I have read the fatigue book and the allergy one and am basically following this.  I know there is much information on adrenal healing and many of you have had experience.

For those of you that have overcome some adrenal issues, what things seemed to make the most impact for you.

This one thing that keeps coming up is getting to bed before midnight and the best sleep is between 10pm - 1am.  I really struggle with getting to bed early and wonder if that has seemed to make a big difference for any of you.  Even though I get to bed around 11:30 or midnight, I usually sleep for 8 hours or more.  Sometimes I don't have to get out of bed until 9AM or so.  Every day.  (I work from 11-6)

So, I am interested in hearing what you all think really helped you in dealing with adrenals and healing them.  I know mine are getting better, due to he diet and such, but wondering if there might be other tweaks I should adhere to.  

Thank you in advance for your time!

I'm glad you have brought this topic up again, because it's one that I deal with also.  

I know that getting in bed early is strongly recommended, but when I go to bed much before 11:30 pm, I just lie there and toss and turn.  It does not seem to help me.  So I aim for 11:15 to 11:30 pm and I go right to sleep.  The most important thing for me seems to be allowing myself a full 9 hours in bed.  I'll get up after 7 or 8 hours and visit the bathroom and open the curtains for my plants.  Then I'll lie back down and just relax for another hour or so.

The Genotype diet is the foundation of any other program I work with, along with Dr. D's recommended supplements for any other health issues, such as from the Fatigue book.  In addition, I also have gotten a lot of help from Dr. Lam's articles on Adrenal Fatigue.    

One of his ideas that I'm working with is the Adrenal Breathing that he describes.  He talks about how "adrenal fatigue, especially in the advance state, is invariably tied to overstimulation of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS).  The chemical transmitters of the SNS flood the body, resulting in a body that is on constant alert, leading to a viscous downward spiral of compensatory response and ultimately adrenal burnout. One key to adrenal recovery is to reduce SNS tone and enhance Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) tone. Adrenal breathing influences the autonomic circuits that slow the heartbeat and reduce blood pressure, producing calm and a sense of stability. It calms the mind, and allows the body's internal hemostastic system to reset itself. This conduit by way of controlled respiration consciously gives us access to autonomic function that no other system of the body can boast."

He described how we tend to breathe shallowly when we are anxious or deeply fatigued, which tends to overstimulate the SNS.

"Adrenal breathing exercises can break this negative cycle by rebalancing the ANS, gently delivering more oxygen to the body for natural energy generation without overstimulation of the SNS. The body gets to take a break and resets itself to its natural state.

Proper adrenal breathing releases tension from the body and clears the mind, re-connects the body to the mind, reduces fatigue, and improves both physical and mental wellness. This is accomplished through enhancing the parasympathetic nervous system’s function. It shifts the body's basal resting mode from a sympathetic to a parasympathetic bias."

Click HERE for the full article on Adrenal Restorative breathing.

I take a supplement called Adrenal Response (herbal, whole food derived) which was recommened by my endocrinologist (who is very "naturopathic" despite being an MD).  It is produced by Innate....you can google it. It's expensive, but I do believe it helps me alot.  I also do practice alot of meditative breathing as well....

In 2005 I had a saliva test that showed my cortisol levels were very low.  Some things that helped me were animal protein at every meal(maybe for your blood type the source of protein may be different but I know protein is really important), lots of beneficial veggies, no refined carbohydrates, a good B-complex and an adrenal supplement called Iso-cort. And yes, I was in bed by ten every night because rest is critical for adrenal recovery.

There's a book by James L. Wilson N.D.,D.C.,Ph.D. titled Adrenal Fatigue The 21st Century Stress Syndrome that is quite helpful.  I think a number of folks on this forum are familiar with it.  In the book he states that Vitamin C is probably the most important nutrient involved in adrenal metabolism.  He goes on to stress that it is the C complex - not just isolated ascorbic acid that is needed. He also writes about the importance of salt in the diet.  He said that one sign of hypoadrenia is increased fatigued or shakiness after eating a breakfast high in fruit because of the high potassium content and not enough salt.  After I read that I started to salt my fruit.  He also said that it is important to eat before 10:00 AM to restore glycogen stores.

The book is quite easy to read and understand.  He included a few self-tests you can do also. I felt it really helped keep me on track as my adrenals healed.

I checked out Dr. Wilson's book from the library a couple of years ago.  It was a good read, and I appreciated many of the things I picked up from it.

Yes, Victoria, it is a really helpful book. I've loaned out my copy a few times and get good comments when it is returned.

I forgot to mention for ABNoWay that the book also contains an Adrenal Recovery Soup recipe.

Yeah, the bed at 10 is really hard for me.  I'm not tired.  I have always been kind of a night owl.  

