My struggle with adrenal fatigue...there I am lying on the bathroom floor...

So there I am lying on my bathroom floor, tears streaming down my face as my dreams of being a mother crash down around me. I’m lying there, losing my baby...

I get you, you’re struggling. I know how you feel. It’s been very real for me.

Just 3 years ago, I was experiencing the worst health of my life. My health had been going downhill for several years at that point, but I was a pretty healthy person so I didn’t’ really understand what was going on. And from the outside I looked perfectly healthy. What was I complaining about? Was I a hypochondriac?

The truth is I was miserable every day and then my poor health lead to the most difficult experience of my life.  

Before I was diagnosed with stage 3 adrenal fatigue, for years I was waking up every morning exhausted, feeling like I didn’t even sleep, anxious constantly about eating because of my food sensitivities, and in pain and irritable from skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

I was experiencing symptoms of hypothyroidism and poor digestion, my vision of getting progressively worse and my allergies got really bad, to where I couldn’t taste, smell or breathe through my nose. I was always sick and my memory was declining, and I felt like no one understood me and some even thought I was crazy.

In those few years, I saw numerous doctors, traditional and alternative, various health specialists and none of them could figure out what was wrong with me, and every time I left an appointment, I felt hopeless and frustrated because I wasn’t getting ANY answers.

One doctor told me in order to manage my symptoms I was going to have to take several medications for the rest of my life and that terrified me.

I didn’t think it could get any worse and then it did...

The worst part of it all was I was too sick and in pain to even enjoy life, so I missed out. I was at the lowest point of my life. I imagine many of you here can relate. I didn't think it could get any worse and then it did...

It was 2012, my husband and I were desperately trying to get pregnant for over a year. Even though that wasn’t that long in the grand scheme of things we were starting to question if it was possible. Meanwhile, my health just kept declining. After a year of failed attempts, I realized that my health was so poor that it was best to take a break from trying. I needed to make my own health the priority. 

It was only a couple months later that we found out, we are in fact 8 weeks pregnant. Of course we are ecstatic after our struggle with infertility and starting the preparations to be parents. We spent the next couple of weeks, making doctors’ appointments and interviewing midwives and doulas, we are imagining this little being in our lives. I was so nauseous, exhausted and ravenous. My breasts were achy, but it didn’t matter, because our dreams had finally come true.

 

the nightmare began 2 weeks after my 12 week ultrasound...

I remember this day like it was yesterday. There I am lying on my bathroom floor, tears streaming down my face as my dreams of being a mother crash down around me. I’m lying there, losing my baby. I’m in so much physical pain, but it’s nothing compared to the excruciating emotions I felt as I lay there, trying to digest this trauma of losing the child I will never know. As I look into my husband’s eyes, I feel shame, pure devastation and complete, utter heart break. In this moment I feel so powerless.

The next few days were a blur and I wasn’t sure how to move on. I was at the end of my rope. I had hit rock bottom.

It was in this dark place that I made a decision, a decision that would change my life forever.

I decided that I wouldn't live like this any longer.  I was going to take control of my health, once and for all, so I wouldn’t have to feel this powerless ever again.

I refused. I was going to get to the bottom of my health issues. And that was the day everything change. I spent the next few months researching like crazy, reading whatever I could get my hands on, learning as much as I could. After a few months of this,  I finally got real answers. 

I was diagnosed with stage 3 adrenal fatigue by my amazing Acupuncturist. And with that diagnosis, things FINALLY started making sense. Thank goodness!!

I got on a healing protocol and started working with a handful of different practitioners addressing not only my symptoms and my hormones, but the mental and emotional parts of myself. It was clear what had caused my adrenal fatigue, years of chronic stress without REAL joy and relaxation. So, I said goodbye to these old sabotaging patterns and started to make ME a priority. I started incorporating mindfulness practices and self-care in to my daily routine. I started working to change my mindset around my health. 

I made lots of mistakes along my recovery journey, but once I had an action plan that addressed all parts of myself; mind, body and spirit, I did heal from stage 3 adrenal fatigue very quickly and without drugs. 

