What do these three things have to do with each other? Well, let’s talk about how these three things are related. You could be thinking – I drink water so I couldn’t be dehydrated or I am not under stress at all so my adrenals should be fine – not necessarily true. After all everyone experiences stress on a day to day basis – it’s just the world we live in. Stress is not the problem, its chronic stress that is the problem.
If you experience high stress levels on a regular basis, you will weaken your adrenals and dehydrate your body. Correcting dehydration and reversing its symptoms are not as simple as how much water you consume. Dehydration can be a sign of adrenal fatigue.
So, how do I know if I have adrenal fatigue – well here are some symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
- You crave sugar
- You crave salt on food when you eat
- You feel dehydrated and thirsty and require plenty of water – normal water consumption should be ½ your body weight in ounces of water daily – someone who weighs 150 lbs. should drink at least 75 ounces of water daily.
- You have difficulty falling asleep at night, sleep lightly or wake early or often
- You have difficulty relaxing, you are nervous, anxious or hyperactive
- You are exhausted and fatigued – you want to sleep during the day
A story about me and adrenal fatigue – About a year ago I had some of these symptoms so I had my hormones tested – turns out my cortisol was out of whack. I wasn’t sleeping well at night, and I was always tired during the day. I was told that I had adrenal fatigue. At that time, I was going through a very stressful time in my life – which I always figured caused the problem. So, I researched what I could do to fix the problem – as most of you know I don’t care for traditional doctors who just put people on pills instead of looking for a natural solution. I found out there are many natural things to do to relieve stress and put cortisol back where it belongs. What I take is a blend of Adaptogens and amino acids – Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, Siberian Ginseng L-Theanine and others, as well as increasing my B-complex to help with my energy levels during the day. I took the herb blend in the morning and at night before bed, and I slowly started sleeping better, and today I sleep very well most nights. I still take the herb blend in the morning, but not at night.
Okay, let’s talk about the adrenals and what they do in the body. Your adrenals are two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones – cortisol, aldosterone, and others.
Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium or potassium in your body, helping you stay hydrated – this is why even if you drink enough water you could be dehydrated if you have high levels of stress. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. When your body is stressed, more aldosterone and sodium circulate in your system. Once the stress is over, aldosterone levels fall and sodium must leave your bloodstream. The sodium passes through your kidneys and exits your body as urine, taking water with it – which is why you become easily dehydrated even if you are drinking enough water.
There are several things you can do to improve your health and nourish your adrenals as well as improve your hydration level.
- Drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. If you weigh 200 lbs. then drink 100 ounces of water each day. That translates to 3 – 4 quarts per day or one gallon.
- After you exercise, make sure you replace lost fluids with water.
- Take a blend of adaptogen herbs and amino acids daily – here are two good ones that have helped me immensely.
- Limit your intake of coffee, tea, and alcohol –these beverages are very dehydrating and act as diuretics. They cause your kidneys to excrete pure water without ridding your body of any toxins. At the time when I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue I cut my coffee intake down dramatically, and drank mostly water.
- Control your blood sugar level – Elevated blood sugar will cause your kidneys to excrete the sugar when you urinate which will cause dehydration because you will have the tendency to urinate more when your blood sugars are higher.
- Watch your PH Level – A diet high in sugar, processed foods and animal proteins and taking over the counter and prescription drugs can make your blood more acidic. This condition leaches minerals from your body and weakens your adrenals. Drinking green drinks and alkaline water can help to balance your boy’s PH. Click here to find out more about green drinks.
- Get a good night’s sleep – Sleep nourishes your adrenals and allows your body to repair itself. If you are having trouble sleeping there are many supplements and herbs to help with sleep – Magnesium is one that helps me.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I encourage you to get your hormone levels checked if you have any of the symptoms of adrenal fatigue. As always, I am here to help with any of your health issues and answer any questions you may have.