Thousands of
people suffer from constant fatigue that is not relieved by rest and sleep.
This is the main symptom of adrenal weakness or adrenal burnout syndrome.
This article examines this extremely common syndrome – its causes,
symptoms and the process of recovery of vibrant health by natural methods.
WHAT ARE THE ADRENAL GLANDS?
The adrenal
glands are rounded, disc-shaped glands about 3-4 inches across. One sits atop each kidney, located on
either side of your lower back, just above where the ribs end. You may at times feel a sensation of
pressure in this area when under stress.
However, muscular tension and other factors also commonly cause pain or
a sensation of pressure in this area.
The
adrenal glands are essential for life.
They secrete a number of hormones that prepare our bodies to respond to
stress. These include adrenalin, also called epinephrine, noradrenalin, also called norepinephrine, cortisol and cortisone. The adrenal glands also produce aldosterone, estrogens, testosterone, progesterone, pregnenelone
and DHEA.
These
hormones regulate many body activities.
Of greatest importance for this article is that the adrenal hormones,
particularly adrenalin and cortisol, activate the
body’s fight-or-flight response.
This
consists of increasing the amount of glucose or sugar in the blood, raising
blood pressure, and promoting increased energy production. There are many other effects of the
adrenal hormones, but we will focus on these effects for now.
Of
great importance to our discussion is that the adrenal glands are innervated
and stimulated by activity of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic or
automatic nervous system of the body.
This is the part of our nervous system that activates when we must
respond to threats to our life.
A DEFINITION OF ADRENAL BURNOUT
The adrenal
glands may develop various types of problems. Before we define adrenal burnout, let us briefly discuss
these rarer conditions.
Cushing’s disease. Severe overactivity or hyperfunction of the glands is called Cushing’s syndrome or
Cushing’s disease. It is
characterized by a ‘moon face’, obesity in the trunk, muscle weakness, poor
wound healing, kidney stones and often psychological symptoms.
This
condition is relatively rare and usually caused by a tumor of the adrenal
glands that secretes cortisol or cortisone, two of
the important adrenal hormones.
Addison’s disease. Extremely low adrenal activity is known as Addison’s
disease. It is characterized by
weakness, fatigue, low blood pressure, changes in skin color, dehydration,
anorexia, nausea, decreased cold tolerance and dizziness. It is also a fairly rare condition,
though I have met people who say they have Addison’s disease when they really
are just in adrenal burnout, which is very different.
Addison’s
disease is also caused at times by a tumor on the adrenal glands that shuts
down the glands completely. It may
also be caused by a severe shock to the system, as happened in the famous case
of John F. Kennedy.
Mr.
Kennedy developed Addison’s disease when his small patrol boat was suddenly
rammed by a Japanese destroyer on a dark night during World War II. Most of the crew was killed instantly. He survived, but the shock damaged his
body severely.
Adrenal burnout syndrome. Adrenal burnout syndrome is
basically a mild form of Addison’s disease. It is a low functioning or underactivity of the adrenal glands. It may also be termed adrenal insufficiency or adrenal exhaustion. It differs from Addison’s disease in
several important ways:
1. In most
cases, it can be corrected using natural methods. We do not like using cortisone therapy or any bio-identical
hormone therapy for this condition.
Most often it is not needed and just slows true recovery of the adrenal
glands.
2. In most
cases, the cause is not a single shock to the system, as with Addison’s
disease. Instead, it is
usually a slow decline in adrenal
activity due to nutritional deficiencies and the accumulation of toxic metals
and chemicals in the body. As
these causes are removed, the adrenal glands easily recover.
3. Unlike
Addison’s disease, adrenal insufficiency or burnout is very, very common today,
especially among adults. However,
few physicians are prepared to diagnose it.
Fatigue versus adrenal burnout. Adrenal burnout syndrome differs from simple fatigue in that
burnout is not relieved by getting
a few good nights sleep, as is the case with fatigue.
This
is the case because adrenal exhaustion is not just a sleep deficit, although
that may be an aspect of the syndrome.