My recovery taught me to believe and always keep fighting even when doctors tell you it’s hopeless. Through my roller-coaster of a journey, I finally became the person I've always desired to be healthy, balanced and most importantly happy. And even better,  I got pregnant soon after and had a very healthy baby boy. 

But my journey wasn't over. Unfortunately, I saw so many people in the Facebook groups I was a part of, struggling so much with adrenal fatigue. When I shared that I healed from stage 3, everyone kept asking me how I did it. So I shared my story and how I did it.

But, people wanted more. They were craving a plan, a system. 

I was hearing heart-breaking story after heartbreaking story, wishing I could do something else to help.

I didn't want so many people to have to go through what I did or worse.

But who was I to do anything?

After months of wondering what to do and how to help, I realized something...

I could in fact help.

This inspired me to create the healyouradrenalfatigue.com community with lots of free resources. I spent countless hours, despite having a newborn, recording many how-to videos of what I had learned for my YouTube channel "Adrenal Fatigue TV". And over the past few years, I brought together a team of experts to develop an AF recovery program.

So even though my struggle was painful, devastating, heart-breaking it seems worth it in a way because now I can help thousands around the world who are also struggling with adrenal fatigue and having similar experiences with their health like infertility, miscarriage and so much more. 

If you're reading this and can relate in some shape or form, please share a comment below. Your share could be just what someone else needs to hear.

The 7 Steps I Took To Heal My Adrenal Fatigue Naturally

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Once people hear that I healed myself from stage 3 adrenal fatigue naturally, they, of course want to know, "how did you do it"?

I have to tell you I'm approaching 40 and I’m experiencing the best health of my life, but this wasn’t always the case.

Hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, allergies. psoriasis. food allergies, chronic exhaustion, and horrible digestion were just one part of my story.

Like anyone experiencing so many different symptoms, I wondered where to begin when it came to tackling this condition. 

My adrenal fatigue healing journey was miserable, to say the least.
Luckily, having a background in health coaching and yoga/meditation, I knew healing from any condition/illness/disease needs to happen on all levels; mind, body and spirit. 

Where MY HEALING Began

I found a team of different health professionals, healers, coaches, and teachers to help me on my journey, and this made all the difference
(and no I didn't have lots of money, actually quite the opposite, I was making less than 30k/year living near San Francisco California, if that says anything)

It took money, time and patience, but I made it happen. 

Once I was able to solve this crazy recovery puzzle, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops because I knew so many people were suffering, just like I did.

I wanted everyone to be able to heal like I did and start living their life again. It shouldn't be so hard. 

You shouldn't have to wait to take action right NOW. So, today,  I want to teach you the premise of those 7 steps.

THE 7 STEPS 

Step 1: Balance Your Hormones

Adrenal fatigue is a condition of hormone imbalance so you can’t ignore the hormones. Hormones can be confusing, but not if you get tested and work with a professional. 

Understanding where you're starting from hormonally, is really a must.
Before getting clarity with hormone testing, I wasted time and energy experimenting with different supplements I read about online. 
(I don't even want to tell you how much I spent on supplements, it wasn't pretty). 

You can’t assume if you’re stressed your cortisol is high (which I  was assuming), because depending on the progression of our fatigue, you could be in stage 3. This is where your cortisol is super low, a classic sign of true burn out from the fact that your adrenals couldn’t keep up with your demands of high cortisol production.

Please don’t assume because your hormone panel from your primary doctor came out fine, that there isn’t more to the picture. Not even close! Depending on HOW your hormones were tested, you might not be getting a clear picture of what is actually going on. 

I got my hormone panel blood test done (after I failed to get pregnant after 6 months) from my traditional OBGYN.

My results came back, and my OB told me my tests were normal and my hormones were fine. Later that same month, I got the results of my adrenal stress index saliva test, and this painted a very different story to what I had been told just one week prior.  My cortisol was super low most of the day with a slight increase in the afternoon. My DHEA was extremely low, and so was my pregnenolone (a precursor to progesterone).  And unfortunately, I hear this same story over and over again with our clients and members of our community.

Please consider alternative practitioners and testing if you are still struggling to get clarity. 

Once you know what your hormones are doing and what stage of adrenal fatigue you are in (treatment options are very different for each stage), you can start to bring your hormones back to their optimal levels fairly easily using various different approaches.

