Preventive Health & Root-Cause Medicine

Adrenal Fatigue DIY tests you can do at home

1. Check eyes for iris contraction: This particular DIY is a study of the pupil’s muscular strength in response to light stimulation, and is an excellent indicator of adrenal gland struggles. Our eyes respond to stress too, by dilating pupils (Hence the term, “deer in the headlights.”).They do this as a means of increasing visual observations of the perceived threat. Remember, “the lion” that may be chasing you could be a looming deadline, a toxic relationship, a chronic health issue, etc. Compared to a real lion chasing you, these common examples may seem benign, but the body and mind cannot discern the difference between a ferocious mammal or a pile of unpaid bills. As stress increases and adrenaline is released, peripheral vision shrinks, which reduces the field of vision to a laser focus on the immediate threat at hand. When the body is in this state, the eyes are focused on the immediate threat, not the other environmental details, and a sort of tunnel vision develops….. Under a single looming threat (aka, “the lion”), the physical effects should wear off as soon as the threat has moved on. If that threat continues to stalk you, small doses of adrenaline continue to release. When the muscles within the iris are exercised in this manner beyond capacity, they grow weary, and want to rest. If you have low adrenal function, the pupil will not hold the contraction(get smaller) easily.

The iris contraction test was originally discovered by Dr. C.F. Arroyo in 1924 as a means to help identify adrenal insufficiency. Here’s what you’ll do:

• 20+ seconds : healthy!
• 11-19 seconds: early clue of adrenal struggles
• 5-10 seconds: adrenal insufficiency
• 0-4 seconds: adrenal exhaustion

1. Lay down for about 10 minutes, and then take the blood pressure while in that position.
2. Then, take blood pressure immediately after standing up (from the original laying down position).
3. Blood pressure should rise 10-20 mm/Hg when coming from a laying to standing position. If it instead drops by 10 mm/Hg or more, and there is not other cause (ex: dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, an injury, or certain medications including blood pressure medications, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids, anti-psychotics),adrenal insufficiency is a strong possibility

• Increase by 6-10 mm/Hg : adrenal status healthy
• No change: adrenal status is fair
• Drops 1-10 mm/Hg: adrenal status is poor
• Drops by more than 10 mm/Hg: adrenals are exhausted.                                                                                                                                                                                         Note that an overall low blood pressure does not indicate adrenal problems, and also that an overall high blood pressure does not mean an absence of adrenal issues.

3.  The DIY Sergent’s White Line Test: French physician Dr. Emile Sergent first described this test in 1917. French physician Dr. Emile Sergent first described this test in 1917. You’ll need your belly and a ballpoint pen.

1. Stroke your abdomen with the capped end of a ballpoint pen (or something equivalent). Make the strokes one over the other on the same 6 inch line.
2. Note the reaction of the skin. What color does the skin turn when you quit stroking that area?
3. In a normal reaction, the mark should be white, but then redden within seconds. If you have diminished arterial tension (a factor in compromised adrenal glands), that color line will stay white for a minute or two and may actually widen.

4.  DIY Body Temperature Test : Dr Bruce Rind MD is another beacon of light within the Western Medicine world. The body temperature test I am describing is one of his contributions to identifying adrenal distress. Recall that endocrine disorders often have a masquerade party amongst themselves (and other disorders!), making it hard to differentiate who the real party pooper is in your personal health situation. Dr. Rind recommends the following test as a means of identifying hypothyroidism, adrenal dysfunction (or a combination of the two).

1. Take your temperature by placing an old fashioned thermometer under your arm at a 45 degree angle.
2. After 10 minutes, record the temperature.
3. Do this three times a day at 3 hrs after waking, and then 3 hours later, and again 3 hours after that (if you’ve eaten or exercised right beforehand, wait 20 minutes to take your temperature).
4. Average these three daily readings and record the result.
5. Do this for 5 days (making sure that during that time you are healthy and not ovulating)

• If the difference between your daily average temperature reading is no more than 0.2 degrees: no indication of adrenal or thyroid dysfunction.
• If fluctuating, but the overall average is 98.6, adrenal support is recommended.
• If fluctuating but overall low, it may indicate both an adrenal and thyroid issue.
• If there is very little to no fluctuation, but temperature remains low, focus on the thyroid.

So interesting, right? I love how the body speaks to us in very intentional ways. If your body is giving you clues that your adrenal glands and/or thyroid is in need of serious TLC, it may be a good time to call in a trusted health professional to help you navigate this part of your journey. There are also some advanced labs that can be run to further put the pieces of the puzzle together. Sadly, the majority of standardized health insurance companies do not cover these VIP tests. That said, nothing is more important than your health, and ignoring health clues and foregoing tests because they are a ”too expensive” out of pocket expense will become an exercise of frustration and detriment. I really recommend having a “rainy health day” fund established simply to pay for supplements, oils, alternative health care options, and lab work that traditional insurance won’t cover. You’ll be glad you did!

