entire area. You don’t want big clumps so take a few moments to spread it all out over the entire baking sheet.
    8. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
    9. Take out and let cool.
    10. I stored mine in a glass tupperware container.

     

    Want to learn more fun and delicious recipes that can also help support your adrenal glands and balance hormone? The Healthy Hormones Group Program is starting Sept 15th!!!

     

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  • Why Adrenal Fatigue is not just about the Adrenals

    Why Adrenal Fatigue is not just about the Adrenals

     

    When Hayley of Primal Palate recently posted a picture of her Adrenal Cocktail on Instagram a flurry of requests came to my inbox. What is this drink? Should I try this? What else can I do for adrenal fatigue? The popularity of such a post magnifies how real the struggle and how far reaching. I created this blog post as a guest post on Primal Palate but wanted to share here as well!

     

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    I know the struggle is real from first hand experience. I have been there. When I first tested my adrenal function, I was in was in the worst phase of adrenal dysfunction. My daily cortisol output had tanked to nearly nothing and my sex hormones were depleted as well. I know what it is like to have a 1 year old and feel like you don’t think you can muster up enough energy to brush your teeth!

     

    Let’s talk a little bit about the term adrenal fatigue.

     

    I was taught to use the term adrenal or hormonal dysfunction, since the idea of adrenal fatigue makes it sound like the adrenal glands are actually tired. In most cases the adrenal glands are not tired at all, but they just might not be receiving the correct message. Here is an analogy. The adrenal gland is a teenager sitting on the couch watching TV. The reason that the teenager is sedentary could possibly be because he is fatigued, but more likely than not, that is not the case at all. He just hasn’t received the message “ Hey, get up and get outside it is beautiful out there!”

     

    This is also what happens in our body, we have many complex systems, one of them being the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The hypothalamus (in the brain) is supposed to tell the pituitary to alert the adrenals that it is time to make cortisol (or other stress mediators). It is like they are a bunch of 6 year olds playing telephone and sometimes there is s a breakdown in the chain. The adrenals may not end up getting the message or get the wrong message. You want a hot cross bun? No, I said I want to go for a RUN!

     

    Seems crazy that a game of telephone in the body could be regulating all the crucial tasks of digestion, energy, sex drive and immune function, but it is true. In our high stress world the inputs are coming into the hypothalamus at rapid speed, all while environmental toxics and endocrine disruptors and pumping through the body just to add a few more obstacles. It is not surprising that the signals get crossed.

     

    So what happens when the signals get crossed? Well, a whole slew of symptoms can occur. You can read the list of signs & symptoms here.

     

    Why I was excited to find out that I had severe adrenal dysfunction?

     

    Seeing my functional lab work that showed I was barely producing any cortisol, very little estrogen, progesterone and melatonin was the first time that my results on paper lined up with my symptoms. Up until this point, I had been to multiple doctors complaining of my vague but annoying symptoms. I was tired all the time, lightheaded, constantly sick and just basically miserable.

     

    My first relief upon seeing my lab work was soon followed by more questions.   I realized that although I had found an imbalance and yes it was causing these symptoms, I still didn’t know why I had imbalances.

     

    Maybe you suspect adrenal dysfunction, or even better if you have done a salivary cortisol and hormone test and know that you are either producing way too much cortisol (tired and wired) or have ended up in a state of low cortisol (downright exhausted). Or maybe your test showed that you have an inappropriate level (high or low) of hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. What’s next?

     

    What to do if you suspect Adrenal Dysfunction

     

    • Check the numbers – I am a girl who likes to see my progress on paper and have the data and numbers to work with. The Biohealth 205 Adrenal/Cortisol panel is going to be a part of the Group Adrenal Program that Alex of Dig Primal and I will be offering in the Fall. This is an opportunity to see your hormone levels and then learn how to correct any imbalances found. Otherwise you can visit a Functional Medicine Doctor, Naturopath or Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner to get a salivary cortisol and hormone panel or another good option is a urine test (DUTCH). Choose a lab that includes cortisol, DHEA, progesterone, estradiol, estriol, testosterone and melatonin.

