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Clues to Infertility – Sperm

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The Southern Side of the Endocrine System: “Tell Tail” Sperm
 
I spent twelve years of my pharmacist career👩‍⚕️ behind the scenes within the infertility industry. Looking back, I realize now that that timeframe (2000-2012) was the “canary in the coalmine” years for our country’s fertility decline. The infertility industry accelerated at rocket speed🚀 to keep up with the need. Interestingly, the trajectory of infertility and autoimmune disorders share a remarkably similar path and timeline.🧐
As I was accumulating research for this particular topic, I couldn’t help but dig deeply into current information and statistics. When I left the industry in 2012, 10% of women (ages 18 to 44) struggled with fertility and a growing number of men were also being diagnosed with fertility disorders. Sadly, these numbers have only continued to escalate.🫣
 
Male factor infertility (MFI) currently accounts for 50+% of infertility issues for a couple. Biomechanically, studies have analyzed and found that the most common causes include:
  • An absence or low levels of sperm (and estimated 10-15% lack sperm entirely)
  • Abnormal shape of sperm
  • Abnormal movement of sperm (these swimmers should be swimming fast in one direction!)
  • Abnormal release of sperm
While this is important information, it does not expose the root of the problem….. Why are sperm count and “swimability” continuing to decline? After all, men are still men all these thousands of years later, determined by the presence of their XY chromosome.
 
For all of eternity there has been the occasional physical trauma or genetic anomaly affecting the family jewels (or to the pituitary or hypothalamus which participate in the sperm production process). This trauma or anomaly may have long term implications on sperm production, and while damage may be a plausible reason for infertility, this factor has not changed over the years, and therefore has a very small role in the more than 50-60% decline in sperm production since 1973.
Infertility (both male and female) is a massive clue pointing directly towards the presence of toxins in a personal environment. Recall that the endocrine system is an incredibly precise chemical cascade. When that cascade is interrupted by a daily barrage of toxins, the “machinery” ceases to function as it should. Imagine water in a gasoline tank. If that happens, a vehicle simply ceases to work. Water seems innocent enough, until it has polluted that which makes the vehicle go.
What are some of the “water in the gas tank” possibilities when it comes negatively affecting sperm production? Glad you asked! Seemingly innocent lifestyle choices and habits are often overlooked and are generally the predominant culprits.
  • Processed Foods – Studies have connected eating processed foods (especially those with fats found in margarines and hydrogenated cooking oils) with decreased sperm count and altered sperm motility.
  • Alcohol – Heavy drinking is connected with reduced sperm quality and decreased testosterone production.
  • Caffeine – Excessive amounts of caffeine may lower sperm count.
  • Smoking- Tobacco negatively affects sperm count and quality.
  • Marijuana and THC
  • Exposure to mainstream household/ work chemicals or solvents. While some of these product ingredients are outright carcinogenic poison to the body, others are a slow daily drip of kryptonite to our mighty men. This slow drip of “kryptonite” ( aka: BPA and phthalates found in plastic water bottles, bodycare products and epoxy resins, dioxins, herbicides, organophosphate pesticides, flame retardants, lead, arsenic, mercury, and glycol ethers found in household and industrial cleaners, adhesives, and degreasers) erodes masculinity at its very core by raising estrogen levels and simultaneously lowering testosterone levels. Estrogen dominance does not discriminate. Men are prone to this hormonal imbalance too. ED is easily identifiable with lab work (testing testosterone and estrogen levels both), the visual presence of “man boobs”, and the specter of infertility or erectile dysfunction.
  • Cell phone in the front pocket of pants – Semen quality and quantity has been found to be adversely affected when a cell phone in “talk mode” is carried in the pocket of pants.
  • Choice of underwear – Tight fitting underwear (or pants) increases testicular temperature which reduces both sperm count and motility.
  • Chronic stress – The body does not lie, and it will work to protect itself (and its potential offspring) when in chronic fight/flight/ or freeze mode.
Many common medications are often thefts of male fertility too:
  • SSRI’s – used for mood disorders. An estimated 11% of infertility is caused by this class of medication. These medications affect DNA sperm quality and erectile function. Common culprits include sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram, lexapro, and paroxetine.
  • Testosterone replacement therapy (especially when used incorrectly) drastically reduces the level of testosterone in testicles, which in turn lowers sperm production.
  • Antihistamines (eg: loratadine and cetirizine) and antacids (eg: ranitidine and cimetidine) appear to have long term negative effects on male fertility
  • Calcium Channel Blockers – This is a class of medications commonly used in the management of high blood pressure, angina, migraines, heart disease, and some heart arrhythmias. (eg: amlodipine, nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem)
  • Tamsulosin – (used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia)
  • Cipro and Levaquin – (antibiotics)
  • Some vaccinations, especially when combined with an existing toxin load in the body, are being studied as possible contributors to infertility
Unlike eggs, sperm are constantly created when conditions are healthy. An entirely new sperm health profile is possible within 2-3 months of consistent positive changes being made:
  • The Scottish kilted men knew what they were doing💪, but if wearing a kilt doesn’t appeal to you, consider boxers instead of briefs.
  • Get an EMF blocker for cell phones, AND remove an active phone from the front pocket of pants.
  • Watch for endocrine disruptors in your daily life. Reading labels is HARD, even for me. There are hundreds of common chemicals in household and daily use personal care products that fall under the “Endocrine Disruptor” category, and we can’t possibly memorize them all. Keep it simple and worry free by purchasing from Young Living. No label reading required because everything is safe, toxin free and fertility friendly. Clean inside and out with Thieves Household Cleaner and Thieves Kitchen and Bath Scrub. Cologne is another common endocrine disruptor source. Thankfully, Young Living’s essential oil blend Shutran is healthy, hormone supportive, and smells incredible! The Shutran Men’s Care line has body wash, aftershave lotion, bar soap, beard oil and shaving cream. These, in addition to the YL shampoos and conditioners, ensure you’ve cleaned up well, with no endocrine disrupting along the way.
  • Support healthy male hormones and a more balanced stress response with Young Living’s PowerGize capsules, or consider applying YL’s Idaho Blue Spruce essential oil to inner and outer ankles morning and night.
  • Work towards correcting lifestyle habits and choices which may be diluting sperm production. Eat, sleep, and manage stress as though a generation is depending on you, because they are! This includes protecting boundaries in all areas of life.
  • In most instances, pharmaceutical use can also be minimized or avoided entirely with lifestyle changes and the help of your favorite holistically focused healthcare professional. Get to know your Young Living supplements and oils. They are extraordinarily valuable tools that can help you in ways you might not yet imagine. Do some digging and/or ask a savvy friend!
Health is the most valuable possession any of us have, and it’s the one thing we do have full control over unless we abdicate that right by giving it over to someone else to manage. Nobody will care for or know you better than you.
Swim upstream. Future generations will thank you for providing them with a strong foundation of health!👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
xoxo~ liz
 
