Are the supplements you’re taking working for you or are they burning a hole in your wallet?
This blog post explores the most common errors we see in our adrenal fatigue community when it comes to choosing supplements to EFFECTIVELY support you adrenal fatigue recovery.
We get asked questions about fasting and adrenal fatigue all the time.
Is it safe? Will it help us recover? What about my blood sugar issues?
On today’s blog we are sharing our thoughts on time restricted eating or intermittent fasting and how to do it effectively so that it supports your adrenal fatigue recovery instead of doing the opposite.
Some of the symptoms are often so common that we come to see them as normal— fatigue, feeling tired in the morning, anxiety, sleep issues, etc. While others are less common and a bit more worrying.
Today, I want to address some of the most common complaints we hear about in our Adrenal Fatigue Community on Facebook and give you a few supplement tips that you can use to help with them.
As a nutritionist specializing in adrenal and hormone-loving nutrition, I'm a big fan of NUTRIENT DENSITY. Depleted people (ie. people with adrenal burnout) need smart nutrition to help build their bodies back up. These recipes below are a twist on this original, they focus on abundant nutrition with a focus on minerals to help spark energy and strengthen the adrenals.
One of the most common questions I get is how I healed my stage 3 adrenal fatigue without drugs and in just months.
Here's the truth—it was a process. It was collaboration of changes in my diet, lifestyle, stress reduction and more. But once I committed to healing on all levels, my healing went into fast forward mode. Today, I want to share one of the most powerful tools that came from somewhere I least expected.
At that time, I was becoming curious about holistic health and the idea of addressing all aspects of the SELF to heal the physical body. That's when I came across the book, Heal Your Body, by Louise Hays.
This is where I started learning about the power of affirmations.
First, we must understand the power of my own thoughts in relationship to our physical health. To put it simply, our physical body mirrors our thoughts and beliefs. So when we are suffering with conditions like adrenal fatigue, learning how to use positive affirmations to shift my thinking opens us up to powerful and dramatic healing.
It's so easy to get frustrated with adrenal fatigue. Everything seems hard when you're always exhausted. And not getting quality sleep is the worst.
When I was miserable and exhausted everyday, the practice of positive affirmations helped to fill my worried and hopeless mind with positive messages and in turn, they kept my spirits high. And what was even cooler than that, I started to see my physical body start to respond to the positive messages I was sending it.
Once I realized the power of my thoughts were directly connected to what was going on in my physical body it opened me up for amazing healing to flow in.
Let’s be honest there is a lot of negativity in this world and if you get caught up it in it will take us down!
We must realize affirmations can be negative or positive. If we talk about how bad things are, we are affirming it. And in turn, we are welcoming in more of the same. Our words are powerful beyond measure.
Luckily, though the opposite is true too. When we fill our mind with positive message that make us feel better we can attract more positive things into your life, like healing and great health.
The real power comes when we learn to recognize the negative thought in the moment and then re-frame it. And don't worry practicing affirmations is not masking or burying thoughts and emotions to fester up later.
It's about recognizing your thoughts, gaining self awareness. It's okay to be with those feelings for a moment. Then you have a choice: to stay in this negative place or replace the negative thought with a or neutral or positive one.
It's choosing to look at the situation in a completely different way. This has the power to you open up to new insights and new possibilities.
You might not believe in the power of positive affirmations until you give it a fair try for yourself.
So, when you do find yourself in a dark, sad, worried or mad state (and we all experience these times and there is no shame it in) here's where to turn...
All healing and health is flowing to me now!
I am always safe and protected!
My hormones are being restored to their natural, perfect state!
I am confident in my full recovery!
I'm learning what my body needs to be in a perfect state of health!
It's my time to heal!
I deserve great health!
I choose hope over fear!
Regardless of my setbacks, I always have the will in me to fight back!
Each morning, I wake up rested and refreshed!
I trust in my body's ability to heal!
Why are positive affirmations even necessary, you might be asking? Well, they aren't necessary if you're happy with your life and your current health.
But if you want a better, healthier and happier life you need to spend more time thinking of what you want, instead of the lack there of.
Again, we must understand our physical body mirrors our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings.
So what it all comes down to my friend is choosing thoughts that make you feel better so you can attack more pleasing and satisfying experiences, great health, ...
Remember reciting affirmations are not about ignoring or masking your problems, but rather retraining your brain to look at situations in a different way.
So now what?
1) Tweak the above to work for you or make your own.
2) Choose a couple at a time or all 11.
3) Write them down in a journal or notebook. Put them in clear view, like on your bathroom mirror or your fridge.
