TEST YOUR STRESS! – Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

Hard to get up in the morning

Tired even after 8 hours of sleep

Craving fatty, sugary or salty foods

Anger, irritability, aggressiveness

Mood swings

Poor concentration, memory and fuzzy thinking

Restless sleep

Low libido

Rapid or pounding heartbeat

Prone to catching flu or colds (and takes longer to recover)

Muscle and joint aches

Skin blemishes

Allergies and chronic respiratory problems (asthma)

Hair loss

Low blood pressure

Weight gain around abdomen

Start to feel more awake after dinner

Energy slump during the day

No energy to exercise, even a few stairs is exhausting

Regular feeling of weakness and apathy

Feel low or experience mild depression

Feeling cold all the time

Headaches

Frequent sore throats

Poor wound healing

Water retention

PMS

Itchy, watery eyes

Excessive sweating

Bloated feeling

Light-headed when you stand up quickly

* 5 or more of these warrants further investigation!

BALANCED BREATHING

1. Use your right hand, thumb, ring finger and pinky.

2. Place your thumb on your right nostril to close it.

3. Breathe in deeply through your left nostril. 4. Remove thumb from nostril and place ring

finger and pinky on left nostril to close it. 5. Exhale through right nostril.

6. Inhale through right nostril. 7. Place thumb on right nostril to close it. 8. Remove other two fingers from left nostril. 9. Exhale through left nostril. 10. Inhale through left nostril. 11. Repeat, alternating for 3-5 minutes.

Add this to your day 2 to 3 times throughout.

Why?! This breathing helps balance the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.

The parasympathetic system is known as: the rest and digest system.

It slows down our heart rate. It stimulates digestion. It stimulates the liver, bladder and kidneys. It promotes nasal secretion and constricts our pupils.

The sympathetic system is known as: the fight or flight. system.

It increases our heart rate and dilates our pupils. It inhibits digestion, nasal secretion and the production of saliva. It stimulates sweating and slows down the productivity of the liver, kidney and gall bladder. It increases muscle

strength…all to prepare us to fight or flee from our stressor.

MAGNESIUM

Often called the anti-stress mineral because it has a calming effect when taken.

Soothing properties induce restful sleep.

Part of bones and cells, especially the smooth cells of the arteries.

Protects the arterial lining from stress caused by sudden blood pressure changes.

Assists in the absorption of calcium and potassium.

Over 300 enzymes need magnesium to function properly.

Also been called the circulatory mineral because of its regulating effect on muscle contraction.

Helps the body utilize vitamins B6, C and E.

Is so important that the brain stores twice as much magnesium as a “safety supply” in the event of a drop in reserves.

Combats acids, toxins and impurities in the body.

Makes tissues limber, elastic, youthful and supple.

A natural laxative for the bowels. Possible signs of deficiency: Angina, Asthma, Cardiac arrhythmia, chronic fatigue, chronic pain syndrome, constipation, depression, dizziness, digestive problems, heart attack (without magnesium arteries tense up), high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol levels, hypertension, insomnia, irritability, irritable bowel syndrome, kidney stones, lack of concentration, migraines, muscle weakness, nervousness, PMS, pulmonary disorders, rapid heartbeat, seizures, spasmodic pains (especially during women’s monthly cycle), sugar cravings, tantrums, teeth grinding, twitching, schizophrenia. Foods high in Magnesium: alfalfa, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, beans, blackstrap molasses, brown rice, cantaloupe, dandelion, dulse, edamame, figs, garlic, grapefruit, green, leafy vegetables, kelp, legumes, nuts, parsley, peaches, tofu, whole grains. Recommended supplementation: 500mg. 250 in the morning, 250 at bedtime.

B VITAMINS

Many of the symptoms of vitamin B deficiency are those that are also associated with stress: anxiety, nervousness, depression irritability and so on. There isn’t one specific form of Vitamin B that helps with stress as they all work together. There are 8 of them in total:

B1 (Thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalamin), Folic Acid, Biotin.

The B’s are very important as they work on several different parts of the body to provide stress coping mechanisms.

Niacin is necessary for the creation of SEROTONIN, a neurotransmitter promoting a stable and balanced mind.

