ME/CFS & ADRENAL FATIGUE

In this short series of posts ‘ME/CFS Simple Strategies’ trainer and former sufferer of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia Simon Pimenta explores strategies for people with ME/CFS.

ME/CFS & Diet

Please re-read the caveats in the first article.

As stated in the first article, diet is a big topic and often advise is conflicting.

The first article focussed on the Stone Age Diet

The second article explored Glycemic Index and how foods affect your blood sugar.

The third article explored Candida Albicans And Yeast Infection.

Medical Caution: This information in this article is not a recommendation. Consult your Doctor before making dietary changes  or taking supplements, especially if you if you have health issues or are taking prescribed medication. Ashwagandha is not recommended for women who are pregnant.

Diet Part 4: Adrenal Fatigue

I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue by a Medical Doctor.

I felt exhausted and ‘wired’ and any stress, no matter how small, left me feeling shattered, as if I had run a marathon.

OK, I have never run a marathon, but I suspect how I felt would be the same!

Possible Causes

1. Stress

The doctor explained that stress, whether physical or emotional, can cause adrenal fatigue.

He said that my low blood pressure may be an indication of adrenal fatigue.

I had low blood pressure before I developed ME/CFS and had been told that this was a sign of being super fit!

In truth, I had been fit and active prior to developing ME/CFS, but it is possible that stress had been affecting adrenal function even before I got sick.

2. Stimulants

He also said that over-reliance on stimulants, for example caffeine, can be a contributory factor on an already stressed body.

I was told that over-stimulation over a long period can result in adrenal fatigue. These glands can only do so much, and if they are over worked, they will stop working properly.

Obvious really, and other glands can be affected in the same way.

However, often people think that if they have issues such as poor thyroid function, that the gland is faulty, rather than it has been over-worked- a couple of Doctors say that the latter is usually the case.

Symptoms

Adrenal fatigue results in a range of symptoms:

Unexplained fatigue

Inability to deal with stress

Poor sleep

Weak immune system

Dark circles under the eyes

Less Common Symptoms

Low blood pressure

Craving salt

Frequent urination

Dealing With Adrenal Fatigue

1. Diet

If you have read the previous 3 posts on diet, you may not be surprised to hear that the recommendation is to follow the low GI diet!

The GI chart  below will help you at a glance make food choices that keep blood sugar stable.

GI CHART CHEAT SHEET

There may be some variance between GI scores from different sources.

Top Tips

1. Eat regularly

2. Don’t skip meals

3. Eat breakfast soon after waking up or as soon as you feel like eating

4. Some nutritionists do advocate eating high quality carbohydrates: quinoa, brown rice

5. Eat quality fats: avocado, coconut oil, butter

6. Eat protein; beef (preferably grass fed), wild fish, free range chicken, eggs, good quality protein powder

7. Add some quality salt. Lots of Nutritionists recommend Himalayan pink salt. Check with your Doctor if you have high blood pressure.

Cut out:

1. Sugar or foods containing high amounts of sugar

2. Refined grains, for example white bread, pastries, biscuits

3. Caffeine (stimulates adrenal glands)

4. Processed foods

5. Table salt

2. Supplements

There is a range of supplements that are advised.

Check out this page for more information about supplements for adrenal fatigue

One supplement I found really helpful was ashwagandha, an adaptogen that is said to modulate how your body responds to stress.

As stated above (see Medical Caution at top of post), Ashwagandha is not recommended for women who are pregnant.

3. Stress Reduction

Any steps you can take to reduce stress in your life is going to be beneficial.

The work I do with clients focusses on teaching people strategies to reduce stress.

If you would like to know more, read my free report ‘ME/CFS: A Piece Of The Jigsaw’ and book a free coaching session (see below for more information).

Resources

The website adrenalfatiguesolution.com has a wealth of free information on adrenal fatigue.

Comment

Do leave a comment on how useful you found this article.

I am interested in your thoughts.

If you found the article useful, feel free to share.

Contact Me

Feel free to contact me here for a free consultation* to find out more about how I work, or if you have any questions.

I do 3 free coaching sessions each week.

I promise that I won’t sell anything.

During the session, we will work together to:

  1. Clarify your current situation
  2. Identify a number of clear, reasonable goals
  3. Identify what is stopping you from achieving them
  4. Identify practical steps to help you achieve these goals.

*One session per person.

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Disclosure

In the interest of full disclosure, I want to tell you that any links to adrenalfatiguesolution.com (or Amazon) are affiliate links. I have reviewed the site and have found that the content contains information that I found helpful when I had the condition. However, do your own due diligence before making a decision to invest in any product. Thanks for supporting my work.

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simon  SIMON PIMENTA is a hypnotherapist, coach and trainer working with people to boost resilience and performance, and minimise stress.

After working in a demanding job as the Director of a Housing Trust, he went off sick and remained unable to work for the next 8 years.

He discovered a pioneering approach to resolving health issues and got back his health, and now trains others using these same techniques.

2 thoughts on “ME/CFS & ADRENAL FATIGUE”

  1. Thanks Simon for your research and concise explanations. I find your articles very helpful for keeping me on track with my goals.

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