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55 year old female. I have adrenal insufficiency and as a…

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Answer 1

Homeopathy Expert: Behzad Azargoshasb, Naturopathic Doctor replied 5 years ago

It sounds like along with adrenal insufficiency there is exhaustion which may indicate low thyroid hormone as well and cortisol dysregulation. I would recommend starting off to add cinnamon to your diet as it is great at regulating blood sugar. You can sprinkle it on your meals especially on meals higher in carbs. As an alternative and my preferred method is drinking 2-3 cups of cinnamon tea during the day after meals also as a digestive aid. Get cinnamon sticks from the local health food store or supermarket and boil 2 sticks with sufficient water for 10- 15 min until the water takes on color. Replace the sticks every two days or when the taste of cinnamon has gone. Also never go hungry for too long. Consume a handful of nuts like almonds or walnuts whenever you cannot get to a meal. Eat a table spoon of virgin Coconut oil before your meals to stabilize your blood sugar as well. Let me know how it goes.

Answer 2

Homeopathy Expert: Behzad Azargoshasb, Naturopathic Doctor replied 5 years ago

You are welcome. To address your question. The coconut oil will stabilize the release of glucose so that there will be a gradual release of sugar into your blood to prevent the insulin spike. Focus more on low glycemic fruits and veges, lean proteins and eggs and good fats like avocados, olives and coconut oil. If you want a detailed list of low glycemic foods I can send you my notes on them. Let me know.

Let me explain to you the reason behind your condition so that you understand what is going on. This is probably something no doctor has explained to you.

The hormone systems in the human body are interdependent and synergistic. What may have happened in your case as is common with adrenal exhaustion is that the hormone Cortisol also released by the adrenals in response to stress and/or low blood sugar is not being released as the stores have been dwindled due to overwork and years of uncontrolled stress. Usually what happens when we have blood sugar rise the insulin is released by the beta cells of the pancreas which quickly store it mainly in muscle and fat tissue as glycogen or fat for later use. When blood sugar falls below a threshold it triggers the release of Cortisol from the adrenals to raise the blood sugar to normal level. Which in your case does not seem to be happening due to the exhaustion part. If ever you wake up in the middle of the night with cold sweats and heart racing this is the reason. Furthermore, because of your low cortisol the thyroid is not able to convert into the active form leading to further issues like weight gain, brain fog, dry coarse hair and skin and sleep and digestive issues.

Now that we know the cause. Your goal is to replenish your adrenals to restore your cortisol levels which will fix your main concern ie the blood sugar issue and the concomitant issue of low thyroid. We can get to this using a three prong approach. Nutrition, Meditation and botanicals.

Nutrition: Increases your vitamin C intake. Eat more fruits and veges, especially citrus fruits. I would however in your case supplement as well with 1000 mg vitamin C thrice daily with a meal. Since the Adrenals are heavily dependent on this vitamin to function.

Meditation: Believe it or not just five-ten minutes of deep belly breathing is all you need to signal your adrenals that you are in fact relaxed and ready to heal yourself.

DO this: Breath like a baby. If you have ever noticed an infant breathing, their belly rises with every inhalation and falls on exhalation. This is the proper way to breathe. To breathe like this lie down and put one hand on your belly and the other one on your chest. Now imagine that you have a balloon in your belly that you are trying to fill with air. As you breathe in, your belly should rise and your chest should stay mostly stationary. This happens as the lungs fill maximally and push the digestive organs away from it giving a nice massage to them in the process. As you breathe out the belly will fall naturally due to gravity and tissue elasticity. Try to slow down your breath as much as you can without forcing yourself or becoming uncomfortable. This type of breathing is called belly breathing or more technically known as diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe like this at least 10 times every night before bed, you will sleep like a baby. Initially, as you practice this type of breathing placing the hands on the chest and belly helps to give you visual and tactile cues but once you feel yourself belly breathing naturally you don’t need the hand placement. With time you will notice that your new breathing style will have you more energized and relaxed at the same time.

Lastly, I will recommend three-four botanicals/herbs to help you. Take a minimum of 3 months upto 6 months then take a break for two weeks and reassess if you need to take more.

Rhodiola Rosea: 500 mg std extract twice daily 10 min before a meal

Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) 250 mg std extract twice daily 10 min before a meal.

If your blood pressure generally runs low then a good remedy is a licorice and rehmannia complex by Medi herb. If you can find it take it as directed on the bottle. Just a heads up this brand is pricy but very high quality. If you can't find this brand look at Gaia herbs for a similar formula containing these two herbs.

I would also get the Licrorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) and make tea out of it and drink it regularly. It has a sweet taste to it and very yummy. Have the cinnamon and licorice on alternating days.

My goal is to help you get better and not just give you a temporary crutch. I know I gave you a lot of information. Digest it and implement as much as you can. Remember the body heals at its own pace. There will be good days and bad days while you are getting better that is normal. Have faith in your body’s ability to heal itself and it will astonish you. Let me know if you need further clarification.

Answer 3

Homeopathy Expert: Behzad Azargoshasb, Naturopathic Doctor replied 5 years ago

Thank You for your kind words. Best wishes for your healing journey.

Take care.

Dr. B.

55 year old female. I have adrenal insufficiency and as a…

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