Adrenal Fatigue Nutrition: Feed Your Adrenals These 3 Nutrients

I know you know the importance of a healthy diet, especially if you are trying to recover from adrenal fatigue. I also know that there is SO much information out there, often conflicting.. making figuring out what to eat way more complicated than it needs to be. We want to make adrenal fatigue nutrition straight forward for you. The truth is that when you have adrenal fatigue, nutrition requirements actually increase. This is because when your body is under stress, you use up nutrients more quickly.

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To put it all in a nutshell and to keep things as simple as possible for you, I want you to know that the type of diet that works for one person, may not work for another. It really depends on the person. This makes establishing the perfect adrenal recovery diet complex because it is so specific to the individual.

On a less complex note, there are common nutrients that are important to everyone suffering from adrenal fatigue, and these nutrients are available in all sorts of different whole foods. Figuring out the ones that work best for you is something you can determine by trying them out and acknowledging how they make you feel after. If you react or experience indigestion or other signs of intolerance, make a mental note and try to find similar nutrients from other foods instead.

So what are these adrenal loving nutrients and where can I get them?

3 Vital Nutrients for Adrenal Fatigue Nutrition

1. Magnesium

Magnesium a mineral that acts like a spark plug for your adrenals and for creating energy in every cell of your body. It is used up readily by the adrenals and our cells during times of stress. Magnesium deficiency is very common.

• Food Sources: brown rice, beans, nuts, seeds, sea veggies, leafy greens, almonds, avocados and dark chocolate

2. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an essential vitamin to the entire adrenal hormone cascade and for the manufacture production of adrenal steroid hormones. It also acts as antioxidant within the adrenals as well.

• Food Sources: peppers, leafy greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, berries, fruits

3.  Pantothenic Acid & the B Complex

All B vitamins are important to the nervous system and to the adrenals, but particularly Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5). B5 is an essential contributing nutrient to the adrenal cascade, it is a very important nutrient for energy production- quickly depleted during times of stress (especially prolonged stress).

• Food Sources: shiitake & crimini mushrooms, sweet potato, cauliflower & broccoli

There you go, we just gave you the 3 vital nutrients to adrenal fatigue nutrition. It's important to incorporate these nutrients into your diet as soon as possible.

To learn more about how to kickstart your adrenals, download our comprehensive starter kit guide NOW - CLICK THE BOX BELOW! 

Essential Foods for Adrenal Fatigue Recovery: Top 5 Superfoods

Food is the best medicine. But, when it comes to adrenal fatigue recovery there is so much advice out there about food, right? It’s confusing and often conflicting.  We want to share the top 5 adrenal superfoods, essential foods for adrenal fatigue recovery. We are firm believers that adrenal fatigue recovery is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. However, because adrenal fatigue is a condition of depletion, nourishing the body with the proper foods is a foundation component of adrenal healing.

We are about to share with you 5 adrenal fatigue superfoods. These superfoods are the foundation of our healing system we have used to heal 100's of our clients because they are key to balancing your hormones and nourishing your body.

1. Eat Healthy Fats

Thank goodness the non-fat craze of the 90s is over, but there are still many that cringe at the thought of eating fats. What you need to remember is that fats from whole foods, meat and dairy are very different than those of highly processed foods and our bodies and brain need various types of fats for optimal functioning.

Many people suffering from adrenal fatigue have cut calories to try to lose weight. An adrenal fatigue diet should not be a particularly low calorie diet. In fact, this can worsen adrenal fatigue and therefore results in a slower metabolism and weight gain. Eating healthy fats IS calorie dense, but they are a critical part of stabilizing blood sugars, nourishing the nervous system, and balancing all of the hormones that are interconnected with adrenal function.

Examples of healthy fats: are butter, coconut oil, lard, olive oil (not for cooking), ghee, palm oil; nuts, seeds, avocados and fatty fishes –like wild salmon and sardines. Don’t worry about writing these down because in just a minute we are going to give you a list of all of these.

