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You have taken a few weeks or months of rest, you have eliminated the biggest stressors from your life and you have worked hard on yourself to tackle the cause of the burnout and yet… You don’t recover enough. Complaints remain no matter what you do and you have the feeling that you can no longer move forward.
I have been at that point myself. In the hospital I had myself thoroughly examined to see if there was anything ‘really wrong’. I was sent home again at the same speed because on paper I was perfectly healthy. How could I stay so tired? And why did certain complaints persist?
Until I started looking into the adrenal glands. This knowledge changed everything for me. Suddenly I accelerated and recovered a little bit more and more. Today I want to briefly tell you something about the relationship between your adrenal glands and burnout. Perhaps this can make the difference for you as it did for me.
In short, you burn out when you experience chronically too much stress for a long time. Exhausted adrenal glands can be caused by a trauma such as an accident or by the same reason that causes you to burn out: chronically too much stress.
Also read: 10 signs that you are heading for a burnout
Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys and produce a number of hormones, including the hormone cortisol. Cortisol, also called the stress hormone, ensures that your body takes daily action, such as getting up in the morning. When your adrenal glands have to produce too much cortisol for too long because you experience so much stress, your adrenal glands become exhausted and do not produce this hormone or produce it to a lesser extent. This can lead to a lot of unpleasant complaints that many burnouters experience, but cannot place.
Typical complaints of exhausted adrenal glands are:
- You have a lot of trouble getting out of bed before 9:00 am
- You have a huge energy dip around 3 p.m
- You feel your best after 6 p.m
- It takes a long time to recover from the flu, a cold, but wounds also heal more slowly
- Increase in allergies and food intolerances
- You have lower blood pressure. You regularly feel light-headed when you get up
- A high percentage of people with adrenal fatigue also experience thyroid problems because they are linked by hormones.
- Extreme fatigue. Daily activities are not possible/difficult
- You crave oiliness or salty foods
- Sad feeling/depression. What are you still doing it all for?
- Sore/sensitive spot on your lower back
It now appears that the majority of people with a burnout also (unconsciously) suffer from exhausted adrenal glands to a certain extent. Although some people’s adrenal glands are able to recover on their own with sufficient rest and certain lifestyle changes, others still need a little extra support. People who had been out of burnout for years but still remained extremely tired, still noticed further recovery after targeted support of the adrenal glands. If you have been burned out for a long time and you feel weak and tired, it is certainly worthwhile to see whether certain support for your adrenal glands will give you more energy. Unfortunately, in my opinion, exhausted adrenal glands are not sufficiently recognized in the regular medical circuit unless you have Addison’s disease (which is often not the case).
Also read: How haptotherapy helped me recover from my burnout
CAN YOUR ADRENAL GLANDS RECOVER?
Yes! I have a number of nutritional, lifestyle choices and supplements for you that can support your adrenal glands to recover. The duration of recovery varies per person. To give you an indication, you can assume a recovery time between two months and two years. A prerequisite is that you consistently use these supporting factors. The nutritional choices and supplements are a selection that I find a) well-substantiated and b) which I have personally experienced as useful support. Would you like to read more about adrenal fatigue and what you can do to support recovery? Then I recommend you read James L Wilson’s book ‘Adrenal fatigue, the stress syndrome of the 21st century’.
POWER SUPPLY
•Licorice tea
When your adrenal glands are exhausted, they produce less or no cortisol anymore. Your body needs this hormone to take action, for example, such as simply getting up early in the morning. Cortisol also plays an important role in keeping your blood sugar levels in balance. This tea ensures that the hormone cortisol remains in your blood for longer. Drinking licorice tea in large quantities can increase your blood pressure. Most people with exhausted adrenal glands actually suffer from reduced blood pressure, but if you have high blood pressure, this is good to keep in mind.
•Salt
The hormone aldosterone is responsible for keeping your sodium and potassium levels in balance and determines your fluid balance. This hormone is also insufficiently produced by your adrenal gland. This often translates into an increase in salt needs. You can supplement this sufficiently by drinking a glass of water with half a teaspoon of salt every morning. I also recommend that you drink water with some salt in warm weather, during and after exercise.
• Fats
As mentioned earlier, cortisol is also responsible for the regulation of your blood sugar level. This is noticeable in the fact that you suddenly become much less able to tolerate sugary drinks and food. You will also suffer from energy dips and you will feel hungry more and faster. You may feel dizzy, shaky and light-headed as early as an hour after eating. To keep your blood sugar levels more balanced, it is wise to eliminate refined sugar from your diet as much as possible. Try choosing whole grains instead. It also helps to eat more healthy fats found in fish, nuts, linseed, avocado and olive oil.
Also read: Overcoming Burnout: How to Rebuild Confidence in Your Recovery Journey
•Vegetables
Eat as many vegetables as possible, preferably with lunch. This way you replenish your vitamin and mineral supplies. You will quickly notice this because you will have more energy and you will become more resistant to (fungal) infections, flu and colds.
• Caffeine & alcohol
If you have exhausted adrenal glands, it is best to (temporarily) eliminate alcohol and coffee completely. Both have a significant impact on your body, causing stress reactions. You may suddenly become dizzy, hyperventilate or have an anxiety and panic attack. Your body is insufficiently able to process these drinks.
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