Many women that work with me present common signs of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction or what is know as adrenal fatigue. These symptoms are :
- Unexplained exhaustion and fatigue
- Poor sleep quality (waking up after a full nights sleep and still exhausted)
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Poor immune system
- Substance dependency to make it through the day (caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, etc.)
- Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
- Unexplained weight changes
For many women, these symptoms are dismissed by conventional medicine and just explained as the the process of aging.
The truth is, HPA axis dysfunction should not be dismissed and unaddressed. It can cause a cascade of problems to women's hormone health.
The adrenal glands mobilize the body's response to all kinds of stress. Adrenal fatigue symptoms present themselves when the glands cannot adequately meet the demands of chronic stress. This can include the stress from work/life demands, emotional stress, inflammatory stress from food and the every day exposure to technology that never turns off.
Relying on excess coffee, sugar, salt and refined carbohydrates tend to be a way for many women to get through the exhaustion. In return, it only depletes the adrenals even more.
The more stress a women encounters, more stress hormones like cortisol are released and manufactured. If the adrenals do not produce enough or too much cortisol, other hormones are effected. The thyroid can be impacted significantly. This can make losing weight and feeling energized almost impossible.
What can you do?
Many techniques can help address HPA axis dysfunction. It will require much TLC, but the rewards are worth it.
With my clients, I first try to identify and remove stresses.
Implement breathing exercises, yoga or meditation to daily routine.
Add in adaptogens specific to the women's needs. These can include American ginseng, ashwagandha, Asian ginseng, eleuthero, holy basil and many more. Adaptogens help the adrenal glands respond more effectively and efficiently to the excess in hormones. They play an important role in shutting down the adrenal glands when stress stops. My personal experience with adaptogens have been life changing.
Every women has their own individual needs. Connect with me to start your journey and bring back your lively self.
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