WINTER WELLBEING
Eating for Adrenal Health
It's estimated that 80% of us will experience adrenal fatigue at least once in our lives, recovery can take months or even years. Prevention is better than cure, Winter is the ideal time to support your adrenals to maintain energy, balance stress levels and avoid ill health.
Nature provides the best medicine, seasonally. We have simply forgotten how to utilise this resource in our hectic schedules and lifestyle.
How to locate your adrenals:
Place your hands around your hips, where the thumbs meet on your back is where the pyramid shaped glands sit, just on top of your kidneys.
Function: SURVIVAL!
The main function of is to regulate your stress response, so if you are juggling a hectic work/family/life schedules or faced with any kind of stress, you will be sure that your adrenals are working hard to ensure your survival by firing ‘fight or flight’ hormones.
These hormones send messages to your body to prepare for physical exertion. Energy reserves are diverted from the digestive & reproductive organs to the heart. Lungs and muscles.
The body shifts gear into SURVIVAL mode, as a cascade of hormones prepare the mind-body for FIGHT or FLIGHT, run away from danger. Finally, when all options are exhausted, we FREEZE (burn-out).
Common signs that the adrenals need support include:
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Fatigue or lethargy
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Feeling hyper or ungrounded
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Lack of focus and concentration
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Weight gain or loss
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Lowered or heightened libido
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Inability to slow down or switch off, irritability
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Anxiety, depression, worry, moodiness
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Difficulty sleeping
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Cravings for stimulants
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Muscular tension across neck & shoulders
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A dull lower back ache and signs of inflammation
When the adrenals are or have been over-firing, the general message circulating in the body is one of panic, fear and self preservation.
So, What can we do to support the body from the inside out holistically?
How to regenerate the adrenals
Nature provides the greatest healing resources, food and sunlight!
Try the following:
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Foods rich in Zinc : nuts and seeds (soaked)
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Sundried shitake mushrooms are the highest source of vit D3
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5 soaked almonds daily provide magnesium
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Essential fatty acids : oily fish rich on omega 3 or linseed tea
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Red aduki, kidney & Black beans,
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sea weed, sea kelp
Supplements
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Vitamin D3 oily capsule (3200IU daily)
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Magnesium 200-400mg daily
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Sunflower lecithin – 1 tablespoon daily
Top tips
Rest – aim to sleep by 10pm and allow your body to heal. 70% of our blood is returned to the Liver at night to clean and process. This is essential to maintain balanced homeostasis.
Sleep hygiene – the most essential sleep is between 10pm-4am. Switch off cellular devices at least two hours before sleep. Drink a relaxing herbal tea such as chamomile, valerian root. Create a relaxing environment using incense, soft music or candles to help unwind.
Take a bath – Epsom bath salts, lavender, geranium, rosemary essential oils are great way to relax before bedtime.
Never skip breakfast – Eat like a King or Queen! Include eggs, porridge oats with plenty of nuts and seeds to fuel yourself for the task ahead.
LESS is MORE.
Do not fill your day with activity, instead plan for regular meals, stay hydrated, practice breathing techniques and schedule a siesta or power nap mid-afternoon. Be kind to your body as it repairs. Within 40 days you will reap the benefits of better health.
Recipes to nourish the adrenals:
Instead of reaching out for stimulants, restore energy by integrating the following therapeutic recipes into your lifestyle
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Linseed Tea (take morning & evening) – the richest natural source of omega 6 oils which are necessary to replete the body's energy resource.
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Congee / Soup : short grain brown rice and lentils (dark variety) with ginger. Alkalising and nourishing effect on the digestive system.
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Chicken Broth : whole chicken, carrots, leek or onion, celery – cook for 6-7hours until ingredients blend, bones become soft.
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Winter Oat Porridge with Dates : made from 5 grains , including nuts and seeds.
Winter Wellbeing Recipes
