Depression, weight gain, lack of energy…Is Adrenal Fatigue to blame?

The main purpose of the adrenal glands is to protect us with the ability to “fight or flight,” or get us out of danger as quickly as possible. When we were cavemen, this “fight or flight” response was necessary for our every day survival. Fast-forward to modern day, and we create the same primitive response to a stressful day at work as our cavemen ancestors did to fighting off lions. But can you imagine what fighting off lions every day, over and over, with little or no relief would do to our ancestors?

When the adrenals are consistently taxed without adequate time to rest and repair, the result is adrenal fatigue. The major symptoms of adrenal fatigue are some of the most common health complaints heard by doctors every day: weight gain, depression and chronic fatigue. So what does adrenal fatigue look like? You struggle to get up in the morning, when you do get up you never feel fully rested, it takes more and more effort to do every day things, you struggle with memory and thoughts become a little more cloudy, you’re more irritable and you have a decreased ability to fight off that lingering cough and cold, you crave sugar, caffeine and chocolate to keep you going and you have almost no tolerance for stress.

How did I get here and how can I get better?

Stress causes adrenal fatigue. To our body, all stress is created equal so causes of adrenal fatigue range from emotional and physical to environmental and psychological stressors. In order to get yourself out of the cycle of adrenal fatigue, you first have to identify and eliminate unnecessary causes of stress in your every day life. For some, the death of a loved one or another unavoidable trauma can ignite adrenal fatigue. But for others, adrenal fatigue doesn’t come from one event but rather from a series of repeated unhealthy lifestyle decisions such as staying up too last at night, drinking too much, addictions to junk foods, etc. Luckily, with the right lifestyle modifications you can start to reverse the process of adrenal fatigue starting today. So my little cavemen and women, here are some modern day “lions” you can avoid today for optimal health and vitality:

Stimulants: If the adrenals are already over stimulated, it’s best to avoid all stimulants such as coffee, sugar and alcohol. If you choose to limit but not give up any of these stimulants one hundred percent, be sure to always have caffeine, sugary foods and alcohol with other foods (such as high quality proteins and fats). In doing this, you will help buffer the stimulant’s sudden impact on your body.

Perfectionism/Negative Thinking: Don’t be your own personal energy vampire. Being hard on yourself emotionally, feeling sorry for yourself and pushing yourself too hard can all create prolonged stress on the body and disrupt your hormonal balance. Instead, write a positive script for your life. Make sure to give yourself a healthy amount of downtime every day and try to find a relaxation process that works for you (whether it’s taking baths, focusing on your breathing, napping or practicing meditation).


Too Much Exercise: Exercise is a form of stress. However, choosing the right type of exercise in the right dosage can actually help get you out of adrenal fatigue. Avoid doing too much cardio and instead focus on “big bang” strength training exercises that deliver amazing results in a shorter amount of time. In addition to strength training, try to get out for walks in nature as much as possible. Getting fresh air and sunshine and reconnecting with the outdoors will do wonders for your adrenal health.

Poor Nutrition Choices: Skipping meals and eating poor quality foods will cause a huge stress response within your body. Make sure you eat organic as much as possible and never go more than four hours without eating. Also, eliminate all foods you might have an allergy or intolerance to. The two most common foods I see allergies to in my practice are dairy and gluten. If you’re not sure if you’re intolerant to either, strictly limit them from your diet for at least a month and then reintroduce them one by one into your diet. Be sure to record any negative reactions such as bloating, digestive issues, headaches, nausea, etc. as these are all signs of food intolerance.

Staying Up Too Late: Get to bed as close to 10pm as possible to allow your adrenals to rest. If getting to sleep is difficult for you, avoid watching TV or sitting in front of the computer after 8pm. Power naps are also a great way to pay off your sleep debt. A quick 20 minute nap is as good for you as one hour of early sleep.