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Mind/Body Connection
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HMDI Mind-Body Q & A
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Readers often e-mail us health related questions. Although we do not provide medical advice or consultation through Heart MD Institute, we do post general answers to such inquiries with hopes of helping others who may have similar concerns. Do you have a question about mind-body health that you'd like answered on our site? E-mail us at
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and we'll post an answer on this page.
Q: What will help me recover from adrenal exhaustion? I have low cortisol...
A: Adrenal exhaustion can result from being chronically stressed, whether from work, financial problems, family issues, physical disease, insomnia, nutritional deficiencies, and other sources of psycho-emotional stress (i.e. excessive worry, fear, or anger). Our bodies are designed to react to acute stressors with a surge in adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol, which assist the body in the "flight or fight" sympathetic nervous system response. When acute stressors become chronic stressors and cortisol levels stay elevated, this puts pressure on the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol. Over time the adrenal glands get "burned out" and are not as effective in producing cortisol.
Full recovery from adrenal exhaustion, though, will probably require integration of additional strategies such as:
1. Getting into a manageable routine - going to bed (preferably before 11pm) and waking around the same times each day, eating plenty of protein with every meal, drinking plenty of water, reducing consumption of coffee and other stimulants. Eating meals in a quite peaceful space and trying not to watch the news late at night may also help.
2. Nutraceutical support - Take a high potency multivitamin with lots of B-vitamins and Vitamin C.
3. Botanical medicine support - combination of adaptogenic botanicals including ginseng, licorice (avoid if high blood pressure), ashwagandha, rhodiola, maca root, schisandra, and holy basil. Research shows that adaptogens help people "adapt" to chronic stress. For example, licorice has been shown to extend the half life of cortisol, thus taking pressure off the adrenal glands. And rhodiola has been shown in many studies to increase exercise endurance particularly in elite athletes.
4. Stress reduction - If removing the chronic stressors from you life are not an option, engaging in some sort of meditation or stress reduction practice like tai chi, qi gong, or yoga can help counter the effects of, and help you learn to deal better with, them.
5. Grounding - Grounding, or Earthing, helps reduce stress by shifting the body into parasympathetic state, i.e. it creates a relaxation response, easing the stress on the adrenal glands. Sleeping grounded has been also shown to help normalize cortisol levels.
6. Light exercise - As heavy exercise can stress the adrenals, engaging in light exercise practices like walking in the woods or neighborhood, swimming, or gentle yoga is better for adrenal health maintenance.
© 2011 Heart MD Institute, PA |
Pulsation...
Is the key element in health. When a cell is in a well-nourished, oxygenated, environmentally balanced state, an effortless pulsation occurs. When a cell becomes contracted due to metabolic, environmental, or emotional factors, pulsation is disrupted and healthy functioning is disturbed. The heart is the ultimate organ of pulsating muscle, engaging the energies and interactions of mind, body, and spirit.
-Heartbreak and Heart Disease
