OH! Magazine - Australian Version March 2014 (Australian Version) | Page 15

the midnight oil, never switch off their
iPhone or Blackberry, answer emails on
Sundays, and cram their day with an
endless list of ‘to do’s’. Pushing limits is
natural for type A personalities, and they
often find it difficult to slow down and
stop ‘doing’.
People with adrenal imbalance often
reach for stimulants like caffeine and
sugar to ‘keep them going’. Excessive
use of stimulants can further damage
the adrenals, so this kind of temporary
energy boost only aggravates the
problem.
Adrenal burnout is not something that
can be fixed with a few good nights’
sleep. It is a deep imbalance of the
body’s energy producing system, and
rest alone is not enough to restore
balance.
Adrenal burnout is a syndrome rather
than a disease. It is a combination of
different symptoms that can vary from
person to person. Some of these
symptoms include:
• Constant fatigue that is not relieved
by rest.
• Insomnia
• Low blood pressure and/or blood
sugar levels
• Back and joint pain
• Decreased immunity - susceptibility
to colds, flus, infections
• Emotional symptoms such as apathy,
despair, anxiety and irritability
• Excessive behaviour such as working
at a furious pace, intense exercise,
loud music (your body’s attempt to
stimulate adrenals).
• Other glandular imbalances, such as
hypothyroidism
and
lowered
immunity, can be secondary.

Recovery
For complete recovery, you need to
consider both the physical and emotional
aspects. Adrenal burnout is a lifestyle
illness fuelled by cultural values and a
personal psychological disposition; a
lifestyle approach is needed to deal with
it. Diet is very important, as the body’s
nutritional needs increase under stress.
Things like excessive carbs and
stimulants and insufficient protein can
further stress the adrenals. Nutritional
supplements may be required, and

holistic healing therapies can help to
restore both your physical and emotional
condition. It is also important to address
the emotional and psychological issues
and stressors. It has been said that if
you want something different, you need
to do things differently. In the case of
adrenal imbalance, this is not only true
for your recovery but also for your
ongoing health.
• Early to bed – Research has shown that
our adrenal glands recover best when
we go to bed between 9pm and 10pm.
Prepare for sleep by starting to wind
down 30 minutes to one hour before
bedtime. If you have severe sleeping
issues, you may wish to consult with a
holistic health practitioner.
• Meditation – Meditation is an
effective tool to calm your mind, alter
your brain waves and achieve a sense
of deeper relaxation and serenity.
Meditation can be difficult to achieve
as a beginner, especially when our
minds are busy and we’re under
stress. By practicing daily, it will get
easier. Physical activity prior to
meditation can also help (nothing too
strenuous though – yoga or tai chi is
ideal)
and
guided
meditation
recordings are also useful. Another
tool is to use the environment as a
focus point – a quiet nature walk,
followed by some time of simply
sitting still and drawing focus from
the calmness around you.
• Mindfulness, the art of slowing down
– Slowing down in every aspect of
your being is important for the
recovery from stress. Mindfulness is
an acknowledged mental training for
successful stress reduction, allowing
your mind to become aware of th B