Our fast-paced lives with constant alerts, emails, and pings are causing our adrenal glands to pump out adrenaline all day.
This chronic low level of stress is leaving many wired or just plain tired all the time.
If you feel like you can’t sleep even though you are exhausted, or you sleep but still wake up feeling lethargic—there is a good chance you are suffering from adrenal fatigue. AF can be caused by numerous problems:
- Overactive Adrenals can leave you feeling like you’re constantly in “fight or flight” mode. First, your body releases high levels of stress chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol. To ensure you’re ready to defend yourself or run, these chemicals spike your blood sugar, heart rate, blood pressure, and insulin levels. Meanwhile, your body injects more fatty acids into your bloodstream to help it adapt to the stress. Long-term, these reactions can increase your risk of developing conditions like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes.
- Underactive Adrenals occur when your adrenals have been overtaxed by the body’s stress response being constantly in the “on” position. Your body becomes cortisol resistant when it recognizes that you should not have that much cortisol in your system, it will then shut down some of its cortisol receptors to try to help you get better hormonal balance. Instead of a normal cycle, where your cortisol levels rise in the morning and fall in the evening, it no longer peaks first thing in the morning to give you energy. Instead, it just flatlines all day, which is why you may feel incredibly fatigued all the time. To learn more about adrenal burnout, read my post on it here
Helpful Plants
Nature offers plenty of remedies to relieve symptoms of adrenal fatigue. These helpful herbs and spices have a number of different functions.
Herbal Adaptogens: Gently calm your overactive system by helping your body adjust its hormone balance to reduce stress and calm down your fight or flight response. Good choices include:
- Ashwaganda: Often called “Indian Ginseng” this herb is used in Ayurvedic medicine to lower stress and stabilize thyroid hormones. It is a calming tonic that reduces anxiety, improves sleep, and combats inflammation.
- Rhodiola: Is a potent herbal adaptogen that helps your body reduce anxiety and irritability. At the same time, it boosts immune function, hormonal balance, and concentration.
Learn how to add hormone-balancing ingredients to your meals with our FREE 15 Breakfasts to Rebalance Your Hormones guide here.
Nervines and Relaxants help to relax your body so that you feel calmer and include:
- Skullcap has traditionally been used to treat conditions like panic attacks, anxiety and also helps to promote better quality sleep.
- Chamomile is well known for its calming properties. After people drink chamomile tea their levels of glycine increase. Glycine is a nerve relaxant with mild sedative properties—all things that can help you to de-stress. Chamomile also has antispasmodic properties that help to relieve menstrual cramps in women. It also contains a potent flavonoid called apigenin, a mild tranquilizer that can help benefit sleep onset and sleep quality.
- Lavender: Lavender tea is an effective tonic for jittery nerves because it encourages a calmer state of mind. Research comparing the use of lavender to (synthetic) benzodiazepine medication for anxiety has found it provides equal benefit, minus the side effects of the harsher medication, which may include tiredness, trembling, dry mouth, nausea, and addiction.
Energizers and Wellbeing Tonics are herbs and spices that boost other aspects of well-being and are important for women suffering symptoms of adrenal burnout:
- Licorice has an adaptogenic quality that helps regulate stress hormones, such as adrenaline, which means that it can counter adrenal fatigue and encourage hormonal balance.
- Ginseng has been used for thousands of years to treat issues like low adrenals, fatigue, lack of energy, and low libido.
- Spices and warming herbs such as ginger and cinnamon can increase energy, boost metabolism, and help to stabilize blood sugars.
- Astragalus is perfect for when you’re under constant stress. If your body is always wired, it can suffer, so it’s important to support your general health too. Astragalus has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine as a tonic that supports your cardiovascular system and also your kidney and liver function. It is also a powerful immune stimulant.
A Helpful Resource
One of our iconic programs—Herbs for Balance—shows you how to use everyday herbs and DIY skincare recipes to restore hormonal health. It’s a self-guided, 6-week program with live online community support.
Herbs for Balance was developed to help our community bring the power of common herbs (such as dandelions, nettles, red clover) into everyday life; whether it’s your kitchen, bathroom, food, or topical applications.
What you get:
- Recipe book with 140+ hormone balancing recipes
- Hormone Balancing Foods & Herbs Wheel to use when cooking with herbs
- Highly educational and beginner-friendly video classes
- Key lectures on hormones and herbs
- In-Out Detox Guide
- Online support from our helpful and friendly community
Learn more about Herbs for Balance here.
Used bioidentical progesterone cream for 4 weeks and caused my hairloss story know going on 2 years. Any herbs or vitamins best for hairloss. Yes I take biotin!
Where can I get this product?
Hi Deborah,
Which product are you inquiring about please?
