(Cardio kickboxing) How to Beat Adrenal Fatigue Once and for All
No commentsBy Nathaniel Pollard
Your adrenal glands are two tiny pyramid-shaped pieces of tissue situated right above each kidney. Their job is to produce and release, when appropriate, certain regulatory hormones and chemical messengers.
Adrenaline is manufactured in the interior of the adrenal gland, called the adrenal medulla. Cortisol, the other chemical from the adrenal gland, is made in the exterior portion of the gland, called the adrenal cortex. The cortex also secretes androgens, estrogens, and progestins. Cortisol, commonly called hydrocortisone, is the most abundant — and one of the most important — of many adrenal cortex hormones. Cortisol helps you handle longer-term stress situations.
In addition to helping you handle stress, these two primary adrenal hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, along with others similarly produced, help
control body fluid balance, blood pressure, blood sugar, and other central metabolic functions.
In the heightened nervous state of adrenal burnout, the body overproduces adrenaline, cortisol and other stress hormones. Constant stress and poor nutrition can weaken the adrenal glands. Eventually, this causes the adrenal glands, the front line in the stress reaction, to show wear and tear and become depleted. This frequently leads to impairment in the thyroid gland, which can cause a further decline in energy level and mood and is one of the reasons why many people have thyroid glands that don’t work well.
When stress continues over prolonged periods of time, the adrenal glands can deplete the body’s hormonal and energy reserves, and the glands may either shrink in size or hypertrophy (enlarge). The overproduction of adrenal hormones caused by prolonged stress can weaken the immune system and inhibit the production of white blood cells that protect the body against foreign invaders (in particular lymphocytes and lymph node function).
Adrenal dysfunction can disrupt the body’s blood sugar metabolism, causing weakness, fatigue, and a feeling of being run down. It can also interfere with normal sleep rhythms and produce a wakeful, unrelaxing sleep state, making a person feel worn out even after a full night’s sleep.
Common Causes of Adrenal Stress
Anger
Fear / Worry /Anxiety
Depression
Guilt
Overwork/ physical or mental strain
Excessive exercise
Sleep deprivation
Light-cycle disruption
Going to sleep late
Surgery
Trauma/injury
Chronic inflammation
Chronic infection
Chronic pain
Temperature extremes
Toxic exposure
Malabsorption
Maldigestion
Chronic illness
Chronic-severe allergies
Hypogycemia
Nutritional deficiencies
Testing for Adrenal Health
In order to determine the health of your adrenal glands you need to have a simple blood, urine, or saliva test such as the Adrenal Stress Index performed by your practitioner. Cortisol levels can be checked throughout the day by saliva or in the am by blood. DHEA, and Epinephrine, are some other indicators of adrenal function. The information provided by testing can help to determine the most appropriate type of treatment.
Associated Symptoms and Consequences of Impaired Adrenal Functioning
Low body temperature
Weakness
Unexplained hair loss
Nervousness/Panic Attacks
Difficulty building muscle
Irritability
Mental depression
Difficulty gaining weight
Apprehension
Hypoglycemia
Inability to concentrate
Excessive hunger
Tendency towards inflammation
Moments of confusion
Indigestion
Poor memory
Feelings of frustration
Alternating diarrhea and constipation
Osteoporosis
Auto-immune diseases/hepatitis
Lightheadedness
Palpitations heart fluttering
Dizziness that occurs upon standing
Poor resistance to infections
Low blood pressure
Insomnia
Food and/or inhalant allergies
PMS
Craving for sweets
Dry and thin skin
Headaches
Scanty perspiration
Alcohol intolerance
Treatment
Lifestyle changes such as:
Eating steadily, all day long. Skipping meals is one of the worst things you can do for your body. When you’re hungry, your blood sugar drops, stressing your adrenal glands and triggering your sympathetic nervous system. That causes light-headedness, cravings, anxiety and fatigue. Another drawback to skipping meals: The resulting low blood sugar can affect your ability to think clearly and shorten your attention span.
