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The adrenal
glands are small glands that rest on top of the kidneys. The
outer part, the cortex, produces cortisone or steroids. Its job
is to maintain the body's sodium, potassium, sugar and hormone
levels. The inner portion is the adrenal medulla. It secretes
adrenaline and nor-adrenaline that support the body through situations
of fear, worry, stress or anger; it is the "fight or flight" hormone.
These glands provide us with the hormonal support that is required
by the body to get through the day.
In
today's fast paced society our adrenal glands are constantly
being overworked. We run from one thing to the next, we have
to manage our homes, our children and their lives and activities
and our careers. We eat in a hurry to get from one commitment
to the next and the foods we eat are often not nutritionally
balanced. With this lifestyle, eventually the adrenal glands
begin to shrink in size and become less effective laying the
foundation for many of today's illnesses.
There are other things
that can cause your adrenal glands to become weakened other than
continual stress and poor diet. Excessive sugar or carbohydrate
intake, over use of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine or medications
all affect the function of the adrenals. Additional burdens to
the adrenals are: too much exercise, exposure to toxins, allergies,
trauma, lack of sleep, chronic illness, pain and surgeries.
So how do you know if
your adrenals are inefficient? Some of the symptoms can be recurring
infections, depression, weakness, poor memory, low blood pressure,
irritability, hypoglycemia, fatigue, brittle nails or a low sex
drive. Do you wake up feeling tired? Do you feel you need to
eat sweet snacks to get through the day? These feelings can be
associated with an adrenal overload.
In
order to strengthen the adrenal glands we can start by modifying
our diet. Eating more foods that are higher in Vitamin B and
C, more fresh fruits and vegetables, cold water fish, brown rice,
whole grains and legumes; cut back on fatty foods, red meats
and processed foods, especially those that are high in sodium.
These adjustments in your diet will aid in strengthening the
adrenal glands. Moderate exercise will stimulate the adrenals
aiding them to function better also.
Herbs can be very useful
in strengthening and feeding the adrenals. Licorice contains
natural plant steroids that are helpful in supporting the adrenal
glands. Borage helps to restore the adrenal cortex
and tone the gland. This herb can be used over a long period
of time with no adverse effects. Borage can also be helpful if
you have been using cortisone or steroid medications. Ginseng helps
to increase stamina and physical performance reducing mental
or physical exhaustion or weakness. It is known for its adaptogenic
properties naturally increasing the bodies' resistance to all
kinds of stress. Astragalus can aid the body in
coping with stress by boosting the adrenal functions, helping
the body to naturally resist illness.
Thanks to Patty Gadone,
an apprentice at The Herb Corner,
we now have an excellent adrenal formula that contains:
| 2 parts licorice |
| 2 parts gotu kola |
| 1 part ginseng |
| 1 part borage |
(licorice is not recommended
for people with high blood pressure)
This is an excellent formula
as is or can be modified for your specific needs. Thank you Patty
for sharing this with us.
References:
ABC's
of the Human Body "Readers Digest"
The Herbal Handbook by David Hoffman
Women's Body Women's Wisdom by Christine Northrup
Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman
Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James Balch
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