     

    • Start with the basics – I think we often (myself included) really want to find that one genetic defect that is the root of all of our misery. We look around and see the neighbors chowing down on McDonalds and they seem to feel great. We work hard to stay away from toxins, follow a strict paleo diet and eat 3 cups of greens a day. It just doesn’t seem fair that we still have health problems, so there must be ONE THING that we are missing. Although genetics of course play a role, don’t bother going down that rabbit hole until you have covered all of the basics.

     

    Do you have good Stress Management techniques? Are you getting adequate sleep, ideally going to bed a couple of hours before midnight? Are you hydrated and is your water from a good source (void of the metals, bacteria & fluoride but still has the minerals that your body is craving?) Are you exercising enough or are you over training?

     

    • Don’t stop at the adrenals – yes adaptogenic herbs and licorice root tea might be helpful, but use these tools to get some relief and then you can dig deeper to really correct and restore the imbalance from the root cause. You can read more about the steps I take with my clients in this

     

     Find your food sensitivities – Undiagnosed food allergies or sensitivities can raise cortisol histamine levels in the body, thereby taxing the endocrine system. Be a detective and make sure you are aware of your allergies and intolerances. Join the group detox program if you need help following an elimination program.

    Gut dysfunction – Just as Hippocrates said “all disease begins in the gut”. Whether you have traditional digestive symptoms or not, this is still an area of utmost importance to explore on your journey to balanced hormones. Just think about the dysfunction that will occur in the body if you are not able to absorb or assimilate the food that you are eating and therefore cannot turn those building blocks into hormones?

    Liver health – Often we need to cleanse the liver in order to get hormones working again. The liver has over 500 jobs, and keeping the hormones happy is one of them.

    Thyroid health – This is a great place to start with your physician and another important piece of the puzzle.

    Heavy metals – Do you have a mouthful of metal fillings? Heavy metals toxicity is one of the known causes of intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and also puts a burden on the liver.

    Parasite, bacteria, fungus – Make sure to look for possible pathogenic infections that may be depleting your nutrients, taxing you liver or raising your cortisol.

     

    So What Can I Do?

     

    I love to use food as medicine as much as possible to help balance hormones. While we make an effort to minimize the stress in our life, we can also help support our body with the best nutrients available.

     

    5 Tips for Healthy Hormones

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    • Eat lots of good fat – We need dietary fats in order to make hormones! Make sure each meal has a healthy fat such as avocado, fish, nuts, coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, grass-fed butter (if you tolerate dairy), ghee (clarified butter), duck fat and tallow for ex.

     

    • Add some salt; Pink Himalayan Sea Salt – I put this on everything. Himalayan pink salt has 84 essential minerals that the adrenals need to function properly (very different from iodized table salt which can be harmful). You can even try sprinkling some in your water to see if it tastes better!

     

    • Don’t forget your Vitamin C – Healthy adrenal function requires vitamin C. Tissues in the body use more vitamin C during times of stress. Vitamin C is found naturally in a lot of foods such as citrus fruits, leafy greens, tomatoes, sprouts, kiwi, papaya, red pepper, and cauliflower. One teaspoon of Camu Camu powder added to a smoothie has the same amount of vitamin C as eating 6 oranges, so this is a good option for those of us who really need a boost!

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    • Daily Bone broth – You knew this on was coming right? Bone broth made from organic raw chicken or beef bones (all of the bones!) that is cooked over a 24-hour period helps with gut repair, has highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur and is an easily digestible protein. I add a Tbsp. of coconut oil, Tbsp. of collagen and pink salt to my mug and this becomes the perfect food for someone with adrenal dysfunction to maximize the nutrients with minimum effort.

     

    • Be aware of magnesium deficiency – Magnesium deficiency is incredibly common, some studies estimate 75% of Americans are deficient. Magnesium is important for stable energy, so this small change alone can have a big impact on those who are deficient. One way to increase your magnesium intake is by adding 2-4 ounces of Magnesium oil or 1 cup Epsom salts to a bath and soak before bed. The same thing can be accomplished with a foot bath while you read a book or watch TV. It is a great way to help your body relax while you are also absorbing your way to feeling better!

