Our daily lives are stressful. Being a human is stressful. Trying to conceive and grow a human in your body is stressful and people can tell you left and right to just relax but how? We will cover some great tips here but first, let’s talk about how prolonged stress impacts your adrenal health.
What are adrenals?
Your adrenal glands are small glands located on top of each kidney that make adrenaline and noradrenaline steroid hormones. These hormones help regulate your metabolism, immune system, heart rate, blood pressure, response to stress and other essential bodily functions.
What is adrenal fatigue?
Gaining traction in the functional medicine world, adrenal fatigue is when your adrenal glands are overworked by stress and can stop producing the hormones we need, including cortisol. Our bodies are not built to be in a constant state of stress, yet many of us are. This prolonged exposure to stress can be detrimental to our health.
Signs of adrenal fatigue can include:
- Tiredness
- Trouble falling asleep
- Difficulty waking up or waking up exhausted even when getting adequate hours of sleep
- Cravings salt and/or sugar
- Feeling like you need caffeine or other stimulants throughout the day
- Increased irritability.
What can be done to support healthy adrenals?
First of all, discovering the root of your stressors and recognizing which ones are necessary versus which ones can be eliminated. For example, do you need to set boundaries, say no or ask for help. Yes, life will have some stressors, yet being in a constant state of stress is not sustainable and is the fastest way to deteriorate your life.
Once you have spent time evaluating your stressors honestly, consider
- Eating your first meal at least 1 hour upon rising
- Prioritize whole foods and reduce processed foods
- Make sure you are eating an adequate amount of healthy proteins
- Avoid high impact exercise
- Get plenty of fresh air and sunshine
- Prioritize getting 8-10 hours of sleep nightly
- Avoid caffeine or limit yourself to 1 cup in the morning. Try replacing your afternoon cup with a no or low caffeine alternative.
- Schedule time to meditate and relax
- Turn off your phone or charge it in another room to give yourself a break
- Include Adrenal Cocktails. Here are our two favorite recipes
The common contributors:
Citrus: Citrus juices like lemon and orange provide your body with vitamin C which helps our bodies heal from stress related damage. The adrenal glands can store vitamin C to make more cortisol but when you are stressed, it needs to be replenished even more. When the body is making cortisol without sufficient vitamin C, this can lead to blood sugar and blood sugar imbalance.
Salt: Not a single cell in the human body can function without salt. Adding salt to your drinks, especially in the morning, will take some stress off your adrenals by slightly raising your blood pressure like it should naturally. This small support will naturally increase your energy stores for the day. Also sea salt contains trace minerals that your body needs for electrolytes and is essential for water absorption.
Try one of these drinks for a week or two and see how it impacts how you feel throughout your day. Some people also choose to add organic lemon juice and sea salt to their water throughout the day for additional support.
Blog by Samantha Coffin – Fertility Coach at Fab Fertile Inc.
I’m excited to invite you to a special masterclass - where you’ll learn How To Improve Your Chances Of Pregnancy Success If You Have Low AMH/High FSH. Sign up here.