Burnout is a deeper derangement of the body’s energy-producing system,
of which fatigue is one symptom.
DETECTING ADRENAL BURNOUT
Unfortunately,
when a patient complains of fatigue, depression or other symptoms that are
often related to the adrenal glands, most of the time the doctor does not ask
the right questions and does not run tests of the adrenal glands.
Instead,
patients are told to take a vacation, or given an anti-depressant, or told it
is “in their head”.
The
right questions, however, would often be enough to assess the condition fairly
accurately. These would include
“How many hours of sleep are you getting?” , “Do you use caffeine or other
stimulants” and “What other
symptoms are you having?”. Let us
examine how this can often identify adrenal burnout, even without other
testing.
Signs and symptoms. A simple and quite reliable way to assess adrenal burnout in
a general sense is with signs and symptoms. A common sign, for example, is a low blood pressure in
the absence of other obvious causes.
Usually,
the person will also often feel fatigued, even though one sleeps well. If one is not sleeping, the problem may
simply be a sleep deficit. One may
not feel tired, however, if you drink coffee, other caffeinated beverages or
use other stimulants.
Another
common symptom is depression.
Others include joint pain, cravings for sweets, pain in the low back
area and perhaps excessive thirst or craving for sweet and salty foods.
Together these symptoms can help one decide if one needs further testing.
Hair mineral analysis. We have been using hair mineral
analysis to help assess the condition of the adrenal glands for almost 30
years. We have done over 15,000 of
them and are very satisfied with our results using this method.
Indicators
for adrenal insufficiency on the hair mineral test, provided the sample is not
washed at the laboratory, include:
1. A sodium/potassium ratio less
than about 2:1.
2. A sodium/magnesium ratio of 1:1 or less.
3. A copper level of 10 mg% (100 parts per million) or more.
The hair
mineral test also tells us how to correct the condition and is a very
cost-effective and non-invasive test.
In a few instances, high amounts of toxic metals in the body or other
imbalances can distort the readings.
In
these cases, we begin a nutritional balancing program based on what is revealed
on the test. The true condition of
the adrenals will be revealed on a retest in several months in almost all
cases.
For
this reason, we do not require any other type of testing besides the hair
analysis and a complete list of all physical and mental symptoms.
Blood, urine and saliva hormone
testing. Many holistic doctors today are testing
the levels of adrenal hormones in the blood, urine or saliva. This is definitely a step in the right
direction. However, we do not use
these tests, as a rule, for the following reasons:
1. Not
needed. We find the hair mineral
test, when understood properly, provides plenty of information about adrenal
activity.
2. Cost.
Hormone tests are usually several hundred dollars. This is prohibitive for many people, especially compared to
the hair mineral test.
CAUSES OF ADRENAL BURNOUT
Excessive stress, an important cause of burnout, can
be from many sources. Chemical toxicity and nutritional depletion are among the
physical causes. Mental, emotional or spiritual stress may be a major factor.
Financial, family or other stress may also contribute to burnout.
Any
excessive stress can deplete the adrenals, especially when weakened by poor
nutrition. Working too much or emotional stress are two common causes. Excessive stimulation, especially for
children, is another cause. Fast-paced, high-stress, fear-based lifestyles are a
sure prescription for adrenal burnout.
Other
stressors in cities are noise and electromagnetic pollution. Cell phones,
microwave towers and appliances like televisions, microwave ovens and computers
give off strong electrical fields.
Nutritional Deficiencies are a common cause. When under
stress, the need for nutrients is much greater. Carbohydrates, when excessive
in the diet, stress the adrenals. Diets low in protein may also create
deficiencies. Inadequate or poor quality water affects oxygenation of the
tissues.
Most
diets are low in nutrients required by the adrenals. These include B-complex
vitamins, vitamins A, C and E, manganese, zinc, chromium, selenium and other
trace elements. The reasons for
this begin with how food is grown.
Most food is grown on depleted soils. Processing and refining further
deplete nutrients.