Skipping breakfast is particularly bad, as it is a sure fire way to gain, not lose, weight. If you start each morning with a good breakfast and “graze” healthfully every two to four hours, your blood sugar will remain steady throughout the day. You’ll feel more rested and energetic. Eat protein with every meal. Eat Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice. Avoid sugar, junk food, white pasta, white rice, white bread.
Absolutely NO Caffeine. Coffee/Sodas over stimulates your adrenals and they deplete important B vitamins.
Coffee does not give you energy; coffee gives you the illusion of energy. Coffee actually drains the body of energy and makes you more tired, because of vitamin and adrenal depletion.
Exercise to relax. Walking, Yoga, deep breathing, meditation, or stretching. No vigorous or aerobic exercise, which depletes the adrenals.
Avoid alcohol, processed foods, and tobacco. Nicotine in tobacco initially raises cortisol levels, but chronic use results in low DHEA, testosterone, and progesterone levels.
Reduce stress; learn relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation.
Helpful Supplements
The use of small amounts of natural adrenal hormone (hydrocortisone) to bring slightly low adrenal function up to its proper normal daily range is often helpful.
Take a daily multivitamin to provide nutritional support to the adrenal gland.
Vitamin C 1,000-3,000 mg a day
L-Theanine 100-400 mg a day
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) 300 mg a day
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), no more than 1000 mg of glycyrrhizin
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Relieving The Stomach Gas The Natural Way
By Carroll Willis
Are there natural ways to reduce the gas you pass? Try preventive measures first. Learn how to move gas through your intestines more readily.
While there are several reasons you may find yourself to be gassy, there are many solutions for reducing belching, flatulence, abdominal bloating and pain. Excess gas commonly is associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Other serious gastrointestinal disorders usually produce other symptoms besides just being “gassy.”
Doctors usually recommend a plan to help move gas through the intestines more readily, combined with preventive measures, such as eliminating certain foods from your diet and avoiding chewing gum. Although many products on store shelves promise to help, their success is not guaranteed and often depends on the individual. There are also prescription medicines and some alternative therapies.
Keeping a diary of the foods and beverages you consume can help you systematically eliminate one food or group of foods at a time to determine which may be most responsible for your symptoms. One of the first questions at the top of the list would be ‘Could this be related to dairy products?’. If it is, the first step should be to eliminate these products from your diet for about seven days. If you feel better, then try to add dairy products back to your diet in smaller amounts to see if you can tolerate them.
There are some recommended home remedies and lifestyle changes. Chew more slowly and thoroughly because gas can be a sign of undigested food, the enzymes in saliva begin the first stage of breaking down food in the body’s absorption process. Avoid foods you know cause indigestion. Common food sources of gas include Brussels sprouts, bran, beans, milk products, cabbage, artificial sweeteners, carbonated beverages and alcohol. Take a short walk after you eat to prevent gas accumulation.
Maintaining a regular exercise schedule in the form of walking, jogging and calisthenics will help stimulate the passage of gas through the digestive tract. Perform chest-to-knee stretches. Lying on your back, bring your right knee to your chest. Hold for 10 seconds and, then repeat with the other knee.
If those remedies don’t provide relief, your doctor may recommend that you take an over-the-counter antacid, activated charcoal, or a lactase or bismuth product.
Antacids contain aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide (known as Milk of Magnesia), calcium carbonate, or other ingredients individually or in various combinations. Antacids help to control the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, a condition in which the stomach’s juices (acid and digestive enzymes) flow backward, or reflux, into the esophagus.
Tablets of activated charcoal may provide relief from gas in the colon. Studies have shown that when taken before and after a meal, lower-intestinal gas is reduced.
However, activated charcoal can cause black stools and constipation. While these are harmless side effects, black stools can be confusing to a physician, because color changes in stool can be a sign of a serious illness. Evidence concerning the benefit of activated charcoal is contradictory. Its effect in alleviating symptoms of intestinal gas has been supported by some studies yet refuted by others. As a result, physicians may recommend that patients consider trying activated charcoal to see whether its use results in some symptom relief. The usual dose is two to four tablets taken just before eating and one hour after meals.
