Back to school season is right around the corner, which means it’s time to gear up for hours of studying and early morning classes. Is anybody stressed just thinking about it?
When people are overcome with periods of stress, the human body produces a hormone called cortisol, which acts in response to the physical and mental stress that your body experiences. Sometimes, prolonged periods of stress can make one’s cortisol levels go up and down. Due to this fluctuation, stress can end up causing symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
Adrenal Fatigue
Although “adrenal fatigue” is not a true medical diagnosis in traditional medical standards, it is in fact a real thing that causes many people debilitating issues if it is not caught by a functional medicine practitioner. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue in Springfield Missouri can include fatigue, poor sleep patterns, brain fog, low blood pressure, unexplained weight loss, and other things that can be mistaken for another illness.
Fortunately, there are some things that you can do naturally to combat stress.
Choosing the appropriate foods as well as incorporating regular exercise can help boost cortisol levels without having to turn to a prescription medication. Making sure that one chooses foods high in B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin C, and antioxidants can help combat this process. Sometimes, it is easier when stressed to pick up an iced latte or a sugary energy drink with lots of caffeine, but really those drinks can be worse for one’s adrenal fatigue. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, a study was done that showed drinking plain black tea four times a day increased cortisol levels, whereas, a sugary caffeinated beverage can have a negative effect.
Matcha
A trendy food item, which has made its way to a lot of coffee shops and natural food stores, is matcha, a type of green tea. Matcha contains a powerful antioxidant called EGCg that differs from its green tea counterparts, which has been shown to be helpful in the prevention of cancer. Other benefits of matcha include boosting metabolism, mood elevation, detoxification, and it is also rich in vitamin C, selenium, magnesium, chromium, and zinc. So, instead of choosing that red bull, make a matcha smoothie instead.
Nuts
Another quick, easy snack to take on the go would be a handful of nuts. It is important to choose a variety of nuts and include Brazil nuts into the mix. Brazil nuts contain 542 micrograms of selenium, which is 774 percent of the daily value for that micronutrient. Selenium is an extremely important micronutrient involved in the regulation of the thyroid. Brazil nuts also contain a lot of other compounds important for boosting mood, and energy. Nuts, in general, are high in saturated fat, which is why sticking to a handful a day is sufficient to reap the nutritional benefits.
Salmon
For a quick meal idea on a stressful night, choose to cook salmon. Salmon is very versatile and can be grilled, baked, or sauteed, or even eaten raw (but be careful with that). Fatty fish like salmon contain a lot of omega 3 fatty acids, which are important for their anti-inflammatory properties in helping with cardiac health and helping to prevent the onset of degenerative diseases of aging like Alzheimer’s. Eating a serving of fatty fish two times a week can be very beneficial in helping to reduce inflammation in the body. Include a dark, leafy green vegetable like spinach, or choose asparagus to reap additional nutritional benefits of vitamin C, potassium, and B vitamins to help combat stress.
Vitamins
If additional support is needed for energy and cortisol regulation, choose a high-quality multivitamin like Mitocore from Ortho Molecular, which contains all the necessary nutrients to supplement dietary intake. Other, more specific products and nutritional supplements, can be used to help address adrenal support.
Happy back to school and please contact Kare Health and Wellness to assist you with any products to help you on your health journey.