Habits
such as eating in the car or while on the run further diminish the value
derived from food. Also, allergic reactions to foods such as wheat and dairy
products can damage the intestines and reduce the absorption of nutrients.
Toxic metals and chemicals often play a large role in adrenal
burnout. Everyone is exposed
to thousands of chemicals in the air, the water and the food. Other sources are
dental materials and skin contact with chemicals. Over-the-counter and prescribed medications add to the
body’s toxic load. Most people do
not realize that antibiotics and many other drugs accumulate to some extent in
the liver and other organs.
Toxins
may also be generated within the body due to impaired digestion. When food is not properly digested, it
either ferments or rots in the intestines, producing many harmful substances
that are absorbed into the body.
A
healthy body has the ability to eliminate many toxins on a daily basis. However, as adrenal weakness develops,
the body’s ability to eliminate all toxins decreases. This produces a vicious cycle in which weaker adrenals
impairs the elimination of all poisons, which then further weakens the
adrenals.
Chronic infections play a critical
role in some cases of adrenal exhaustion.
Chronic infections may originate in infected teeth or gums, though they
can be located anywhere in the body.
They contribute greatly to the toxic load of the body. Infections also cause inflammation and
stress that must be countered using the adrenal hormones such as cortisol and cortisone.
Stimulants damage the adrenal glands. They whip the adrenals. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol are among
the most common stimulants.
Less
obvious but no less important stimulants may include anger, rage, arguing,
hatred, loud music, fearful news and even movies full of suspense or violence.
Other
activities that may act as stimulants and must not be overlooked include
vigorous exercise, sexual preoccupations, recreational drug use or other
thrills. These often provide a
temporary “high”, which is caused in part by the secretion of high amounts of
adrenal hormones. However, over
time, this weakens the adrenals and can eventually lead to adrenal depletion
and insufficiency.
Stimulant use, however, can also be
a result of adrenal burnout. While
stimulants can cause or contribute to adrenal weakness, some who use stimulants
do so because they are in adrenal burnout already.
Stimulants
are attractive to one in burnout to provide temporary energy. This is an
important appeal of the drug culture, both legal and recreational. It is also the appeal of loud music,
sexual addiction, and even anger.
These
activities or attitudes can provide enough adrenal stimulation to allow a
person to feel better temporarily.
This is an important reason why giving up one’s addictions can be
difficult. When one gives them up,
one must face the fact that one is exhausted, depressed and often just feels
awful due to adrenal burnout. It is
safe to say that most people addicted to stimulants or other drugs including
cigarettes, cocaine, marijuana, and others has some degree of adrenal
insufficiency.
Unhealthy responses to stress are another cause of adrenal
burnout. These include habits of
worrying, or becoming angry or afraid.
Don’t worry, be happy is a
great prescription for adrenal burnout. This applies particularly to high
strung, nervous individuals and those with very active minds, as they are
especially prone to adrenal burnout.
Congenital Weak adrenals. Many children today are born with weak adrenals due to their
parents’ nutritional deficiencies.
This is not a genetic problem.
Instead, it is due to the nutritional imbalances of the mother, in particular. These are passed through the placenta
to the unborn child.
For example, if the mother is
zinc-deficient, as most are, the baby is born low in zinc and often high in
copper, cadmium or other minerals that substitute for zinc to a degree. Fortunately, this means the problem can
be corrected, though it is better to prevent it, of course. By age three or four, these children
are in burnout. They are often
sick, depressed and have difficulty in school. Some of these children react to the situation by becoming
hyperactive, compulsive, obsessive
or by developing various other behavior problems.
On
their hair mineral analyses, these children are often in a state of burnout at
this early age, a relatively new phenomenon, in my experience. By gently rebuilding their body
chemistry, however, their behavioral and other disorders generally vanish in a
few months to a few years.
SYMPTOMS OF ADRENAL BURNOUT
Common
symptoms include fatigue, some weakness and often depression. Others may be a craving for sweets, low
blood pressure and low blood sugar.
Low energy impairs every system of the body. Thus, secondary symptoms can range from impaired digestion,
aches and pains to chronic or recurring infections.
