I am not a medical doctor. Use this information at your own risk. 

I’ve been writing about my journey to adrenal health (starting here), sharing my research, and explaining what has worked for me and countless sufferers I’ve met over the years. In the previous article, I recommended adding nutriceuticals to your diet. In upcoming articles, I’ll share even more tips for achieving adrenal balance.

Today’s topic is about looking back on your adrenal journey. This exercise is important since it identifies behaviors leading to adrenal imbalance in the first place. Looking to the past is crucial in avoiding the same kinds of problems in the future.

I’ll use myself as an example. Bear with me as I describe how long this took me to finally figure out.

Back to My Story 

The first time I experienced adrenal fatigue, I was married and in my early 30’s, juggling a challenging job with a stressful daily commute, and trying to deal with several difficult people who just wouldn’t go away. I didn’t know what it was then, but I see clearly in the rear view mirror. I was skipping meals and skipping sleep. Most days, I was even skipping going to the bathroom. I wasn’t taking proper care of myself.

The second time I had adrenal issues, I was chasing around a toddler and expecting another child, trying to maintain a successful career, and still be the kind of wife and mother I thought I should be. Also, those stressful people were still making me miserable — I hadn’t learned how to disconnect from others who stole my happiness. Again, I didn’t know what was going on. But, looking back, I see the stress I put on my adrenal glands (and, frankly, other parts of my body too).

In those early cases, I tried different things and eventually felt a little better. But I didn’t have a comprehensive plan for healing (articles like these weren’t available). Worse, I went back to the same habits after every crisis.

Which explains why it happened a third time after delivering a third child and enduring a houseful of foreign guests a few weeks later. I was beginning to understand myself at that point, so I knew some of the things that sent me over the edge (overscheduling myself, too high expectations, energy vampires, and house guests). Though I finally started disconnecting from people who caused me stress, I remained stubborn about the other life changes I really needed to make.

By the fourth time my adrenals went out, I studied about hormones and the human body and learned everything about natural healing I could get my hands on. Feeling the worst I’d ever felt in my life, I was desperate for answers. With no other choice, I finally put all the pieces together, and healed myself for good.

What’s Your Story?

The reason I told you my history was so you would understand how these things can go. It isn’t mysterious, but a clear pattern of not listening to the body as it gradually falls apart.

As you can see, I wasn’t lazy and I wasn’t crazy — what happened to me was real (and perfectly understandable). No amount of being told I needed  exercise or a trip to the psychiatrist would’ve helped. In fact, those things only added guilt and frustration to a struggle that was already hard enough to figure out.

Maybe your story is like mine, or maybe it’s quite a bit different. Your body might be like mine, but probably it’s a little different, too. I could tell you what I did each time my adrenals broke down, but could never guarantee the same results. It’s like that list of stressors I wrote about. I felt better after eliminating certain stressors of mine, but there are likely others that really bother you.

What’s important, then, is to review your own life story. What kinds of things set you over the edge? What are your exact symptoms? When do you notice your adrenal fatigue is at its worst (morning, late at night, after a meal)? Do you notice anything different when you eat/don’t eat certain foods? Keeping a journal for a few weeks can be really helpful when answering these questions. If you’ve got recent labs or blood work, tuck those in your journal, too.

Stick with me as we conclude this series in the next few articles (SUBSCRIBE on my home page if you like). If you start doing the things I’m suggesting, I think you’ll notice improvements very soon.

As a coach, writer, recovered over-doer and busyness addict, I understand the challenges of creating a balanced, healthy lifestyle while the mind tries to sabotage your success. In my journey to vibrant health, I created a personalized health system of nutrition and supplementation, lifestyle changes, and I retrained my mind and the energy of my body. I view my success as the formula to my happy, healthy life. I now empower other women to create their own personalized formulas, including the tools and strategies just right for them! Amazing life shifts come from our relationships. I look forward to helping you, too!