Book Essay: Adrenal Fatigue by Dr. Wilson
What is the “Big Idea” of this book?
List three things you learned about adrenal fatigue from this book.
Did you find anything contradictory to the philosophy of this class?
What are your thoughts/comments/perspectives about this book?
Dr. Wilson is the author of the “Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome” and coined the term “Adrenal Fatigue” based on years working with patients that he could not figure out how to help their symptoms improve. Dr. Wilson found with his research and work with clients that adrenal fatigue is more of a syndrome. His patients drove him to do the research to help find the right solutions to improve their adrenal function. Around 80% of patients go to their doctor to complain of fatigue but they don’t get the improvements they need as most doctors do not recognize adrenal dysfunction.
Dr. Wilson created a program to help patients improve their energy levels, happiness and recovery including methods how to test the adrenals and how to identify stressors -including energy robbers than may be contributing to chronic stress and adrenal dysfunction/fatigue.
The two little glands above the kidneys the size of a walnut are the adrenal glands. They help keep the body in balance and respond to stress. Our way of life constantly demands too much of our adrenal glands and the adrenal glands eventually start to get exhausted. When the adrenal is not performing as well then we are more fatigued, have trouble sleeping, gain weight and even feel depressed. Dr. Wilson has excellent visual aids to help identify causes of adrenal fatigue and how stress looks different for everyone.
Low adrenal function often relates to increase in belly fat with the increase demand of the stress hormone cortisol and glycogenesis to respond to stressful situations and triggering glucose to be released into the bloodstream to provide quick emergency energy. Not only do we have blood sugar handling difficulties, fatigue and depression but we often get thyroid dysfunction and hormone imbalances. The body systems all work together so if one gland as the adrenal glands start to be fatigued or dysfunctional, then the other systems in the body as the hormones and thyroid become impacted.
Three things I learned from this book –
1. Stress comes in different forms- not only from sitting in traffic or getting in an accident.
2. We can test the adrenal function a few simple tests including blood pressure change when standing and eye test.
3. Lifestyle forms to use with clients – make a list of what makes me feel good or moves my soul. Then make another list of things or people that drain me or rob my energy levels.
The adrenal glands secrete over 50 hormones including the metabolic intermediates (known since 1965). The adrenal glands are important glands to keep us balanced. Norepinephrine fight or flight hormones are needed the first part of stress response. Most of adrenal glands regulated by blood flow – HPA Axis and hormones. Most of our hormones are secreted by adrenal glands so if are adrenals are tired and overworked then the hormones may become below normal levels. The sex hormones and the stress hormones need to work together. Blood sugar is important to keep normal during stressful situations. If adrenals are not functioning their best, then we can’t perform as well as we need to. If cortisol is too low or too high, then other hormones may be out of balance- the body is very delicate and has innate intelligence to keep functioning with daily demands of life.
The nervous system is also a delicate balance- where we need to keep the sympathetic “fight or flight” nervous system in check with our parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system. If we live life as a constant race filled speeding through daily activities, functions and appointments then we are putting our entire health and body systems at risk. Stress can create damage to our internal health- not just a headache! We can improve our response to stressful situations as well as reduce the stress triggers in our life. Often we need more time spent in the “rest and digest” nervous systems and less time in the “fight or flight” nervous system. More is not better!
Dr. Wilson offers great suggestions how to improve our happiness, how to relax and how to reduce our stress triggers. We have become addicted to busyness as well as being overly connected due to our constant phone “notifications”, social media, text messages and emails. We need to take charge of our lives and take power to keep our adrenals healthy! I find this book very informative and a great companion to my new book coming out on Amazon called “Life is Not a Race… It is a Journey”. We need to all slow down and pace ourselves a little more each day if we really are working on our whole health!
Five Solutions:
1. Get enough sleep
2. Avoid junk food, excess caffeine, white flour and sugar products
3. Do meditation and visualization
4. Take right supplements
5. Give yourself time to heal- doing more exercise is not as therapeutic as doing less. Believe you will get better!