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I’ve been sharing advice about dealing with adrenal fatigue over the last few weeks. If you’d like to read the articles from the very beginning, click HERE . If you only want to back up to the previous article, click HERE.
I need to remind you that I’m not a medical doctor. What I am doing is sharing what I’ve learned in over a decade of research, years of personal experience, and a good bit of professional experience working with women who share this particular problem. I also remind you that traditional medicine doesn’t understand this dilemma the way I’m helping you understand it. Finally, remember that the only way to truly recover from adrenal fatigue/overload/exhaustion is to get to the source and take a holistic approach to resolve it. Trust me on this — conventional medicine doesn’t understand what you’re going through and has no idea how to help.
I know you’re anxious to get answers. So, starting with this post, I’m going to share specific things that work for many people. Obviously, you’re unique, so I make no guarantees. Also, there’s always the possibility that something else is going in addition to your adrenal imbalance. All that being said, you agree to read this at your own risk.
So, the first step to healing the adrenals is this: Eliminate your stressors.
Not stressed, you say? Think again.
It’s easy to look at our lives and wonder what could possibly be affecting us so profoundly that our bodies stay on high alert. Even I sometimes fall back into the trap of listening with my brain instead of listening to my body. Our brains tell us to look around at our beautiful homes and our healthy families, reminding us how happy we must be and how blessed we really are. And these are good things, don’t get me wrong, because gratitude is important for healing, too.
The problem is, our outer lives don’t tell the whole picture. Counting blessings doesn’t explain what’s happening with the adrenal glands. As in, why do we feel so crummy if everything else is going so well?
So, because the adrenals don’t function on logic, neither should your assessment of the number of stressors that are in your life. Modern living is full of stress, so people’s lists of stressors are usually quite long.
When tackling adrenal fatigue, it’s crucial to expand your understanding of stressors, and begin actively removing a bunch of them. Now. This isn’t the time to wait around for things to change (if they ever do). If you’re serious about healing the adrenals, you must take an honest look at what’s going IN and AROUND your body. You might be surprised what many of them are.
List of Stressors
- People: Yes, even (often especially) family members, neighbors, close “friends”, people who annoy or disagree, people who are “vampires” of your energy or good will
- Past emotional hurts: Even those we’ve long forgotten (especially those)
- Jobs and Organizations: Those that suck your time, provide little fulfillment, or don’t suit your purpose
- Commuting: How long, how often, and conditions thereof
- Other health issues: Which can add layer upon layer of additional stress
- Household toxins: chemical sprays, cleaning products, candles, air fresheners, beauty products
- Other household toxins: carpeting, furniture, paint, pretreated fabrics, flame-retardant items
- Outdoor toxins: swimming pools, bug sprays, lawn treatments, vehicle emissions
- Positive things: Which can also be stressful, even if they’re fun (vacations, toddlers, out of town guests)
- Plastic: water bottles, storage containers, mattress liners, and any non-safe plastic items
- GMO foods: Research and anectodal evidence beginning to show many harms and dangers
- Non-organic foods: Improperly handled, grown using pesticides, unsafe soils and packaging
- Processed foods: Contain all manner of artificial ingredients, colors, sweeteners, and non-food
- Caffeine and alcohol
- Sugar: Plain sugar plus the sugar hidden in many foods
- Indoor living and lack of sunshine
- Electronics: Overuse of devices, sitting near devices, using too close to bedtime
- Finances: Living above means and struggling, or sensing lack even where there is none
- Lighting: Improper lighting, not enough light, light too close to bedtime
I’m not kidding when I say that ALL those things affect your body, therefore your health. There are others, but those are some of the major culprits when it comes to solving adrenal imbalance.
Which Ones to Eliminate
In my experience, people usually know specifically the people and things that are creating stress in their lives. But, thinking about disconnecting from those stressors creates stress for them, too. Weighing that situation adds to their stress, making eliminating stressors a tough problem in itself.
Despite how hard it might seem, everyone can at least identify at least 3 to 5 stressors (more is better) get rid of them right away. It’s important not to cave in, and to follow thru with the changes as consistently as possible. The rewards will show themselves eventually as a reduction in the level of stress the adrenals have to deal with each day. Ideally, one would take a long vacation and return home after several months completely stress-free. Since that isn’t usually possible, eliminating stressors a few at a time is the only way.
And what about stressors that can never be eliminated? That’s a topic for another article, but the trick is to eliminate those that are possible and train yourself not to react to the rest. I’ve linked a book at the end that might help with the problem of taking on the energy of difficult people.
Final Advice On Stress
Always remember that it took a while for adrenal fatigue to set in, so it will take a while to go away. Dealing with stressors systematically, one at a time, consistently and patiently, will help without a doubt. Though it may take a bit of time to start noticing the effects, a greater sense of calm will eventually return, sometimes within weeks, but definitely within months, and especially if you do some of the others things I’ll talk about in the next article.
Also remember the story about the camel’s back, where it took just one straw to cause the camel’s demise. Though it may have been that final straw that caused your adrenal fatigue to show itself, it took a lot of straws in your personal story to get you to that point. Removing that one straw might help with adrenal fatigue temporarily, but it will only take another straw to break you all over again.
Eliminating many stressors is really required for success. Remove as many “straws” as you possibly can.
Ill keep sharing if you’ll keep reading. Follow me by entering an email address into the SUBSCRIBE box at the bottom of my HOME PAGE.
Book recommendation for “empaths” and others who take on the stress/negativity of others (affiliate):
To your good health,
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!
Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, 