2. Eat Fermented Foods

Fermented foods help to promote healthy gut function. Healthy gut function ensures adequate nutrient absorption, and promotes a strong immune system, and mood and hormone health. Examples of fermented foods are saurkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, kefir, kombucha, yogurt – Try to have a variety in order to get a variety of probiotics. At least 1 serving per day.

3. Eat Resistant Starches

Most people assume that when blood sugar balance is important, low/no carbohydrate diet is the key. But for some people, cutting out high carbohydrate foods can actually make adrenal fatigue WORSE. Resistant starches actually serve to lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, which is critical for balanced energy, moods, and maintaining a healthy weight. They also act as prebiotics, which help to feed the good bacteria in your gut.

Examples of Resistant Starches: cooked and cooled rice, legumes, and potatoes; plantains, green bananas and yucca root. Frequency and quantity will vary depending on your unique blood sugar balance and macronutrient needs (ratios of carbs, proteins and fats).

4. Eat High Protein Foods

Well-sourced meats, fish, eggs, organ meats (yes, liver), gelatin, raw dairy, nuts, seeds, tempeh, and beans. Having protein with each meal is an important part of creating blood sugar stability. This is especially important with breakfast – it really is the more important meal of the day.

5. Eat Bone Broth

We recommend a ½ cup to 1 cup a day. Get or make good quality chicken, fish, pork, or beef broth. Drink it straight, add it to soups, use it to sauté veggies or cook grains. The glycosaminoglycans and minerals in bone broth help create healthier gut function and nutrient absorption. For more on gut health and nutrient absorption check out this...

There you go, the top 5 superfoods, the essential foods for adrenal fatigue recovery. So what’s next? We want to help you make the next step super easy so we’ve prepare a special gift for you, our Adrenal Healing Food Guide. This guide will give you 5 more essential foods for adrenal fatigue recovery with a list of foods for each category. It also includes the top 5 adrenal fatigue foods to avoid.

To get your hands on the “Adrenal healing Food Guide”, simply enter your name and email and we will send it right to you.

Now we’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Which of these superfoods are you going to start adding to your diet? What are your favorite foods for adrenal fatigue recovery? We are a healing community and your share will support others on their healing journey. So take a moment to drop us a line below.

Xoxo,
Dr. Holly German

Adrenal Fatigue Treatment - 5 Foods To Avoid

When it comes to adrenal fatigue treatment there is a lot of advice out there. It’s confusing right? We want to help clear up some of that confusion. We know through personal experience and from the success of our patients that these are the most common foods that will compromise your healing and feed your adrenal fatigue every time.

Let’s jump right in…

1. Simple Carbohydrate Foods

Does it taste intensely sweet? Does it come in a box and have mostly grains as the ingredients? Think cereals, pastas, chips, crackers, cookies, juices, and sodas. A body suffering from adrenal fatigue will send signals that these are good, but they are not.

They provide a quick energy spike and then a crash – this blood sugar rollercoaster will undermine adrenal healing every single time. Try small amounts of natural sweeteners like honey, coconut sugar, and stevia leaf powder to help sugar cravings without the blood sugar crash.                    

2. Alcohol

This is the same as simple carbs. Alcohol is quick to break down to sugar and it’s a depressant. It will undermine quality sleep and metabolism - essential parts of adrenal healing. Consider the reasons you may be drawn to alcohol – are you wired in the evenings and using it to switch into relax mode?

A lot of people are on the coffee/wine cycle of ramping up and winding down. These substances, although fine in moderation for healthy people, can perpetuate the hormonal and nervous system patterns seen in adrenal fatigue.

3. Stimulants

Yep, that means coffee. And this is the point at which many patients want to leave the room or hang up the phone. Believe me I know, I was there, not that long ago. No coffee!?, No wine after dinner?!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but caffeine creates fake energy from empty reserves. It’s depleting. If caffeine energy is critical for you, try half-caf, decaf, or better yet, use small amounts of green tea, yerba mate, or maca to energize.

