large families Archives - Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau

Nov 10 2017

Targeted Supplements for Adrenal Health

I am not a medical doctor. Use this information at your own risk. This article may contain affiliate links.

I’ve been writing about my journey with adrenal fatigue (starting here), sharing some of my research, and explaining what has worked for me and others I’ve encountered over the years. In my previous article, I told you what I eat. In this article, I’ll tell you the other things I eat.

But, first, this.

Can You Heal Yourself?

My goal in writing this series was to to give you enough information to help yourself. Many people heal from dis-ease and illness on their own, so it’s possible to DIY the rebalancing of adrenal hormones, too.

On the other hand, what I’m sharing about today is confusing and more complicated than previous topics. If performed incorrectly, there’s the potential of disrupting health in other ways; frankly, it can even be dangerous. In light of the seriousness of this topic, it’s a good idea to hire a health partner for this part of your healing. If you do, I recommend finding a natural, alternative, functional, integrative or holistic health practitioner to get this step right (that’s important, since traditional doctors are usually unable to help).

Taking Vitamins and Supplements

By now, most people know it’s impossible to get the nutrients our bodies need from food alone. At least, not from the foods readily available in this country, and certainly not in the quantities it would take for optimal health. It’s why so many Americans are chronically ill, why there’s a huge market for miracle products, and why advertisers are successful pushing systems to [allegedly] solve all manner of health issues.

I am of the opinion that every American would probably benefit by supplementing what they eat with “nutriceuticals” (the term used to describe vitamins, minerals, and other formulas designed to create health). But, instead of going with the latest all-in-one product or formulation, I think people should take a very exact approach.

To me, nutritional supplementation is like chemistry — it requires accuracy and precision, not just the dumping of substances into a container and waiting for a reaction. That’s my approach — full disclosure. I’m not big on multi-vitamins, unless someone needs exactly what is in the formulation, in exactly those doses.

Supplementation is like chemistry. It requires accuracy & precision #adrenalfatigue…

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Adrenal Support

Turns out, when the adrenals are imbalanced, nutritional supplementation is very important. Since the adrenals produce many hormones that perform many jobs, in addition to hormones themselves, other things can go out of balance, too. So, this is where the nutriceuticals come in, and where it becomes confusing trying to figure out which exact formulas will solve the imbalance.

Not everyone understands how vitamins and supplements work. I know I didn’t at first. What happens is that some substances work together, while others interfere with each other in a way. Still others require their own support in order to even be effective. It’s a puzzle for sure, but a puzzle that someone with the right training can figure out quickly and easily.

When adrenals are imbalanced supplementation is really important. #adrenalfatigue #notlazyorcrazy

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I personally take many things when my adrenals are run down. I also take other things every single day of the year. Something I learned over the years is to tune in to all the areas of my body, not just the ones I think require support, and help them each individually. What that looks like, at least for me, is continually checking in, monitoring, tweaking, and changing the supplements I take throughout my life.

People want specifics, so I’ll share examples that work for me (but may not be appropriate for you): Though I eat well, I consume extra iodine. Even though I live in Florida, I watch my level of vitamin D3. For adrenal support, I add this magnesium powder into my green drinks. I use Holy Basil when stressed or very busy, enjoying this particular tea on a regular basis.

Those are just examples of products that work for me. I could tell you everything else I take, but I can’t tell you what your body requires. I wish I could give you a list, but because I care about you, I want you to get this part exactly right.

What I Recommend

What I recommend for supplementation is one of two things. Either A) do some testing on yourself (either muscle test, carefully experiment, get your own lab work, or all of the above) and do extensive research to learn what you need; or B) hire a professional.

If it’s your desire to study this field and take the DIY approach, do it. Though I warn you — it’s a part-time job! Or, if it’s within your budget to hire a practitioner, I highly recommend doing that instead.

In the next article, I’ll share additional techniques that may help re-balance adrenal hormones. You’re invited to SUBSCRIBE using the button on my home page, and the article will be delivered to your Inbox when it’s ready.

Hope to see you in the next article,

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!

Oct 27 2017

Adrenal Fatigue: What it is and how it happens

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I recently wrote an article about adrenal fatigue (here). In it, I revealed how I had suffered with adrenal exhaustion years ago, and I listed some of the symptoms I had when my adrenal fatigue was at its worst. The article is being shared rather widely, validating once again how many people suffer from adrenal issues and are searching for a cure. The information I shared wasn’t readily available when I looked for it in my 30’s and 40’s. That’s part of why I decided to share more about this problem with you today.