     

    • Adrenal Cocktail – This Orange Juice creamsicle offers a boost in energy and helps regulate blood sugar. This is great for those of you who are feeling pretty depleted and have low cortisol levels.

     

     The most important change that I see clients make in order to restore hormonal balance is a mindset change. When you discover that your fast-paced lifestyle is depleting your vital reserve it is time to reconsider your priorities. What activities or people are recharging you and which of those are stealing all of your energy? Can anything be re-arranged in your schedule or life to minimize the things that are depleting you?

     

    I hope this helps!! I would love any feedback on what else has worked for you.

     

    NEXT GROUP PROGRAM STARTING SEPTEMBER !

     

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    Want to look at your hormone and neurotransmitter labs and have a group for support? Alex of Dig Primal and I are going to be offering a 3 month group program starting September 15th. You will have receive a customized protocol but all of the coaching will be done in group. Put your name on the Adrenal Fatigue Group Program update list for more information.

  • Adrenal Fatigue Friendly Gummies

    Adrenal Fatigue Friendly Gummies

     

    There are many things that I do to maintain my adrenal health (or more specifically, my hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal health) on a regular basis. After struggling with adrenal dysfunction for years it is an aspect of my health that I stay consistently committed to. Working for myself and owning my own business is incredibly rewarding but can also be stressful and draining. Taking note of how many stressors are present in my life can help me realize when I need to ramp up my adrenal health support.

     

    I keep many foods on hand to maintain my adrenal health such as bone broth, various hormone-health-promoting teas, and several notable juices. But, as with everything that we do for our health, staying with these practices can take some time and effort, and it can be really easy to start making excuses for why you can’t do them. “It’s too hot in the summer for bone broth or hot tea.” “I have way too much on my plate to think about adding beneficial juices to my water every day.” (Sound familiar? I’ve totally been there!)

     

    In an attempt to simplify life, this recipe–which incorporates a wide spectrum of adrenal fatigue friendly ingredients–was born. Helping out your adrenals (and your hormone health overall) by eating some gummies after dinner? That’s something I can stick to!

     

    The Players

     

    So what makes the gummy ingredients so good for adrenal and hormone health? As it turns out, this crew helps out our endocrine systems from many different angles.

     

    Raspberry leaf tea has long been used for addressing hormonal imbalances (we’re talking centuries!) thanks to its incredibly high mineral content that can aid in appropriate hormone synthesis. Likewise, lavender tea has been used throughout the world for its stress-reducing properties, which therefore also aids in adrenal fatigue. But it wasn’t until recently that several studies came out suggesting that lavender works by helping to decrease cortisol production when it rises at inappropriate times.

     

    Both pomegranate juice and fresh squeezed lime juice are loaded with Vitamin C, which is crucial for sex hormone balancing. Most notably, vitamin C has been researched as an aid in increasing progesterone levels. Progesterone levels usually plummet the most with adrenal dysfunction. Since low sex hormone productions negatively impacts feedback loops to the hypothalamus and the pituitary, and therefore the adrenals, addressing these imbalances is equally important when you’re struggling with adrenal dysfunction.

     

    Additionally, pomegranate juice helps increase glutathione levels in the body, a very important antioxidant, which can help lower inflammation and help support good liver function. While these processes again can seem unrelated to adrenal fatigue, the proper functioning of these bodily functions is integral to attaining and maintaining hormonal balance. In fact, detoxing is so incredibly important to hormone health, that I offer seasonal group detoxes and suggest that anyone trying to balance hormones considers this crucial step first.

     

    As you can see, adrenal fatigue can be incredibly nuanced and requires the interplay of a lot of moving parts to truly overcome and improve. That’s why I strongly recommend that people with adrenal and hormonal problems get guidance from health care providers who can order the appropriate labs and consequently come up with a holistic plan to address all the different aspects of health.

