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Adrenal Fatigue: What Is It?

Stressed? Tired? Cravings? Can't Sleep?

All of these can be related to the constant stress we feel in our lives. We know that stress can have a huge impact on our health and wellness. And, since our adrenal glands produce stress hormones, adrenal fatigue, or HPA Axis Dysregulation, is a popular topic lately.

Our adrenal glands look like walnuts that live on top of both of our kidneys. These important glands produce many hormones, including stress hormones.

But, what happens when they become overworked?

We've all heard of adrenaline junkies, right?

Adrenaline and cortisol are the stress hormones that give us the commonly known adrenaline rush; when we're totally alert and living in the moment. This feeling is known as our bodies' fight or flight response.

Some people, perhaps you, just love that intense feeling.

The release of hormones in the fight or flight response is our bodies' normal reaction to stress. Stress can sometimes be positive, like when it helps us swerve to prevent a car crash, for example. After a short time, the flight or flight response dissipates, our body goes back to normal, and all is good. But what would happen if we felt constant stress? Like all day, every day? Chronic stress.

It wouldn't feel like an awesome, once-in-a-while rush anymore, would it? And what do we think happens to our poor adrenal glands when they’re constantly working?

They’d get fatigued.

Do I Have Adrenal Fatigue?

When our adrenal glands start getting tired of secreting stress hormones day in and out, we may start getting other symptoms.

These symptoms include fatigue, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, weight loss or gain, joint pain and sugar cravings. Even frequent infections like colds and the flu are signs that our adrenals are overworked.

First off, I have to mention that there aren't any medically accepted blood tests for adrenal fatigue. In fact, it's not recognized by most medical professionals until the point when our adrenals are so fatigued they almost stop working. At that point, the official diagnoses of Adrenal Insufficiency or Addison's Disease may apply.

However, if you do have symptoms, you should see your doctor to rule out other conditions. He or she may even be open to discussing adrenal fatigue, or at the very least, wellness strategies that can help to reduce stress, as well as symptoms.

What To Do If I Have These Symptoms?

There are many steps we can take personally to help reduce our stress and improve our health and energy levels.

Ideally, if you think stress is starting to burn you out, stress reduction is key. There are tons of ideas out there on how you can reduce your stress. My favourites are meditation, walking in nature, light exercise, more sleep and taking a bath.

Of course, I also recommend reducing sugar, processed food intake and eating more fruits and vegetables. Better nutrition can only help our bodies, so we should go ahead and do it! What have we got to lose?

All In All...

Our adrenal glands produce hormones in response to stress. After long-term daily stress, they may get tired and overworked.

Adrenal fatigue is a controversial disease that doesn’t have a true diagnostic test at the moment, nor specific telltale symptoms.

The most important thing we can do with regards to adrenal fatigue is to get tested to rule out other potential conditions. We can also try stress reduction techniques like meditation, walks in nature, light exercise, more sleep, or even a lovely bath... all of which are great activities to do, even when relaxed!

DIY: Lavender Bath Salts

Recipe (Stress Reducing Bath Salts): Lavender Bath Salts

Per bath

Ingredients:

2 cups epsom salts
10 drops lavender essential oil

Directions:

As you're running your warm bath water, add ingredients to the tub. Mix until dissolved.
Enjoy your stress-reducing bath!

Pro Tip: We can also add a tablespoon of dried lavender flowers.

Simple Wins:

"Maintaining my 10 lb. weight loss through company, camping & everything life is throwing my way. It was slow & steady with a few bumps especially in the beginning. I am always shocked when I weigh & see the number hasn't jumped up. It has become a way of life. I also try to do at least 1 physical activity. I am loving how I have muscle in my arms & upper back. I can now load my kayaks onto my car by myself!"

-Simple Swaps Member Barbara

How Can Food Help Reduce Stress?

Fatigue and stress can come from a lot of different sources. Not all of them can be fixed with nutrition, but good, fulfilling eating habits go a long way in contributing to our overall health. I would like to help you with that!

I'd love for you to book a free health coaching call. I want to find out what you are struggling with and give you my best tips to start you on a journey toward a lean and healthy body for life.