Though my adrenals have been fine for a long time, I began noticing they needed attention again this year. After dealing with a difficult problem over the last 10 months, I can’t say I’m surprised my adrenals began to speak out. If you think of the adrenal glands as the “first responders” of the body, it’s easy to see how they produce some of the first noticeable signs when the body falls out of balance again. Because the adrenals are quick to react but slow to calm down once they’ve been stressed too long, they produce a range of uncomfortable symptoms that are just too hard to ignore.

I’d like to offer a short anatomy lesson, for those who aren’t familiar with the location and job of the adrenal glands in the human body.

Learn what the adrenals do and how they do it #adrenalfatigue #notlazyorcrazy

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Adrenal Glands: A Quick Overview

Every one of us has 2 adrenal glands, each about the size of a thumb, which are located on top of each kidney on either side of the body. The primary job of the adrenal glands is to produce a variety of hormones (more than 50 I believe) that are necessary for human life. Most people have probably heard of the adrenal hormone called “adrenaline”, which is the one that comes to our rescue during times of extreme fear or situations requiring quick action. Adrenaline is the hormone that rushes blood to our heads so we can think clearly in emergencies. It also rushes blood to our hearts and muscles so they can briefly become super-powerful and quickly react to whatever emergency situation is at hand (think of the parent able to lift a vehicle off a child after an accident).

Another hormone released by the adrenals is “cortisol”. In a perfect world, cortisol would be released in precise dosages into the body throughout the day, helping us rise in the morning, perform our daily activities with an appropriate amount of energy, and feel ready to go to sleep at night. Cortisol function is disturbed when the adrenals are severely under stress, however. What would normally proceed like clockwork becomes greatly out of balance, and the changes in cortisol levels are felt as the various symptoms we commonly associate with adrenal fatigue or exhaustion. (See this list of symptoms.)

Typically, this excess cortisol produces a feeling of being on constant “high alert” without the ability to calm down. With the adrenals overloaded and hormone levels unregulated in the cyclical way I described earlier, the body remains in a continually heightened state (some call it fear, nervousness, stress, or anxiety). It’s like the high alert can never be turned off. Which is why adrenal fatigue sufferers always feel so wired, so anxious, so nervous, and so jittery all the time; or in contrast, so utterly exhausted and practically unable to move when the alert has finally ended.

Fight or Flight Response

In reality, the stress response I’ve just described is life-saving and necessary for humans to react to real emergencies. If we look back in time to when humans would flee from wild animals or, later, human predators, we can understand why “fight or flight” is necessary for actual survival.

[An easy book for learning about stress and relaxation is, “The Relaxation Response” by Dr. Herbert Benson. If you’re interested in learning more, even though it’s an older book, it’s a good one to start out with.]

A problem today is that the human body hasn’t quite adapted to face the situations it’s living under in modern society. We are constantly bombarded with information and other stimuli, and we’re surrounded by mock emergency situations, or at least those we perceive as being urgent RIGHT NOW. The typical American lifestyle can wreak havoc on a body not designed to handle the overload of modern western culture. Our bodies lose the ability to chill out between episodes of stressful activity and bounce back to its naturally restful state.

Here’s a simple equation representing what I’ve just said:

Modern living = too many emergencies = adrenals can’t rest = bodies unlearn how to calm down.

Here’s the translation:

The adrenals get fooled into thinking there’s an alarm going off all the time.

The adrenals get fooled into thinking there’s an alarm going off all the time. #adrenalfatigue…

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I’ve learned so much by healing myself and helping others over the years. In the next installment I’ll begin sharing specifics to start healing the adrenal glands. There’s a subscribe button at the very bottom of my home page if you want to follow along.

Here’s that book by Dr. Benson again (affiliate):

To your health and healing,

May 19 2017

The art of slowing down

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There once was a woman raising a houseful of delightfully inquisitive children. The woman chose home education for the children, and it soon became her full-time job. Despite her new job, she continued performing the other jobs she had prior to starting her own school. And, because no one ever told the woman she couldn’t do it all, she never said no, never asked for help, and just kept adding more things to her calendar. To be productive, the woman was always in motion, and she was continually juggling many things. Her days were spent rushing from one task to another, morning until night, with never a break in between. Because her life was successful, it never dawned on the woman to lighten her load, not even one bit. Until one day, when things started going wrong. The woman’s health showed signs of stress (though she had no time to notice). More serious symptoms developed (but there was no time to figure them out). Until finally, the woman broke. Her body had grown very sick from being ignored for so long. It screamed so painfully, she had no choice but to finally listen. So, she did.

When I tell the longer version of my story, there’s a part where people in the audience begin nodding their heads. That’s because busyness and rushing through life rings true for many people. Brave women will come up afterwards, finally realizing what they’ve been doing to themselves. Every one of them wishing they’d known this sooner, rather than spending years of pain, frustration, doctor hopping, and thinking they were a tad crazy.

