the importance of adrenal support
How is your stress these days? Is springtime enhancing some anxiety? Weddings and graduations are either happening or are just around the corner. Spring fever hits us broadside. The Final Four just finished and the NBA playoffs are under way. Will the Thunder go all the way this year?
Or, is the source of your stress more real? Are you taking care of a parent or loved one who is ill? Is your job becoming a major drag? Having relationship troubles?
Everyone knows that stress can collect in your body and wreak havoc on your muscles and immune system. But, what you may not have thought of are your adrenals. Your adrenals are involved with the flight or fight response. Essential to our survival, adrenal glands belong to our autonomic response system. Back in the caveman days we really relied on these adrenals to help us outrun that saber-toothed tiger. Today, our tigers are more like deadlines at work, getting the kids to soccer practice, paying a mortgage, getting through a divorce, not knowing if the company merger makes you unemployed. I could go on but I would never cover all the stresses that we face daily.
Living in this constant fight or flight routine creates what is known as "adrenal exhaustion". You have nothing left. You feel tired all the time. You don't sleep. You're constantly getting sick. You may even be accused of being grumpy. How do I know so much about this? I've been there. As a matter of fact I've been there on several occasions. To drive the point home further, having adrenal exhaustion spurred me on to my New Year's to do list. If you remember my previous newsletter, I put "have more fun" at the top of this year's to-do list. Well, let me tell you it ain't easy. Making fun a priority is an effort because I'm so far removed from "the mechanics" of having fun. Crazy right? Well here we are in the middle of April and my efforts are paying off. Let me share with you some ideas to get the stress under control and put "fun " back in the daily grind.
Nutrition is key. I've said this time and time again. Probably to the point where some of you are rolling your eyes right now. I feel you, but I can't let this go without mentioning it yet again. OK, so here goes: I've been eliminating gluten from my diet. I never thought it would make a difference but wow! For me, the change is very apparent. Physically, my G.I. tract is very happy and that makes life glorious all around.
I don't know if gluten is a neurotoxin but, I'm definitely in a better mood too. People around me have noticed I'm laughing more. (Hmmmm). Because I'm feeling better physically, the intellectual/emotional stress is easier to deal with. Which, leads me to this not so recent discovery: I've been practicing a therapy called emotional freedom technique or EFT, and it rocks! It's working for me in a major way. Buy the book, The Tapping Solution, by Nick Ortner. Read it and do the exercises therein. I guarantee you will feel better.
Looking back over what I just wrote, it looks like I'm taking care of my body and mind. What about the spirit? That's an intangible I'm not able to explain. However, I would say I'm in better spirits so make of that what you want.
My point is to let you know that I'm giving my stress some time off and my adrenals a rest. Or, a better description would be giving my adrenals support. As a result, I'm doing better. No, I'm not clicking my heels and breaking into song when I step outside my door. I'm simply relishing the "Feel Good" vibe that's happening. But then again, who knows? At this rate, if I get the stress gone and the adrenals back on track, I could be a one-man Broadway musical.
peace and love,
chuck.