Cheers! Upgraded Adrenal Cocktails

Hey sweet readers,

Many of you may be familiar with the classic "Adrenal Cocktail".
It's a concoction drank by many Adrenal Fatigue (AF) sufferers at the recommended dose of 1-3 times daily.  Some swear by it,  while others find the sugar content of the juice to be too much. 

The classic adrenal cocktail is composed of: 

• 4oz of orange juice (for vitamin C)

• 1/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar (for potassium)

• 1/4 tsp sea salt (for sodium and other minerals)

It is recommended to drink it a few times a day on an empty stomach.

WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN WITH THE CLASSIC ADRENAL COCKTAIL?

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.

Check out the recipes here:  

#1. THE ARC CLASSIC ADRENAL COCKTAIL

COMBINE THE FOLLOWING:

• 1 cup 100% pure coconut water

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• juice from 1/2 a lemon

• 5 grams of L-glutamine powder (optional)

• a small splash of aloe vera gel (optional)

Okay, so we know this recipe has a few extra ingredients than the original, but often hands we can easily find the main ingredients in our cupboard with the l-glutamine and aloe addition being a beautifully soothing and restorative boost for the gut.

The addition of aloe vera helps quench inflammation and brings more minerals to the drink minerals like selenium, zinc, magnesium, and potassium.  

The amino acid L-glutamine will love up your gut, helping to repair the loose junctions in the intestine that contribute to leaky gut. It's also a protein source, helping to contribute to blood sugar balance, reduce cravings and limit muscle wasting ( a common problem for AF sufferers). 

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#2: A SIMPLE CUP OF ORGANIC NETTLE TEA

Nettle is a simple, nutritive tea rich in minerals and nice for helping to gently cleanse the body, build up healthy blood and calm us.

This option is not ideal for those with low blood pressure, on medications, nursing, or pregnant. Please consult with your doctor before starting any herbal regimen.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE IT

• tea sieve or french press

• organic nettle leaves

• splash of apple cider vinegar

Pour boiling water over your nettle leaves, a ratio of 1 tsp of dried or fresh leaves per cup is good! Let steep for at least 5 minutes up to overnight.

** When making nettle tea, I recommend steeping overnight and making large batches at a time for easy sipping over the next few days.  ( I use a french press, but you could use a large jar instead) Add a splash of apple cider vinegar when steeping to help pull the minerals from the tea leaves to the tea itself. The leaves are so nutritious you can steep them twice** 

A FEW TID BITS ABOUT NETTLE:

• Gram for gram, stinging nettle has over 4x more vitamin C than oranges.

• Nettle is also rich in non-heme iron, so if you are of of the AF sufferers with low iron, this is a great option for you to consume regularly to help bring your levels up in a very gentle way. 

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A LIL' DISCLAIMER: Mineral balance and fluid dysregulation can be a challenge for AF sufferers.

When it comes to water retention and edema, I want you to remember that water follows salt.
If you are prone to water retention issues then it's likely your sodium levels are on the high side. Reducing salt in the diet can help reduce this.   

Nettle is a natural diuretic (a diuretic increases the amount of fluid excreted from the body), which means that this nettle-based cocktail can help offer supportive relief from edema and potentially reduce blood pressure. HOWEVER, on the opposite side of the spectrum, incorporating sea salt into the diet can help maintain fluid regulation IF you find that you urinate frequently and are having trouble with electrolyte balance and hydration. This is because frequent urination can be a source of electrolyte and mineral loss for many AF sufferers.  

Despite how nourishing nettle is for the body and for the adrenals, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. This is especially so if you are already finding your urine output is high.

For best results, if using nettle, sip on this option more occasionally as a supportive tea to have in your arsenal of others.

As always, please check with your doctor before incorporating new herbs into your routine, especially if you are on medications. If you're hesitant about using nettle, make one of the other options provided in this post.

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#3. SOOTHING GOLDEN latTE

COMBINE THE FOLLOWING:

• 2 cups warm or hot water

• 1/4 tsp ginger powder

• juice of 1 lemon

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• a pinch of ground black pepper

• 1 tsp acerola cherry powder, camu camu powder or 1000g of vitamin c powder (optional)

• 1 tbsp collagen protein powder

• 1/2 tsp of coconut or MCT oil

• 1 tsp honey (optional)

For best consistency, I recommend blending this or using an electric hand-whisk.

This one is so nice and warming, perfect if you're feeling a little chilly or if you feel like your immune system needs some attention. 

This tonic is beautifully balanced and I have to say, it's pretty darn easy on the eyes.. (and the mouth too-- it's so yummy)! 

It packs a powerful anti-inflammatory punch with the addition of turmeric, cinnamon and ginger.  The addition of black pepper and coconut (or MCT oil) helps increase the effectiveness of the turmeric and cinnamon. This is because they are fat-soluble herbs and work best when combined with a bit of fat. The black pepper increases the efficacy of the turmeric by 2000%, ya.. significant, right?