TIPS FOR BALANCING YOUR HORMONES NATURALLY

Many of our clients can balance their hormones simply with shifts in their diet and lifestyle. For instance,  eating a cleaner, whole food diet (more about diet in step 4) and lifestyle changes like improving sleep patterns (more in step 5) and improving their coping mechanisms for stress (more in step 7).

But for those who need a bit more, this will require herbs, supplements and possibly even bio-identical hormones. 

WHAT I DID

1. Got tested using the Adrenal Stress Index Test - There are several tests out there that test adrenal hormones, but the most comprehensive and accurate is the adrenal stress index test also known as the saliva test.
   
   

2. Bio-identical Hormones: I worked with a Naturopath to get non-synthetic, bio-identical hormones. I felt comfortable with these bio-identical hormones because the goal is to give your body small doses of the hormones to trigger your body to start creating its own again. Since bio-identical hormones are easier for the body to recognize and process, I never had ANY side effects after taking these bio-identical hormones. That is not the case with traditional synthetic hormone replacement therapies.
   
   

3. I introduced a FEW specific supplements, supplements that had been recommended to me by a professional.

No more self-diagnosing or self-medicating for me. 

Step 2: Adopt a Healing Mindset

I believe healing one’s body is just as much a spiritual healing journey as it is a physical healing journey. To FULLY heal the physical body, you also need to address the mental, emotional and spiritual parts of yourself.

One of the biggest things I learned during this process was in order to achieve anything in life, WE FIRST HAVE TO BELIVE IN IT.

Adopting a healing mindset is just as important if not more important than diet and hormone balancing.

Here’s why:  You can pump your body full of healthy food and supplements all day long, but if your mind is full of messages that you can’t heal or you somehow don’t deserve it, then that perspective or mindset, will cancel out all your other efforts. We have seen this proven in practice over and over again. 

What I did:

1. I used positive affirmations (like these) to reframe my negative/toxic thoughts about my health and flood my mind with powerful healing messages.
   
   

2. I got gentle and forgiving with myself. Afterall, even though my body felt like it was working against me, it had actually been doing the very best it could to keep me alive and balanced.

My body is my friend, not my enemy. 

Step 3: Optimize Nutrient Absorption

If you don’t address some issues that lie at the very root of many health conditions than most likely find yourself right back where you started either months down the road or a year or two. So along with addressing the mental, emotional and spiritual components holding us back, it’s time to bring out the big guns.

Certain PHYSICAL barriers, if left untreated have the ability to stop the healing process in its tracks.

I’m talking about things like Leaky Gut, candida and parasites.

The problem is adrenal fatigue is a condition of depletion.

My body needed extra nutrients, but because I was dealing with these gut issues, I couldn’t properly access and absorb these MUCH NEEDED nutrients from the expensive supplements and healthy foods I was buying.

I wasted precious time and money not knowing the whole picture.

What I did:

1. I learned about these conditions and if I had many of the common symptoms I got tested. Many of them can be healed through supplements and a clean diet. Some require eliminating some key foods for a few weeks, but it’s only temporary.
   
   

2. For me, I was pretty certain I had leaky gut and started take L-glutamine to repair my gut and followed a leaky gut healing diet.
   
   

3. I tested positive for parasites so with the help of my Naturopath, I took a supplement to eliminate them.
   
   

4. As for Candida, it was obvious I had it, but took a free at home test to confirm. Then I went on a pretty strict candida diet for about 6 weeks along with taking a high-quality probiotic recommended by my Naturopathic Doctor.

This process made allowed me to break through the gut health barriers that had been holding me back and take my healing to a whole new level. 

I broke through barriers. 

Step 4: Eat an Adrenal Healing Diet

The first thing we want to do when we are tired and not feeling well is reach for comforting foods and most often these are NOT the foods that are going to nourish our adrenals back to health. These foods make us feel more tired and stress our tired adrenals and allow the unhealthy balance to continue. 

What I did:

1. Started eating nutrient dense foods and balanced out my proteins, fats and carbs. The key is eating whole foods vs. processed (vegetables, meat/fish, whole grains, seeds/nuts, and low glycemic fruits). The best choice especially for meat/fish is organic foods, free range, free of hormone and preservatives. Getting your carbs mainly from vegetables and whole grains is ideal.
   