Click on the button below to book your free call now.

Book Your Free Call Now!

References:
https://www.dietvsdisease.org/adrenal-fatigue-real/
https://www.thepaleomom.com/adrenal-fatigue-pt-1/

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6 Essential Vitamins & Minerals You Need Daily To Optimize Your Health

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About Vitamins & Minerals

Of course, we know that we need a wide range of vitamins and minerals in our diets, but we're not always so clued up on why they’re so important, and what they can do for our health.

Vitamin C is an obvious one, but there are lots of others that play important roles in our bodies and we don’t always get enough of them in our diet. Let's talk a little bit more about 6 essential vitamins and minerals that will help us to stay healthy...

Vitamin A

If we want to keep our eyes and skin healthy, we definitely want to make sure we’re getting enough vitamin A in our diets.

There are two types of vitamin A: retinoids and carotenoids. Both are important for keeping skin, eyes, cells and tissues healthy and increasing immunity. The main difference is where we get them from. Retinoids are more readily found in animal products while carotenoids are usually plant based.

As a general rule of thumb, vitamin A can be found in lots of orange foods, including carrots, sweet potato and cantaloupe melon. Some of the less obvious sources include kale, spinach, liver, eggs, red peppers and mangoes.

Most of us will get enough vitamin A in our diet if we eat the right foods but be wary of supplementing, as too much vitamin A can be dangerous, especially if when pregnant. Our body stores it rather than flushing out any excess and if the level gets too high, it can be toxic. If we stick to getting our vitamin A intake from foods, we won't have anything to worry about.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is more of an antioxidant than a vitamin, and can help to protect our bodies against the damaging effects of free radicals. Without this, oxidative stress is a problem, and this has been linked to lots of health issues, including serious ones.

Almonds are a great natural source of vitamin E. We can also eat sunflower seeds, spinach, kale, asparagus, celery, cucumber and tomato to boost our vitamin E intake.

Iron

When we are lacking energy and feeling out of breath, it could be a sign that we’re not getting enough iron. Women can be particularly prone to iron deficiency anemia, thanks to the blood we lose at that time of the month! Iron helps hemoglobin, the pigment in red blood cells, to transport oxygen around the body.

Liver is a really good source of iron, but if you don’t eat meat, there are still plenty of other options. Spinach, beans, lentils, chickpeas, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds can also give us an iron boost. Bonus points when we can team these with a vitamin C rich food, so that the iron is absorbed more easily.

A good example of this combination is this sweet potato curry recipe. It is full of iron boosting chickpeas and spinach, plus vitamin C to help with absorption.

Magnesium

When chronic fatigue and muscle cramps are common problems, it may be a sign we need to up our magnesium intake. This is a mineral that lots of people are deficient in, which is bad news given how many key roles it plays in the body. From heart health to protecting against osteoporosis, this is one mineral we really don’t want to be lacking in!

If we want to make sure we are getting enough magnesium, we can get more of it through bananas, dark chocolate, leafy greens and pumpkin seeds.

Potassium

Potassium is another mineral that can cause a lot of problems if we’re not getting enough of it in our diets. It’s involved in keeping muscles and nerves healthy, and is also important for our kidneys and digestive system.

Good sources of potassium include avocado, bananas, potato, sweet potato, prunes and raisins. We can also drink coconut water, which often also contains other minerals such as magnesium and zinc.

These Banana and Sweet Potato Muffins are a great way to combine two potassium rich ingredients and are totally delicious.

Chromium

Chromium is a mineral that lots of people have never heard of, but it’s really important for making sure every cell in our bodies get vital energy. If we don’t get enough chromium, we may even get sugar cravings.

We don’t need to eat very differently to get enough chromium, as whole grains, meat, most vegetables and some herbs all contain it.

This chicken curry recipe offers a healthy dose of meat and veggies and is super easy to make too!

All In All...

Eating a balanced diet full of whole foods is definitely the way to go for getting essential vitamins and minerals into our diets.

The more natural colours we see on our plates, the better! Eating the rainbow and loading up our plates with lots of different colors every day will go a long way towards ensuring we don’t become deficient in key nutrients.