~Deanna HB Team
Hi Colleen,
This is a video where Magdalena shares about “Hair loss Causes and Treatments” https://youtu.be/W2lp_CDK4lE. We hope you get to check it out. ~Deanna HB Team
I’ve been treating for Hypo Thyroid since age 21, I’m now 49 and was diagnosed with Hashimoto 3 years ago. I don’t eat gluten, dairy, or sugar because of studies I’ve read on my own. I’m tired all the time and hormonal crazy . My Dr replies we all get tired, keep taking your Synthroid your doing great . I’m not , I need more knowledge & help
Hi Lori, i also was diagnosed with hashimoto’s hypothyroidism on april 2018 and didnt take the thyroid medication i have a naturopathic doctor who’s helping me out.
I take raw thyroid (natural), had to take 2 everyday after sometime along with liver metal detoxification. I completely avoided gluten, cruciferous veggies, sugar, flours, soy n dairy. I drink 1 spoon of coconut oil everyday. My thyroid levels have come down. I followed proper food no processed food or eating out… getting stress levels down is very important.
Its not impossible, takes time. Find a naturopathic doctor who can help u.
Hi Sree,
Thank you for sharing your experience here. It is good that you are feeling better. Your plan sounds like a fit for you. Magdalena does encourage cooked cruciferous vegetables. Here is her article on that https://hormonesbalance.com/articles/truth-cruciferous-thyroid-not-think/ ~Deanna HB Team
Hi Lori,
It can be very challenging. It is good you have found Magdalena and her programs. Here is more knowledge and help in this workshop https://hormonesbalance.com/cfb/ ~Deanna HB Team
I have a question since I have Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism. Can I keep taking Synthroid while I work on the diet you recommend or do I need to stop?
Hi Myrna,
Yes, you can continue to take it while you follow Magdalena’s recommendations. ~Deanna HB Team
Hello,
I have been taking armour thyroid for 4 years. I decided to go on bio identical hormone replacement for a pretty bad case of vaginal atrophy . I am under a great deal of emotional stress as my son has been struggling with mental illness and suicidal ideations. My adrenals have fired up and I have racing heart, adrenaline dumps day and night along with memory loss. I sleep only 4 hours every night waking up to adrenaline dumps in the night. But I never get tired I am always wired. I lost 15 pounds in 2 months without changing imy diet which is pretty tight. I eat mostly fruits and vegetables and organic for years. I have however intermittent fasted for years. My minerals are haywire and was recently diagnosed with Hashimotos. I stopped taking Armour , bioindenticals and most supplements as of now it’s been a week and I’m still wired. All my values are good meaning cholesterol,a1c and so on. I have always been into taking care of my health, eating clean and exercise. I actually feel like I have developed or I’m developing Graves. Sorry for the long winded story. I’m 55 and was wondering your take. My iodine was low, selenium toxic level and zero chromium. My iron is low but I gave blood 6 times last year trying to keep my ferritin down. If you have time I would appreciate your input. Thank you so much! I have put my son on your adreanal kit and he is feeling the difference! My doctor however doesn’t want me taking anything for one month a revisit my labs. Thank you
Hi Mindy,
You have been dealing with some challenges. It is good that you have found Magdalena and her programs. How are you doing now? Are things the same or has there been a change? ~Deanna HB Team
You should get your dna checked at 23 and me then run the raw data through a free program like genvue. You will discover so much useful, helpful, sometimes scary and sometimes relaxing info about your very personal proclivities. I wish I had gone it a long time ago as I always thought I was healthful but the trial and error was a waste of time.
Mindy, look into the book Cleanse To Heal by Anthony William. It addresses your particular issues. The information on cleansing saved my life and equipped me with the power to heal.
I have been taking Prednisone since I was 20 years old for migraine and chronic paroxysmal Hemicrania. I was on from 5 to 100 mg for years. Maybe the last 10 from 2.5 to 5 mg. Only occasionally more. Even at the lowest doses I’m absolutely EXHAUSTED. I’m hypoglycemic and stress is Always an issue. My memory is horrible but I don’t know if it’s me or the Topomax. I know my adrenals have taken a serious beating. I don’t have a normal life. I’m too tired to do anything. Do these supplements come in one pill?
Oh. I’m 48 now. Sorry.
Hi Maryann,
Hi there,
We have an adrenal repair kit that includes three supplements. You can see that here: https://wellena.com/collections/frontpage/products/adrenal-repair-kit-2
The above article is about our Herbs for Balance program which covers specific herbs and ways to use them for hormonal balance. Hope this helps!
Healthy Regards,
HB Team
Hi.
I wasn’t sure where to post a comment but since I often need to remain in a healthy weight range and not underweight…being postmenopausal too. Is there a supplement for appetite balance and portion control with food>perhaps kidney bean extract?
Yes I usually eat vegetables protein low fat food source but its the carbs that activate this binge response. I’ve used a measuring cup, fibers, glutamine. coconut oil etc.
Hi Tammy,
That’s an interesting question. Have you ever tried chewing your food for 20 chews before swallowing? It’s mindful and a slower eating pace. It will allow you time to eat, feel full, and know when to stop. It’s somewhat more natural than taking a supplement. Hope this helps.
Healthy Regards,
HB Team