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Post by KSA on Nov 6, 2011 21:59:55 GMT -5
Karen how is your treatment? How are you feeling?
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Post by Karen on Nov 6, 2011 22:32:52 GMT -5
Eh... Things aren't right.
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Post by KSA on Nov 7, 2011 7:48:06 GMT -5
I found this Karen...I know you are strict with your diet and may even have read this I found it ironic about sugar and white flour. Seems like it causes many issues even if you have adrenal fatigue it is on the NO NO list. We grew up thinking it was ok no wonder our bodies are a mess!Good Luck if you are already using this diet. Eat lots of protein!
DIET FOR ADRENAL FATIGUE
* Eat frequent, high protein meals and snacks (3 meals, 3 snacks daily). Do not eat proteins and starches at the same meal. Have either meat & vegetables or starch & vegetables. Proteins require an acid environment to digest, and starches require an alkaline environment. This is why after a nice meat and potatoes dinner, you usually feel like your dinner just sits there in your gut. It's because the digestive enzymes are neutralizing each other instead of digesting the food.
* Eat "Real" food. Not pre-packaged mixes, not "imitation pasteurized processed cheese food" ... Seriously, if you have to intentionally label it as food because otherwise I wouldn't recognize it as such, well...thanks, but no...the sad thing is that they have been exceedingly clear that this is imitation food, not real food, yet we don't seem to comprehend what that means, and continue to put it in our shopping carts...
* Forget what you've learned about "breakfast foods". The WORST things you can have for breakfast are fruits and cereals/breads/grains. These items quickly convert to sugars, which will give you a speedy blood-sugar spike, but end up requiring your adrenals to work harder to catch you as you "crash" later in the morning. Think protein instead. Eggs, meats, etc. If you start your day with fruit, follow it up half an hour later with something more substantial. If you must have a grain product, avoid white sugar/white flour products and stay with the whole grain choices, which are a complex carbohydrate that takes longer to metabolize. And ALWAYS include some protein. A quick and easy breakfast option is a whey protein meal shake.
* Limit starchy and sugary carbohydrates and fruits (especially bananas, because they are high in potassium, which is already high in adrenal fatigue). Make your carb choices from the non-starchy vegetables as often as possible. Raw and lightly cooked are your best prep options. However, always cook your crucifers (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.) to neutralize the goitrogenic compounds (thyroid suppressors).
* Eliminate white sugar and white flours. These simple carbohydrates require a greater release of insulin in order for your body to deal with them, and this stresses your adrenals by making it even harder for them to stabilize your blood sugar levels. Choose whole-grain options, and sweeten with raw honey, molasses, or dates. Complex carbohydrates will help you feel fuller faster, "stay with you" longer, digest slower, and provide fiber as well as moderating blood sugar. * Avoid "diet" food. While white sugar is bad, artificial sweeteners are REALLY BAD. Diet sodas, artificial sweeteners, non-fat products that should actually have some fat in them--these products wreak havoc on everyone's metabolism, not only those of us who have adrenal fatigue. Diet foods containing artificial sweeteners and artificial fats should never be considered components of a healthy diet. They can actually cause you to gain weight!
* Eliminate caffeine entirely. I know this is easier said than done, and the withdrawl symptoms from stopping cold turkey can be pretty uncomfortable in addition to being hard on your adrenals, so if you are a big coffee drinker, wean off gradually. Try cutting your consumption in half, then in half again.
* Eliminate alcohol entirely. Like caffeine, this can be a difficult substance to eliminate cold turkey. Check out the book Potatoes Not Prozac: Solutions for Sugar Sensitivity for some interesting discussion on the connection between alcohol and sugar sensitivity, and a seven-step plan for controlling sugar cravings. This is especially important for adrenal fatigue sufferers who are having a hard time stabilizing their blood sugar.
* Do NOT limit your salt intake when you have adrenal fatigue, especially if you are craving salty foods. Sodium is critical for adrenal function, and is usually low when adrenals are depleted. Celtic Sea Salt has an abundance of trace minerals that are beneficial as well.
* Do NOT restrict fats in your diet, but DO make sure you are eating the right kinds of fats. Your body uses fats and cholesterol to make hormones, and if you are not getting enough, then your body cannot produce the hormones it needs. I know this is contrary to current trends, but it is possible that the current recommendations actually contribute to depressed adrenal function if followed too stringently. Good fats include olive oil, real butter (preferrably organic), grapeseed oil & coconut oil (both of which are the only fats you should be using at high heats, like for frying).
Also, it is important to identify and eliminate foods that you are allergic or sensitive to.Delayed food allergies and food sensitivities are more common than you may realize, and the most common offenders are the foods that you are using in some form every day (milk, wheat, eggs, soy, and many others). They may not be causing dramatic reactions like hives or anaphylaxis, but they are contributing to your general feeling of malaise, as well as seriously stressing your adrenals.
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Post by Karen on Nov 7, 2011 19:19:03 GMT -5
I follow this almost to a T. But, good advice for those looking to make some adjustments.
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Post by KSA on Nov 8, 2011 19:39:45 GMT -5
I figured you did but maybe one of our other members is not as familiar with it. I am worried about you honey. I want to be able to do something for you like you have for me!I will keep researching and I if I post something you already know about it may help someone else.
