Adrenal dysfunction is a byproduct of modern living. It often goes unnoticed, but can trigger serious health problems. Our stress response is much the same as that of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, but our primary stressors have changed substantively since prehistoric times. Our ancestors were built to respond primarily to physical dangers, whereas most of our modern stressors are emotional issues. It is thought that sustained emotional stress causes or worsens about 85% of all of our illnesses. My daily work at the clinic bears this out.
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Sustained, unrelieved stress speeds up the aging process and impairs brain function. The adrenal glands control your stress response with the hormones cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine; therefore you need to strike back at stress at the adrenal level. Excess cortisol impairs immune function at the gut level, making you more vulnerable to infection. This is why sustained stress predisposes you to illness.
Simple things you can do to manage stress
1) Adopt good posture habits. The vast majority of the brain’s sensory input comes from the joints, making proper posture more important to overall health than most people think. Bring your shoulders back and then let them drop, so that your chest feels expanded. Hold your head up; angling your head down only when you need to lower your eyes to see.
2) Breathe consciously. Notice the air going in and out as it enters and leaves your body, and feel the rise and fall of your chest. There’s a reason we tend to tell people who are freaking out, “Just breathe!” Deep breathing actually decreases cortisol and adrenaline secretion, quickly bringing the stress response under control.
3) Get plenty of sleep. A minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night, ideally between 9 pm and 9 am, is recommended to fully replenish your system. People who don’t get enough sleep are typically irritable and find it difficult to concentrate; they are much more likely to be overwhelmed by relatively mild stressors.
4) Exercise regularly. In their book, Younger Next Year, authors Chris Crowley and Dr. Harry Lodge explain the importance of regular exercise to keep inflammation at bay and cortisol levels under control. Try to exercise 6 days a week, increasing your heart rate to twice its resting rate for at least 20 minutes each day. Weight training is also important– for building muscle mass, increasing your metabolism, and strengthening your tendons.
Supplements and herbs that help regulate