Who wants to feel tired all the time? We all want a zip in our step to have fun in life and accomplish our goals.
But for people with adrenal fatigue, it’s very difficult to have enough energy or feel good on a daily basis.
“Adrenal fatigue” is a general term that has come to mean that the body is not dealing with stress well, and this stress sends the adrenals into a state of dysfunction that causes continuous fatigue that is no fun.
Chronic stress can cause your body to not produce enough stress hormones, which give you energy throughout the day. Your body can become “resistant” to the constant overflow of stress hormones so that you can't feel their effects, or you could be producing these hormones at the wrong time, which can give you insomnia 12.
Re-starting Your Adrenals
Eating the right foods and taking therapeutic natural supplements are the best way to nourish and replenish your adrenal glands.
Let’s look at the steps you can take to beat adrenal fatigue and get these glands to start working again. Here are the dietary tips that will boost your energy, cut stress, and help you feel like yourself again.
Nourish Your Adrenals with Diet
1. Eat leafy greens and other veggies
To beat adrenal fatigue, you have to have more energy. And eating your veggies is key to getting energized!
Researchers say that the “intake of green vegetables” has the “strongest impact” on fatigue compared to other food groups 1. One reason for the energy boost is the nitrate content of greens. These compounds enhance athletic performance and help the energy powerhouses in your cells work more efficiently 2. Greens are also especially helpful against mental fatigue 1.
Leafy greens like lettuces and green vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that give your body energy. Eating your veggies also lifts your mood, which is a common problem with adrenal fatigue sufferers 3!
2. Stay away from refined carbs
Processed carbohydrates are made from grains that have been stripped of their fiber and antioxidant content. When you eat these foods (pizza, bagels, white bread, white pasta, etc.), you get a dramatic spike in blood sugar, and a dramatic drop afterwards.
When your blood sugar falls after the initial spike, your energy dips. You’re also stressing out your adrenals when you eat these processed foods because they have to pump out cortisol to keep your blood sugar level after dramatic drops 4.
Keeping your blood sugar even and steady is critical for consistent energy. If your blood sugar spikes and falls, so will your energy with it.
3. Eat nuts
Nuts are a great source of the calming mineral magnesium that helps keep your adrenals calm. Researchers have found that the body’s stress response system can become dysregulated due to magnesium deficiency 5. Magnesium can also calm anxious people and lower cortisol 6,7.
Nuts are healthiest if they’re consumed raw or sprouted. That way, their nutrients are preserved, and they don’t have the toxic compounds that roasted nuts have in them.
4. Eat some fish (like sardines)
Even the fats in fish can help fight stress. Fish oil also blunts a litany of bodily signs of stress and stops the adrenals from being over-activated by stress 8. That overactivation of the adrenals is what eventually makes you fatigued.
Fish contain some vitamin D that is needed for your brain to produce the calming neurotransmitter serotonin that helps you feel content and not stressed out 9.
5. Drink licorice root tea
If you’re craving a sugary drink, substitute licorice root instead. This herb is very sweet to the taste buds but won’t stress your adrenals like processed sugar does.
Compounds in licorice root can speed up the creation of energizing adrenal hormones so that you’ll have more energy 10. Licorice is also known for its antioxidant content and its ability to cleanse the liver.
6. Eat beans
Some foods help prevent the anxiousness that can trigger the stress that leads to adrenal fatigue. Beans are one of those foods. There’s evidence that bean consumption is linked with less anxiety 11.
Beans, because of their ability to stabilize blood sugar, can help prevent the activation of the stress response. They also feed the good bacteria in your gut that make the neurotransmitters that chill you out and make you feel good.
7. Don’t go overboard on meat
If you’re stressed, don’t eat meat at every meal. Try to eat it sparingly because it can spike the stress hormone cortisol 12,13.
High levels of cortisol add fuel to your stress and anxiety, and it contributes to low mood and fatigue. So mix it up. It’s okay to eat some high quality meat, but your diet should center around whole healthy plant foods and not steak.
Beyond Food
In addition to nutritious food, nature has provided us with spectacular remedies for our adrenals. These natural ingredients bring balance to the body and help things work right once again.
Here are 4 of my favorite adrenal support supplements.
1. Nutracraft AdrenalAid
Packed with Ashwagandha, Ginseng, Rhodiola, Astragalus, Tyrosine and more AdrenalAid is our #1 choice for boosting energy and fatigue. With added Bioprene for enhanced bioavailability this should be your go to Adrenal formula!
This formula contains very effective adrenal herbs that have been used for thousands of years. Two of the herbs, tulsi and ashwagandha, were used in ancient Indian medicine and can fight stress and increase your stamina, two complementary actions that are critical for beating adrenal fatigue.
The rhodiola in this formula also gives you a boost of energy while at the same time fighting stress.
3. Life Extension Adrenal Energy Formula
This formula uses standardized herbs so that they contain the right amount of active ingredients. Adrenal energy formula adds the mood and memory-boosting brahmi herb alongside ashwagandha and tulsi and the endurance-enhancing mushroom cordyceps.
This formula is an herbal powerhouse that deeply supports your adrenals and wipes away stress. Another bonus is that Life Extension tests rigorously for impurities in their formulas, so you can be assured you’re taking a clean product.
4. California Gold Nutrition L-Theanine
Imagine if you could take a pill that would simulate the effect on your brain of meditating for an hour. Well, that’s what the amino acid l-theanine does. This is a simple and cheap supplement to relax your brain because it changes your brain waves into a relaxed alpha state.
It’s also a great way to sleep better at night because it will relax you before bed.
Make These Changes!
There is plenty you can do about your energy and adrenal health. Follow the tips above, and see how much better you feel!
