Adrenal Support

Imagine that your job is to roll a gigantic boulder up a hill each and every day. Each morning the boulder has rolled down the hill and your job begins again. This is somewhat comparable to the enormous task that the adrenal glands are expected to accomplish continually. The demands of modern life have created a stress upon the adrenal glands that our ancestors could not even have imagined.

When "stressors" (events that cause stress) attack the body, the adrenal glands respond in three ways. The first stage is the "alarm" stage. This causes the adrenal glands to go into action. Adrenaline is released and the body becomes ready for any challenge. Stories of people lifting cars or other superhuman feats of strength are due to additional surges of adrenaline. Some of the effects of this additional adrenaline include: increased heart rate (so we can run away), constriction of blood vessels (in case bleeding might occur), increased blood pressure, restricted (or concentrated) breathing, increased metabolism, dilation of the pupils in the eye, and limited digestion (because the body considers this of secondary importance in a traumatic event). This stage is often referred to as the body's "fight or flight" response.

The second response is the "resistance" stage. The body now prepares for a longer duration of the experience. Things are going to continue longer than originally expected. Different hormones are released, like corticosteroids. This produces long term energy after the glucose (sugar) has been depleted. The body retains sodium so that high blood pressure can be maintained. Perspiration cools the body in preparation for added heat that might be experienced. If stage one could be considered the "battle" phase, this is the "war" phase.

Stage three is the "exhaustion" or "burned out" stage. At this point the adrenal glands become too tired to do anything except the bare essentials. Other functions suffer because they are not considered to be absolutely necessary for survival, but eventually the combined effect of this reduced activity threatens the body as a whole.

If we are walking through the forest and meet a Grizzly bear, it is essential that all of the functions mentioned come into play immediately in order to survive. Normally, we would escape the situation and everything would return to normal. Today's world, however, exposes us to an entire extended family of Grizzly bears every day. These threats appear in the form of traffic jams, soccer and little league schedules, loud noises, air pollution, financial disasters, potential diseases and the list goes on and on. Where trauma was an occasional experience in the past, it has now become a "way of life". Some of it is real, some of it is imagined, but the adrenal glands don't always know the difference. Additionally, prescription drugs, especially cortisone threaten the adrenals even further.

Each of the two adrenal glands are seated on top of the kidneys and resemble a tiny chicken breast.

The function of the adrenal glands may be summarized in the following way. The outer surface of the gland (the cortex) regulates salt and water balance by controlling the amount of sodium and potassium which may be absorbed by the body. The substances which control this are called mineralocorticoids. The primary one is aldosterone. The inner part of the gland secretes glucocorticoids, which manage the blood sugar levels. The major glucocorticoids are cortisol and adrenaline, also called epinephrine and norepinephrine.

When the adrenal glands begin to fail some of the symptoms that become evident are chronic fatigue, poor sleep quality (especially waking up in the "wee hours" of the morning), poor digestion, irritability, and allergies. All of the so-called "killer" diseases such as cancer and heart disease share a common thread, the imbalance of sodium and potassium, which suggests that the adrenal glands are involved as well.

All of these effects combined require that stress be reduced and/or the adrenals receive additional support. Some ways to reduce stress may be harmful, while others provide great health supportive benefit. Examples of potentially harmful ways to reduce stress include: drugs, overeating, smoking, excessive television, outbursts of temper, excessive shopping, and excess alcohol. These can lead to addiction or addictive behavior, and can add to the stress of others. Examples of potentially health supportive stress reducers include: getting enough sleep, exercise, conscious relaxation using music and/or prayer, controlled breathing exercise (including singing), time management, and naps. We must take time to learn how to relax in health supportive ways.

At the same time we need to feed and nourish the adrenal glands. Some of the foods that have shown ability to do this are Eleuthero, Licorice, Astragalus and Ginseng. Many have found that a carefully balanced blend of adrenal supportive herbs can offer the benefit synergism provides. Also, a masterful blend can provide a more affordable and effective solution.

Until we live in a perfect world, stress is going to happen. Our job is to minimize its effect as much as is humanly possible. We also need to find ways to effectively strengthen and support our adrenal glands. Vital adrenal glands contribute to a vital life. "And at the end it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years."-Abraham Lincoln

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