Make Sure You're Getting Your Vitamins!

Want to make sure you're getting all the vitamins you should be? Unsure what the best way to integrate certain vitamins into your diet is? Have any additional questions about any of these vitamins?

I'd love for you to book a free health coaching call and help you answer those questions. I want to find out what you are struggling with and give you my best tips to start you on a journey toward a lean and healthy body for life.

Click on the button below to book your free call now.

Book Your Free Call Now!

References:
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/sweet-potato-chickpea-amp-spinach-curry/
http://sweetlikecocoa.com/vegan-banana-sweet-potato-muffins/
https://80twentynutrition.com/recipe/curry-chicken-healthy-simple/

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How Do I Keep My Blood Sugar Stable?

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Oh, The Words "Blood Sugar..."

Do they conjure up visions of restrictive eating, diabetes medications, or insulin injections?

Blood sugar is the measure of the amount of sugar in our blood. We need the right balance of sugar in our blood to fuel our brains and muscles.

The thing is, it can fluctuate. A lot.

This fluctuation is the natural balance between the things that increase it, and the things that decrease it. When we eat food with sugars or starches, carbs, then our digestive systems absorb sugar into our blood. When carbs are ingested and broken down into simple sugars, our bodies keep blood sugar levels stable by secreting insulin. Insulin allows excess sugar to get out of our bloodstream and into our muscle cells and other tissues for energy.

Why Keep Our Blood Sugar Stable?

Our bodies want our blood sugar to be at an optimal level. It should be high enough so that we're not light-headed, fatigued, and irritable. It should be low enough that our bodies aren't scrambling to remove excess from the blood.

When blood sugar is too low, this is referred to as hypoglycemia.

When blood sugar is too high, it is referred to as hyperglycemia. Prolonged periods of elevated blood sugar levels, chronic hyperglycemia, can lead to insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is when our cells are just so bored of the excess insulin that they start ignoring, or resisting, it. That keeps our blood sugar levels too high.

Insulin resistance and chronic hyperglycemia can eventually lead to diabetes.

So, let’s look at how we can optimize our food and lifestyle to keep our blood sugar stable.

Foods For Stable Blood Sugar

The simplest thing to do to balance our blood sugar is to reduce the number of refined sugars and starches we eat. To do this, we can start by avoid sweet drinks like soft drinks and sweetened iced tea and having smaller portions of dessert. We can also swap out starchy carb like white bread, white rice and white pasta for whole grain varieties.

Eating more fiber is helpful too. Fiber helps to slow down the amount of sugar absorbed from our meals and reduces the spike in our blood sugar levels. Fiber is found in plant-based foods, as long as they are eaten in their natural state, as processing foods removes fiber. Eating nuts, seeds, and whole fruits and veggies (not juiced) is a great way to increase our fiber intake.

FUN FACT: Cinnamon has been shown to help cells increase insulin sensitivity. Not to mention it’s a delicious spice that can be used in place of sugar. Hint, it’s in the recipe below, so keep reading.

Lifestyle For Stable Blood Sugar

Exercise also helps to improve our insulin sensitivity, this means that our cells don't ignore insulin's call to get excess sugar out of the blood. Not to mention, when we exercise, our muscles are using up that sugar they absorbed from our blood. But we already knew that exercise is healthy, didn't we?

Would you believe that stress affects our blood sugar levels? Yup! Stress hormones increase our blood sugar levels. Thinking about the fight or flight stress response, what fuel do our brains and muscles need to fight or flee? Sugar! When we are stressed, signals are sent to release stored forms of sugar back into the bloodstream, increasing blood sugar levels. So, we should try to reduce the stress we're under and manage it more effectively. Simple tips are meditation, deep breathing, or gentle movement.

Sleep goes hand-in-hand with stress. When we don't get enough quality sleep, we tend to release stress hormones, have a higher appetite, and even get sugar cravings. Sleep is a crucial, often overlooked, factor when it comes to keeping our blood sugar stable. Making sleep more of a priority will do our blood sugar, and the rest of our physical and mental health, good.