The good news, I tell my audiences, is this madness can be stopped. As in 100%. That’s the message I’m sharing with you, now. You don’t have to live like that. No one does.

Want to un-create a life of stress & busyness? Simple instructions found here:

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This lifestyle I’m referring to — this crazy one of busyness and rushing – is one created by ourselves. Meaning, if we can create it, we can un-create it. No one needs to suffer as I did, and as 50 million other Americans suffering with autoimmune dis-eases do. With a simple mind shift, we can change our jam-packed lives, and no longer be sick from putting so much pressure on ourselves.

The Secret

What’s the secret to creating this new life? In reality, there are many secrets, each depending on the circumstances and symptoms of the sufferer. But, there is one universal secret I can share freely, since it’s a prescription that helps everyone who tries it:

~ Slow down ~

Sounds simple, right? And yet, if you’re used to operating at the heightened levels I’ve described, slowing down can be the hardest thing in the world. We’re resistant to change, plus our belief systems like to be right. Slowing down assaults the ego, speaking poorly about our ability to cope and handle it all.

Not an easy change to make.

But, How Exactly?

Slowing down means different things to different people. In general, it’s about lightening your load, taking on less, and especially making space in your life to be still. It takes guts to cancel long-held commitments and start saying no more often. If you’re like others who do this to themselves, it takes even more guts to sit still for more than a few minutes without guilting yourself into thinking you should be doing something else.

But, slowing down also means physically slowing down, something some people have never known. It could look like a leisurely walk in the park or a yoga class in the evenings. It could mean observing with consciousness every move you make, and deliberately slowing it down, which is what worked for me.

Whatever slowing down means to you, it’s important to find it and start doing it right away. You’ll be surprised how the simple act of slowing down can make such a difference. In health, emotions, relationships, and in all other aspects of life. And if you’re worried about losing your edge or sacrificing excellence, I can help you with that, too. Let’s talk.

Be warned though. Slowing down may take years of practice before letting go of old patterns. Remember, we’re programmed from an early age to do it all, and our powerful belief systems will fight us all the way. But, I have seen the miracles of slowing down in myself and so many women around me. Isn’t it worth exploring in your life, too?

Let go of old patterns and create a simple life of balance. Find out how.

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For your inspiration, I’m including 2 powerful TED talks that target this issue in very some personal and profound ways. The first is a talk by Carl Honore, the author of “In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed” (see the book here). The second is a talk by Katrina Alcorn, the author of “Maxxed Out: American Moms on the Brink” (see the book here).

Let me know how you’re doing in a COMMENT today. This is an important conversation, and I’d love to share it with you here.

To your health and healing,

Feb 05 2016

Saying YES to rest and play (and a challenge!)

If you’re like most women, you cram more than your share of projects and deadlines into every day. With a list a mile long, you live life focused on completion, meeting (ridiculously high) standards, covering all the bases, and making sure you never neglect anyone or anything along the way.

You’re focused, hard-working, and forever the person in charge. You step up to the plate. Every. Single. Time.

You have to, amiright? That stuff won’t get done by itself.

Listen, I understand. I was that woman, too. Forever the list-maker, the achiever, the over-doer, I was always the volunteer and person in charge. I loved it. On the surface, it actually felt really, really good. In fact I wouldn’t have experienced much of my early success without those early behaviors. Chances are, your focus on production and over-achievement probably serves you well, too.

But The Problem

While chronic busy-ness serves a useful purpose, it doesn’t come without a heavy price. We’re talking sleep, weight, relationships, happiness, and all of it.

You know what I’m talking about.

I meet women every day who do way too much.

Do you?

Perhaps you know you’re too busy and admit your suffering out loud. Or, maybe you don’t know it, but your busy-ness shows up in the form of sickness or pain. I meet high-achieving women going through all kinds of things in my my practice every week.

A Simple Solution

There is a solution, and it’s a lot simpler than you might think.

It’s down time— however you define that for yourself.

Down time refers to time for yourself, doing things that bring pleasure. This isn’t a luxury, by the way. It’s necessary for a healthy, stress-free life.

Regular time off isn’t a luxury. It’s necessary for a healthy, stress-free life.

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If you were to ask me 10 or 20 years ago when was the last time I sat around doing nothing, I’d have laughed at you out loud. Back then, I couldn’t even recall a time when I allowed myself time to just sit and be. I believed it was a huge weakness to goof off, so I never allowed myself the indulgence, for it would destroy my production for the whole day.

Boy, was I wrong.

Looking back at the wisdom of people who counseled, “Go for a walk, read a book, or take a nap”, I see now that I had a lot to learn about health and happiness. My lack of this kind of awareness didn’t allow me to see past the flurry of activity and endless stream of things on my schedule.

