If you feel like you are going crazy, it might be your adrenals
Do you feel tired all the time but can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep? Are you flying into a rage at the drop of a hat, gaining weight, having trouble thinking clearly, suffering from allergies, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis or osteoporosis?
These symptoms can be the result of adrenal dysfunction, and Kathryn Simpson, MS, author of the new book, Overcoming Adrenal Fatigue, is intimately familiar with most of them, having experienced adrenal fatigue herself. Simpson explains that the adrenal glands affect everything from our emotional state, which keeps us from flying off the handle at minor things, to mental function like being able to concentrate and remember things, to countless physical effects, from energy level to weight to immune function.
“Our adrenal glands are vital to our health and well-being,” Simpson says. “They help us survive stress by producing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that keep our bodies on an even keel, in spite of the fact that we’re constantly being buffeted by stressors that we can’t control.”
Simpson identifies a critical list of problems that can be caused by adrenal malfunction:
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Overwhelmed by or unable to cope with stress
- Depression
- Mood Swings
- Insomnia
- Loss of Libido
- Brain Fog
- Food or environmental allergies
- Slow to recover from stress, injury, or illness
Simpson says it is important for those who feel they may have adrenal fatigue to empower themselves with information like that found in her book, and also by consulting with their physician.
“Adrenal dysfunction can cause many problems,” she says, “The first thing you should do if you have symptoms of adrenal dysfunction is consult with your doctor and get your adrenal hormone levels checked, especially if you’ve gained weight for no reason or are chronically tired.”
The good news is that with proper treatment adrenal fatigue is a condition that can be controlled, allowing those who have it to return to regain the energy and pursue an active lifestyle.