     

    Check out this easy recipe for a simple way to start supporting your hormonal balance.

     

    Adrenal Fatigue Friendly Gummies

     

    Ingredients:

     

    • ½ tablespoon raspberry leaf tea
    • ½ tablespoon lavender tea
    • 1 cup water, boiled
    • ½ cup pomegranate juice, room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon gelatin
    • 1 tablespoon raw honey
    • fresh squeezed juice from 1 small lime

     

    Steps:

     

    1. First, you’re going to be making a tea blend out of your raspberry leaf tea and lavender tea. Start by placing the loose leaf teas into a tea strainer (or cheesecloth, if that’s what you have) and then steeping it in your cup of a hot water for about 5 minutes. (If you just have tea bags, I recommend steeping 2 of each kind of tea in your cup of hot water)
    2. While your raspberry leaf and lavender tea brews, place the tablespoon of gelatin into a small pyrex mixing bowl.
    3. Add the ½ cup of pomegranate juice to your gelatin and stir well until everything is combined.
    4. Once your teas have brewed, add the hot tea into your pomegranate juice and gelatin mixture. Stir well again.
    5. Let everything cool for about 5 minutes. (This is so that the boiling hot water doesn’t degrade the vitamin C in the lime and the enzymes from the raw honey)
    6. Add in the raw honey and lime juice and whisk everything together well one last time.
    7. Pour your almost-done gummies into a 9-by-9 baking pan and refrigerate overnight (or until the gummies have set).
    8. Cut into squares (bonus points for cutting them into cute shapes!) and enjoy.

     

    Note: this recipe isn’t overly sweet so the kiddos in your house may not be very interested. If they are, it’s best for them to stick to a portion every now and again but I wouldn’t let them go overboard.

     

    Ready to balance and support your hormones and adrenals?  Are you interested in group coaching? Alex at Dig Primal and I will be offering a 12 week Healthy Hormone Group Program starting April 2016. You can sign up for notifications here.

     

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  • The Adrenal Cocktail Creamsicle

    The Adrenal Cocktail Creamsicle

     

    Adrenal dysfunction is a very popular topic right now.

    I have recently been working with Hayley at Primal Palate to support her on her health journey (you can read about that here). We are making small upgrades and tweaks in her life to try to support her adrenal health and hormone balance and one of the additions to her life is a daily Adrenal Cocktail.

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    When she posted a picture of her Adrenal Cocktail on Instagram it spread like wildfire. It has affectionately been named the “dreamsicle” and the instagram community has already started upgrading the recipe by adding carrot, tangerine or ginger to the juice as well! The Feisty Kitchen even used her fabulous photography skills to make this look like the most appetizing drink there is!

    Here is a little bit of background about this recipe.

    I learned about the Adrenal Cocktail from my mentor Christa at The Whole Journey. Her recipe is a slightly modified version of the traditional Adrenal Cocktail (the original recipe is orange juice, cream or tarter & Himalayan pink salt).

    When I was in the depleted phase of adrenal dysfunction, this dreamsicle saved me! I drank the Adrenal Cocktail every morning for about a month while I was balancing my hormones. The most notable difference was my energy and the ability to finally regulate my blood sugar. I found that I wasn’t crashing mid afternoon, craving sugar or getting light-headed as much as I used to.

    Adrenal Cocktail recipe:

    • 4-6 oz OJ (fresh squeezed or cold pressed like Evolution brand)
    • 2 Tbsp raw cream (or coconut cream)
    • 1 Tbsp Collagen
    • Himalayan pink salt as much as you can stand

    Blend it up into a delicious creamsicle and drink 1-2 times a day an hour before or after food.

    Benefits of the Adrenal Cocktail: 

    • Fresh squeezed OJ gives liver the glucose it needs to regenerate
    • Perfect balance of fat/carb/protein ratio for adrenal health and blood sugar balancing
    • Collagen is loaded with the amino acids and building blocks for health
    • Himalayan pink salt has 84 essential minerals that the adrenals need to function properly (very different from iodized table salt which can be harmful)

    This might not be for everyone.