Summing It All Up

Our bodies are on a constant 24-hour quest to keep our blood sugar stable. The body has mechanisms in place to do this, but those mechanisms can get tired or resistant. Long-term blood sugar issues can spell trouble.

There are many nutrition and lifestyle approaches we can take to help keep our blood sugar stable. Minimizing excessive carbs, eating more fiber, exercising, reducing stress, and improving sleep are all key to having stable blood sugar, and overall good health.

Recipe: Cinnamon Apples

Recipe (Blood Sugar Balancing): Cinnamon Apples

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 apples, chopped
1 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Place chopped apples into a small saucepan with 2 tbsp water. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. After about 5 minutes the apples will become slightly soft, and water will be absorbed.
Add 1 tbsp coconut oil. Stir apples and oil together.
Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
Add cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Stir well.
Cook for another few minutes, stirring until the apples reach your desired softness!
Serve and enjoy!

Pro Tip: Keeping the peel on increases the fiber, which is even better for stabilizing our blood sugar.

Keeping Our Blood Sugar Under Control

Wondering how you can implement nutrition and lifestyle tips in order to keep your blood sugar regulated?

I'd love for you to book a free health coaching call. I want to find out what you are struggling with and give you my best tips to start you on a journey toward a lean and healthy body for life.

My clients often tell me after their first week in the Simple Swaps program, their cravings for sweets settle down and they are able to make better food choices naturally. They love the new freedom they find with regards to food!

Click on the button below to book your free call now.

Book Your Free Call Now!

References:
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/research-review-blood-sugar
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-ways-to-lower-blood-sugar

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How Can I Get Enough Vitamin D?

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When We Think Of Vitamins...

...we know they're super important for our health.

But vitamin D is special.

It's difficult to get enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is, therefore, a very common deficiency. We're lucky at the moment, as one of the easiest ways to get vitamin D is through sun exposure! Since it's currently summer and is very sunny in many places around the world, this is not a particularly difficult task right now. However, once winter rolls around, or for people who live in less sunny climates, things get a little more complicated!

So, let's talk about how much of this critical, fat-soluble vitamin we need, and how we can get enough of it. Without a doubt, the three best ways to get vitamin D are exposure to the sun, consuming vitamin D containing food, and through supplements. Keep reading to find out more about this fascinating vitamin!

Why & How Much?

Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium from our food and acts like a hormone to help us build strong bones. Vitamin D can also help with immune function, cellular growth, and help to prevent mood imbalances such as depression and seasonal affective disorder.

Not getting enough vitamin D can lead to bone diseases like osteomalacia. Inadequate vitamin D can also increase risk of heart disease, autoimmune diseases, certain cancers, and even death. The official minimum amount of vitamin D to strive for each day is merely 400-600 IU. However, many experts think that this is not nearly enough for optimal health.

To ensure we get adequate amounts of vitamin D, we can implement any combination of the three vitamin D sources mentioned below on a weekly basis.

How Can I Get Enough From The Sun?

Our skin produces vitamin D when it's exposed to the sun, that's why it's referred to as the sunshine vitamin. The amount of vitamin D our skin can produce depends on many factors such as location, season, clouds, and clothing.

One standard recommendation is to get about 5–30 minutes of sun exposure between 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. to the face, arms, legs, or back. This should be done without sunscreen, at least twice a week. Of course, we should always avoid sunburns and of course, in some locations and seasons of the year, it's not easy to get sun exposure. So, how can we get enough vitamin D in other ways?

How Can I Get Enough From Food?

Vitamin D is naturally found in fatty fish, liver, and egg yolks. Some mushrooms produce vitamin D when they're exposed to the sun.

Some foods are fortified, which means vitamin D has been added to them. These foods include milk, some orange juices, breakfast cereals, and yogurt. It will say on the label how much vitamin D has been added per serving.

Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, we can increase absorption of it from our food if we eat it with some healthy fats. Between sun exposure and food, it still may be difficult to get even the minimum of 400 IU of vitamin D each day. This is why vitamin D supplements are quite popular.

How Can I Get Enough From Supplements?

It's easy enough to just pop a pill or take some cod liver oil (which also contains vitamin A). Either of these options can ensure that we get the minimum amount of vitamin D, plus a bit extra.

