When your adrenal glands aren’t functioning properly, it’s called adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue is a good name for the condition because fatigue is a major indicator of poor adrenal gland function. You can restore your adrenal system to optimum health by making some behavioral and dietary changes. Let’s look at what causes adrenal fatigue.
There are two adrenal glands, each forming a small pyramid above each of your kidneys. They are about the size of a walnut, but they are powerful members of the endocrine system. Their main function is to manufacture and secrete steroid hormones like cortisol, estrogen and testosterone and to modulate the functioning of every tissue, organ and gland in your body during times of stress.
When your adrenal glands become overworked or lack the necessary hormonal signals or cellular nutrition to function properly, then they go into adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency. Major causes of adrenal fatigue include:
- Sustained high levels of stress.
- Consistent lack of sleep.
- Pushing yourself too much when exercising or not exercising at all.
- Exposure to environmental and nutritional toxins.
- Poor diet.
We’ve listed the top 15 natural remedies, 4 are behavioral changes and 11 are dietary or remedial in nature, for upping your adrenal gland function, which will help you overcome adrenal fatigue, but these remedies are not all inclusive. When adrenal fatigue reaches critical levels, it is best to consult a health care professional.
15 Natural Remedies for Upping Your Adrenal Gland Function
Reduce Stress
Reducing stress will help support proper adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Enjoy hobbies and relaxing pastimes.
- Engage in meditation and prayer.
- Learn and utilize breathing techniques for relaxation.
- Spending time outside in the sun and in nature.
- Set up and maintain a consistent, reasonable work schedule.
How it works:
Since sustained stress is a major contributor to adrenal fatigue and adrenal gland dysfunction, then learning to reduce or avoid stress will help reduce the risk of further damage.
Make Sleep a Priority
If you want to improve adrenal gland function, then you should make getting enough sleep a priority.
What to do:
- Set a period before going to be in which you unwind and relax.
- Soaking in a warm bath with essential oils can help you relax.
- Drinking chamomile tea can also help you to relax.
- Realize that every hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after midnight.
How it works:
Sleep deprivation affects all of the body’s functions; getting 6 to 10 hours can help your body recharge itself and improve you adrenal gland function.
Get Moderate Exercise
Moderate exercise can also help you reap the benefits of improved adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Find a balance between not exercising at all and overdoing it.
- Do a moderate aerobic, cardio or strength workout no more than three to four times per week.
- Make sure that you give yourself rest days between workouts.
How it works:
Over-exercising without rest taxes your adrenal system and hormone production. No exercising leaves your body stagnant and hampers proper blood circulation.
Dump Your Old Dietary Habits
Though it is a more difficult behavioral change, dumping your old dietary habits will help improve adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Dump alcohol and caffeine from your diet.
- Get rid of sugary drinks, sugary snacks, energy drinks and artificial sweeteners.
- Get rid of packaged and highly processed foods, especially processed meats.
- Toss out soybean, canola, safflower, sunflower and corn oils.
How it works:
All of the foods that you are dumping are highly inflammatory and contain loads of chemical toxins that hamper all of your proper bodily functions, especially the endocrine system and your adrenal glands.
Consume Healthy Fats
Replacing the oils you dumped with healthy fats will improve adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Use non-hydrogenated oils like olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, avocado oil and nut oils for cooking.
- Consume foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids.
- Take a Krill Oil supplement of up to 300 mg daily.
How it works:
Healthy fats help flush toxins out of your body and reduce the effects of cholesterol and triglycerides in your body.
Eat More Protein
Proteins also help to give your adrenal gland function a boost.
What to do:
- Try to increase your daily intake of grass fed, organic beef, eggs, poultry and pork.
- Eat more beans and legumes as a regular part of your diet.
- Snack on nuts and seeds in place of sugary snacks.
How it works:
The amino acids found in proteins help support proper adrenal gland function.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is a simple, but powerful way to up your adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Drink 12 oz. of water first thing in the morning, before meals and before bed.
- Throughout the day try to make your water intake equivalent in ounces to your weight in pounds. For example, if you weigh 160 lbs, you should drink 160 oz. of water a day.