Before we move on to #4  keep in mind, that this is part of a adrenal fatigue treatment diet. It’s a relatively short-term protocol to help you recover from your adrenal fatigue. It is not a long-term or maintenance diet. Embracing this understanding will bolster will-power when you need it the most. There will come a time when the foods on this list will be okay in moderation but for now, you are better off without them.

4. Food Allergies/Intolerances/Sensitivities

These foods will vary from person to person. If you suspect you don’t do well with a certain food or food group, cut it out for several weeks and then re-introduce it. If your symptoms worsen in the few days after re-introduction, it’s not a good food for you right now.

You may also want to consider food intolerance (IgG) testing to get some guidance and foods that don’t work for your body right now. The most common food in-tolerances are eggs, corn, soy, dairy, and gluten. Continuing to consume foods that are pro-inflammatory will damage gut health – which is highly detrimental to adrenal healing.

5. Unhealthy Fats

Fried foods, canola, vegetable, soy oils, rancid oils like most flax oil or overly heated olive oil are examples of unhealthy fats. These oils make your cell membranes stiff and resistant to nutrient uptake – your body needs extra nutrients right now.

There you go, the Top 5 foods to avoid for adrenal fatigue treatment.

So what’s next? Now that you know what foods to avoid, we want to tell you what foods to eat on an adrenal fatigue diet. Check out this blog…

And as a bonus, we want to give you our Adrenal Healing Food Guide called “eat to treat adrenal fatigue” for free which includes the top 10 adrenal superfoods.

To get your hands on the Adrenal healing Food Guide, simply enter your name and email below and we will send it right to you.

Now we’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Which of these food group have been the hardest to eliminate? How can we support you? We are a healing community and your share will support others on their healing journey. So take a moment to drop us a line below.

Love, 

Dr. Holly German

Adrenal Fatigue Stages

If you think you may have adrenal fatigue, it’s important to know which of the adrenal fatigue stages you are in because the treatment options will vary from state to stage. First of all, adrenal fatigue staging is done after a doctor - usually a naturopathic doctor does a saliva test called an adrenal stress index. This test will show you your cortisol levels during 4 times of the day - morning, around noon, later afternoon, and nighttime. It should also test your DHEA levels, DHEA is another hormone produced by the adrenals. Blood cortisol and DHEA levels cannot be used to assess which of the 3 adrenal fatigue stages you are in.

Stage 1 Adrenal Fatigue: Stimulation

We call this stage the stimulation stage. Stage 1 of adrenal fatigue is the one people are least likely to seek help for because they usually don’t feel too bad. In this stage people sometimes describe feeling alert and energized. It often comes about during and after a time of stress or anxiety.

Imagine the feeling of anticipating a big event the following day - you aren’t very hungry, you can’t sleep well, your mind is racing, your body is tense, you might feel excited or anxious. These feelings come from elevated epinephrine or adrenaline and elevated cortisol. But instead of having those feelings come and go quickly after the event has passed, Stage 1 adrenal fatigue sufferers may feel like this for many months at a time.

Eventually, the adrenals will tire of creating excess adrenaline and cortisol for so long and will be unable to sustain this production. That leads us to stage 2.

Stage 2 Adrenal Fatigue: Depletion

The hallmark of stage 2 is a feeling of depletion. The adrenaline and cortisol that was acting as a potent fuel in Stage 1 will now be produced in fits and spurts. So in this stage people will have periods of higher anxiety alternating with periods of fatigue. Or they may feel bursts of energy during a few hours of the day and then crash in the afternoons. Energy levels and moods will be very inconsistent so cravings for caffeine and sugar will be intense. I often find patients in this state will feel that need coffee in the mornings and wine at night. It’s hard for them to wake up and also hard to wind down.

