Adrenals

I also recommend that she follow a natural whole food diet that is mainly raw so that the body has very little toxic substances to deal with as raw fruit and vegetables require very little energy to digest. The more raw food in the diet the sooner she will see results.

Here is a bit more detail on the adrenal glands so that you can see just how important it is to look after them.

What are adrenal glands?

Anatomically, the adrenal glands are located atop the kidneys, one on each side. They are surrounded by an adipose (fat) capsule and renal fascia. In humans, the adrenal glands are found at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra. Each adrenal gland is separated into two distinct structures, the adrenal cortex and medulla, both of which produce hormones. The cortex mainly produces cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens, while the medulla chiefly produces epinephrine and norepinephrine. The average combined weight of the adrenal glands in an adult is 7 to 10 grams.

The adrenal cortex is devoted to the synthesis of corticosteroid hormones from cholesterol. When they work efficiently cholesterol is converted efficiently. Corticosteroid hormones help the body regulate inflammation. With exhausted adrenals they can often not produce enough resulting in inflammatory conditions like gout, arthritis and fibromyalgia. Some cells belong to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and are the source of cortisol and corticosterone synthesis. Under normal unstressed conditions, the human adrenal glands produce the equivalent of 35–40 mg of cortisone acetate per day. Other cortical cells produce androgens such as testosterone, while some regulate water and electrolyte concentrations by secreting aldosterone. In contrast to the direct innervation of the medulla, the cortex is regulated by neuroendocrine hormones secreted by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, as well as by the renin-angiotensin system.

The adrenal cortex comprises three zones, or layers.

Zona glomerulosa (outer)

The outermost layer, the zona glomerulosa is the main site for production of mineralocorticoids, mainly aldosterone, which is largely responsible for the long-term regulation of blood pressure. It is easy to see why blood pressure can increase when we are stressed and in some it can decrease.

Zona fasciculata

Situated between the glomerulosa and reticularis, the zona fasciculata is responsible for producing glucocorticoids, chiefly cortisol in humans. The zona fasciculata secretes a basal level of cortisol but can also produce bursts of the hormone in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary.
Zona reticularis
The inner most cortical layer, the zona reticularis produces androgens, mainly dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) in humans. In healthy person there is no need to supplement with DHEA.

Taking hormonal supplements or medication can suppress the normal activity of the adrenal glands. These glands also produce testosterone, estrogen and progesterone and can help you as you get older as they can take over the hormone production of the ovaries and testes to a degree. It is important to do your best to handle stress efficiently so that they can do what they are designed to do.

Plant extracts as suggested above like Maca, Lycium, Licorice, Ginseng and chia seeds can be valuable as help the body to regulate all the hormones needed.

Remember that exercise regulates at least 18 different hormones including those secreted by the adrenal glands. Sunlight also has a positive effect , so try exercising outdoors for at least 20 minutes daily, following the Natural Way 5 steps will help you obtain all the Vitamin C and essential fats you need to recharge and repair your adrenal glands.

Remember that Adrenal glands can take 6-12 months to recover from this type of abuse, so be patient and allow yourself peace, rest and time to recover.

Remember we choose the lives we live, so choose Life!

Kind regards

Mary-Ann

This month I am starting the first of the A-Z of Health - The Natural Way.

I will recommend diet and lifestyle changes that can help you all make better, more natural choices. Some of these recommendations will include natural plant or herb extracts or combinations. This is not, as some may feel, me encouraging you to take supplements, but rather exposing you to the many plants & herbs that have been around for many years (in some instances centuries), that may help you reach optimum health quicker and without resorting to expensive and dangerous medicines and procedures. The information in this newsletter has been tried and tested on many people and works. Try it, what have you to lose? Nothing! You are likely to gain your health back and possibly reach levels of health you never thought were possible.

I received this letter a few weeks ago and it is similar to many I have received or cases I have dealt with over the last 20 years.

A is for Adrenals Exhaustion

Hi Mary-Ann

I have 40 year old overweight client who has been digesting aspartame daily in 7-10 cans of diet coke for 27 years, plus 7 cups of coffee with sugar a day. As soon as I told her this was the cause of her symptoms and bad health,she took herself off of both coke and coffee literally stopped completely. My advice was to stop the coke immediately, but to wean herself slowly off the coffee, and not to stop both at once as she would not be able to cope.Before I saw her she was having worsening panic attacks, out of her head spaced out feelings, inability to concentrate, terrible headaches, and felt like she was going mad.

It is now a month she has been off all coffee and coke, and her symptoms have grown worse. I cant get her to concentrate on the natural way as she now does not want to eat either, feeling she has lost her mind, and finding it difficult to do her job.

Is it possible the aspartame could have caused irreversible brain damage? I need your advice on this one, as not sure what to do next? She has had brain scan and blood tests done, all negative.What would you advise please?

Paula C

____________

Dear Paula

It takes 3-6 months to recover just from the caffeine! Caffeine causes the nerve cells to fire very rapidly and when you remove it the entire nervous system battles to function efficiently. I recommend a gradual removal of caffeine rather that just stopping everything suddenly.

So best I suggest she take some plain coffee 1-3 cups a day (no sweetener) just to give the body time to recover. Basically when stopping like this the body has to recover enough to start regulating the hormones that have been affected by the caffeine. So by reducing caffeine gradually rather that stopping you allow the body to take up the slack slowly but surely.

