Friday afternoon I had an appointment with my naturopath Lawrey in at Evelyn Faye. What was supposed to be a review of my current supplement plan turned out to be much much more. After Lawrey saw my genetic profile and my blood results she informed me that I had Stage 2 Adrenal Fatigue. WHAT!! Nope sorry, I didn’t see that one coming. How? When? Um sorry, hang on a minute. So what you’re telling me is that my feeling like poo pretty much every day isn’t normal and that something can actually be done about it? LOL!! Yep we live and live every single day. Apparently this is so common amongst figure competitors that it’s not funny. I was gob smacked to say the least. Charlotte actually posted about this very subject not so long ago and I totally dismissed it. Although I answered yes to all the questions I thought that because my thyroid and cortisol levels were all normal that I was fine, how wrong I was.
Adrenal Fatigue is still relatively new in the modern world so like me we’re still learning about it. But here’s a definition of what it is:
“Adrenal fatigue is a collection of signs and symptoms, known as a “syndrome,” that results when the adrenal glands function, but not at their optimal level. Most commonly associated with intense or prolonged stress, it can also arise during or after acute or chronic infections, especially respiratory infections such as influenza, bronchitis or pneumonia. As the name suggests, its paramount symptom is fatigue that is not relieved by sleep. However, it is not a disease or as readily identifiable as diabetes or a growth on the end of your finger. You may look and act relatively normal while experiencing adrenal fatigue and may not have any obvious signs of physical illness, yet you live with a general sense of unwellness, tiredness or “gray” feelings. People whose adrenals are fatigued often have to use coffee, colas and other stimulants to get going in the morning and to prop themselves up during the day.
This syndrome has been known by many other names throughout the past century, such as non-Addison’s hypoadrenia, sub-clinical hypoadrenia, neurasthenia, adrenal neurasthenia, adrenal apathy and adrenal fatigue. Although it affects millions of people in the U.S. and around the world, conventional medicine does not yet recognize it as a distinct syndrome.
Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc with your life. In the more serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so diminished that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours a day. With each increment of reduction in adrenal function, every organ and system in your body is more profoundly affected. Changes may occur in your carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, blood sugar balance, energy production, fluid and electrolyte balance, cardiovascular function, sleep patterns, mood, menstrual and menopausal symptoms, and even sex drive. Many other alterations can take place at the biochemical and cellular levels in response to, and to compensate for, the decrease in adrenal hormones that occurs with adrenal fatigue. Your body does its best to make up for under-functioning adrenal glands but, in the process, can create other problems.” Read more….
For me, it means being on a specific supplement plan for six weeks as well as reducing my training until I’m on top of things. I don’t know much more at this stage but will after further online research and advice and guidance from Lawrey. I’ve also just purchased the above book online written by the doctor who put a name to this syndrome. But if you’ve had, know someone who has/had it please speak up, I’d love to hear your experience by leaving me a comment below.