The collagen provides a nice source of protein to keep your blood sugar balanced and cravings at bay, while also providing more TLC to your intestinal health. 

Try drinking ONE OF these first thing in the morning in place of coffee and let us know what happens by posting below. 

CHEERS! 

 

Treat Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms Naturally - 5 Kitchen Remedies

What if I told you, you don’t have to buy expensive supplements or go on crazy elimination diets in order to heal your gut, detox your body or improve your digestion. Would you want to know more? It took me years and thousands of dollars before I realized that some of the most powerful and inexpensive remedies to treat adrenal fatigue symptoms were right under my nose. I am going to share with you 5 kitchen remedies to treat adrenal fatigue symptoms and my favorite ways to easily incorporate these into your diet.

#1 Turmeric

This vibrant colored and highly aromatic spice used often in Asian cooking belongs to the ginger family.

The main active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin which gives turmeric many of its healing and cleansing properties.

To start, turmeric is a potent antioxidant packed with vitamins A, C, and E.

Vitamin C is key for adrenal fatigue sufferers because the more cortisol you make the more vitamin C is used. During the stress response the body burns up many times the daily requirement of vitamin C. So as stressful events increase, the need for vitamin C also increases.

Another reason turmeric is a great remedy for adrenal fatigue is because of its anti-inflammatory effects.

As you probably already noticed, inflammation is common with adrenal fatigue and autoimmune diseases. Inflammation is the result of an overactive immune system. Particularly with chronic autoimmune disease, the amount of inflammation present is determined by the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands, so when the adrenals are weak your body is more prone to inflammation.

The anti-inflammatory potency of turmeric has been compared favorably to anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs…minus all the side effects.

Ways to Consume Turmeric:

1. Add small amounts (a teaspoon) to your daily smoothies

2. Make a yummy dish, once or twice a week that uses turmeric. My favorite is a red lentil curry dish like this one

#2 Clove

Clove has been used for thousands of   years in India and China as not only a spice and condiment, but as medicine.

Like Turmeric, clove is a powerful antioxidant. It is also anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiseptic and a natural pain-reliever.

Inflammation and digestion are common issues for most adrenal fatigue sufferers and clove comes to the rescue as it’s capable of addressing both.

For example, clove relaxes the smooth lining of the GI tract and stimulates the secretion of digestive enzymes. As a result, clove helps alleviate vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal gas, irritability and stomachaches.

Clove is also a good source of manganese, omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.

Ways to Consume Clove:

I prefer to consume clove by incorporating it into my food and drink. It’s not something I want in my smoothies, but that’s just me. Here are a couple great recipes to try. If you like chai tea you can make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy a cup each morning.

1. Chili Recipe

2. Homemade Chai Tea

#3 Garlic

Garlic is a plant in the same family as the onion. The compound allicin is responsible for garlic’s many health benefits.

Garlic is a potent natural antibiotic and boosts the function of the immune system. Garlic is high in vitamins and minerals, many of which are on the recommended list of vitamins important for those suffering from adrenal fatigue. To name a few: manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Selenium and fiber. Garlic also has decent amounts of copper, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1.

High doses of the allicin compounds have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

For example, a 4-week study of employees of a car battery plant who had excessive exposure to lead, found that garlic reduced lead levels in the blood by 19%.

Toxicity is an issue for adrenal fatigue sufferers because the body has a hard time cleansing and detoxing when digestion is slow, the lymphatic system is sluggish, inflammation is high and blood flow is compromised.

Ways to Consume Garlic:

1. Chopped up fine and sprinkled on toast with butter or olive oil

2. Chopped up fine in fresh, homemade guacamole or salsa

3. Add chopped up garlic to almost any savory food recipe, soup, pasta sauce, curry, chili, roasted vegetables or stew

4. If I’m suffering from a severe cold, I’m not afraid to throw a whole clove in my mouth, chew it up and swallow

#4 Ginger

Traditional Chinese medicine has relied on ginger for more than 2,000 years. Ginger is a pungent spice known historically for increasing blood flow and for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is especially known for its effectiveness in eliminating intestinal gas and for treating chronic ingestion, common issues for adrenal fatigue sufferers.

Ginger also has the ability to reduce muscle pain and soreness and menstrual cramps.

It is also known to help fight the flu and common cold. Adrenal fatigue sufferers typically have a compromised immune system. Having a cheap and easy remedy like ginger for these seasonal bugs, is key.

Ways to Consume Ginger:

1. Chai Tea (already mentioned)

2. Make a Wintery Tonic by adding a chunk of ginger to boiling water, add honey and fresh lemon

3. Red Lentil Curry (already mentioned)

4. Try other recipes with fresh ginger like yummy soups or stir-frys

#5 Thyme

For many of us who suffer from adrenal fatigue, getting the proper amount of vitamins and minerals for healing and optimal health can be challenging. Luckily, thyme is packed with Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

If you feel a cold coming on and your immune system needs a boost, thyme is a perfect supplement.

