What are the adrenal glands? Why are they important?
The adrenals are small triangular-shaped glands that sit on top of the kidneys, and they play the head role in your body’s stress response system. They are responsible for producing important hormones that can respond to and manage stress, such as cortisol, aldosterone, and adrenaline.
Your adrenal glands will keep on trucking despite all the stressors stacked against them, however, they are not invincible! Stress, especially prolonged, is the death of them. You may feel the physical effects of stress when you drink too much caffeine, skip one too many meals, stay up late one too many nights, etc. Compared to the chronic affects of long-term stress that will show up later: your energy is low, extreme fatigue is a daily occurrence, your hair falls out, digestion slows, your mood goes downhill, and your hormones become imbalanced.
The truth is, your body simply cannot sustain high cortisol over a long period of time. If you experience low cortisol now, this means your cortisol was very high at one time. In the process of keeping up the demand for producing high levels of stress hormones, your body will rapidly burn through valuable minerals like magnesium, sodium, potassium, and B vitamins.
The health of your adrenals will impact how well you go through peri-menopause and spend your menopausal years. During menopause, the ovaries hand over the function of making sex hormones to the adrenals. The adrenals and thyroid are always talking to each other and picking up the slack when one is too taxed. This is why most menopausal women see a change in their thyroid numbers and end up hypothyroid. Taxed adrenals are going to have a hard time supporting sex hormones, keeping your blood sugar in check and making stress hormones.
I learned this the hard way when it comes to living with tanked mineral reserves and dysfunctional adrenal function, which is why I want to share with you how your adrenal health closely relates to the vitality of your thyroid, and functional ways to support it. One way you can do that is with the adrenal cocktail.
What is an “adrenal cocktail”? This recipe is meant to replenish some of the minerals and nutrients the adrenals require, especially during times of stress – which are the compounds necessary for the production and balance of the adrenal hormones. When the adrenals are supported, the other organs that are impacted from poorly controlled stress, like the thyroid, hypothalamus and pituitary, can function better.
The 3 key components to the adrenal cocktail: sodium, potassium, vitamin C. The more stressed we are, the more sodium we lose from the cells. This process causes us to lose potassium too. Low or imbalanced levels of sodium and potassium can contribute to symptoms of adrenal dysfunction, such as low energy, lightheadedness, disturbed sleep, dizziness, and brain fog. The adrenal glands store most of the body’s vitamin C, and they use it as a cofactor for creating the hormones that help us manage stress.
Here is the basic recipe for the adrenal cocktail (there are many variations): • 4 ounces vitamin C rich juice (orange, pineapple, etc) • 4 ounces coconut water (or plain water) • 2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice (extra vitamin C) • ¼– ½ teaspoon cream of tartar (for potassium) • ¼– ½ teaspoon sea salt (for sodium & trace minerals) *If you struggle with blood sugar imbalances, you might find that using coconut water instead of juice works better. You could also add collagen powder to support your glucose balance or drink this alongside a protein-rich snack. My favorite collagen is Perfect Grass-fed Collagen Powder (World’s First Certified Glyphosate Residue Free Collagen, which is why it’s my top choice). Use my HEALTHWEALTH Code to save an additional 10% off your order HERE.
It is helpful to prepare two servings at the start of the day and drink it mid-morning (10 AM) as well as mid-afternoon (2 PM), or when you feel that mid-day slump. This is to support the circadian rhythm of when the adrenals are coming “online” and “offline” from a hormonal standpoint. You can also have this concoction any time you are feeling anxious or feeling fatigued. Play around with times to find *your* ideal time, but preferably no later than 3 PM is advised. Many of my clients see benefits in just one adrenal cocktail a day. While the adrenal cocktail itself is a great addition to an adrenal healing program, the most important thing to remember is just to get these nutrients into your diet: consume plenty of unrefined sea salt, whole food vitamin C, and potassium. Consistency is key and creating a daily habit that will benefit you over the long run.
Jigsaw Health makes an Adrenal Cocktail mix for those that want a very convenient option. You can find this in my supplement store HERE. Just add a scoop of the mix to coconut water, OJ or even just water. This is a great option to use on the go, at work or when traveling.
The adrenal cocktail is a tool in your toolbox, and not a cure-all. I have found this to be a helpful modality for myself and many of my clients who struggle with fatigue, brain fog, low energy, adrenal “burnout,” thyroid concerns, or are recovering from years of chronic stress. It’s also very helpful to use during peri-menopause and menopause as the adrenals are getting tasked with an additional job.
It’s helpful during and after pregnancy as both are two of the most nutritionally demanding times in a woman’s life. Always check with your healthcare provider, but I encourage my clients who are pregnant to incorporate this daily to support their mineral needs. And many women find this tonic very energizing and supportive as they replenish their minerals after baby.
Curious about how your adrenals are performing? A hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) can help show which stage of stress you are in and what nutrient cofactors maybe be lacking. For those with adrenal, thyroid and energy concerns, sodium and potassium are often imbalanced, or generally low. And you’ll often find an imbalanced ratio of Na/Mg (sodium to magnesium) in the tissues, an adrenal health indicator. A low Na/Mg ratio (adrenal ratio) indicates adrenal weakness and burnout, and an impaired ability to effectively detox. Minerals do the majority of their work in the tissues, therefore it’s imperative we look there instead of just blood values.
Schedule a Discovery Call HERE so we can talk more about your health concerns and learn more about how functional testing can help you restore your health!
In Your Corner,
Karri
Other reminders: If you are curious about what functional nutritional therapy is, and how it can help you with your current health goals, check out this recent story by COMO Magazine.
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