Emotional and mental symptoms. Often, emotional and psychological
symptoms are present or even predominant.
Depression is very common.
Apathy, despair and even suicidal tendencies are also quite common. Emotional instability, mood swings,
bipolar disorder, anxiety, and irritability are also common symptoms associated
with adrenal burnout syndrome. The
world can look evil, one loses faith in people, and a hopeless attitude is not
uncommon.
Compulsiveness
and obsessive-compulsive tendencies may be associated with adrenal
burnout. One may become addicted
or very attracted to excessive exercise, sex, loud music or other forms of
excitement. The unconscious goal is always the same, to stimulate the adrenals
into activity.
Many areas of life affected. Adrenal burnout affects every area
of life. One may lose interest in
friends, family and work.
Relationships often suffer when one person in the relationship goes into
adrenal exhaustion.
Unfortunately,
many with adrenal burnout function on anger and resentment. These act as
adrenal stimulants, providing a negative energy with which to function. Most of the world, in fact, functions
on the negative energy of anger.
Bigger implications. While it is beyond the scope of this article, entire nations
can go into adrenal exhaustion as a result of wars, famines and other
catastrophes. When this occurs,
the attitudes of the people change, and with it the leaders they elect.
This
has happened many times in history, and is an important hidden factor in our
politics of today in America. For
example, a population in burnout does not feel capable of taking care of
themselves. They will vote for
more and more government welfare programs, often bankrupting the nation,
without understanding the consequences of their votes.
THE PHYSIOLOGY OF ADRENAL BURNOUT
Low cortisol
symptoms. Low blood sugar, low blood pressure,
low temperature, depression, joint pain and allergies may result from low
levels of cortisol. Multiple chemical sensitivity is an extreme allergic
condition associated with adrenal burnout. Later, blood pressure may rise as toxic substances build up
in the arteries and kidneys.
Copper toxicity and burnout. Elevated copper and low zinc
related to adrenal burnout impair the immune system. Chronic infections may
develop. The stage is also set for
the development of degenerative conditions. Cancer, heart disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases
may be end-stage results of toxic accumulation and energy depletion.
Thyroid imbalances and burnout. Often secondary to adrenal
exhaustion are other glandular imbalances such as hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland and the adrenals have
a very close relationship and stress on one always affects the other.
Much
less common is the development of a secondary hyperthyroidism, or overactivity of the thyroid. This may be a compensation for low adrenals, as the
condition will disappear as the adrenals are allowed to rest and rebuild.
The
adrenal glands produce estrogen and progesterone. They are the main source of these hormones after
menopause. Premenstrual syndrome
and hot flashes often have to do with weakened adrenal glands.
Reduced cellular energy
production. Depression and apathy are often the
result of low energy production in the cells. Also, cortisol provides a natural
‘high’. Thus, low cortisol can contribute to feelings of depression and even
despair. Unsure if there is energy
to get through the day, anxiety may occur. Irritability is common as one is less able to handle even
minor stress.
Burnout and metal toxicity. When the adrenals are weak, copper builds up in the body. Elevated
copper enhances emotions. Panic attacks, bipolar disorder, mood swings and
schizophrenia are related to copper imbalance. As one’s energy level declines, other toxic metals build up
as well. Mercury, cadmium, lead,
arsenic, beryllium and others contribute to hundreds of physical and emotional
symptoms.
MYTHS ABOUT BURNOUT
Myth #1. Burnout is psychological. Burnout is a breakdown of the energy system of
the body. Vital minerals are depleted or “burned out” (used up) and replaced by
toxic metals. Psychological stress
may be a cause, and burnout can affect one’s emotions and behavior. However,
burnout itself is biochemical, not only psychological.
Recovery
may involve improving emotions and dealing with psychological issues. However, it also involves rebuilding
body chemistry because it is a physical condition as well.
Myth #2. People in burnout have no energy and cannot work. Many in burnout hold
full-time jobs or other active lifestyles. They may also appear in good health. However, they are
often tired or stressed. They may require stimulants in order to keep going.
