Stress and Your Energy
Posted on December 04, 2012 by Lynda Buitrago, One of Thousands of Health and Fitness Coaches on Noomii.
Are you a stressed-out mess? Unable to think without coffee? Your bad attitude and fatigue may not be your fault - it may be your stress hormones.
Has your tolerance for stress dwindled lately? Are you unable to function without coffee? Do you feel burned out?
Your bad attitude and lack of energy may not be all your fault — it may be your stress hormones.
We have two adrenal glands, walnut-sized organs that sit on top of each kidney. These little glands produce hormones (primarily cortisol and DHEA) that have huge impact on our energy production and on our ability to handle stress.
In a recent ABC News segment, reporters alerted the nation that women’s hectic lives can give them continuously elevated cortisol levels, which can lead to chronic illness. An important point from the story is that women don’t realize how stressed out they really are because they think that this is just how life is for everyone, and so they don’t tell their doctors about it.
High cortisol levels give you the extra energy you need to keep up with your fast-paced life — for a while.
BUT cortisol was designed to fuel our “fight or flight” response to run from predators or protect ourselves in an emergency, not for the constant daily strain of long commutes, financial worries, and crazy work demands.
After making abnormally high amounts of cortisol for a while (a few months to several years, depending on your constitution), your adrenal glands just can’t keep up with the extra output anymore. The adrenals start to make less cortisol and DHEA, which means your energy level drops.
The longer this goes on, the more exhausted your adrenal glands – and you – get.
Lifestyle choices like practicing yoga, meditation, regular exercise, and getting enough sleep, are great for helping people with excess cortisol to bring down their stress levels. Stressed-out people often crave refined carbs like pastries, pasta, and chocolate, preferably washed down with some coffee. Meal plans that focus on protein, vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats are best to optimize your adrenal function.
Once you’re in burnout, though, these practices alone won’t get you back to your energetic, life-loving self.
Get your adrenal function tested by a practitioner who understands that cortisol and DHEA levels that are within “standard laboratory values” are not necessarily normal. A few integrative medical doctors understand this, but they’re hard to find. Alternative practitioners such as some naturopaths and nutritionists can order this test for you, interpret your results, and put you on a plan to support your body’s natural repair process so you can rebuild your adrenal function.
If you’re interested in getting your adrenal hormones tested, sign up for my e-mail list and you’ll receive a link for a 20-minute free consultation with me at Depke Wellness in Costa Mesa, or by phone at your convenience.
Tell me about your stress and energy levels and how you’d like that to change. How do you want to respond to stress and life’s daily demands?