 
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#healthysperm
#swimupstream
#ThanksYL
#toxinfreeslifestyle
#maleinfertility
#goodmedicine

The Ovarian Adrenal Thyroid Symphony

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Putting the Pieces Together: The Ovarian – Adrenal – Thyroid (OAT) Symphony
Before we reach the nether regions of the endocrine system, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about a very important concept called the Ovarian-Adrenal-Thyroid (OAT) axis. The goal is to live in hormonal harmony within our own body, and that can get tricky pretty quickly when you have a bad conductor directing a personal symphony 🎻🎺🎷🥁🎼orchestra.
A typical symphony orchestra🎻🎺🎷🥁🎼 has more than forty musicians and is an ensemble composed of wind, string, brass and percussion instruments. There are very few great conductors in the world simply because such a job requires charisma, deep knowledge of both music and musical instruments, and major people skills. A stellar conductor must also know the style and history of music and excel in anticipating and then cueing each musician at exactly the right moment. Some of the more extraordinary conductors I’ve seen also appear to have a playfulness within them to balance the exacting attention to detail that must be required to execute a flawless concert.
The endocrine system is much like a symphony🎻🎺🎷🥁🎼, often with “the conductor” being the level of stress we unwittingly allow ourselves to live with. Remember, stress on the body isn’t only caused by meeting deadlines or trying to achieve a long “to do” list. Stress on the body will look different for each person, and may be emotional or physiological… It doesn’t matter the type or combination thereof!
  • Chronic busyness to the point of exhaustion
  • Chronic physical pain
  • Chronic infection or illness
  • Toxin load
  • Heavy metal load
  • Emotional stress
  • Chronic sleep deprivation
  • Too much exercise
  • Nutrient deficiencies due to poor eating habits, medications causing depletions, a physiological inability to absorb certain nutrients properly, or even relying on poorly made supplements for nutrition
Stress always affects the adrenal glands first, and then thyroid and ovaries will begin to suffer.
Conductor: “A little less cowbell please!”
By the time a woman reaches her mid 30’s/ early 40’s (unless she has incorporated solid stress mediation tools into daily life ), there is a high probability that the excessive “cowbell” coming from the adrenal glands has begun to successfully drown out the harmonizing ovaries and thyroid. Because we’ve already fairly thoroughly discussed the adrenal glands and thyroid (reread those sections for a refresher!) I want to focus on how ovarian function is impacted by chronic stress.
In a state of chronic stress, the adrenals cannot keep up with the demand for cortisol production, and in doing so, they begin “stealing” from progesterone production to have the building blocks to make more cortisol.
Conductor: “Add in a little more saxophone.”
As progesterone production drops, estrogen dominance makes its debut.
Conductor: “Decrescendo piccolos!”
Estrogen dominance (which can occur even when ovaries have been removed, thanks to estrogen production elsewhere in the body and xenoestrogen exposure) then begins impeding the conversion of (inactive) T4 into (active) T3 which translates to less active thyroid hormone for the body to have access to. This leads to feelings of sluggishness, fatigue, and all the symptoms related to hypothyroidism. Too much estrogen also interferes with the communication between the brain and the adrenal glands. As time goes on in a state of estrogen dominance, fat begins accumulating around the abdomen. Have you heard the term “muffin top”? It’s a clue, my sleuthing friend! Muffin tops, excessive PMS, infertility or miscarriages, low libido, bloating or water retention, fibrocystic breasts, premenstrual headaches, thyroid dysfunction, irritability or depression, hair loss, thyroid dysfunction, foggy thinking, memory loss, and insomnia are all major clues with the conductor’s baton pointing towards estrogen dominance.
Conductor: “Crescendo violins!”
Estrogen dominance has also been linked to worsening allergies, autoimmune disorders, ovarian cysts, breast and uterine cancers, and is associated with an accelerated aging process. I’ll talk more about estrogen dominance later…. The goal here is to show the snowballing impact of stress on the endocrine system and ultimately the entire body.
