Feeling frazzled and fatigued? Then this is for you!
Can you believe it's SEPTEMBER? I'm not sure how this happened — it feels like summer just flew by. I'm soaking in every last bit of sunshine possible to gear up for changing weather.
If you have kids in school, I'm sending you lots and lots of good juju. This is going to be one… interesting school year.
Today, I want to talk about something near and dear to my heart: fatigue.
Do you wake up and have to drag yourself out of bed?
Are you tired most of the day?
Could you close your eyes and be asleep in 2 minutes?
Do you feel like you and your body aren’t on the same page?
There are a number of reasons this could be happening, and most have to do with your hormones.
If you can relate to these symptoms, there’s a good chance your adrenals — which are smack dab at the center of just about EVERY hormone imbalance — are pooped out.
Your adrenals are closely linked to how tired you are, AND to all of these:
salt and sugar cravings
allergies
anxiousness
nervousness
low blood pressure
As this continues, you might notice poor recovery time from things like travel, exercise, or just an event from the day. Even short-term memory loss.
To make matters more interesting, you can think of your whole endocrine system (all those hormones) like a mobile hanging from the ceiling. If you pull one side of the mobile, the rest of the mobile goes off kilter. This is exactly what happens to your hormones! If one gets pulled, they all are affected.
So what’s a girl to do? I’m glad you asked. :)
We start with food, add a dash of lifestyle changes, and sprinkle in medicinal herbs & supplements. We look upstream to see what else might be affecting your well-being, like gut health (usually where we start), your sleep patterns, stress management, and lots more.
Today I’m going to give you a few solutions to support your adrenals…
1. Eat a delicious balance of FFP = Fat, Fiber, & Protein
Fats are crucial. From things like nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut oil and coconut products, ghee, grass fed butter, olive oil, flax, chia and hemp. These are not only delicious, but essential. Your hormones need fat to function so it’s important to get in a variety of fats.
Protein is key and variety here is really important. Choose from sources such as grass-fed beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, wild-caught fish, eggs, collagen, or a high-quality protein powder.
If you're vegetarian, focus on a variety of beans, legumes, and fermented tempeh. Protein helps to keep you satisfied, your muscles strong, and supports your metabolism. This is especially key for weight loss.
2. Be sure you’re getting enough fiber!
Fiber helps to push toxins out through your bowels and prevents constipation. It also helps to keep you satiated (as does protein and fat) and is crucial in any diet. Fiber also helps to bind to excess estrogen in your system and helps to flush it out of your bowels. This is important for everybody, but especially for women who are dealing with estrogen dominance. So where should we get our fiber from? Vegetables, of course!
3. Quality sleep
What’s your routine before going to bed? If you don’t have one yet, it’s about time we create one for you! Sleep has been the number one thing on my get-healthy list over the past few years. If you struggle with sleep, you’re in luck…I go over all of this in my upcoming 6-Week Vitality Reboot.
4. Take targeted adaptogens
There are some incredible and safe (for most, though do check with me or a provider if you have questions) that can help you get your mojo back. Some of my faves are Holy Basil, Aswagandha, Rhodiola, American Ginseng, Reishi, & Cordyceps. Get your free adaptogen & superfood guide here.
5. Eliminate inflammatory foods
Stress raises key inflammatory messengers in our bodies, called inflammatory cytokines. There is a direct correlation between the perceived stress in our lives and the levels of these inflammatory molecules. Interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha are a couple of those inflammatory markers. In particular, Interleukin-6 raises your levels of C-reactive protein, which is a marker commonly tested to check your inflammation level. Inflammation partly explains why women who are perpetually stressed are having a really hard time losing weight.
6. Tap into mind, body, soul practices
Get outside and move in nature, practice meditation, do what you need to actually get your parasympathetic nervous system kicked into gear. This piece is key—you have to actively work to make that happen. Just sitting down to watch a movie or take a bath won’t work. Your nervous system works in an instant to get you INTO flight-or-flight mode, but you need to actively work to get OUT of it.
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So there you have it — some of my top tips for health and happiness! But honestly, I could go on and on and still need more time to cover it all. But it IS possible to feel better…and to feel downright energetic again!
If you want to feel full of energy and at home in your body, join me on Sept. 27th for the group 6-Week Vitality Reboot: Go From Frazzled & Frumpy to Light and Vibrant. This is a proven step-by-step program that will help you feel well again. You can read through the details of each week here.
Join me and other fabulous women as we lift each other up, root each other on, and form a community of people who will lovingly and gently hold you accountable — research shows accountability is a biggie for success!
In radiant health & love,
Stephanie