Gas is often a symptom of lactose intolerance, which makes digesting dairy products difficult. It occurs when the body has too little of the enzyme lactase in the small intestine to break down lactose, the main sugar in milk and milk-based products. Although lactose intolerance can happen at any age, it tends to affect most people as they grow older. Lactase comes in liquid or tablet form. Adding a few drops to milk before drinking or chewing lactase tablets just before eating helps people who have difficulty breaking down lactose.
Bismut has salts to relieve inflammatory conditions of the stomach and intestines and can sometimes relieve gas. It also reduces the odor of unpleasant smelling gas caused by hydrogen sulfide, a sulfur-containing compound. Like activated charcoal, bismuth may result in black stools. Take before or after meals, on either an empty or full stomach.
In summary, stomach and intestinal gas is normal. Excess gas can be distressing, but rarely is it caused by a serious medical disorder. If your symptoms cannot be easily controlled or you have additional problems such as abdominal pain, change in bowel habits, or rectal bleeding, you need to contact your doctor’s office.
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How to Choose the Right Knee Brace
By Pasquale Bright
Knee braces - also known as knee supports and knee pads - are used primarily as protective gear to address several physical conditions and prevent knee-related problems. These braces are a prominent fixture in sports medicine, particularly with injured athletes. Some sports medicine experts classify knee braces into two simple categories. Functional knee braces are used by patients with an ACL tear, damaged ligaments or other injuries to substitute for the injured body part. Individuals using these braces are able to continue doing some activities without requiring surgery. Although functional braces will never be a perfect or permanent replacement to normal ligaments, they definitely offer adequate protection in low-load situations, giving the knee greater stability compared to having no braces at all.
1. Consult Your Doctor
One who is considering wearing a functional knee brace should consult with a doctor. The decision to use the brace would depend on the particular ligament injured, the sport the individual plays, rehabilitation work taken, and other factors. An injured athlete must realize that strengthening, physical therapy and rehabilitation are more important than using a knee brace, which may help prevent a re-injury but not hasten or contribute much to the recovery or healing process.
On the other hand, prophylactic knee braces are more of a preventive measure for healthy athletes. However, research has yielded unclear results if such a brace prevents knee injuries. Although some athletes using prophylactic braces have shown lower MCL tears, other factors have also contributed to injury risk reduction. These factors include the kind of sport played and conditioning, position and other player attributes.
Apprehension has also emerged over the possibility that a prophylactic brace may actually be a hindrance to knee movement and even increase the likelihood of injury. Research shows that this is not the case, as long as the knee brace is correctly fitted and firmly in place.
2. Commercial Knee Braces
The Futuro Knee Support Stabilizing Large is one of several knee braces available in the market. The brace is designed to give athletes or individuals with weakened tendons, muscles or ligaments stable and comfortable support and prevent any re-injury. The Futuro can also be worn the whole day or when the user feels discomfort in doing some activities. The brace also does not hinder movement even as the knee is stabilized.
Magnetic therapy is integrated into Magnetic Wave Knee Support. This brace comes in small/medium and large/extra large sizes and features 12 magnets spread strategically in the neoprene material. The HoMedics knee support also applies heat therapy and cold therapy for aches, sprains and other injuries. The brace also fits the user securely with loop closures and a hook.
The single-size Mueller Sport Care Knee Support Open Patella is used for arthritic knees and minor strains and sprains. The support is made from a soft neoprene blend that enables body heat retention to relieve pain and help maintain knee flexibility. The support is also designed with an open patella, adjustable straps, stretch nylon, and trimmed, smooth edges to ensure a comfortable fit, prevent chafing and easy wear and removal.
3. Knee Braces With Specific Applications
- Arthritic knee braces are made for individuals with arthritis
- Tese braces are also called unloader braces
- These are designed to eliminate pressure on knee joints
- Post-operative braces are designed to immobilize knee joints after an injury or surgery
- Magnetic knee braces work on the assumption that magnetic fields promote various health benefits
- Elastic braces are the ideal option, as they adjust to the natural contour of the knee and leg
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