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Post by DeAnna on Mar 14, 2012 17:31:17 GMT -5
Karen, read through this post. It sounds like the adrenal supplements were working for a while, what happened? Sounds like you have already been to the stopthethyroidmadness website. Such a good resource
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Post by Karen on Mar 14, 2012 18:29:29 GMT -5
You know, I'm not quite sure what happened. At the time, I didn't know how low my other levels were and I suspect they were part of what brought me down. Looking back, and after reading STTM, I suspect that since some of the supplements I was on had the complete bovine adrenal (and not just the cortex), that my body burned out on them. At some point, they just stopped working and because they were so expensive and my doctor was having me take so many, I wasn't too crushed. Now that I have my thyroid a bit more stable, I considered going back on them for a bit. The first time around, I lost a good amount of weight effortlessly!
In the last 6 months or so, I tried Isocort, the adrenal cortex product suggested on STTM, but it has lactose in it (why oh why do people still put that in pills when so many people have issues with it!) and I bloated up beyond belief. At that point, I just gave up. I know adrenal issues are still a big part of what's going on with me but I got so frustrated trying to figure it out! I'm tempted to do another 24 hour saliva test, but again, the $$ is putting me off...
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Post by DeAnna on Mar 14, 2012 18:56:04 GMT -5
I am so right there with you. $$$$, frustration and all. If I bump into any further info I will let you know. You are way ahead of me on the adrenal stuff, Ive been very focused on the thyroid. On the initial testing I had showed a low normal T4 and T3 and my and my RT3 was high normal. It was when I calculated the FT3/RT3 ratio using the STTM on line calculator that I about fell over. My ratio was only 11. My Vit D and B12 are also very low (on supplements). When I read the STTM adrenal blog on facebook, I get a little discouraged. Those people eat, drink and live their thyroid protocols (checking their urine temps, doing their circadian ryhthm protocols) and I never hear any of them say 'wow, i feel awesome'...."I think Im better"
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Post by Karen on Mar 14, 2012 19:37:17 GMT -5
Ha, you had the same FT3/RT3 ratio that I did! That's why I went on straight cytomel (T3). Any time I tried anything with T4 (synthroid, naturthroid), it was a big fat fail! I'm so thankful I have my current doc - docs have dismissed my thyroid for years since my TSH has always been normal. If it weren't for her digging deeper - and for trying different meds with me - I'd still be right back where I was. And, wow, I didn't know people checked urine temps! That's a bit extreme!!! I wasn't sure if there would ever be a day I'd say I'd feel better, but I will tell you - being on the cytomel did wonders for me!! Lifted my brain fog, reduced my slurred speech, softened my hair and skin, gives me more energy, etc. It's bringing life back to me. I can have a social life these days instead of being a complete zombie!! I know that I need to treat the adrenals a bit more, and soon, but I'm loving the changes so far. I guess I'm trying to give you some hope that it can get better! I think you mentioned you're going to have your 24-hour cortisol/DHEA levels checked soon, right? I suspect that'll reveal something. Do you have any idea what the proposed protocol will be if you test abnormally? Although I wouldn't wish this on anyone, I'm glad there's someone here that gets the whole adrenal/thyroid stuff!
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Post by DeAnna on Mar 14, 2012 21:24:22 GMT -5
Karen, i very much get it Its taken a lot of research and I continue looking into things and weighing my options. One day at a time, one issue at a time. I am going to do the saliva test soon. I was taking melatonin so I am going to wait a bit longer till thats out of my system so the test is accurate. This ND very much takes it 1 step at a time so no, I dont know what the treatment will be. She says that hyper and hypo adrenals can have similar symptoms, so I have to get the test done 1st. I looked into a doc in southern Cali, thought by some to be a guru of thyroid disorders. name: Dr Holtorf, He does bioidenticals and thyroid/adrenal stuff. I looked at his website and then called the office. The office girl (no credentials but well informed) told me that they 1. dont feel the saliva test is accurate and 2. they use all natural substances from a compounding pharmacy to treat hypo thyroid instead of armour..... she says that people have really bad reactions to Armour. i posted this info on the STTM facebook page and oh girl, the response was priceless! Janine herself replyed with a "no way in h*ll I would ever go to him, thats ridiculous" So, as you can see, I try to keep an open mind and consider all avenues, but I find my head spinning at times. Lots of different view points out there. STTM seems to be really consistent and thourough. I am hoping that maybe my thyroid will recover if I support my adrenals and take the right vupplements. I am inetersted in bio identicals but feel its really important for me to address just one thing at a time. Start with the basics and go form there. I am on BCP continuously but have had a lot of breakthrough bleeding lately.
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Post by Karen on Mar 14, 2012 21:42:17 GMT -5
Well, I didn't take Armour, but I took NatureThroid and let me tell you - it SUCKED! It did the opposite of perk me up - it shut me down. But, that's likely due to RT3 and poor conversion from T4 to T3... I know a few people that love it, but I'm one of a few that didn't. I tried a compounded formula prior to Cytomel and had good results, but in the end, we found that my body absorbs Cytomel better. I'm realizing everyone reacts differently, and luckily, there's more than one treatment options. Way to cause a ruckus on STTM! Keeps them on their toes. On another note, I'm curious if your breakthrough bleeding will slow or stop once the thryoid/adrenals get fixed. When on bio-identicals, I spotted several times through the month for over a year. Hasn't happened in a few months now! Phew! As for saliva tests, well, I've had blood cortisol tests (borderline low), saliva tests (low in AM/noon, borderline low in afternoon and evening), and ACTH stimulating test (low initial result, and cortisol more than tripled if I recall). So, all in all, the saliva tests just confirmed what I found elsewhere. It wasn't inaccurate in my situation, but that doesn't mean they are always accurate. I like the sounds of your practitioner! Hopefully she can help keep your head from spinning. Keep us posted?
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Post by hellsbells on Mar 15, 2012 7:34:26 GMT -5
That just sounds like an all round great way to eat, it all makes total sense. Glad you girls can bounce ideas off each other it's all really interesting!
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