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TechnoratiThe over-or-under production of both cortisol and adrenaline can negatively affect your health…NOT just your weight and energy levels. Infomercials would like us to believe that we all make too much cortisol and need to lower it, that’s NOT true! More than half of the patients I work with, we evaluate and find out that their cortisol and adrenaline production is too low, NOT too high. Therefore, taking a supplement that is designed to lower cortisol may be leading you down the wrong road.
Secondly, if you suspect stress is part of your fatigue and weight gain problem, the last thing you want to be taking are any types of stimulants such as; ma huang, ephedra, caffeine, guarana, kola or bitter orange, a newer herb to hit the market and a cousin to ephedra. The reason you want to stay away from stimulants is because they have a further depleting effect on your adrenal glands.
Many of the so-called cortisol lowering products that are being marketed are loaded with stimulants, which only further deplete your adrenals and will only keep you in that vicious cycle of fatigue, weight gain, cravings, etc. Sure you will get a boost of energy, but that energy is a result of a stimulant, NOT because your body is functioning the way the good Lord designed it.
Balancing those exhausted adrenals…
Overcoming the negative effects of stress on the body begins by nourishing and resting those depleted and exhausted adrenal glands. You do this by feeding your body the specific nutrients that are known to support the adrenal glands such as, Vitamin C and B, zinc, selenium as well as, various herbs including rhodiola, ashwagandha, cordyceps, and ginseng. These herbs are classified as adaptogens, meaning they balance and stabilize various hormones.
As far as resting your adrenal glands, this is done by lowering the stress in your life. Is it mental, emotional stress? How much of it is physical and chemical stress? Are you NOT getting enough sleep? Are you missing meals? Are you eating foods that throw your blood sugar all over the place? There are many different types of stress that can be affecting your health, so it’s important to identify where that stress is coming from. Balancing and supporting those exhausted adrenal glands is more than swallowing a handful of vitamins. It’s just as important to stopping doing the things that have a negative impact on your health.
If you suspect stress is contributing to your fatigue, weight gain, cravings, etc. I invite you to take our online “stress” test and check to see if you are in your “fat-burning” zone at www.DrLenLopez.com. Next time I’ll write more about the different types of stress.
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Dr. Len Lopez is the author of “To Burn or Not to Burn, Fat is the Question” and the host of “Action Steps for Health.” His approach to health is “treat the cause – not the symptoms.” He is an expert in nutrition and fitness and lectures on these subjects. For more information and to learn more about health and wellness visit his him at www.DrLenLopez.com and read his health blog www.HealthTipsWithDrLen.com.