Pantothenic Acid is responsible for maintaining the adrenal glands which are the glands that create our stress hormones.

B vitamins are vital for optimal mental health and stress.

Water soluble, they need to be replenished on a daily basis and we burn through them quickly.

Sources rich in B vitamins: cereals and grains, meats, fish, poultry, milk, eggs, peas, beans, legumes and vegetables. Health First makes a B50 complex that is ideal for helping the body deal with daily stress. SISU makes a STRESS FORMULA that has good amounts of B vitamins with Rhodiola root added, a known adaptogen for stress relief. Supplementation recommendation: 1 at breakfast and 1 at dinner (By the way, don’t be shocked by the colour of your urine, thanks to the B2!)

VITAMIN C

The adrenal gland has one of the highest concentrations of Vitamin C and uses it for proper maintenance and balancing of its stress hormones.

Vitamin C supplementation has been shown to help reduce elevated cortisol.

Strengthens the immune system which gets weakened during times of stress (because of cortisol – it puts a halt to everything that doesn’t have to do with “fight or flight!).

Good food sources: Peppers, watercress, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, lemons, kiwi, peas, melons, oranges, grapefruit, limes, tomatoes. Recommended supplementation: 1,000 mg - 2,000 mg. taken in 500 mg. doses throughout the day. If loose bowels occur cut back until symptom is gone and stick with that amount. (Most animals make their own Vitamin C in the amounts of 3,000 – 16,000 mg. a day. A far cry from our RDA of 60 mg. to ward off scurvy) Take away from a meal as the calcium ascorbate can neutralize stomach acidity which could hinder protein digestion. SISU Ester C is best as it is easier on the stomach. Best taken with Bioflavonoids (which most companies add to their product).

PROBIOTICS

There are over one trillion bacteria living in our digestive tract. That is about 4 pounds of body weight! Stress reduces our good bacteria located in our intestines and colon. We need to replenish them because:

They repair and maintain a healthy intestinal wall to ensure proper nutrients reach the blood and bad stuff stays out.

They manufacture B vitamins as well as Vitamin A and K.

95% of our serotonin (happy hormone) is made in the gut. This means that probiotics help stabilize our mood.

Over 60% of our immune cells line the intestinal wall. This means that probiotics help reduce allergies and illness.

When under chronic stress we run the risk of developing digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome. To maintain good digestive health look for a 15 to 30 billion count on the label. Most companies have created specific amounts and strands depending on individual health issues. You can find some with a count of 200 billion for use after antibiotics. Good companies are: Renewlife, Natural Factors, BioK, Progressive. Keep refrigerated and follow the directions on the bottle.

BITTERSWEET GRANOLA

4 cups rolled oats

½ cup almond meal

¼ cup flax seed meal

¼ cup sesame seeds

¾ cup unsweetened coconut

½ cup sunflower seeds

1 cup chopped almonds

4 tablespoons blackstrap molasses

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup coconut oil (melted) or grapeseed oil

1. Preheat oven to 300. 2. Mix all ingredients until it is gooey and clumps together. 3. Spread onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for about a half hour or so, taking out

every 10 minutes to mix. Let cool.

EDAMAME GINGER DIP 1 ½ CUPS

8 ounces frozen shelled edamame

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon tamari (fermented soy sauce)

1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Tahini (sesame seed butter)

1 clove garlic

¼ teaspoon salt (to start!)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to start!)

juice of half a lemon (to start!)

7 rounds of freshly ground black pepper (to start!)

1. Cook edamame according to package directions. 2. Puree all the ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. 3. Adjust seasoning to taste. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

NUTRIENT RICH RICE AND BEAN SALAD

3 cups cooked brown rice

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 red pepper, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

¾ cup dried cranberries

2 carrots, grated

5 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

3 tablespoons Tamari (naturally fermented soy sauce)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons Grapeseed oil

½ cup slivered almonds

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup pumpkin seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large bowl combine rice, beans, red pepper, onion, cranberries, carrot and parsley. 2. In a separate bowl blend garlic, tamari, honey, vinegar, lemon juice and Grapeseed oil. 3. Pour oil mixture over salad to coat evenly. 4. Add nuts and seeds, season with salt and pepper to taste.