Unfortunately, Westernized medicine is usually quick to add to the toxic soup already existing within a body by applying chemical bandaids. Ironically, antidepressants, thyroid replacement medications, and hormone replacement therapies often worsen the OAT imbalance IF addressing adrenal gland health is not part of the health and wellness recovery plan. Understanding the importance of and utilizing stress management tools daily will be a game changer, if you have been identifying with these clues!
Let’s not leave the men out of this discussion. There is a male version of the OAT axis. Abnormal cortisol levels in men cause testosterone levels to drop. Treating low testosterone with a synthetic testosterone replacement while ignoring the adrenal connection does come with risks. Side effects of synthetic testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may include polycythemia, peripheral edema, aggression, diminished testicular size and fertility, exacerbation of sleep apnea, and cardiovascular and liver dysfunction. TRT is another chemical bandaid which fails to address the root cause (another “to be covered later” topic).
Without question, life has the potential to be stress filled, and we must use the tools easily available to us to mediate its harmful effects.
  • Belonging to a supportive like minded community
  • Prayer and meditation
  • Exercise, especially yoga
  • Spending time outdoors or with a pet daily
  • Practicing self care daily
  • Laughter
  • Minimize phone use and screen time
  • Healthy diet
  • Practicing deep purposeful breathing
  • B Vitamins (have you tried YL’s Super B?)
  • Elimination of toxins especially xenoestrogens commonly found in mainstream skincare lines. Utilize Young Living’s safe ART, Bloom, or Balance skin care lines for safe xenoestrogen free products!). Xenoestrogens are also found in plastics (ie water bottles), red dye #3, BHA (a food preservative, many insecticides, and birth control pills that contain ethinylestradiol.
  • Young Living’s Cortistop
  • Utilize scents that you find relaxing. Many studies suggest that aromatherapy is beneficial for relaxing and decreasing stressful moments. Scents known to promote stress reduction include lavender, rose, vetiver, bergamot, Roman chamomile, neroli, frankincense, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, orange, and geranium. Young Living oil blends designed for just such a purpose include StressAway, Peace & Calming, Valor, RutaVala, or Tranquil.
  • Setting healthy boundaries in all areas of life
  • Using adaptogens to help mediate stress response. An adaptogen is any substance that increases the body’s resistance to a negative stress response. These have been around (and studied) since World War II… so it’s not a new concept! Known adaptogens include:
  1. American and Asian ginseng (found in FemiGen)
  2. Ashwagandha (found in EndoGize and PowerGize)
  3. Reishi mushroom (found in NingXia Greens and Immupro)
  4. Turmeric (found in Golden Turmeric)
  • Reduce caffeine intake. Consider daily NingXia Red, NingXia Nitro, NingXia Zyng, and/or our new NingXia Greens or an adaptogenic “coffee” substitute instead. You may also consider diffusing essential oil blends En-R-Gee or Longevity or Peppermint, Rosemary, or Lemon for an aromatic pick-me-up!
Every body’s symphony🎻🎺🎷🥁🎼 will sound and feel slightly different. We each have the responsibility of constantly “tuning the instruments”, harmonizing within ourselves and among ourselves, and ensuring that “the conductor” (ie: your individual stress load) is neither a taskmaster or curmudgeon!
After all, the goal is an endocrine system which feels like a well played Beethoven’s 5th!
xoxo~ liz
#sharingiscaring
#OATaxis
#chronicstressisthecornerstoneofillness
#theapplicationofknowledgeispower
#goodmedicine
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#ThanksYL
May be an image of 2 people and text that says 'Becoming your Own Health Petective Putting the Pieces Together: The Ovarian -Adrenal -Thyroid Symphony "Have you seen a symphony orchestra? There is a person at the back carrying a triangle. now and again the conductor will pont to him or her and that person will play ting That might seem insignificant, but... something irreplaceable would be lost to the total beauty of the symphony if that ting didn't happen. -Desmond Jutu www.goodmedicine.info'
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The Salt Of The World