    You always need to consider your personal situation when implementing a dietary or lifestyle change. I have had clients try the cocktail and feel horrible because of an issue with bacterial overgrowth!!

    What else can I do?

    Drinking a daily creamsicle is just one of the many life changes that I made and by no means a quick fix for your adrenal glands. You can find some other steps to start taking here.

    If you have been “diagnosed” with Adrenal Dysfunction (often called adrenal fatigue) don’t stop there.  Start digging for the root cause.  What caused the imbalance?

    Adrenal Dysfunction is an imbalance of hormones.  The problem is very rarely actually the adrenal gland itself, but instead there can be a breakdown anywhere in a complex relationship between the Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis.  Anything that helps “restore the adrenals” is really just a way of helping to balance hormones and blood sugar, and therefore puts let stress on the thyroid, detoxification and every other function in the body.

    In the meantime, while you are doing the deeper work, you can replenish your body with this cocktail.

    Cheers!

     

    Do you feel like you need a group for guidance and support on your Adrenal balancing journey?

     

    The Healthy Hormones Group Program starts September 15th!!

     

    This 12 week program will get you access to the hormone and neurotransmitter labs and a customized protocol.  With biweekly videos, emails & support in your inbox we will go step by step through how to support your adrenals and balance your hormones.

     

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Ginger-Newtrition-Group-Coaching-Program.png” raw=”true” alignment=”center” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”0″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ link=”http://gingernewtrition.com/work-with-me/” target=”_parent” width=”900″ height=”360″]

     

    Photo credit: The Feisty Kitchen – check her out for her fabulous recipes!!

  • What is Adrenal Fatigue?

    What is Adrenal Fatigue?

    Look around.  Stress and stressed out people are everywhere!

     

    Is this the most stressful era in which to live?  Maybe, or maybe not. But we seem to be getting hit with stress from all sides.

     

    We have one type of stress that comes in the form of a stressful situation, like the death of a loved one, a demanding job or a physical injury. These are the known stressors, whether they are physical or mental/emotional.

     

    But we are also affected by hidden stressors. Hidden stressors include eating the wrong food for your bio-individual type, being exposed to heavy metals or living with bugs and parasites.  In a world where toxins and chemicals are in everything–our air, water and food–we are constantly bombarded by stress.

     

    All stress, no matter what kind, invokes a response from the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are a triangle shaped endocrine gland that sit on top of the kidneys.  These little glands, no bigger than a grape, are required to produce the hormones needed to regulate energy production, immune function, heart rate and other stress reactions.

     

    What happens when we repeatedly produce cortisol, the stress hormone, in response to the many stressors in our life?

     

    Let’s break it down a bit.  The release of cortisol in response to stress or danger is lifesaving when you are being chased by a bear.  However, the same chain reaction occurs while watching a violent movie.  Although there is no inherent danger, your blood is redirected to your arms and legs to get ready to fight, your heart rate increases, and your airways open. In this state, other functions such as digestion, reproduction and repair are put on hold.

     

    It makes sense. I mean, what good is great digestion anyway if you were just eaten by a bear?

     

    Although it makes sense, repeated exposure to increased stress hormones can wreak havoc on the body. In modern times we enter this fight or flight mode at every hour of the day in response to things such as traffic, a crazy boss, too many bills or our children screaming.  The constant production of cortisol starts to deplete our valuable resources needed to make other hormones.