What has happened is that her adrenal glands are exhausted. This will affect her endocrine or hormonal system, which can affect her thyroid, which is one of the endocrine glands (thyroid controls mental clarity, bowels, metabolism, calcium levels) and because these glands have been strained they are not working properly. The adrenals help us manage stress, control blood pressure and blood sugar and when you remove the caffeine, it is as if you have been whipping a donkey for years, but only when you stop does the donkey collapse. Typical symptoms are extreme tiredness, depression, fuzzy head, no libido, no motivation for anything and sleep problems, which can be , sleeping all the time to not being able to sleep.

The aspartame sweetener is known to cause neuro-endocrine disorders or disorders of the hormonal and central nervous systems.

This is not detox, it is an exhausted endocrine system, which needs lots of fats and natural vitamin C to recover. Taking Vit C in supplements can just strain the body more, unless it is at levels of below 100mg daily.

I recommend BarleyLife (2 tsp twice a day) to help the managing directly (pituitary gland) work efficiently and Aimega (3 twice daily)
Lots of fresh fruit especially fresh pineapple juice, red peppers, tomatoes, berries for natural Vit C
She also needs avos, nuts, seeds olive oil in abundance until her mind is right, then she can slow down her fat intake.

She can reduce coffee to 1-2 cups after 1-2 weeks and then 1 cup a day for 2 weeks and then half decaff and half normal for a few weeks and then she should be able to stop all caffeine.

Maca root, Lycium (wolf or Gogi berries) and Licorice are three other plants that help adrenal exhaustion and thyroid problems, I recommend Multi Maca and Lycium Plus from Forever.
Another two plants that have a beneficial effect on adrenal glands are Ginseng and Chia seeds. There is a great combination called GinChia that You can order off our website or if you want to directly from Forever Living at wholesale, contact Mark at mark@naturalway.co.za for details of how to do this in your country. www.naturalway.co.za. will allow you to order online at retail prices.

Maca Root is an annual plant cultivated in Peruvian highlands and is an edible root, resembling a radish and a staple food of the local population. According to legend Maca root was eaten by the Incan warriors for strength and endurance. Modern studies suggests Maca helps promote libido, sexual potency and energy. Many have found it sorts out hot flashes, nights sweats, mood swings, depression and improves thyroid function, helps increase mental clarity as a result and has an anti-inflammatory effect in fibromyalgia. Together with Lycium is known to improve eye and vaginal dryness. Clearly it has a positive effect on the hormonal system, the immune system and central nervous system.

Lycium - also known as wolf or Gogi berries or the matrimony vine due to its effect on libido and fertility. Lycium has been used in China for centuries. Lycium is excellent for eyesight as it is high in 5 carotenoids including lutein and zeaxanthan. Lycium is known to encourage the body to produce more HGH or Human Growth Hormone, the hormone that keeps us young and slim. It si an essential plant to take to help with weight regulation. Research on 20 elderly people over just a 3 week period indicated that in 67% of the people, T-Cells tripled and white blood cells doubled indicating a clear positive effect on the immune system. Depression lifted (natural antidepressant), appetite balanced and sleep improved. 35% of the people recovered full sexual function. Pretty powerful stuff! Clearly the endocrine (hormonal) system is being affected in a positive way.

Licorice - has been used for centuries too and research indicates that licorice (raw, unprocessed and with no added sugar) will benefit people who have asthma, emphysema and tuberculosis, athlete's food, baldness, bursitis, canker sores, chronic fatigue, depression, colds, coughs and flu (I well remember those cough and cold syrups of old that contained licorice), gingivitis, tooth decay, out, heartburn, viral and fungal infections, ulcers, liver, menopause, psoriasis, shingles, sore throat, yeast infections, prostate problems & arthritis. Whew a real cure all!

Chia - is the seed of a herb grown in North & South America as a staple food and once staple of the Aztecs. High in Omega 3 and 6 with the perfect ratio of Omega 3 to 6. Contains water soluble fibre which is ideal for constipation and diarrhea (regulates bowel function), regulates thyroid and other hormonal function, contains all 8 amino acids for complete protein, has powerful antioxidants (chlorogenic and caffeic acids and the flavenols, myrcetin, quercetin and kampferol).

Ginseng - Panax (panacea, meaning heal all) and Siberian is a muscle relaxant, so helps with stress, it is adaptogenic in that it helps where help is needed. Ginseng is a natural aphrodisiac helping with libido and sexual function, helps regulate blood sugar especially in diabetes and insulin resistance, contains many antioxidant and anti carcinogenic properties and protects against radiation form treatment or electronic equipment, is anti inflammatory, has a positive effect on the pituitary gland (manages the entire hormonal system) improves sperm quantity and quality and is considered a revitalizing plant.

She may want to use 1 or more of these products and they cam safely be used all at the same time. They are available from the Forever Living company with distribution in over 145 countries. You can obtain them from us at www.naturalway.co.za or contact Mark for details on how to obtain them directly from your local office.

Help her understand that the caffeine & aspartame has affected her brain, CNS and endocrine system and that suddenly removing stimulants does not fix the problem, it is only the start of the healing. SHE MUST DO THIS SLOWLY.