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A Well Seasoned Sleuth looks at Salt Sourcing
 
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:13-16
 
It is awfully hard to be physical salt and light in the world if fatigue has taken over your personal world. The verse in Matthew (above) speaks metaphorically. However, it could also easily be speaking to the body’s physical need for salt. In its God made form (from the Himalayan mountaintops 🗻to the ocean floor🏝), salt is loaded with life giving micronutrients. Every cell in our body needs this kind of salt. Our bodies rely on these micronutrients for healthy bone density, stabilized blood sugar levels, proper blood circulation, and thousands of other small but exceedingly significant ways in the body.
 
Modern table salt, however, (the trample👣 worthy kind) is the stuff health nightmares 😈are made of. If you’ve never given much thought to the type of salt you may be eating in processed or fast foods (or perhaps even lurking…. as a clue… in your cabinet), consider the story of modern salt:
A far cry from the original micronutrient loaded seasoning, table salt is mined from deep underground, and then cooked🔥 at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. As it’s cooked, it loses the other micronutrients it “might “ have contained. Anti-caking agents, fluoride, a less healthy form of iodide, aluminum derivatives, and other ingredients are added to keep the salt shaking freely. Salt in the “real world” is not white, and table salt is bleached to get its pristine color. It may come as no surprise that crude oil extraction is one way “modern” salt is produced.
 
Becoming an avid label reader is one more way to be a stellar health detective. While God’s salt is loaded with health benefits🙌, the man made version wreaks havoc on the body😬. Diabetes, gout, and cardiovascular diseases are all aggravated by modern salt. It is also surreptitiously hard on the nervous and lymph systems, and will aggravate edema, lymphatic disorders, anxiety, and depression tendencies.
 
To recap, manmade salt:
🚫Comes from deep underground and is sent thru a fiery furnace
🚫It is a poor imitation of that which is good
🚫It’s highly addictive
🚫It wreaks havoc quietly on a previously healthy body, and generally makes an unhealthy body sick
It’s almost as if Satan himself came up with this salty plan of attack on mankind, with his uncanny ability to take something so innocently good, twist the narrative, and make it bad.🤔🫣
 
Original salt contains approximately 84 necessary micronutrients and zero toxins.
When used regularly, this type of salt (typically harvested from Himalayan, Celtic, or a natural Salt Lake source):
🥳Aids in hydration of the body,
🥳Improves digestion (and helps remove sediments in the body which can build up over time leading to kidney or gallstones)
supports both adrenal and thyroid function (trace minerals are absolutely key!)
🥳Helps regulate blood sugar
🥳Supports healthy blood pressure
🥳Helps the body detox
🥳Helps re-energize the body at a cellular level
🥳Assists in balancing the body’s pH
🥳One theory of why osteoporosis develops is that the body begins stripping bones of their mineral and calcium content in an effort to neutralize acidic blood. Healthy natural sourced salt is alkalizing by nature, which will eliminate the need of the bones to “give to the greater good (blood). The body is able to survive longer with poor bones than with “poor” blood.
🥳Enhances communication between nerve cells.
🥳Healthy natural salt also helps thin mucous and phlegm (yes, even when ingested!). Think about what a nasal saline rinse does as a physical example of this.
🥳Getting adequate natural salt improves complexion, hair and nail growth over time, and also may improve the appearance of varicose veins.
 