     

    These neglected hormones are necessary for every single human function.  So, you can imagine why we end up with symptoms like these:

     

    • Weight gain in waist, inflammatory hormonal fat
    • Increased appetite and cravings due to blood sugar fluctuations
    • Low libido
    • Loss of muscle mass
    • Poor memory
    • Excess mood responses after eating carbohydrates such as pasta, breads, and sugar
    • Bone loss
    • Sleep disturbances, tired but wired feeling
    • Thyroid issues
    • Increased risk for GI infections
    • Increased inflammation, lower back pain
    • Hypoglycemia – shakiness, lightheaded
    • Sugar cravings
    • Salt cravings
    • Low blood pressure
    • Allergies, chemical sensitivities
    • Stressed out feeling, depression
    • Cold body temp
    • Excessive sweating or perspiration with little activity
    • Dark circles under the eyes
    • Chronic infections (bacterial, viral, fungal, yeast)
    • Tendency to startle easily
    • Cystic breasts
    • Premature aging
    • Dry, unhealthy skin with excess pigmentation
    • Hard time recovering after exercise

     

    That doesn’t sound fun does it?

     

    You will also notice that these symptoms affect many different parts of the body. One of the reasons that the symptoms are so varied is that there are 3 phases of adrenal fatigue.  Although you might experience a kind of a “high” in phase 1 with increased anxiety and the tired and wired feeling, by the time you reach phase 3 you might just barely be able to get out of bed!

     

    So, are you ready to stop experiencing all of these symptoms? I know I was. Read Top 10 Tips for a Tired Mama for the easily-implementable steps that I used to help restore balance to my adrenal glands.

     

    Which of these symptoms can you relate to?

  • Top Ten Tips for a Tired Mama

    Top Ten Tips for a Tired Mama

     

    Two years ago I didn’t have the energy to brush my teeth. I would lie in bed before work thinking about what body part I could break that wouldn’t be that painful but would keep me out of work for a few weeks? Yes, I was THAT tired. I was in phase 3 adrenal fatigue. There is no phase 4.

     

    Two years later, things are quite different. I am able to juggle a full-time corporate job (although not for much longer!), build my own health coaching business, attend courses for continuous education and keep delicious, nutritious food in the house all while running after a 3 year old.

     

    Don’t get me wrong, my health is always a work in progress, but the difference between 2 years ago and today is night and day.

     

    As you can guess, one of the most common questions I get asked is this “What did you do to restore your adrenals and your energy?” Here are my top ten tips for the busy person or mom who suspects adrenal fatigue or hormonal imbalance.

     

    1) Start with the numbers. Get your hormone & cortisol levels checked with a Functional Medicine Doctor or a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) practitioner like me. We use a saliva test with samples taken at four times during the day. This provides a baseline of the state of your hormones and also gives clues into what other areas need investigating. An individualized supplement protocol based on your lab work can offer support and improve energy while we are digging to find the root cause of your adrenal fatigue. Sometimes we need a little boost before we can make lasting changes in diet and lifestyle.

     

    2) Blood sugar balance is key. This was incredibly important for my shift in energy. I learned that when you eat is just as important as what you eat. One study looked at the fasting blood sugar levels of nearly 2,000 men, over a 22-year period. Men with fasting glucose levels over 85 mg/dL had a 40 percent increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. The same study indicated that with fasting blood sugar between 85-90mg/dL, there is a 20 percent increased risk of dying of a stroke or heart attack; from 90-95mg/dL there is another 20 percent risk of dying of a stroke or heart attack. (1)

    • When to eat. This is the most important factor when trying to maintain blood sugar balance. For busy mamas who get up and go, you MUST eat breakfast. I know, I know. How many times have we heard that this is the most important meal of the day? But it is true! Eating within 30-60 minutes of waking will set you up for a balanced day. Establish a route of preparing all of your smoothie supplies the night before, or make an egg burrito ahead of time and heat it in the toaster oven.
    • What to eat. For every meal and snack, include a carbohydrate, protein and fat. All carbs are not created equal when it comes to blood sugar regulation. Complex carbs such as quinoa, brown rice and sweet potato are ideal. After eating a half of a sweet potato every day at lunch with cinnamon and coconut oil, my blood glucose numbers stabilized.
    • Test your blood sugar.  Consider buying a glucometer at the drug store. Take your blood sugar first thing in the morning and then thirty minutes before each meal for a week. This will give you an idea of exactly how you are reacting to what you are eating.