4) Read them aloud to yourself at least twice daily, I recommend first thing in the morning and right before you go to bed.
It's that simple. Ready to open up the floods gate to healing?
Which affirmation is your favorite? Or share your very own affirmation with me.
Happy and healing vibes,
Angela
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, or so we've been told... but is it still? Lately, with the growing popularity of intermittent fasting, people have been skipping breakfast and pushing their first meal into the later hours of the day. This is all fine and dandy, considering you are sleeping adequately and have generally balanced, healthy hormones.
However, for those struggling with fatigue and adrenal insufficiency, a balanced breakfast first thing in the morning can do worlds for setting us up for better blood sugar and energy balance throughout the day.
Today, we are sharing some simple breakfasts that not only taste delicious, but ones that will also work to nourish up your adrenals and set you on the right track in terms of blood sugar balance and hormonal response throughout the entire day.
Eggs are a complete protein that is nice and easy for the body digest. They are also loaded with B-vitamins, healthy fats, and thyroid loving selenium. Such a great breakfast food!
Pair with 1/2- 1 cup of your favourite veggies sautéed in grass-fed ghee or coconut oil.
Chia pudding is such a creamy treat and is chalked full of anti-inflammatory omega 3's and detoxifying fiber.
You can make this the the night before for a quick, easy and super healthy breakfast the next morning, here's a recipe.
Top with berries and healthy sprinkles of your choice (hemp hearts, bee pollen, nuts, seeds, etc).
Many tend to make their smoothies too carbohydrate heavy with the addition of fruit, yogurts, and juice. Balancing out the ratio to carbohydrates, fats and protein is important to making a recovery smoothie work for you in all the right ways.
This recovery smoothie example will get you started on the right track!
Unsweetened coconut yogurt or organic Kefir can be infused with a nice grass fed collagen protein and topped with berries, hemp hearts, and nut butter for a super yummy and satisfying breakfast.
A bowl of oatmeal can be drizzled with coconut butter and topped with berries, and crunchy toppings to make a balanced, comforting and blood sugar stabilizing breakfast.
Keep in mind that when it comes to grains, 1/2 a cup cooked = 1 serving. It's easy to go overboard, but blood sugar balance is key-- so please stay mindful.
If grains give you trouble, give our oat-free, grainless N'oatmeal a try!
"Scramble" 1 cup of riced cauliflower with 1 egg in some coconut oil with a splash of tamari or coconut aminos. Throw in a handful of greens at the last minute and top with some hemp hearts!
Use 1 cup of tea of your choice and add 2 tbsp collagen protein, 2 tbsp hemp hearts, 1 tsp coconut oil, some vanilla, some sea salt and blend into a meal-like morning beverage. You can use this Adrenal Loving Matcha Latte Recipe for inspiration.
Turn your smoothie into a colourful and fun morning "cereal". Using a very simple smoothie base, top with nuts, seeds, coconut chip, cacao nibs or superfoods of your choice.
To make sure you keep your macronutrients balanced to keep this health supportive, follow this guide!
Depending on what stage of adrenal fatigue you are in, your tolerance for caffeine may vary.
For many of us, it's a crutch and for those with adrenal fatigue, mustering up enough energy to get through the day can be tough. We totally feel ya on this. This is where many fall into the cycle of drinking coffee for more temporary energy because they are fatigued, while at the same time putting more wear and tear on the adrenal glands over the long term. Do you see how this is a double-edged sword?
This question comes up a lot. The answer really depends on where you're at and how depleted your adrenals are.
Typically, I'd recommend taking a good 30 day break from coffee while you give your adrenals some time to recover.
Why would I recommend this torture you ask? To help you regain balance and control. 30 days is enough time to release you from the clutch of caffeine addiction and to reset your relationship with it. It will also support you in re-establishing hormonal balance.
We think so! We wrote a blog all about this that you can check out here!
I recommend tindering down your daily consumption slowly, rather then going cold turkey. This will just make things a little easier on you. Start with smaller cup sizes or switch to decaf.
I love substituting in matcha or raw cacao in place of one of my daily coffees during this phase. These alternatives provide smaller amounts of caffeine to help prevent withdrawal headaches, while also offering comfort, deliciousness, and lots of great nutrition.
Matcha is finely milled, premium green tea leaves. The difference between this and regular green tea is that you actually consume the whole ground leaf (rather than steeping it in the water), because of this you consume all the nutrition from the leaf too. Because your consuming the whole leaf, you are getting a much more concentrated green tea with exaggerated benefits.
It is amazingly high in free radical scavenging antioxidants! ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) is a method in which we rate the antioxidant capacity of things, and matcha is up there amongst the highest rated foods.
