Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue

We are all aware of adrenaline, the fight or flight hormone that kicks in whenever we find ourselves facing a threat. But did you know adrenalin is only one of the many hormones produced by the adrenal glands?

About the Adrenal Glands

The adrenal glands (also known as the suprarenal glands) sit atop the kidneys. These pyramid-shaped glands have two parts: the outer adrenal cortex and the inner medulla.

The adrenal cortex creates 3 types of hormones:

  • Mineralocorticoids: hormones triggered by the kidneys. These hormones regulate the balance of salt to water within the body and help to maintain blood pressure.
  • Glucocorticoids: hormones triggered by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. These hormones increase blood glucose levels, regulate the conversion of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy, help to regulate blood pressure, and regulate immune response and inflammatory reactions.
  • Gonadocorticoids: sex hormones. Small amounts of sex hormones are released by the adrenal cortex. After middle age, the adrenals become the primary source of sex hormones.
Related: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

We would die quickly without the hormones produced by the adrenal cortex.

The adrenal medulla creates two hormones:

  • Epinephrine (also known as adrenaline): Epinephrine is the fight or flight hormone. It increases your heart rate, raises your blood sugar, and rushes blood to the muscles and the brain.
  • Norepinephrine(also known as noradrenaline): Norepinephrine works with epinephrine.

All in all, the adrenals produce nearly 50 hormones.

Major Illnesses Associated with Adrenal Glands

  • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia: a genetic disorder that disrupts hormone levels from the adrenals.
  • Addison’s disease: a rare disorder that disrupts production of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone.
  • Cushing’s syndrome: an uncommon disorder where the adrenals overproduce cortisol.
  • Adrenal cancer: an aggressive rare cancer that causes excess production of hormones.
Related: Best Supplements To Kill Lyme and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Lyme Disease

Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue is caused by lack of or poor quality sleep, relentless stress, EMF exposure, heavy metal toxicity, thyroid problems, caffeine, nicotine or other stimulant use, or a chronic or acute infection, especially respiratory infections (influenza, bronchitis, or pneumonia). With most adrenal problems there are many of the aforementioned causes at play, but Candida almost always plays a huge part.

Adrenal fatigue is experienced in two ways: either the sufferer struggles with fatigue throughout the day, using stimulants such as caffeine to make it to an early bedtime, or the sufferer’s day is exactly the same except he gets a second wind around 9-10 at night and buzzes until the wee hours when he can finally go to sleep. Adrenal fatigue can become so severe, it can become difficult to be out of bed for more than a few hours at a time. In addition to loss of energy, adrenal fatigue is also associated with the following:

  • Hypothyroidism
  • Lowered libido
  • Immunity reduction
  • Low blood pressure

The following herbs are used to treat adrenal fatigue:

  • Licorice: Sometimes used alone, sometimes in conjunction with Panax ginseng and Bupleurum falcatum–especially used for people who have damaged adrenal output by long-term steroid use. Warning: licorice can raise blood pressure.
  • Rhodiola: Adaptogen–helps the body adapt to stress.
  • Shisandra: Also an adaptogen–helps the body adapt to stress.
  • Holy Basil: Also an adaptogenic–helps the body adapt to stress.
  • Ashwagandha root: Increases in T3 and T4, supports thyroid and adrenals, balances hormones.
  • Astragalus: Improves immune system, adrenal function, and reduces stress.
  • Ginseng Root: Revitalizes the adrenals and balances hormones.

*Check out the “Recommended Supplements” below for some formulas with these ingredients.

The following vitamins and supplements are helpful in treating adrenal fatigue:

Related: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

Natural Protocol for Adrenal Fatigue

Candida is the number one cause of poor health in our country and an overabundance of Candida will eventually cause adrenal fatigue (along with many other problems). If you’re experiencing adrenal fatigue, cut out stimulants completely. No more coffee. Read this article to learn how to clean the intestines. Most people with endocrine problems have an excess of Candida.

Fungal Supplement Stack – Knock Out Yeast, Candida, Mold, Fungus

The first three should be plenty for most people, but for really prominent fungal issues or for impatient people with a bigger budget I’d recommend all of these:

I recommend taking the SF722, Berberine, MycoCeutics, and Microdefense with meals, and the Abzorb and Syntol separately, on an empty stomach (like in the morning and before bed). The Abzorb and the Syntol are a bit redundant, but I find good results using both if the budget can afford it. If money is really tight, just get the SF722 and put your money into your diet.

It is also time to un-stress. Get outside and get grounded. Learn how to breathe! And take up yoga or meditation. In fact, doing yoga barefoot outside can facilitate all of those at once!

To speed up the process with a supplement regimen or for those with very serious adrenal problems, we recommend Shillington’s Male Energy and Shillington’s Female Energy for adrenals. Unfortunately, we don’t have the recipe for the female formula, but here’s the male formula below. Also, these are amazing formulas for libido, energy, weight loss, balancing hormones, and more.

Also check out Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included for more on diet. I recommend the cranberry lemonade recipe in that article to help detox. Also, keeping the kidneys healthy is imparative for good adrneal health.