- Adding ¼ tsp of sea salt or citrus juice to your water can help make it even more effective.
How it works:
Staying hydrated makes all of your body’s organs function better, but it is especially important for flushing out toxins and reducing inflammation.
Consume Probiotic Foods
Probiotic foods also help give your adrenal gland function a boost.
What to do:
- Consume probiotic foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, pickles, pickled beets and pickled olives.
- Drink fermented drinks like kefir, kombucha and kvass.
How it works:
Probiotic foods and drinks boost the digestive function and rid the body of bad bacteria, which helps provide better nutrient support to proper adrenal gland function.
Enjoy Berries and Nuts
We took away your sugary snacks, so we’re replacing them with berries and nuts as a way of boosting adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Consume a handful of nuts, especially Brazil nuts and almonds, as a snacking alternative.
- Another alternative to sugary snacks are blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and black berries mixed into plain Greek style yogurt.
- You can mix the two and add them to your morning smoothie.
How it works:
The fiber in both berries and nuts is beneficial to help clear out the toxins in your colon. In addition, nuts add to your protein intake as well.
Change the Salt You Use
Even changing the type of salt that you’re using can help give your adrenal gland function a boost.
What to do:
- Get rid of processed salt, which is mostly sodium.
- Opt for Himalayan salt or sea salt.
How it works:
Natural salts still contain the trace minerals that are removed when refining table salt. The hormone aldosterone, which helps regulate sodium levels in your body is often inhibited by adrenal fatigue and exacerbated by refined salt.
Essential Oil Mix
The proper mix of essential oils can also help to boost adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Blend 5 drops each of rosemary oil and clove oil in 1 Tbsp of coconut oil.
- Massage the oil mixture into the lower back just below the ribs a couple of times a day.
- You can use the mixture as bath oil or put it in an oil infuser.
How it works:
These two oils blended into coconut oil provide immune support, relieve stress, increase proper circulation and give you added energy, all of which help give adrenal gland function a boost.
Leafy Green, Colorful, and Cruciferous Vegetables
Eating your veggies takes on a new meaning when you’re doing it in order to up adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Add leafy green vegetables like lettuce, spinach and kale into your diet.
- Beets, carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes are just a few of the colorful vegetables to consume.
- Add Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower into your diet as well.
- Eating these vegetables raw will improve their efficacy.
How it works:
The vitamins and minerals in these vegetables are essential elements in providing the proper nutritional support that the cells in your adrenal glands need to function at their best.
Green Tea
Sipping on green tea is another great way to support better adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Prepare and drink green tea according to the instructions on the package.
- A couple drops of your favorite citrus, peppermint or clove oil is a great way to get some additional relaxation out of the drink as well.
- DO NOT use green tea extract as it tends to work against adrenal gland support.
How it works:
Green tea contains phytonutrients which support relaxation, stress reduction and adrenal function.
Adaptogenic Herbs
Adding adaptogenic herbs to your regular dietary routine can also help adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Moringa and Siberian ginseng are two adaptogenic herbs that are often prepared in hot water to make a cup of tea.
- Ashwagandha and astragalus are typically taken as a dietary supplement.
- Add one or two of them along with a good vitamin B supplement.
How it works:
All of these herbs in combination with B vitamins are excellent at helping to reduce stress.
Magnesium
Magnesium also plays an important role in supporting proper adrenal gland function.
What to do:
- Consume foods high in magnesium on a daily basis.
- A cup of Epsom salt in your bathtub when you soak can also allow your body to absorb magnesium.
- Take a magnesium supplement at a dosage of 200 to 300 mg three times a day.
How it works:
Magnesium helps support the production of DHEA, which regulates the cortisol hormone in your body, it is also beneficial in helping to relief stress and reduce inflammatory response.
Conclusion
Having your adrenal gland function at its best is one of the most beneficial ways to help improve your overall wellness and give you an energy boost. An optimal adrenal gland function can ward off the lack of energy, fatigue and increased anxiety, which stem from adrenal fatigue. Make use of these 15 remedies and behavioral changes to bring your body back to youthful vitality.
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