In adrenal fatigue, there is a little talked about hormone called aldosterone.
It follows a similar pattern to cortisol: its production tends to peak around 8:00am, and also rises during stressful situations. Aldosterone is a key player for the maintenance of water and certain minerals (electrolytes) in the body, and where they “should be” within the body. Electrolytes are absolutely necessary for proper cell function… just ask any high performance athlete who has sweated out too many electrolytes!
In adrenal fatigue, perhaps you may have noticed an intense craving for salt.🤓 When adequate cortisol levels drop, aldosterone drops too. When aldosterone drops, there is a tendency towards electrolyte imbalance, causing the salt cravings. Hydrating without adding in electrolytes has the potential to aggravate the electrolyte imbalance by further diluting existing electrolytes within the body.
 
Which brings me back to our naturally available micronutrient loaded salt forms!
 
There is a homemade hydration support tool called Sole (pronounced Sol-ay).
You’ll need a Liter sized mason jar, a cup of Himalayan or Celtic salt and three cups of filtered water.
1️⃣Add salt to the jar, and then fill the jar with filtered water.
2️⃣Put the lid (preferably plastic) on the jar, shake gently, and then leave overnight.
3️⃣If the salt is completely dissolved in the morning, add more salt and leave it overnight again.
4️⃣The mixture will be ready when there is salt sediment in the bottom of the jar. The filtered water is now completely saturated and cannot receive any more salt.
5️⃣Add 1 teaspoon of this mixture to a glass of water and drink it each morning when you wake up (30-60 minutes before taking medication)
6️⃣If you appear to have a detox reaction (such as a headache), start with ¼ teaspoonful and work your way up.
7️⃣Do not use metal utensils to measure your product, as it can interfere with the solution.
 
If you are not a DIY’er or perhaps find yourself on the go and in need of electrolytes/ craving salt (remember, electrolyte balance is important in adrenal fatigue, and not just for athletes!), consider grabbing a bottle of the YL Vitality Drops- Lavender Lemon or Grapefruit Bergamot. (Do not confuse the YL Energy drops available as Jade Lemon or Spearmint Tangerine with these…… they don’t do the same thing!). I love that Young Living uses electrolytes sourced from the Great Salt Lake, and not a synthetic source. The vitality drops are an electrolyte powerhouse!
 
Get yourself the right kind of salty so you can shine your light brightly!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
(Becoming Your Own Health Detective Volume One link: https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
 

Adrenal Fatigue Recovery

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Adrenal Recovery: If the adrenals ain’t happy, nobody’s happy!
 
If there were ever a time for a🦄 magical “That was easy!” button for health fixes, the adrenal glands would be a top candidate. As you have hopefully realized, adrenal fatigue does not happen overnight, and repair is an equally slow process. God designed our body to be a miraculous healing machine, but only if we actually “do the things” to allow the healing to happen. Remember that story in the Bible about the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years because they were “stiff necked” (stubborn) about not wanting to give up the very ways that kept getting them into trouble? We really haven’t changed much all these years later! 😬🤭There is no magic pill or elixir to simply “undo” adrenal fatigue, though there is PLENTY that can be done to support the repair process. The body has raised a white flag in the form of the myriad of clues you’ve collected.
Adrenal fatigue is an inside job in this type of crime scene, and the “crime” can persist indefinitely (or until a secondary dysfunction steps in and wreaks bigger havoc) unless self care becomes a priority. Do you ignore the clues🫣 and prepare for a long wander in the desert, or will you choose to be still and become an active participant in the repair and replenishment process? The desert is a dry, dusty, barren place and yet many people choose to embark on the desert journey because they have chosen to hang on to that which is holding them captive (and making them sick). #choices
 