Some bury themselves in their work to forget how tired they feel. One can go on like this for years in
some degree of adrenal burnout.
This usually stops, however, when burnout gets very serious, as there is
not enough energy to continue working hard and living a very active life.
Myth #3. Vigorous exercise is good for burnout. Vigorous exercise can be
attractive to those in burnout. Exercise may temporarily make one feel better. While it may provide a boost, vigorous
exercise further exhausts the bodies of those in burnout. People in burnout
need to reduce exercise, often to a minimum. This helps conserve their energy and helps to allow their
adrenals to rebuild.
Exercise
in moderation can assist circulation and oxygenation, factors that may help
with burnout. However, excessive
exercise of any kind uses up energy and adrenal reserves that individuals in
burnout do not have and cannot afford to lose.
Myth #4. A vacation, a diet or a nutritional supplement can cause
recovery from burnout. Most people never recover from burnout, although they could if
they followed a nutritional balancing program to the letter. Recovery also requires a strong
commitment to healing. Recovery
also takes at least several years.
If one recovers faster, one was not in adrenal burnout.
Myth #5. Burnout occurs mainly in men. In fact, it is more common in women
today. This is due mainly to lifestyle changes in women. Many women now work outside the home
and raise the children as well.
Many are also in single-parent homes or both parents work just to pay
the bills and taxes.
Women
are also more prone to copper toxicity, thyroid imbalances and other factors
that can contribute to adrenal burnout.
Women also do not realize in most cases they are different from men and
have greater needs for rest and sleep.
For all these reasons, we see more burnout in women today than in men.
Myth #6. Burnout only occurs in those in high-stress jobs. Burnout occurs in all groups,
regardless of occupation, income or educational level. In fact, many homeless people are
burned out. This helps account for
why they may give up hope or be incapable of holding a job or supporting a
home. In addition, burnout is a worldwide
phenomenon today and is not limited to certain parts of the globe.
Myth #7. Burnout occurs only in adults. In fact, it is common today in
children and even babies. Most children today are being born nutritionally
depleted and toxic as a result of the ill health of the parents. This can be
measured with mineral analysis.
Minimal brain dysfunction, chronic ear or other infections, crib death,
delayed development, learning disorders, failure to thrive, ADHD, autism and
anti-social behavior may all be symptoms related to adrenal dysfunction in our
children.
Vaccination,
wholesale drugging of the children and other abominations led by our public
health authorities and the medical profession are only making the problems
worse in the long term. Children
usually respond very rapidly to nutritional balancing program. This is not at all the same as throwing
a lot of good food and vitamins at a child. It must be targeted, based on a properly performed and
correctly interpreted hair mineral analysis. I teach this science to anyone who will listen.
Myth #8. Burnout affects only physical health. Burnout affects every area of
life. Family and work are often affected. Relationships often
suffer. One may lose interest in everyone and everything. There simply is not enough energy
available for intimate relationships or for activities beyond those required
for survival. Friends, family and employers are often unaware of what is
occurring, which only worsens the situation.
Myth #9. A hectic lifestyle causes burnout. This may be one of many
causes. Oddly, however, a hectic
lifestyle can also be a result of burnout. Excessive
activity, overwork and a very busy life can be a way to stimulate one into
action and a compensation for feelings of exhaustion. When such a one stops working and running around, he will
feel just how exhausted and perhaps depressed he really is.
A
hectic lifestyle can therefore be a stimulant, like caffeine of loud
music. It always makes burnout
worse, but it may be the result of burnout, not the original cause.
Myth #10. Overwork for years causes
burnout. This is
possible. However, adrenal burnout
may also occur quickly due to a single shock or just a few traumas that
occur in rapid succession. In some
caes, however, it is not be related to any single
trauma or activity. Often a
combination of factors causes burnout.
Whether
one goes into burnout from an illness, accident, divorce, overwork or other
stress depends very much on one’s ability to handle stress, rather than the absolute
amount of stress. In other words,
some people handle stress and trauma far better than others. For this reason, we recommend a
grounding, centering meditation to everyone with adrenal exhaustion. For more information about this, click
on the article on this website entitled, Meditation.
