You’re being pulled in a hundred directions and attempting super-hero-like feats in order to get through the day. And no doubt – you’re stressed.

As we discussed in our previous blog post, the effects of stress can be traced to our adrenal glands – those important little guys atop the kidneys that produce vital hormones and respond to our stress. Over-stressed means our adrenal glands are overworked. Patients suffering from adrenal fatigue will experience symptoms such as nausea, salt and sugar cravings, poor appetite, excessive exhaustion, and memory loss. So, we need to tend to our adrenals in order to maintain or regain our health.

We touched on some things you can do to help out our warn-out adrenals, but we want to give you some more practical ways to get healthy via adrenal gland maintenance.  If we can’t cut the external stuff out of our lives that’s wearing us down, let’s at least fuel our bodies to be in top condition for the battle.

What can we eat to combat the effects of stress?

It’s a great idea to adopt a natural, whole foods diet and your first step in accomplishing this is by making sure your diet contains quality protein and raw vegetables. Those high sodium veggies – such as green beans, celery, avocados, onions, zucchini and tomatoes – are smart choices. Stressed out? Grab a veggie!

You may also consider snacking on nuts such as almonds, walnuts or Brazil nuts. Another great food to incorporate into your diet that’s rich in quality protein and smart for your adrenals are hemp seeds. But, maybe you prefer fruits instead, so a few wise choices would be oranges, lemons, or Goji berries.  And you can never go wrong with beans, like kidney beans.

Other adrenal-smart foods include wild oats, shitake mushrooms, ginseng, squash and kale. (One more food tip: replace table salt with sea salt!)

What vitamins and supplements can aid the over-worked adrenal glands?

Another way to preserve our adrenals is by making sure you’re taking a high strength B-complex supplement. And every day, be sure to take 2,000-5,000 milligrams of Vitamin C.  This, along with quality fish oils are a great way to supplement your diet.

Dr. Ray Vactor of Wexford Chiropractic Centre recommends supplements that support adrenal function. One is AdrenaMax from Nutritional Frontiers. “If you’re unable to lower your stress, ask me about these supplements or schedule an appointment for nutritional evaluation. We carry numerous supplements to help adrenal function because one may not work the same for everyone. At your evaluation, we’ll determine what supplement works best for you,” says Dr. Vactor.

Dr. Vactor urges patients to control cortisol levels – in other words, take care of those adrenals – in order to feel better, sleep better and live longer!

Dr. Raymond Vactor has been practicing for over 30 years in Western, PA and believes the key to wellness is the combination of exercise, nutrition and chiropractic care. www.wexfordchiropractic.com 724-935-1610