What conditions are necessary for the adrenal glands to recover and thrive?
  • Locating and eliminating (or mediating) “energy vampires” in your life. Do the people you share your life with suck the life out of you or do they add to your life? Do the activities and employment you engage in suck the life out of you, or do they add to your life? Find the areas of chronic stress in your life, and commit to making positive changes. That may mean counseling, setting boundaries, or perhaps finding a new job, or new friends. No amount of StressAway essential oil blend will make a chronically stressful situation tolerable for the adrenal glands.
  • Incorporate prayer, meditation, gentle exercise, yoga, massage, quiet time, leisure reading, sitting quietly in nature etc (that which encourages stillness of mind, body, and spirit) as a daily and necessary activity. Allowing the body time to recharge should be as habitual as brushing teeth at least twice a day. We are a country that doesn’t embrace “slow”, and as a result, 80% of adults in the USA have experienced adrenal fatigue at least once in their lives. PS: scrolling on the computer is NOT part of this activity.
  • Laugh! 😂😅😆🤣 Laughter has many adrenal de-fatiguing benefits. It has been scientifically proven to reduce blood pressure and relax the body by helping regulate cortisol levels in the body. Laughter also increases the body’s infection fighting capabilities and raises the body’s endorphin production which improves mood and decreases stress levels within the body.
  • Do something that brings you pleasure every day.🥰 Find your favorite things and engage in them
  • Breathe deeply regularly. Incorporate deep breathing habits into your life. Be purposeful in setting aside 3-4 minutes several times a day for focused deep diaphragmatic breathing.
  • Create a gratitude journal and utilize it ! Send someone a thank you note. Expressing gratitude is directly linked to greater happiness and joy, two higher frequency emotions. Recall that higher frequency emotions are directly linked to a healthier healing environment overall and that a body with a higher (positive) frequency gently guides the body towards an alkaline state. Negative emotions do the opposite, pulling the body towards an acidic pH,where chronic illness tends to thrive. (This isn’t hoo hoo friends….. It’s basic physics and biology!). Grab your bottle of Gratitude essential oil blend and use it regularly as a reminder to self! (check out the oils within this beautiful blend….. Grounding tree oils, cardiovascular supportive oils, and mood calming to boot!) Just as with all Young Living products, the Gratitude blend is highly purpose oriented!
  • Take a short (15-30 minute) cat nap (horizontally, not seated in a chair) during the day.😴
  • Get in bed before 10:00pm.😴 The adrenal glands like restorative sleep and “pre-midnight” sleep is generally more restorative . Having a “Second Wind” is a real thing and the characteristics of a night owl defies the natural circadian rhythm the adrenal glands crave. Our bodies were designed to follow the natural flow of daylight and dark. If healing is a priority, bedtime by 10:00 pm will become dear to you.
  • Learn to say no.😉
  • The adrenal glands need lots of Vitamin C and cannot function properly without adequate levels. Super C chewables are a key physical ingredient to adrenal gland support. The best vitamin C comes from natural sources and is paired with bioflavonoids (found in citrus rinds) to enhance bioavailability. Historically, before measuring steroid hormones was an available test, blood levels of Vitamin C were used as the best indicator of adrenal function in studies! Be wary of your Vitamin C sourcing. Most of what you find on the market as ascorbic acid is derived from corn syrup. Not only is this a less bioavailable form, corn🌽 is one of the most chemically treated genetically modified grains in commercial agriculture. Knowing your farmer (as we blessedly know Young Living), is utterly important for supplements too!
  • Other common deficiencies contributing to adrenal dysfunction lie within the Vitamin B family. Super B is an easy choice for B supplementation, and also contains nutmeg essential oil….. An essential oil that is highly supportive of the adrenal glands!
  • Vitamin E, found in Master Formula and KidScents MightyVites, is another nourishing necessity for healthy adrenal glands.
  • Vitamin D deficiencies are often overlooked in routine lab work. Adequate Vitamin D levels play an important supportive role in the prevention of many endocrine disorders, including diabetes (types I and II), various adrenal diseases, and PCOS. Vitamin D also has immune supportive and anti-inflammatory properties. When the immune system AND inflammation pathways are working properly, the body responds in a more favorable way to stress. Vitamin D is found in Super Vitamin D, Master Formula, Super Cal Plus, KidScents MightyVites, OmegaGize, and Mindwise.
  • Eat a protein rich, carbohydrate poor breakfast. Avoid fruit first thing in the morning.
  • Ensure a regular source of trace minerals. YL’s Mineral Essence or a commitment to use a high quality trace mineral salt (such as Redmond or Sea of Cortez salt) daily and liberally. Do NOT use commercial table salt….. It’s not the same thing. Kelp powder or sea moss is another helpful natural source of micronutrients.
  • Reduce screen time. What we see and hear are stress triggers and recall that screen light interrupts melatonin production in the evenings. Turn off screens by 8pm if at all possible.
  • Engage in a caffeine free lifestyle as much as is possible. Caffeine raises cortisol levels.
  • Reduce sugar intake. Sugar is highly inflammatory, and we are trying to give the body a rest…. Not make it work harder. Work towards balanced blood sugar. NingXia Red is highly supportive of healthy blood sugar levels.
  • Be kind to yourself in thought, word, and deed. Are you a good friend to yourself?
  • Incorporate a diet that is rich in raw fruits and vegetables, and high quality meats, fish, and eggs. Eat healthy sources of cholesterol. Remember, healthy cholesterol is the primary building block for all adrenal produced hormones.
  • Look for ways to reduce inflammation naturally. Take a close look at food sensitivities and possibly, low grade infections. Common low grade infections (often not easily detected) include candida, h.pylori, and Epstein Barr.
  • Stay well hydrated!
  • Consider products with adaptogenic herbs. Studies have shown that ashwagandha helps balance cortisol levels. It is found in both EndoGize and PowerGize. Astragalus is found in CardioGize. Reishi mushrooms are found in Immupro. Ginseng is found in FemiGen and NingXia Nitro. Licorice root is found in FemiGen and Rehomogen. Ginger helps modulate cortisol levels and is found in EndoGize, ComforTone, ICP Daily, Golden Turmeric, JuvaPower, ParaFree, Essentialzymes-4, Digest & Cleanse, Allerzyme, and Master Formula. Note that adaptogenic herbs are helpful supportive tools, but so is the spare “donut” tire found in the trunk of many cars. The “donut tire” will help for a while, but it’s not a long term solution to the root cause.
  • Exercise. It reduces stress in the mind and body, facilitates improved blood flow and, oxygenation of tissue, and hastens elimination of toxins. Excessive exercise is not a good idea when in adrenal insufficiency recovery. Start with gentle exercise🧘‍♀️🏊🚴‍♀️, and work towards that which is suitable for you individually. Regular exercise is key in self care.
Adrenal insufficiency has many culprits working together over time to quietly bring chaos into the body, and those purveyors of mayhem must be dealt with.
All of them.
Individually.
This is not a small crime scene. It’s a crime syndicate. Untended to, adrenal fatigue can become chronic, making the body a playground for other system dysfunctions. My best advice is to work on repair and recovery in babystep fashion. Remember, adrenal insufficiency didn’t happen overnight, and repair won’t happen overnight either.
Adrenal fatigue can happen to anyone at any age if stress management is not an ingrained habit. One of the most important life skills a child should be taught is learning how to manage stress by incorporating the above into their daily life. Life is stress filled. We can’t change that, but we CAN change how we react to stress, and how prepped our body is when the inevitable stressors present themselves. Protect your adrenal glands friends. Each one of us can’t afford not to.
 