Myth #11. Burnout is an overused term without a scientific basis. Just because burnout doesn’t show up on x-rays or certain
blood tests does not mean it is not real.
Burnout can be measured and quantified using tissue mineral testing and
hormone testing. The term is not
overused. In fact it is greatly
underused. A large percentage of
the population is in burnout and it would be helpful if physicians understood
it better, even if they have no drug “cure” for it.
Myth #12. Plenty of sleep will take care of burnout. Unfortunately, this is not so. The
person in burnout is unable to
regenerate itself adequately during sleep. In fact, waking up tired after 8-10 hours of sleep is a primary
symptom of burnout. Like a
weak battery, the body does not recharge itself during sleep.
Myth #13. Cleaning out toxins will take care of burnout. The accumulation of toxins that
occurs as the body can no longer remove them properly contributes to burnout.
Exposure to toxic metals or chemicals can be an important factor in
burnout. Eliminating them is
helpful. However, energy is
required to release toxins. If the energy system is weak, just fasting or
detoxifying will not be enough.
Fasting, in fact, can and usually does make the situation worse.
One
must rebuild the entire energy system by balancing body chemistry and providing
nutrients as well. A one-month or
even six-month ‘cleanse’ is nowhere near adequate. It can take over a year just to replenish one mineral.
Warning - For those in later stages of
burnout, some yin detoxification programs such as fasting, raw foods or even
chelating agents can be dangerous.
This is because These therapies can further deplete certain minerals or
unbalance body chemistry in ways that can be quite dangerous. Also, the eliminative organs are
compromised. As a result, toxins
that such programs release from various storage tissues may be redeposited in more vital organs such as the brain. This can significantly worsen one’s
health.
A
gentle, complete program of rebuilding and nourishing the body must accompany
any efforts to eliminate toxins.
In fact, as vitality improves, toxin elimination will proceed on its
own.
Myth # 14. One will come out of burnout when one changes whatever
factor or behavior caused the burnout. This means that if you just quit your stressful job or your
stressful marriage, you wil recover from burnout.
I
wish this were true. It is not how
it works, however. As one
goes into burnout, vital minerals become depleted and toxic substances replace
them. The toxic metals become part of the structure of enzymes and even parts
of organs and glands. For this
reason, although one changes one’s diet, lifestyle, attitudes or behavior, the toxins
remain. This is very frustrating
for people who expect a recovery after they leave a stressful situation such as
a bad marriage, for instance.
Myth #15. To recover from burnout, just reestablish close
communication with those who are close to you. This is the cure for burnout in one
popular book. Re-establishing
excellent communication with those you love is always helpful. However, in my experience it is usually
not enough. In fact, it can be a
source of frustration. Reason for
this are:
1. As stated earlier in this paper, your loved ones often do not and cannot
understand what has happened to you.
2. Burnout often affects your perception and attitudes. Therefore re-establishing good
relationships can be complex.
3. Burnout is usually a multi-faceted problem that demands a more complete
approach than just communicating better.
Myth #16. To get out of burnout, one needs to get back in touch with
oneself. As with Myth #15, this is an excellent
concept, but in my experience is not nearly enough for recovery. One reason is that getting in touch
with oneself is often complicated when the brain has excessive toxins, thanks
to adrenal exhaustion.
Burnout,
for example, often causes terribly low self-esteem because one’s energy is low
and thinking is foggy or clouded.
Adrenal burnout causes most of its victims to become overly
introspective. This is helpful in
some ways, but damaging in others.
The positive side of this is discussed at the end of this paper, and is
very important not to miss.
Myth # 17. One can recover from burnout in a matter of months. It takes at least two years and
often longer. Layers of toxins,
infections and other adaptations and compensations must be undone. Each adaptation uses up energy so that
when one begins correction, there is little energy to work with. This slows
progress and is one reason correction takes several years.