Matcha has 137 times more antioxidants than 1 cup of regular green tea
The nutritional equivalent of drinking 10 cups of regular green tea per 1 cup.
It boosts your energy! Studies have shown that a cup of matcha can boost endurance by nearly 25%. Matcha does contain caffeine, but about half the amount of a regular cup of coffee. With matcha, the buzz is longer and more sustained, not up and down like a cup of coffee.
At the same time that it is stimulating, it is also calming. Matcha is rich in L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes alpha waves in your brain promoting zen and calm. You won't get those jitters like you may from caffeine, just a blast of non-anxious energy!
It is rich in detoxifying chlorophyll and fiber.
It's amazing for skin health!
1 cup steamed almond milk
1/2 tsp Matcha Ninja matcha
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp collagen protein powder
a splash of vanilla extract
a pinch of sea salt
In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until mixed well and frothy. Transfer to your mug and enjoy.
Alternatively, add a 1/2 of your steamed almond milk and the rest of the ingredients to your mug. Mix well with a mini hand frother and then gently pour in the rest of your steamed milk.
This matcha latte is special. The maple syrup and sea salt bring out a really delicious flavour and provide trace minerals that our adrenals crave for repair. The addition of collagen protein gives this drink a blood sugar balancing boost as well as extra gut nourishment. The coconut oil and collagen balance things out helping to energize you and fuel you- you'll find this is a perfect mid-morning or mid-afternoon energizer snack.
Hope you love it!
xo Danielle + the HYAF Team
Are you dealing with the following symptoms?
Fatigue
Constipation
Brain Fog
Poor concentration
Cravings for sweets
Unexplained weight gain
Frequent urinary tract infections
If so, there is a chance you could have candida overgrowth. In this blog, you will learn all you need to know about candida; symptoms & signs, causes, the different types of candida infections and treatment.
Candida Albicans also known as Candidiasis or yeast overgrowth has become a hidden epidemic. It is becoming more and more of a major disease and can be found to be an underlying factor in many other diseases.
Candida yeast is a type of fungus. A fungus is a microorganism that is not beneficial for the body. Candida exists everywhere and we come into contact with it throughout the day on everything we touch, breathe and consume. However, this is not the problem. Candida is generally not a problem unless it overgrows and interferes with the balance of friendly bacteria in the body. Overgrowth can lead to many health concerns. A balance is always an indication of optimal health.
When we first think of Candida our thoughts involve women and yeast infections. This is one example of overgrowth, but Candidiasis affects both sexes and many age groups. Its main habitat is the digestive tract. Other types of candida infection include:
White flaky skin
Vaginal discharge
Jock itch
Athlete’s foot
Heavy coated white tongues
Colic and thrush in children
Candida can show up in many ways, present with many or no symptoms and can lead to symptoms of fatigue, constipation, fuzzy thinking, poor concentration, lethargy, weight gain, and many more symptoms. If you think you are dealing with a candida infection, treatment can be given. especially if it is the cause of the problem.
With proper treatment, Candida Albicans can be healed in a short amount of time (unless there are other underlying causes). Treatments must include 3 important components:
To ‘cure’ candida it is necessary to destroy as many microorganisms or unfriendly bacteria as possible and restore a healthful balance of friendly bacteria within the body.
With proper treatment, a wholesome diet, and lifestyle changes, Candida Albicans can be healed within months (unless other underlying causes prolong the treatment)
Candida overgrowth can recur at any time the body’s immune system and energy levels reach a low state for a period of time. A weakened body creates a breeding ground for all types of unfriendly microorganisms
Traces of candida can remain in the body even after treatment
New yeast cells can easily enter the body from the outside sources daily
A healthy individual maintains enough friendly bacteria in the body to counteract and prevent overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria and therefore prevent the overgrowth of candida
For successful treatment, all yeast cells present in the body must be eliminated and keep the body strong for any contact in future with daily doses of yeast
A person must raise the body’s health and wellness levels to avoid recurrence of infection and yeast overgrowth. This is where diet and lifestyle play a major role in the optimization of health
Cleansing programs can assist the body to heal, boost the immune system and help remove candida yeast from the body
Once treatment is successful, yeast growth in the body may be controlled by taking supplements, and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Candidiasis, or yeast overgrowth can present in many different ways. It can be the cause of the symptoms one may be experiencing. Treatment will depend on the health of the individual as well as any other underlying causes that have not been addressed. Overall, yeast is present everywhere and the goal is to create an optimal state of health that prevents overgrowth from occurring. A balanced diet and lifestyle are important for everyone’s treatment.
