Chronic stress is something we all deal with. It doesn't take a major event to over tax our adrenals. It is the everyday, constant variety that does the most damage. Most of us are suffering from adrenal burnout as our amygdala is constantly sending signals of alarm that activates the hypothalamus to send signals through the sympathetic nervous system to the adrenal glands. When this happens over and over our adrenals are taxed. The parasympathetic nervous system never gets to do it's job and we never feel at baseline. We never feel relaxed and ok.
This has so many physical, social, and emotional consequences.
Studies are showing that b vitamin deficiency is linked to chronic stress. We are not able to deal with stress if our b vitamins are low. That certainly accounts for the huge increase in modern chronic stress.
Studies also show that our food is lower in vitamins and minerals than it used to be due to our modern farming practices. Dirt that has been farmed for decades and supplemented with only three nutrients cannot possibly produce food that contains the array of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.
Supplementing is critical.
Also, adrenaline was made to give us energy to "do" something. When we don't use it, we become irritable, anxious, and easily angered . A few Sunday's ago I had given my daughters and niece instructions to straighten up a room they had destroyed. I left the room and soon heard one of them screaming bloody murder. I was sure I had an emergency room visit to make and I sprinted into the room, knowing someone had broken a body part. My adrenals sent all kinds of epinephrine (adrenaline) into my system to give me energy and focus to pick up the injured child and quickly get her to the emergency room. Only when I got there, there was no emergency. There was only two girls tickling the other. Well, I had adrenaline coursing through my veins and there was not nothing for it to do. So, it came out my mouth. I became super angry and sent the girls out of the house to contemplate their wrong doings. I spent days wondering why I exploded so easily. Then it occurred to me, that this is what someone does on adrenaline that has no place to go. Someone who lives in adrenal fatigue experiences this often.
So what do we do to combat this constant environment of stress we live in? We MOVE. That is what adrenaline was designed for. It doesn't take much. A 15 minute walk, a few flights of stairs, something that uses both arms and raises your heart rate. The benefits are enormous physically, emotionally, and mentally.
You will be surprised what a few minutes of physical exercise can do to combat chronic stress. Sometimes we feel like it is too indulgent to take a few minutes for ourselves and take a walk. I often feel like I have too much to do. I have found however, that in the long run, I am more productive when I take time to reset through physical exercise. It doesn't have to be unpleasant if you aren't a die hard runner. It can look like taking a walk with a dog. Sometimes I love the excuse that my dogs need a walk, when it is really me! Today was one of those moments! It was a gorgeous afternoon and I loaded them in the car and went for a little hike. Free therapy!
If you are experiencing chronic adrenal fatigue, find a good supplement (let me know if you need suggestions), and move more!