B complex, C and Adrenal 80, CHECK! Among other things. I have been eating more animal protein lately, along with a supplement to help absorb it and I think that's actually been helping me too.  I seem to be needing less other supplements to kill bad bacteria.  Which is interesting, because most of the "yeast diets" will tell you that animal protein is the enemy for yeast.  I now think I disagree.  It probably depends on the person and type.

I do the small little breathing thing listed in the Teacher section of the GTD book and that seems to help.  And many people I have seen along the way have promoted some kind of breathing exercise or another.  This is obviously important and I should probably look more into doing it longer.  I usually only do it 5 minutes a day.  I'll check out the link and thank you very much for that!

As far as salt goes, yeah, I feel like I can eat it on just about anything.  And my blood pressure is pretty low, so I don't think it's a problem.

I know when I first started having all my problems this nutritionist gal at my Chiros office did I think it was a saliva test, no maybe urine and it showed that my sympathetic system was in high gear and the para was like not engaging.  She said you have all go and no brakes.  Settle down BOY!!  So, I've been learning how to try and do that for the last 3 years or so.  It is hard also when you start to feel good, I want to get back up and conquer the world or something.  And then there's always that part of me that feels bad for not being able to be superman or something.  For example, we have to redo our bathroom because the toilet overflowed and the tile was old and grout was not very good and it got mold around it.  Well, the whole bathroom is waaaay old and if we replace the floor, the very shoddy vanity needs to go, etc etc.  Well, I want to do it all myself, but there aint no way I can.  But I for some reason feel bad that I'm not a HGTV superstar that can whip this thing into shape in a weekend.  You know?  Calm, breathe, accept.  You know, I don't know why I feel like a heal, it's not like I'm lazy even now.  I got my hands full cooking for 4 in a healthy manner.  Soaking nuts and grains, not using the micro, etc etc Making meals NOT from a box.  That in itself has been a big job.  But SO rewarding.  

Running a natural individualized kitchen, shopping and cooking from scratch . . It's another nearly full-time job.  

Quoted from JJR

It is hard also when you start to feel good, I want to get back up and conquer the world or something.  And then there's always that part of me that feels bad for not being able to be superman or something.  For example, we have to redo our bathroom because the toilet overflowed and the tile was old and grout was not very good and it got mold around it.  Well, the whole bathroom is waaaay old and if we replace the floor, the very shoddy vanity needs to go, etc etc.  Well, I want to do it all myself, but there aint no way I can.  But I for some reason feel bad that I'm not a HGTV superstar that can whip this thing into shape in a weekend.  You know?  Calm, breathe, accept.  You know, I don't know why I feel like a heal, it's not like I'm lazy even now.  I got my hands full cooking for 4 in a healthy manner.  Soaking nuts and grains, not using the micro, etc etc Making meals NOT from a box.  That in itself has been a big job.  But SO rewarding.  

Is this a man thing or an AB thing?  I am constantly wanting to be doing more...  Of course, this is from a guy that drove himself to chronic exhaustive collapse for about 5 years...  I am hoping that one of these days I'll detox and heal adequately that the diet will allow me to get back to my active self...

AB-conrères ... I think it's an ABthingy....  btw...highest amounts of Vit. C are a superbene for the adrenals ....and for sure are we really driven by those.....but since I'm aware about my own psyche patterns...i got thaaat strong....terrible..... the release of internal anger and other issues gave back strength to me... .....today I can discuss nearly all openly.... what wasn't possible coz I feared to hurt ...... today..I'm sorry I prefer to come along...instead of suffering by myselve... and so far.... all became very strong and directly, even if somebody thinks I'd be bully... I don't care anymore... B U T... ok I am really implementing the 4 sentences of Don Miguel Ruiz.... and I'm very aware about those...yep.... here I really DO care ....
ABN....go for visualizations... works best for us and be kind and nice with yourself ....

I thought it was an A OCD issue to want to do a lot in a short time, to be too perfectionist a cortisol issue for As and may be Hunters, adrenals are so important to health. However I am not in full adrenal exhaustion just for Vit C and Adaptogens, which I take religiously.
So ABs share too? Poor us !

MG....

btw...kidneys also have the impact being weak when loss or anger or similarities are lived by the owner ....

Great Isa, I understand that deep anger and painful losses are a major stressor on our life and they tax very much the adrenals. Just the miracle of balance can defend our physical and mental health. Not to take anything personally, but knowing how and when to protect ourselves is a good start.

Interesting, I'm always having kidney problems it seems like.  I had several stones in there and they hurt from time to time. I take a supplement to help them called renatrophin. And a homeopath to vibrate them up.  I think it's working.

