I don’t know about you, but I need at least 25 hours in my day. Every day for me finishes like the last. I didn’t have time to exercise, I didn’t have time to catch up on those emails, or do the housework,….and on an on the list goes. I just figure if I had that extra hour in my day I wouldn’t rush around like a headless chook, so to speak, to try and fit, or should I say, cram every possible thing I can think, in now single day!!! But thats my problem isn’t it? I always try and cram,cram cram!! Im always trying to save the day, or burn the midnight oil. But what I’m actually doing is burning myself out. So many of us rush around everyday trying to be the best mum or father, the best husband or wife, the best employee, and just the very best of everything . In doing so, we don’t realise that we are making our bodies speed up at a rate that is not natural to us, we are telling our bodies that everything needs to be done at a rapid pace, but we just cant keep up.
What happens is a little stress hormone called Cortisol is released by our Adrenal Gland. Cortisol is generally designed for short and infrequent stress response. But what happens if everyday is a stressful day? Our Cortisol levels rise and stay above optimal levels. This in turn can lead to other changes in our body. It can elevate Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and can also lead to insulin resistance.
Lets take a look at Cortisol. If working properly, Cortisol is essential in keeping us calm, making us feel good, helping us burn fat and also keeping inflammation and stiffness away. Cortisol is designed to be at its highest in the morning making us bounce out of bed, lower in the middle of the day and lowest at night helping us get ready to sleep.
When we are stressed, Cortisol levels begin to spike, we wake up each day, like the last, chasing our tails until we are running around in circles, and bit by bit we start to slow down, and our Adrenal gland starts to slow down too.
After continual stress, where our Adrenal Glands have excreted Cortisol levels day in and day out to levels that exceed the desired amount, they start to malfunction. They were never designed to sustain the stress and output so they crash, and so do we. We are now in Adrenal Fatigue.
You know that feeling that you get when you are so tired you don’t know how you are going to get though the day? Your constantly chasing that second wind that just wont come. The feeling that you think will get better if you just had time to exercise and eat better but you just cant bring yourself to do either despite all your good intentions because your just so tired?
This Is Adrenal Fatigue. Statistics say that up to 80% of us suffer from this ,yet it is rarely detected as blood tests require the adrenal gland to be 90% obliterated before it is a viable problem.
Having three kids of my own I know every excuse in the book as to why I might be feeling the way I do. I compensate in every way I know possible, and make justifications for the feelings I have.
Truth be told, our bodies are just not equipped to to cope with the constant barrage of pressure we bestow upon it daily. Its time I look after myself. Its time you look after yourself…. Step aside, breath and give our bodies the respite it needs…
The Team at Custom Made Medicine are ready to hear your stories, and help you with any questions you may have regarding Adrenal Fatigue or any other problem.Feel free to ring them or email them and they will respond as soon as they can
Maria Zaknich B.Pharm