• Been given medication without thorough labwork?
• Been told you are “fine” by a healthcare professional, but you don’t feel fine?
• Felt like you’ve been doing “all the things” to care for your struggling thyroid, but still felt unwell?

We’ve covered the northern endocrine family members (hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, and thyroid).  I’m hopeful that you’ve been piecing clues together. Remember, cluster clues, including your personal “life experience” history, both physical and emotional, are where your answers most likely reside. Only you, and perhaps your parents if some events predate your memories, know these VIP clues. Keeping a journal is often a key component to uncovering the root cause of a health situation.

There are more interesting members within the endocrine system family tree. Just south of the thyroid is a gland called the thymus. The thymus sits right behind the sternum (breastbone) in front of the heart, and is the “bootcamp” for the immune system’s T-cells, where they mature and turn into specialized agents of protection against bacteria, viruses, and cancer. The thymus is strongest and most active in children and teens. There is chronological aging as well as biological aging. Interestingly, if severe or chronic stress is part of a body’s environment, the thymus will rapidly “age” and begin shrinking, ultimately turning into a pocket of fat (literally!). Clues indicating a “tired” thymus include being easily fatigued, lack of motivation, susceptibility to catching colds or flu, persistent chronic illness despite “doing all the things”, slow wound healing, and outward signs of an accelerated aging process.

• Keeping toxin load low
• Learning techniques to mediate physical and emotional stress. Imagine the health benefits if this was learned at a young age!
• Eating nourishing foods that are high in micronutrient content
• Restorative sleep
• Exercise daily for improved blood flow throughout the body (cleansing and nourishing the thymus). Yoga is particularly beneficial for supporting thymus function.
• Thymus thumping/tapping. Thump or tap gently (with either the tips of your fingers or the palm of hand) on your sternum for 30-60 seconds a couple times a day to stimulate the thymus.
• Olive Leaf (YL’s Olive Essentials)
• Melatonin – A 2003 study found a correlation between melatonin supplementation and a notable increase in thymus weight (size) and function. Additional studies have found that even when melatonin supplementation begins late in life, age related thymus “decay” is reversible and immune system function often improves. A 2006 study in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine found that supplementing melatonin during times of acutely severe or chronic stress prevented atrophy of the thymus. I am an enormous fan of Young Living’s Immupro for a good night’s sleep, and this is an additional reason to keep several bottles of this melatonin containing supplement on hand! (Great news for those of us who know and love it already…. It is scheduled to be back in stock later this month!). Sleep Essence is another night time product that also contains melatonin.

Further south, the twin adrenal glands show up in the endocrine family. These are two smallish quesadilla shaped glands that sit atop each kidney. God designed us masterfully well. These two glands sit remarkably close to the abdominal aorta (our major artery) and vena cava (our major vein). This close proximity allows for a quick dump of influential chemicals that facilitate acting quickly when the need arises. I call this “running from the lion” time. These two glands produce a very precise mixture of adrenaline, cortisol and other steroid hormones (DHEA, pregnenolone, estrogens, testosterones) and aldosterone (a steroid hormone that regulates potassium, sodium and fluid volume in the body). The mixture is uniquely compounded according to the event at hand. When a person feels any amount of stress, whether that be a mile long “to do” list or narrowly escaping being eaten by a lion, the hypothalmus and pituitary work together to signal the adrenal glands. The minddoesn’t differentiate between a too long “to do” list and a lion in terms of stress, and stress becomes the squeaky wheel. Other mechanisms in the body slow down so that the squeaky wheel can be addressed.

• Thyroid hormone production slows down
• Reduced conversion of T4 (inactive) to T3 (active) thyroid hormone occurs
• Thyroid receptors become less receptive to receiving thyroid hormones. This is important because even if you happen to be on thyroid medication, it won’t be utilized properly during a stress response. Recall that thyroid receptors are located throughout the body and must function properly in order that we may function optimally day to day. (Go back and read the section on thyroid and the gallbladder for a refresher!)

Interestingly, the vast majority of western healthcare practitioners do not recognize adrenal fatigue. While there is currently no black and white way to test for adrenal fatigue in a laboratory, there are many clues that point towards this very real condition that you, the discerning sleuther , may uncover on your own or with the help of a health professional who does understand adrenal fatigue.

Next up…. A solid list of clues useful for identifying adrenal fatigue, and ways to support the adrenal glands!