xoxo ~ liz
 
(link to volume I: Becoming Your Own Health Detective: https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
 
#sharingiscaring
#adrenalfatigueisreal
#theapplicationofknowledgeispower
#goodmedicine
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#ThanksYL

The Facts Surrounding Adrenal Gland Stress – part 1

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Figment, Fatigue, Copycat or Multiple Culprits? The Facts Surrounding Adrenal Gland Stress Part I
 
Several months ago, I wrote a series recognizing stress as its own particular mafia-like crime family bent on creating mayhem within the body. You’ll want to pull that crime scene file as a reference tool as we address adrenal gland health, function and distress. Adrenal fatigue is not an officially recognized entity within western medicine and should not be confused with Addison’s disease, a rare disorder which causes severe and permanent adrenal insufficiency only relieved by medication. The progression of adrenal fatigue is akin to watching an automobile accident happen in slow motion beginning well before the actual collision. A series of events took place leading up to the actual accident. Separately, fiddling with the radio, the wet streets, the tread a little too worn on the tires, the kids wrestling in the back seat, the phone ringing, the car in front slamming on their brakes didn’t cause the accident. The accident occurred because of an accumulation of events. Such is the case with adrenal fatigue.
 
As this crime scene is dis-assembled and reassembled, bear in mind that there will be many overlapping clues🔎 leading to other dis-ease states: anemia, sleep apnea, autoimmune disorders, subclinical infections, POTS, hormonal impairments, major organ disorders and deficiencies (common ones being B12, folate, iron/ferritin, magnesium, and Vitamin D), and perhaps these dis-ease states may be playing a role in your personal crime scenario that is (or is not) adrenal fatigue.
 
The biggest baddest clue in town for adrenal fatigue is all manner of stress, specifically the stress that has led up to this point. Adrenal fatigue is predated by at least two years of chronic stress that nearly always comes from more than one source. Every single crime scene is different, and in order to map out your particular story, you’ll want to spend a little time putting together a timeline of clues.🔎 On your timeline, you’ll want to log the dates and each incident in all of the following categories of stress:
  • Hospital stays
  • Surgeries
  • Significant illnesses (anything that kept you home and required recuperation time)
  • Chronic, auto-immune, or degenerative disorders (include first symptom dates and actual diagnosis dates if possible)
  • Dental work (root canals, implants, tooth removals, filled cavities, infections etc)
  • Significant emotional events (a death of a loved one, loss of job, divorce, traumas, mood disorders, etc)
  • Prescription medications (including both short term therapy such as an antibiotic and long term therapy such as blood pressure medications)
Adrenal fatigue creeps in on little cat feet, and if you are aware of the predisposing factors you have every chance of heading it off before it creates enormous issues within the body. Ideally, you’ll use this book (and other reference materials) to recognize what could happen when “the scene is being set up” and will implement wisdom and discernment to head off disaster at the pass. (said in my best John Wayne voice!🤠)
 
