Today we’re talking about adrenal stimulators – what they are, what they do, and how to stop them from making you feel terrible all the time.
What are adrenal stimulators?
Adrenal stimulants are chemicals and events that take energy from your body and can lead to increased fatigue, brain fog, sleep problems, and decrease other body functions. They can be found in everyday life, from our food to our exercise. These stimulants stress our adrenal glands, which are responsible for much of our energy. Stress is the most common problem with the adrenal glands, and it can quickly lead to negative reactions and symptoms. Below are some of the foods and activities that do their worst to keep your adrenal glands down.
Foods That Can Affect Adrenal Glands
- Concentrated Sugars – Concentrated sugar puts our body on a roller coaster ride. This is where you have energy for a short period of time and crash throughout the day, eat more sugar to increase energy, and again have a crash after your body uses that energy. This includes things such as grape, orange, and apple juice. Stable blood sugar is crucial for adequate adrenal function.
- Caffeine – Caffeine also has a similar effect on the body as concentrated sugars. The body at this point can secrete too much adrenaline and influence cortisol function.
- Histamine Foods – Some foods that we don’t recognize as real problems can give your body an allergic reaction. This reaction does not mean the typical allergic reaction with swelling or decreased breathing function, it could lead to increased inflammation within the body which can result in increased pain and other symptoms. Gluten is one common food where this reaction is seen.
- PUFAs – Known as Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, this tends to be what foods are fried in and cooking oils. Oils such as canola oil inhibit our body from synthesizing hormones.
- Artificial Sweeteners – This is similar to concentrated sugars. Most commonly found in soft drinks, artificial sweeteners block dopamine and epinephrine. These beverages give us a momentary boost in energy, but the effects will most likely take place in the next few days. Your brain will not work as well and motivation and drive have dropped.
Overtraining and Inadequate Sleep
- Overtraining – Exercise is great when we alternate between pushing and recovering. If we have enough energy, we keep pushing and we are stressing the adrenal glands by the continuous pushing, which exhausts your body. At a certain point, your body will start telling you no and exercise may become difficult or the recovery stages are taking longer than expected.
- Inadequate sleep – When our bodies aren’t recuperating, we are stealing energy from tomorrow and the next day. Adequate sleep is when you do not wake up at early times throughout the night because the body is stressed. This also applies to those who have trouble falling asleep. When your body is constantly in fight or flight, it is hard to decrease the hormones that keep us awake.
How to Decrease Adrenal Stimulants
To decrease these stimulants and get your body back to a stage of recovery, you’ll need to make some lifestyle changes. This may include changing your diet, getting the right amount of exercise, and practicing better sleeping habits. The body needs time to recover in order to start to handle stresses more effectively.
These changes can be hard, really hard, but we’re here to help you. We can give you the nutritional advice you need to eat better for you, and chiropractic adjustments that can make it easier for your body to adapt to your life changes and heal faster. Using our techniques to create a stronger brain-body connection can assist you in letting your adrenal glands rest and recover, and can improve your immune system, bodily function, brain fog, and many other symptoms that you may be experiencing.
If you would like more information, please contact our office.
Here’s To A Better Life,
Dr. Steve Puckette