Eliminating toxins that have become
integral parts of the organs and glands also takes time, like rebuilding a
house. Also, most people must replenish
twenty or thirty trace minerals.
This takes time, even if one does all the correct procedures to restore
one’s health.
If
one truly recovers in a few months, a person was not in severe burnout. However, often, a small recovery
can feel like a cure when it is not.
As an analogy, those in burnout need an overhaul, not a tune up. One needs to commit to doing whatever
it takes and devoting a few years to healing. This needs to become one’s primary occupation or job for a
while, allowing all other interests and activities to become secondary to the
commitment to healing.
Myth #18. Burnout is not an important medical problem unless the
stress of burnout causes high blood pressure or another symptom. Burnout is degenerative
exhaustion. It sets the stage for
all degenerative diseases, because energy is a common denominator of health.
All
illnesses start with fatigue. The body is like a newer car with power steering,
power brakes and power windows. When the power goes down, the entire car stops
working right. Burnout is a serious medical problem, although symptoms may be
vague and unrelated to a specific disease.
Myth #19. Burnout is new phenomenon. In fact, burnout is as old as humanity. Understanding adrenal exhaustion can
even help us understand the rise and fall of civilizations. For example, it is known that many
great civilizations, including perhaps our own, have fallen slowly or even
suddenly. Why does this occur?
One
way to understand the fall is that the people, as a whole, go into adrenal
burnout and cannot sustain the intellectual, cultural and social traditions of
the culture. Wise leaders and
strong traditions become replaced with vulgar habits, lower moral standards and
leaders who sway the people’s passions, but do not appeal to their higher
sensitivities.
Constant
wars, as occurred in Europe, can also contribute to burnout. Toxic technology can also take its
toll. The Roman Republic was
famous for its lead water pipes, for example. We are famous for our medical drug cures and surgeries, both
of which involve a lot of toxic chemicals. Industrialization has brought large amounts of many toxic
metals into our homes, air, water and food.
Even
oppressive political and economic systems can contribute in some nations. This is a problem with the socialist
and fascist ideologies that spring up around the world. They repress the people and, as a
result, the people do not function well after a time.
Freedom,
in contrast, tends to help people live better and function better. This was the goal of the founders of
America. I hope we have not lost
sight of the absolute value of freedom and liberty, as opposed to all other
values such as diversity or environmentalism.
Myth #20. Burnout only affects one generation at a time. This is perhaps the most pernicious aspect of burnout. Children born to burned out parents
will be born nutritionally weaker and thus more prone to adrenal fatigue
themselves. Children today
are going into burnout, as a result, at a younger and younger age. So the story of adrenal exhaustion cuts
across generational lives. This
was ably demonstrated by Dr. Weston Price, DDS, in his classic book Nutrition
and Physical Degeneration.
Melting pot
nations like America have an advantage in this regard. New immigrants are often the more
ambitious ones that are in better health and can help rejuvenate the
population. Also, nations that
emphasize freedom and individual rights allow people to devise better ways of
coping and maintaining their health that those that are stuck in rigid
prescribed social structures.
RECOVERY FROM ADRENAL BURNOUT
Recovery from burnout is certainly
possible. Nutritional balancing
has helped thousands come out of burnout.
However, be prepared to spend several years on a nutritional balancing program. This does not mean you cannot work or
take care of your family during this time. However, lots of rest is critical and recovery still usually
takes several years of effort. The
following is an outline of the nutritional balancing approach for program for
adrenal burnout:
1. A diet of
mainly cooked vegetables and animal protein. Avoid all vegetarian, raw food and fasting regimens. For much more information about this diet,
click on the Slow Oxidizer Diet Plan.
2.
Only distilled or spring water to drink – three or more quarts daily. Carbon filtered water is the next best,
but if not as good because carbon does not remove most toxic metals or even all
the chemicals from the water. Reverse
osmosis water is cleaner, but does not hydrate the body nearly as well as the
others above. Also, be sure to
avoid alkaline water systems, “drinking water” or tap water.
3.