When you’ve put your health history together (as suggested above), hang on to this document and add to it as your life story is written. Additional factors that add to or aggravate the stress load include:
  • Having a “Type A” personality
  • A chronic (mental, emotional, or physical) stress which keeps you in a low grade “fight or flight”
  • A severely stressful event
  • Working to the point of exhaustion
  • Harboring chronic or simmering anger
  • Harboring even low grade (subclinical) infections (bacterial, parasitic, viral, fungal)
  • Excessive chronic caffeine intake
  • Excessive exercise
  • Poor diet, mal-absorption or mal-digestion issues
  • Very little play or relaxation time
  • A toxic (physical or emotional) environment.
  • A chemically toxic environment
  • Chronic inflammation (remember that not all inflammation is painful. Proper labwork may identify inflammation you may not even be aware of)
  • A sedentary lifestyle
  • Poor sleep habits or sleep deprivation
  • Too many years on a high fat/ high protein diet
  • PTSD
  • Concurrent conditions that also set the body up for adrenal fatigue include MTHFR gene variance, mitochondrial disorders, a sludgy liver, EMF toxicity, a previously existing endocrine imbalance (subclinical hypothyroidism, estrogen dominance, insulin resistance, etc)
  • Maternal stress during pregnancy (Epigenetics! The fetus’ body is programmed to address stress as his/her mother did while in utero)
Living in today’s world, it’s fairly safe to say there isn’t a single one of us who has remained unscathed.
 
The stages of Adrenal fatigue go something like this:
 
Stage I: Fatigue, but hormone production hasn’t yet been affected
 
Stage II: Fatigue, anxiety, and possible irritability. It may take longer to fall asleep than it used to, and harder to stay asleep. Infection rate has increased (getting sick more often), and hormone and thyroid symptoms have begun showing up. This would include PMS and menstrual irregularities.
 
Stage III: All of the above plus multiple diagnosed endocrine system imbalances (sex hormones, thyroid, pancreas) and severe fatigue. Common diagnoses at this stage also include:
  • POTS
  • Blood sugar imbalances
  • Cardiovascular irregularities (beat, rhythm, and blood pressure)
  • Anxiety diagnoses
Stage IV: the line between Adrenal fatigue and Addison’s Disease gets blurry.
Clues🔎 surfacing within “active” adrenal fatigue stages will become more pronounced as progression occurs unless you take charge of the situation. Awareness is key, because this is your opportunity to stop the crash before it happens! Reminder: there are usually multiple causes for each clue, and you’ll want to pair these clues with the “stress load” profile you built (above). What you may begin to see is a series of unrelated events, circumstances, and health clues all crescendoing towards the same thing… adrenal glands that are growing weary from “running from the lion” day in and day out. Remember, look at the entire puzzle, not the individual pieces🧩! Some of the more common clues seen within adrenal fatigue staging include:
  • Gaining weight, especially around the abdomen (estrogen dominance will do this too)
  • Fragile skin
  • Inability to turn the brain off
  • Feeling anxious or nervous without good reason
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Infections that are lasting longer than they should
  • Need a stimulant such as coffee to get started in the morning
  • Reduced libido
  • Lightheaded when rising from a horizontal position
  • Intolerance to exercise
  • Fatigued but restless
  • Tending to wake up between 2-4am most nights
  • GI function that has become irritable or hyperactive often combined with mal-absorption issues that ultimately lead to deficiencies
  • Loose hanging fat around the belly, combined with thin arms and legs, and a puffy face
  • Pain in the upper back or neck that doesn’t have a reasonable explanation
  • Feeling better physically when away from the source of stress
  • Receding hairline and/or unexplained hair loss
  • Afternoon napping
  • Your day looks something like this:
  • Wake up but need coffee or stimulant to function
  • Energy boost mid morning
  • Energy crash around 2pm
  • Energy revive around 6pm
  • Crash again around 9pm but wide awake at 11pm
  • Intense cravings of sweet and salty food
  • Increased incidence of environmental and food allergies and sensitivities
  • Decreased ability to cope with stress
Mind, body, and spirit stress is everywhere, and we all need daily Jesus, Thieves Household Cleaner, good food, appropriate sleep, and all the emotionally relaxing oils we can use! My favorite emotional oils are Frankincense, Lavender, StressAway, Peace & Calming, and Valor which all have some very interesting “worth the dive” science supporting their role as tools for healthy stress management.
 
See you next week as we dive a little deeper into the muddy waters of adrenal fatigue!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
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