Shillington’s Male Energy Formula Recipe:

  • 2 parts American White Ginseng
  • 2 parts Korean Ginseng
  • 2 parts Chinese Ginseng
  • 3 parts Yohimbe Bark
  • 3 parts Damiana Turneria Aphrodisiaca
  • 3 parts Siberian Ginseng
  • 2 parts Sarsaparilla Root
  • 1 part Saw Palmetto Berry
  • 1 part Oat Seed (Green Immature)
  • 1 part Kola Nut
  • 1 part Ginger Root

For information on Shillington’s female formulas, check out Natural Remedies for PMS Moodswings, Bloating, Cramps, etc.

Parts are by volume. Blend all ingredients together and make into a tincture using a 50 – 50 Blend of Alcohol and distilled water. For more, see How to Make a Tincture.

Recommended Supplements:
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Natural Remedies for Colds, Flus, and Other Common Viruses

When you’re about to get a cold there are warning signs. Food tastes different, sense of smell is strong and certain odors bother you that did not before, and  your breath becomes stale. Most people ignore these signs. At the very first sign, that first cough with a tickle in the throat, or whatever it is that alerts you to an impending viral attack, you can help your body’s defenses.

Gargle

Gargle now. Use organic, raw, apple cider vinegar and gargle every fifteen minutes for the next two hours. After that, gargle whenever you think of it.

Every time you gargle at the onset of a viral infection, you are cutting the viral load at the point those little suckers are trying to mass produce. You are actively killing them off their armies each time you gargle. Even if the cold or flu takes hold, you will have a milder case if it if you gargle a lot in the beginning.

Get Warm

Heat can help your body fight infection. That’s why we run fevers, which you can simulate yourself. A hot bath, a sauna, a steaming shower can knock out a nasty infection quickly. And you can also add some essential oils like eucalyptus or peppermint to help clear out lungs and sinuses.

Fluids

No, I am not talking about sodas or juice, with one or two exceptions. Make cranberry lemonade sweetened with stevia, hot or cold. Or cranberry lemonade sweetened with stevia with or without added cayenne. Drink lots of it made with pure water

You do not want to drink sodas or juice right now. (Hopefully you never drink another soda in your life, but we can talk about that later.) Viruses, bacteria, and fungi all thrive on sugar. Don’t feed them.

Also, know that conventional sugar (like what you find in sodas) actually repress your immune system.

Garlic

Eat garlic, lots of raw garlic. Chop it up, slice it, press it, or dice it. To benefit more from garlic, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes after cutting and before eating. Eat at least 2 cloves daily; 6 would be better; 10 would be better still. You get the idea.

Echinacea

Echinacea will make your tongue feel fuzzy. If it doesn’t, it’s not echinacea or it’s very weak and not of any use. Few things work as well as high quality echinacea to strengthen the immune system quickly and effortlessly. Take it often, but only take it for three weeks and then stop for a week (less it loses its effectiveness).

Zinc

Zinc may work for you. It is thought to hinder the cold virus’s ability to multiply. But be careful with zinc. Too much can be toxic.

Vitamins

Vitamin D supports your immune system while C, A, and E help the body fight viruses. Lots of vitamin C can be helpful, but if you do take a lot, titrate down. Don’t suddenly stop taking it. Your virus might bounce back.

Doc Shillington’s Total Tonic Recipe (or click here to purchase)

Here’s a recipe that you can do at home. Always have it on hand to knock out infections, and it’s also great for heavy metal chelation and almost everything else that ails you.

  • 1 handful of garlic cloves
  • 1 handful of chopped onions
  • 1 handful of chopped ginger
  • 1 handful of chopped horseradish
  • 1/2 handful of chopped habanero peppers
  • Raw apple cider vinegar

Throw in a blender and cover with an inch or two of organic raw apple cider vinegar. All ingredients should be organic, but don’t let that stop you from making this great formula (as long as the garlic is not from China). You can use the mash right away or wait two weeks and allow it to turn into a tincture.

The Better Big Bang Recipe

I worked at a health food restaurant (sort of) that had a menu item called “The Big Bang.” It’s lemon juice, apple juice, and ginger juice mixed together and heated. I believe I improved upon their recipe:

  • 2 parts lemon juice
  • 2 parts apple cider vinegar
  • 1 part ginger juice (or per your taste)
  • 1 part turmeric juice (or per your taste)

You can heat it up or drink it cool. Drinking it hot is very nice, and perfect for a soothing a sore throat, opening the sinuses, and clearing out mucus. On the other hand, if you don’t heat it up you get more health benefits from the tonic.

Update

Now I sip on Mother Earth Organic Root Cider whenever I feel anything in my throat or sinuses that could indicate a cold coming on. It’s the best thing we’ve put on the market to date, and that’s saying a lot! If you find yourself getting sick regularly, or dealing with chronic sinus issues, you’ll love this. It tastes horrible, but you’ll stuff love it. Try it. Take a dose every day, and if you feel any potential infection coming on, sip on it throughout the day. As always with GLM, if you don’t love the results, get your money back.

Conclusion

The bottom line is, if you eat right, and have been eating right for some time, cold and flus shouldn’t even affect you. If you think this isn’t true, you’re not eating right. No single herb or natural remedy compares to a diet with a low toxic load and daily salads with 14 different vegetables, turmeric, garlic, etc. See the first source below for my own salad recipe. If your immune system is susceptible to infection, or you just like to the idea of having a crazy powerful immune system, be sure to check out Bullet Proof Your Immune System.

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