An improved lifestyle. Loads of
rest is the single most important lifestyle change. For some other details, click on The Healing Lifestyle and many other
articles on this website about lifestyle.
4.
About 6 or 7 basic nutritional supplements. These must be targeted and individualized using a properly
performed and properly interpreted hair mineral analysis. For more information, click on Nutritional Balancing And Why I Use It.
5.
A detoxification protocol is helpful, though perhaps not always needed. This involves the use of a near
infrared sauna and perhaps coffee enemas or colonic irrigation. This is included with all nutritional
balancing programs. For some
general information about these procedures, click on Detoxifcation
Procedures.
6.
A meditation-observation exercise that is extremely centering and
grounding. Click on Meditation to learn more about this excellent and
simple procedure.
7.
Shifts in your attitudes and perspectives on life, when needed. Attitudes of forgiveness, letting go,
positive attitudes, gratitude, spirituality or prayer can speed up healing
greatly. Several articles on this
website such as Letting Go and others discuss how
important these can be for healing.
Addressing
all these aspects is the way to assure success. The preceding are general suggestions only. If possible, work with someone on our
list of recommended practitioners.
These are the only people I can recommend. Others, no matter what their education or experience, often
do not know how to correct adrenal burnout syndrome. You may also work with us by mail if you prefer. Click on Find A Practitioner
for the list of approved practitioners.
What about adrenal and other
testing? In general, we require only the hair
mineral analysis, with repeated tests every six months for several years. Food allergy testing may be helpful,
but usually not needed, in cases of severe food intolerances.
We
do not require hormone, blood tests or other types of
tests, although we are happy to review any tests you may have. However, we never discourage other
testing when needed.
What about bio-identical hormone replacement
therapy? Nutritional
balancing can almost always rebuild the hormone system of the body. All hormone replacement gets in the way
of this task. Nutritional
balancing, as a rule, does not require or recommend any hormones. They are all somewhat toxic. For more information, click on Bio-identical Hormone Replacement.
What about anti-depressants and
other drug therapies for burnout? We very rarely
recommend any pharmaceutical or over-the-counter drug for any reason.
Exceptions
include if one absolutely cannot sleep or perhaps, if one has a severe
parasitic infection, perhaps. In
almost all these cases, however, natural products such as colloidal silver and
others work well at a lower cost and with far fewer side effects. However, I do not take people off
prescribed medication. That is a
matter between you and your prescribing doctor.
THE BLESSING OF BURNOUT
Adrenal
burnout can be the best thing that happens to a person. It is a wake up call. Often, some area of life is out of
balance or alignment. Addressing
burnout is often the starting point for a deeper exploration of self and of
life at a deeper level. Most
people live superficially.
Correcting adrenal burnout often causes a person to begin to live at a
much deeper level and to understand the body and mind from a more spiritual
perspective as well.
This was the
case for me, and for many patients I have worked with. I suffered from adrenal exhaustion for
a number of years. As I began to
understand the condition better, I made many changes in my diet, lifestyle and
most critically, my thinking. I also
forced myself to do coffee enemas, to walk every day, use a sauna, and to
meditate daily, although I did not enjoy doing any these things, at first.
I
let go of some family ties and other relationships that I discovered were toxic
and harmful for me. Eventually, I
also moved out of the polluted city, although the process was terrifying
because I had very little energy or money to accomplish the move.
Perhaps
most important was the need for more subtle changes in attitudes and mental
tendencies. I realized how
important it is to give up all victim thinking and negative thinking. I had to let go of thinking of anyone
else as a victim, either, although that may sound like a strange attitude. I have written about this in other
articles on this website.
I
also dwelled upon and developed the spiritual or real part of myself. This is an incredible benefit if you
can make yourself do it. In the
process, I had to leave behind the superficial life style that I, like most
people, had lived most of my life.
These
shifts have served me extremely well, as they have served thousands of others I
have since worked with. Thus,
I have learned it is wrong to think
that adrenal burnout, or any serious condition, is just a curse to be “handled”
as quickly as possible. If you act
this way, you may miss the greatest blessing of your life.
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