If I’d allowed myself regular time off, I wouldn’t have developed my illness, nor the painful symptoms that plagued me for many years.

Say YES to rest and play

Fast forward many years, much research, and many experiences and I see the things that stole big chunks of my life away. I am now called to counsel women and spread the important message about the value of self-care.

Often, I’m met with resistance — those familiar excuses I used for many years, too. Despite them, we work together on prioritizing, eliminating distractions, and discarding time-sucking activities. We rework schedules and find blocks of necessary time for the rest and peace they so richly deserve. Plus, I teach how to accept self-care without guilt, otherwise it isn’t self-care at all.

The 7-Day Challenge

Ready to try something better in your life?

Will you commit to making time for rest & play daily for a week?

I’d like to see you take an hour daily, for one week. But, if you can’t, 30 minutes will do.

You can keep a journal about how you feel if that’s your jazz. Or, just reflect on the experience before you go to bed at night to notice if you feel any different.

If, after a week, you don’t feel the challenge has been worth it, I understand…it just might not be your time to receive this message. But, if you’ve enjoyed it, keep going. You’ll grow in knowing the importance of down time for your mind, body and spirit.

To your evolution,

Sep 12 2015

Grab some “me time” today. And every day.

Homeschoolers don’t always see eye to eye, but there is one thing we all agree on — spending time with our kids. If you’re the mom of a newborn, you’ve experienced those same feelings. You wouldn’t part with those precious moments for anything, right?

So, while so other parents cannot wait for kids to go back to school, there are many of us who love having our kids around. At home, everywhere we go, all the time.

I include myself in that categorization. I wouldn’t trade a second of these priceless years with my kiddos for anything life has to offer. Actually, I wish those years hadn’t ended quite so soon.

But, what I’m here to tell you, is that all that “togetherness” doesn’t come without a price tag. Which we gladly pay, by the way — no hesitation, truly. But, when surrounded by kids all day, the house can feel pretty crowded.

I’m not saying we don’t get out. And this isn’t about uncooperative, misbehaving children. What it is, is about real life. And, in real life, unless you’re super human (or possibly on TV), there’s only so much time you can handle being with so many people all the time.

I’m the first to admit it. And, believe me, I love my kids to pieces. But, there are definitely some days I just can’t take all the questions, the constant talking, the never-ending noise, the movement, the bickering, the activity, the messes, and all the people up in my face all the time.

Does this make me a bad parent? Of course not. And though I understand our lifestyle is one of learning together and creating a life of teamwork, cooperation, yada, yada, really, there are days when we get on each other’s nerves.

Few people admit this, by the way. Some friends talked about it during a recent podcast, which I felt was fairly ground-breaking, since it’s usually a hush-hush kind of thing. Who doesn’t want the world to think they have it “all together”? Imagine how horrifying to be found out?

Who doesn’t want the world to think they have it all together? Imagine how horrifying to be found…

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So, today, I want to tell you about a little discovery I made some 20 years ago called “Me Time”, in which I give myself permission to grab a break from the overwhelming togetherness of my family. I highly recommend the concept to anyone currently doing a little too much. Which probably includes most of those reading.

‘Me time’ begins by coining a phrase you happen to like (time out, nap time, whatever), explaining the terms to your family. Beyond that, it’s simply the art of putting your miraculous little plan into action.

There are no rules specifically, except to consider whether the time out is just about you (as in, you take a break while everybody else carries on), or whether it’s a general family thing (where everyone retreats to wherever-you-tell-them while you all take a break from each other).

Personally, when I drop the two magic words, I expect everyone to scatter to their rooms, play outside, read a book, or just basically get away from me. And, barring anything serious (blood or fire), I expect them to stay away for a good long time (5-60 minutes, depending on the day I’m having).

But, by all means, get creative, using the concept however you’d like.

I don’t use a timer or a stopwatch, but you can.

I don’t tell my kids where to go (they’re much older) but you can.

Is it harder with babies and toddlers around? You betcha. However, at the very least, you should be able to put them somewhere safe for a few minutes while you go off and collect the pieces of yourself. When mine were younger, that would have been a crib, play pen, or a swinging or bouncing device. Or, occasionally, in a moving car (with me, of course) as the absolute last resort.

It’s worth noting that “me time” is not a selfish practice. Truthfully, every member of the family can benefit from time apart. Younger children benefit from playing alone and/or decompressing a little while, while teens may welcome a break from the rest of the family anyhow.

Truthfully, every member of the family can benefit from time apart now and then.

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For me, the benefit is returning back to the family a nicer person. A more patient mommy. And an wife who isn’t grumpy or irritable over never having time to herself.

Are you giving yourself permission for “me time” now and then? Let me know in the comments! I know my readers would enjoy knowing how this works for you.

To your success without overwhelm,