Since DHEA levels are also starting to get depleted, symptoms of sex hormone imbalance may also start to show up. Sex hormones are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. That leads us to stage 3.

Stage 3 Adrenal Fatigue: Burnout

Stage 3 is when the adrenals are out of fuel. Adrenaline, Cortisol, and DHEA levels will all be low. Most people in this stage will feel fatigued most of the day and will have a generally flat affect. Everything feels hard. Coffee and sugar may still produce a little energy, but not as much as they once did. The low adrenal hormone levels can contribute to things like PMS, infertility, menopausal challenges, low thyroid, and poor digestion. It probably comes as no surprise that stage 3 is often when people seek support because they simply cannot function as they once did.

So there you have it. Those are the 3 adrenal fatigue stages. You may be able to tell based on your symptoms which stage you are in but I still highly recommend that you get tested so you can start your road to recovery with the most targeted protocol possible. It is easier to recover from stages 1 and 2,  but even stage 3 adrenal fatigue is reversible.

As I mentioned earlier, the course of treatment will depend on the stage of adrenal fatigue you are in. 
We made you a great cheatsheet resource! It will provide clarity on the different stages of adrenal fatigue and the types of supplemental treatment that is appropriate for each stage. Did you know that supplementing the wrong type of natural compound at the wrong stage of adrenal fatigue can actually lead to more burnout?  You definitely want to avoid this. Learn the in's and out's on supplementing for your stage by clicking the image below. 

To getting answers, 

Dr. Holly German

The Connection Between Adrenal Fatigue & Leaky Gut

The connection between adrenal fatigue and leaky gut is something we see all the time with our clients.The truth is, stress takes a toll on our body on all levels. Even though our digestive system is quite resilient and very efficient at handling stressors, the effect of chronic stress on our digestive system over time leaves a mark.

Do you notice that you suddenly are very sensitive and reacting to foods you used to eat regularly? Are you noticing more gastrointestinal discomfort after meals (bloating, cramping, gas, constipation or other IBS symptoms)?

This is SO so common for those suffering from adrenal fatigue and Leaky Gut could be to blame.

Some Signs and Symptoms of Leaky Gut

• Food allergies or intolerance (especially if you notice these are increasing or getting worse)

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)- gas, bloating, cramping, constipation, diarrhea

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)- like Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis

• Auto Immune Disease

• Skin issues such as acne, eczema and psoriasis

• Anxiety or depression

• Seasonal allergies or asthma

• Candida overgrowth (chronic yeast infections, athlete's foot, etc)

• Chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia

The Link Between Adrenal Fatigue & Leaky Gut

The link between adrenal fatigue and leaky gut cannot be overlooked.

When the junctions that line our intestinal wall become loose (from exposure to chronic stress), and bacteria, viruses, undigested food particles and toxic waste products can leak from the inside of your intestines into your blood stream.  This sets off an inflammatory immune cascade. These loose intestinal junctions and increased intestinal permeability is also known as "Leaky Gut".

Because your adrenals help your body adapt to all the different stressors it is exposed to, this "leak" implicates the adrenals every time it happens. At the same time, leaky gut can indicate that your body is not absorbing the nutrients you are consuming (via food and/or supplements) well.  This means your adrenals (and the rest of the cells in your body) aren't receiving optimal nutrition. If you are trying to recover from adrenal fatigue, addressing this gut connection is imperative.

Leaky gut can be caused by chronic stress and adrenal fatigue and adrenal fatigue can be caused or made worse by leaky gut.

In order to recover from adrenal fatigue, your body needs to be able absorb and utilize the key nutrients it needs to function. It is very difficult to recover when your body is depleted because a depleted body is in a state of chronic stress.

Curious on what steps you can take to heal leaky gut and improve nutrition right now?  Check out our post on how to improve your digestion with adrenal fatigue now.