Living in a constant state of stress shifts our biochemistry and wreaks havoc on our physical and emotional health.
When we live in a consistent state of stress, we are collectively experiencing a cell starvation problem (even though we’re eating), which forces the body to release stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) in order to compensate for the inability of your body to effectively convert food into fuel.
This is the cause of many chronic symptoms including:
We get stuck in this vicious cycle and it breaks down our physical and emotional health. Therefore, we must interrupt this hormonal pattern correctly and consistently to reverse the cycle and allow your cells to make energy from your food once again. Interrupting this pattern will also help heal the collateral damage done to our nerve cells.
To start this type of healing, we've pulled 5 action items from The Adrenal ReCodeto include in a 5-day challenge. This will help you start to interrupt these negative patterns and get you back on track. There's a ton more work to be done on the body to heal this stress response state for lasting results, but this is a good start!
Benefits:
Tulsi Tea (also known as Holy Basil) helps tackle stress, anxiety, and inflammation. We recommend having a cup upon waking and again mid-morning so that you can best access it’s adaptogenic properties to support healthy blood sugar levels, reduce stress and anxiety, and help your body cope with stress better so the rest of your day goes better.
Holy basil boosts dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine is your feel good excitatory neurotransmitter that helps you feel focused, driven, alive, and joyful, while serotonin helps you feel loved and relaxed.
Outside of being the single best adaptogen for blood sugar regulation, it is rich in calcium, iron, vitamin C and phosphorus and is helping in reducing an excess bacteria load on the body as well as reduces oxidative stress – two things you are susceptible to when your adrenals are compromised.
Benefits:
Doing yoga three times a week can help train your system to live mostly in your parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest) and to only use the sympathetic (fight-flight-or-freeze) when true danger is present. Focus on releasing your neck and shoulders first. Stretch out your spine second so that your cerebrospinal fluid can flow easier to nourish your nerves. Then, open up your hip flexors and psoas as they are the “junk drawers” of our emotional storage.
Benefits:
Recipe:
Directions:
Benefits:
Add these to your everyday salad or chop them up in your chicken or egg salad, or put a handful into your coconut or cassava lunch wrap.
Benefits:
My favorite way to consume Lion's Mane is in coffee because it adds an earthy tone and it neutralizes the cortisol push of coffee. Also, do not drink your coffee before 10am and always have it with food if you want to heal your adrenals.