   

2. Eliminated foods I was sensitive to like gluten, dairy and soy. This took learning how to listen to my body, doing a bit of trial and error, and keeping a food journal.

Things I learned the hard way

This is not the time to fast or jump into fad diets or to focus your attention heavily on weight loss. 

If weight is an issue for you, fret not!  It is very common for those recover from adrenal fatigue and re-balance their hormones have an easier time losing weight. If you want your weight loss efforts to be balanced with real results, balance your hormones. 

Step 5: Get Your Sleep in Rhythm

Hormone imbalance and poor lifestyle habits can make quality sleep really challenging.
Insomnia is a big problem for us adrenal fatigue sufferers.

You can be doing all the right things, eating all the right foods, taking all the right supplements, but when you don't sleep adequately, you miss out on vital rejuvenation and repair time for your body.

A poor night's sleep contributes to MORE than just feeling tired the next day-- it leads to blood sugar imbalances, massive cravings, increased inflammation and more, it simply perpetuates the adrenal fatigue cycle. 

So to heal, I had to learn how to change my habits around sleep.

I'll warn you this wasn't easy for me. 

What I did:

1. Went to sleep earlier. Going to sleep before 10:30 before the cortisol surge around 11pm leads to easier time falling asleep and less sleep interruptions throughout the night
   
   

2. Stopped screen time an hour before sleep. I don’t watch much TV. My max is about an hour a day if that. But I would watch that hour of TV right before bed, which was stimulating for my mind, making it hard to wind down and fall asleep. It actually disrupts the production of melatonin which is the hormone that makes you sleepy.
   
   

3. Incorporated calming practices the hour before bed: journaling, reading, meditation, light stretching/yoga or deep breathing.
   
   

4. Started taking a magnesium supplement. For me, magnesium oil or getting magnesium through Epsom salt baths was more effective than pill form, but you need decide what is best for you. I spray (and still do) magnesium on my skin topically every night.

Once I made these lifestyle changes and started getting to bed earlier, it made ALL the difference.

I’m not gonna lie, I’ve seen people with adrenal fatigue have it far worse than me in the sleep department, but I might just beat them in the food department. After eating any food I felt horrible and had allergic reactions. I went entire year without sugar ( fruit too, except for berries and green apple) and for 6 months I was only able to ate vegetables.

Everyone's struggle is different. 

Anyways, I do know our bodies are meant to sleep more in rhythm is our light and darkness, we are diurnal beings after all.
So, when I do stay up late for a special occasion I could get the same 8.5 hours of sleep waking up around 8 or 9, but I don’t feel the same. I’m so much more tired and never get the feeling of being rested, like I do when I go to bed around 9:30 or 10.

I know you probably won’t believe in this difference until you try it for yourself, but once you do-- comment below and let me know! 

Step 6: Find your Healing Movement

There is nothing better than getting our blood flowing and increasing feel good endorphins in the brain with an amazing workout.
But is that amazing workout helping you feel amazing or is it actually contributing to your burn out?

Personally, I was in the beginning stages of studying to be a yoga teacher and I was practicing Vinyasa level 2-3 (similar to power style yoga) yoga ever day after work for 2.5 hours and then on the weekends too. I was strong and becoming quite the yoga badass, but little did I know I was burning myself out. I needed to balance that intense workout with more restorative and calming movement.

I needed to become more mindful of what types of exercise and movement are most appropriate for my particular stage of adrenal fatigue.

Also, this type of yoga was very stimulating and I was already such a over-stimulated person overcommitting, burning the candle at both ends.
My body needed to have down time and my mind needed time to be still.

What I did:

I started doing less physical yoga and more intentional breath work and meditation.

Now I make a 15-minute a day meditation practice way more of a priority than my yoga practice and I’m healthier than ever.
All I've got to say is the mind is a powerful thing!

Step 7: Transform Your Relationship with Stress

This was the most challenging step for me by far, but no question the most beneficial and effective step in my healing process.
And now that I’ve been working as a coach in this specialty, I see it over and over again.