     

    3) Drink water with minerals. Are you constantly thirsty but then when you drink water it doesn’t seem to quench your thirst? This is really common for those with adrenal fatigue. Making sure you are getting enough water is important, but the quality of the water is just as important for adrenal health. Our body is craving the minerals that are naturally in spring water. Since nowadays it has become necessary to filter our water, the good stuff gets filtered out with the bad. We drink a tall glass of water and our body is thinking “where the heck are the minerals that I asked for?” My suggestion is to buy spring water if you can. If you cannot, then you can add the minerals back in with a product like Concentrace Trace Mineral drops.

     

    4) Sea salt on everything! Salt is bad right? Not anymore! I remember when my nutritionist told me to put as much Pink Himalayan salt as I could stand on all of my food. Sure! Sea salt is packed with minerals that support the adrenals and it is delicious.

     

    5) Chicken Bone Broth just like Grandma said. Christa at The Whole Journey taught me that daily bone broth with help someone recover from adrenal fatigue 30 percent faster! I don’t know how I would measure that 30 percent, but bone broth was an important part of my protocol. Bone broth made from organic raw chicken bones (all of the bones!) that is cooked over a 24-hour period helps with gut repair, has highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur and is an easily digestible protein. It’s the perfect food for someone in deep adrenal fatigue who needs the maximum nutrients with minimum effort.

     

    6) Don’t forget Vitamin C! Healthy adrenal function requires vitamin C. Tissues in the body use more vitamin C during times of stress. Vitamin C is found naturally in a lot of foods such as citrus fruits, leafy greens, tomatoes, sprouts, kiwi, papaya, red pepper, and cauliflower. One teaspoon of Camu Camu powder added to a smoothie has the same amount of vitamin C as eating 6 oranges, so this is a good option for those of us who really need a boost!

     

    7) Magnesium is essential. Magnesium was really important for my journey out of zombie-land. I would add 2-4 ounces of Magnesium oil, 1 cup Epsom salts and lavender in a bath and soak most evenings. The same thing can be accomplished with a foot bath while you read a book or watch TV. It is a great way to help your body relax while you are also absorbing your way to feeling better!

     

    8) Sleep! Maybe this should have been #1, because this is very important. Every hour of sleep that you get before midnight is like 2 hours in terms of rest and recovery for the adrenal glands. Aim to be in bed by 10pm every night. Don’t forget that the lights from the TV or electronic devices stimulate the pineal gland and can throw off your sleep cycle. I ask my clients to avoid all screen time after 8pm.

     

    9) Less Stress, more massages. As a mom, we sometimes feel that we have to do everything. Create a list of all of the top activities that drain your energy. Brainstorm which of these activities are critical and which could be put on the back burner or delegated. This might sound silly or simple, but this is crucial! We must give ourselves the space and energy for recovery if we want to be able to restore balance.

     

    10) Minimize alcohol & caffeine. Do you wish you had an intravenous drip of caffeine every morning but instead settle for multiple cups of coffee? Although VERY common, heavy use of alcohol and caffeine is very stressful to the adrenals. They give us a quick fix that leaves us ultimately in a more depleted state, causing us to need even more the next time around. This is a very rough cycle.

    If you are heavy coffee drinker, start by switching to organic and try to get yourself down to only 1 cup. Always make sure to eat you breakfast first. If you really love the morning ritual of coffee, you could try something like Teechino, an herbal coffee alternative or green tea.

     

    Note: In addition to the above recommendations, the basis of all of my programs to restore hormonal balance starts with eating whole foods while minimizing refined packaged foods, additives, chemicals, toxins, alcohol and caffeine.

     

    Disclaimer: Please see your Doctor to rule out any serious conditions. This information is not meant to diagnose or treat disease, but is just what I have personally found to work well for me.

     

    References:

    1. Bjornholt JV, Erikssen G, Aaser E, et al. Fasting blood glucose: an underestimated risk factor for cardiovascular death. Results from a 22-year follow-up of healthy nondiabetic men. Diabetes Care. 1999 Jan;22(1):45-9.