Before we take vitamin D containing supplements, however, we should make sure we check that they won't interact with other supplements or medications we may be taking. We should always read our labels, and ask healthcare professionals for advice.

We should also not take more than the suggested dosage on the label of any vitamin D supplement, except under medical care.

The maximum amount recommended for the general population is 4,000 IU/day. Too much vitamin D can raise the levels of calcium in our blood unsafely, and this can affect our hearts and kidneys.

If concerned, the best thing is to ask healthcare professionals to do a blood test and make a recommendation about how much vitamin in supplement form is right for you. Healthcare practitioners may recommend higher amounts of vitamin D supplementation for a short time while under their care.

Recipe Time!

Overall, vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin. Many people have a hard time maintaining adequate levels of it, especially in the winter months or in certain climates. There are three main ways to get enough of vitamin D: sun exposure, through certain foods, and in supplements. These options should give us some ideas as to how we can get the minimum 400-600 IU of vitamin D daily.

If concerned, it's best to request a blood test that tests vitamin D levels to be sure what's right. Always take supplements as directed.

Why not start today by checking out the vitamin D rich recipe below?

Recipe: Super Simple Grilled Salmon

Recipe (Vitamin D): Super Simple Grilled Salmon

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 wild salmon fillets
1 bunch asparagus
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 black pepper
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried dill
4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat the oven broiler and raise the oven rack. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and place fish on top, skin-side down. Surround with a single layer of asparagus.
Sprinkle the fish and asparagus with sea salt, pepper, parsley, and dill. Drizzle with olive oil.
Broil for 8-10 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve & enjoy!

Pro Tip: Serve with a side of rice or quinoa.

Simple Wins:

"I haven't measured or weighed myself in weeks and when I stood on the scale last night I was down 2 pounds just by trying to do my best. And I feel amazing."

-Simple Swaps Member Melissa

Fulfilling Your Vitamin D Quota

If you want to start being more mindful about getting enough vitamin D in your diet, I would love to chat with you about different options you can try to do just that! If there's anything else you would like to chat about regarding your diet, we can cover that too.

I'd love for you to book a free health coaching call. I want to find out what you are struggling with and give you my best tips to start you on a journey toward a lean and healthy body for life.

My clients often tell me after their first week in the Simple Swaps program, their cravings for sweets settle down and they are able to make better food choices naturally. They love the new freedom they find with regards to food!

Click on the button below to book your free call now.

Book Your Free Call Now!

References:
http://thewellnessbusinesshub.com/yes-nutrient-deficiencies-heres-proof-can/
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/reference/table/ref_vitam_tbl-eng.php
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-vitamin-d
https://authoritynutrition.com/vitamin-d-101/

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Health Coach Cheryl

I am a health coach, wife and mother of 6. I have spent the last 20 years incorporating REAL FOODS into my family’s nutrition plan, while helping others to do the same.

Health News

Adrenal Fatigue: What Is It?

Stressed? Tired? Cravings? Can't Sleep?

Do I Have Adrenal Fatigue?

What To Do If I Have These Symptoms?

All In All...

DIY: Lavender Bath Salts

How Can Food Help Reduce Stress?

6 Essential Vitamins & Minerals You Need Daily To Optimize Your Health

About Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamin A

Vitamin E

Iron

Magnesium

Potassium

Chromium

All In All...

Make Sure You're Getting Your Vitamins!

How Do I Keep My Blood Sugar Stable?

Oh, The Words "Blood Sugar..."

Why Keep Our Blood Sugar Stable?

Foods For Stable Blood Sugar

Lifestyle For Stable Blood Sugar

Summing It All Up

Recipe: Cinnamon Apples

Keeping Our Blood Sugar Under Control

How Can I Get Enough Vitamin D?

When We Think Of Vitamins...

Why & How Much?

How Can I Get Enough From The Sun?

How Can I Get Enough From Food?

How Can I Get Enough From Supplements?

Recipe Time!

Recipe: Super Simple Grilled Salmon

Fulfilling Your Vitamin D Quota

Health Coach Cheryl

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