The Adrenal glands are very small but very important endocrine glands that provide energy control for the body. They can be viewed as the emergency back-up batteries of the body that kick into play when the body needs a boost. You may already be familiar with adrenaline, a chemical that the Adrenal glands produce to signal the body that there is a stress that needs to be dealt with by the body immediately. The Adrenals will be greatly affected by long term stresses on the body, whether physically, like exposure to cold for a long time or long term illness, or emotionally, like the loss of a job or imminent danger to a child. The adrenals are also intricately involved in the function of the heart and respiration and so are very important to address with all serious ill patients. Since the adrenals are the “back-up” system for the body, when they are tired, they quickly become the priority need for support.
The Adrenal glands, like all endocrine glands of the body, will slow down eventually if not receiving proper nutrition or if they’re trying to balance body functions. They will be affected by the speeding up or slowing down of other endocrine organs as well. The “hypo” or fatigued state of the Adrenals can indicate the body’s inability to deal with major stress or illness and can also negatively affect energy levels and increase body weight. The body may swing between Hyper and Hypo states in an attempt to regain balance within the endocrine system, especially in concert with sugar handling. Finally, the caffeine found in many hot and cold beverages can over-stimulate the Adrenal glands and “whip a tired horse” meaning avoidance of stimulants can be a great benefit to Adrenal function.
| Weakness, dizziness | Chronic fatigue |
| Low blood pressure | Nails weak, ridged |
| Tendency to hives | Arthritic tendencies |
| Perspiration increases | Bowel disorders |
| Poor circulation | Swollen ankles |
| Crave salt | Brown spots or bronzing of skin |
| Allergies-tendency to asthma | Weakness after colds, influenza |
| Exhaustion – muscular and nervous | Respiratory Disorders |
Nutrition is essential to overall health! Feeding the body properly keeps our systems working well and working together. A deficiency within one system may cause an array of issues throughout the body.