Once I learned the root cause of adrenal fatigue stress, it was a wake up call.

I now know the symptoms of my adrenal fatigue were the universe's way (which it had been telling me for years, but I was ignoring it) to slow the F-down.

I was living my life in fast forward, so focused on the next thing and accomplishing, that I couldn’t enjoy the moment. I fed on stress and drama; it fueled me.

I finally got real with myself and took responsibility for what I had created. It wasn’t my adrenals fault, (they just didn’t one day poop out on me), it was years of me burning the candle at both ends. It was me. I gave myself adrenal fatigue. I admit it, it’s okay. No shame. I like to call myself out on my SH$&!

But that’s not the case for all of us.

For some, adrenal fatigue might have been a result of physical stress from a major accident or surgery or other illness/condition or maybe it was emotional stress from a childhood trauma or difficult divorce.

But there is something to be said about getting to the root so we can address conditions at the root.

So luckily, I had a spiritual mentor who helped me address my stress habits and retrain my stress response with intentional breathing, mindfulness work and meditation. 

What I did:

1. I started meditating for just a few minutes a day, incorporating intentional breathing techniques
   
   

2. I used mantras like “I am peace” in meditation to send positive message to my brain and to calm my body and mind
   
   

3. I used positive affirmations to reframe my negative/toxic thoughts and retrain my brain to look at life and potentially stressful situations differently.

The truth is, there are always going to be stressful situations/people surrounding you, so the key is learning how do you keep the internal peace the best you can.

I learned, I was more in control of how I perceive stress, how I internalize it and how I handled it.. and THIS, gave me the tools to never get back to where I was when I started.

Once I did the work, my whole life changed.
In just weeks, I felt better physically, I felt less pain, I felt more connected to myself and to everyone around you.

This allowed my nervous system to repair faster and my adrenals too.

I’m the same person, but now I have tools.

When I see myself falling into old patterns and habits that got me sick, I stop and choose differently. I have more control now.
This step alone changed my life FOREVER.

I am certain the key to my recovery was approaching my healing from a holistic approach. Not just taking hormones, not just supplements, not just eating healthy, but all of these 7 steps combined.

The hardest part of all

The hardest part of all of this, was that my learning and the information I needed was scattered and not all in one place. For this, I spent years of my time suffering and spent thousands of dollars that in hindsight, I now see I should have been spending on vacations (this probably would of done me better than the all the supplements I was experimenting with). 

I kept thinking, it shouldn't be this hard.

I imagined what this experience would be like for others if all this information could be presented all in one place... perhaps nicely, in a box, with a pretty bow on top.. and maybe a hug.. because I know I for sure needed one of those at the start of all this. 

This is when I made the decision to take matters into my own hands.

I gathered a team of experts together so FINALLY everything to heal from this crazy, confusing condition could be in one place.

No more guessing, no more months of reading books, blog posts and FB comments to get answers.

If you know these 7 steps, but you’re having trouble implementing them and you need a little support along the way, we've got you covered.  That’s why we created Fatigued 2 Fabulous our proven adrenal fatigue recovery program.

If you want someone guiding you every step of the way through these 7 steps, this is for you.

So when you’re ready we are here for you.

11 Affirmations for Adrenal Fatigue Recovery

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.

Why are Affirmations so Powerful For Healing?

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!

Would you like more control, so your current state of health doesn't take you down, but instead lifts you up?

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.

how do you make the shift in your thinking? 

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...

11 positive affirmations that will lift you up and open the floods gates to healing...

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?

Here’s how to use affirmations:

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

8 Breakfast Ideas for Supporting Adrenal Health & Hormonal Balance

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.  

8 BREAKFASTS TO NOURISH YOUR ADRENALS WITH:

1.  Eggs

• 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.

2. Chia Seed Pudding

• 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).

3. A Smoothie with Balanced Macronutrients (Carbs, Fats + Protein)

• 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!

4. Coconut Yogurt Parfaits

• 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.

5. A bowl of oatmeal or grain-free "N'oatmeal". 

• 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!

6. Cauliflower Scramble

• "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!

7. Warm Collagen Infused Latte

• 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.

8. DIY Smoothie Bowl

• 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!