So what other things have worked for you all??

I think we are related Joe.  I'm a german (federmeyer), english (Clark), Scottish (McDowell) and some other kind of anglo mix with Hawaiian in me (Rea, my last name).  Got any of those names in your history?  We call ourselves 57 Heinz.  Too many ethnicities to count.  

Quoted from JJR

I think we are related Joe.  I'm a german (federmeyer), english (Clark), Scottish (McDowell) and some other kind of anglo mix with Hawaiian in me (Rea, my last name).  Got any of those names in your history?  We call ourselves 57 Heinz.  Too many ethnicities to count.  

I am 50% German, 25% French and 25% Belgium.  My mom's parents emigrated from France/Belgium and my Dad's parents were 100% German, even though the family  emigrated in the 1800's.  I don't have the full family history, but none of those names are any that I know are in the history...

I have had to heal every system in the body, so there really aren't any specific symptoms related to blood type, just that the foods need to be (mostly) beneficial   for me rather than mostly avoid    ...  

All of the remedies weren't according to blood type, either, but I did see a correlation to effectiveness depending on the BTD status.

Got some German here too.     Among a bunch of other things.

Well, ABNW, when I take any of the adrenal supports from Standard Process I feel really good.  Unfortunately, they're expensive.

German on Mother's side.

I was recently told I should take: Adreno Liquitrophic

http://www.mynaturalmedicineclinic.com/Adreno%20Homeopathic.html

I have not yet tried it.

I almost wrote, "The Germans must be Nomads", just as a joke, meaning they really got around.  Of course the word Nomad means different things to us.

Quoted from Victoria

Running a natural individualized kitchen, shopping and cooking from scratch . . It's another nearly full-time job.  

Tell me about it!!!!!!!!  I feel like all I do is shop and cook.....     It's yummy though....and it makes me feel good.  

ABNW, I find it hard to believe that each person has the exact same body clock.  I am a morning person, so the recommendations might work better for me.  My aunt's normal rhythm was something like this: wake up around 2 PM & go to sleep around the time most of us need to get up! I'm sure her adrenals work differently than ours.  If your job starts at 11, rather than 8AM, I would expect your rhythms to be different. If you get home after 6PM, maybe you can't turn yourself off at 10. I like your shorter work hours. It gives you more time to cook!!  I didn't read every entry on this thread, but wanted to share that. KUTGW in your health search. It's very complex & it is taking us years to iron out everything!

Oh, I'll add that pantothenic acid(B5) in a large dose helps, as well as C.

Quoted from JJR

She said you have all go and no brakes.  Settle down BOY!!  So, I've been learning how to try and do that for the last 3 years or so.  It is hard also when you start to feel good, I want to get back up and conquer the world or something.

Boy, can I ever relate to that.  This kind of behavior is mainly what earned me the "bipolar disorder type II" diagnosis.  Hopefully you can get a handle on it yourself.

Quoted from ABJoe

Is this a man thing or an AB thing?  I am constantly wanting to be doing more...  Of course, this is from a guy that drove himself to chronic exhaustive collapse for about 5 years...

Four years ago for me.  It's not just a man thing, it's a superman thing!

Quoted from Ribbit

Got some German here too.     Among a bunch of other things.

Well, ABNW, when I take any of the adrenal supports from Standard Process I feel really good.  Unfortunately, they're expensive.

I've been switching off between that and the adrenal 80.  The standard process is the actually adrenal glands and I guess it's something you shouldn't take for long periods of time.  That's what they told me at my doctors office.  I'm going tomorrow and getting some more feedback on which on to take.  

I noticed that when I didn't take the adrenal supplements, that cloudy headed feeling came back.  I thought that was more of a yeast thing, and I'm sure it's all related, but there was definitely a link to those supplements and the cloudy head thing.  I hate that symptom.   Brain fog, whatever you want to call it, it's very annoying.  It's like I feel like I need to give my head a shake and some layers of something need to fall off and let my head alone.  Or something to that extent.

Quoted from ABJoe

I am 50% German, 25% French and 25% Belgium.  My mom's parents emigrated from France/Belgium and my Dad's parents were 100% German, even though the family  emigrated in the 1800's.  I don't have the full family history, but none of those names are any that I know are in the history...

I have had to heal every system in the body, so there really aren't any specific symptoms related to blood type, just that the foods need to be (mostly) beneficial   for me rather than mostly avoid    ...  

All of the remedies weren't according to blood type, either, but I did see a correlation to effectiveness depending on the BTD status.

Yeah, I feel like I've been doing the same thing.  Healing every stinking inch of this flesh.  I'm like, how much more healing do I need to do?????  You doing OK with the less meats being a warrior?