Thyme is also a good source of copper, fiber, iron and manganese.

Way to Consume Thyme:

1. Homemade Pasta Sauce

2. Make your own Thyme Tea recipe here

I just shared with you the top 5 adrenal fatigue remedies already in your kitchen and my favorite ways to incorporate them into your diet.

 Now, I would love to hear from you. Share a comment below. Have you tried these magical herbs or spices as healing remedies? If so, what was your experience? And what are your favorite ways to incorporate these herbs and spices into your diet? Your comments could help someone else on their healing journey.

All my best,
Angela

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Improve Adrenal Health & Manage Stress - 5 Strategies

As you probably know by now, adrenal fatigue and stress go hand-in-hand. The very root cause of poor adrenal health is stress. When we encounter stress whether it’s physical, mental or emotional, the same chemical reaction occurs. It looks something like this.

1. Our adrenals release and shower our bodies with hormones like cortisol and adrenaline

2. In response, our heart beats faster and harder, our blood pressure rises, our breath becomes shallow and weak and our blood rushes away from major organs (ie: organs of the digestive tract) and into our muscles so we can fight or flee from the stress, appropriately.

There are so many situations in our external world that have the potential to be stressful. Whether you have experienced a traumatic event in your life, you lead a high-stress lifestyle, have a habit of over-committing, or choose to burn the candle at both ends, without self-care and proper rest and relaxation, your adrenals will become depleted and your health will suffer?

So the question is, how do we make the necessary changes in order to improve our adrenal health?

The truth is, we do have control over how we react to stress. 

If we do not learn how to cope better with stress and take life down a notch, (even just mentally) we will never truly recover from adrenal fatigue and our health will continue to suffer.

And to further prove my point of the deep connection between stress and our health, new research reveals that 80% of all diseases may actually be stress related. But, it’s not all bad news.

The good news is there are ways to teach your body and mind to cope better with stress. And there is science behind this.  There is a powerful hormone that is able to lower cortisol (the stress hormone), balance the body after the stress response and as a result, improve adrenal health.

This hormone is called Oxytocin. Oxytocin is often called the stress ‘off-switch’ or the ‘love’ hormone. In order to produce oxytocin, we need to engage in certain activities that trigger a relaxation response both in the brain and in the body. During the relaxation response, our mind clears, our muscles relax, and our heart rate and blood pressure lower.

Oxytocin is mainly released in three ways; during an orgasm and for women during labor and when breastfeeding. You might be thinking, that's it?

Thankfully, there are several ways we can trick the body into releasing oxytocin and heal the body from stress.

5 Simple Ways to Release Oxytocin

1. LAUGHTER

Did you know there is science behind the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine?” When we laugh, our bodies produce Oxycotin. Laughter is also known to help boost your energy, your immune system and even reduce pain.

This can be genuine or fake laughter, the brain doesn’t know the difference.

• So either spend a few minutes laughing by listening to your favorite comedian during your commute to work or while exercising

• Surround yourself with people who make you laugh

• Or just start laughing

2. HUG SOMEONE

• Embrace someone, it’s best when you hug someone you love

• Enjoy that hug and stay a little longer than normal and feel the effects

• If you don’t have the opportunity to hug someone you love than imagine you are hugging someone you love or that you are being hugged by someone you love

• Cuddling has the same effect

3. TAKE A WALK

• It doesn’t have to be long, even 10 minutes is beneficial

• Walking, and walking outside is recommended and is statistically correlated with higher levels of oxytocin

• If your day is full of meetings, perhaps you can suggest a walking meeting with a co-worker, you might be surprised that when walking and talking business you can experience more inspirations, creativity and ah-ha moments!

4. DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOURSELF DAILY

• We often over-extend ourselves by trying to do and be everything. Especially as women, we learn to do this at an early age and then it becomes a habit that is hard to break. This busyness just becomes our new normal. As a result, we end up deleted ourselves and our adrenals.

• Make a commitment to do something special for yourself every single day. For example, take a bath, walk in nature, book a massage, go to a movie by yourself, plan a date with a friend or treat yourself to a special treat

5. BREATHE DEEP

• When our bodies are stressed we breathe shallowly and fast.

• Breathing deep is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. This is because when you breathe deeply it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body which slows down your heart rate and decreases your blood pressure

• Ideally sit comfortably, close your eyes, set a timer for 2-3 minutes and just allow yourself to inhale and exhale, each for the count of 5 seconds. Try not to judge yourself for being distracted when distractions come up. Our brains are just doing their job. When distracted bring yourself back to the breath. And just keeping doing that over time it gets easier. But know that we all struggle with it, even those that have been practicing meditation for years.

Well, there you go. I just gave you 5 strategies to improve your adrenal health and manage your stress naturally. I don't want to stop there. Here's a great tool to help you take ACTION...

Now we’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Which strategies would you like to incorporate more of into your day? Keep yourself accountable and tell us what action you’d like to take this week. Your share will inspire others on their healing journey. So take a moment to drop us a line below.