Antony Haynes delves into the subject of STRESS, identifies how to assess stress conditions from a functional perspective and reminds us what we can do to help.

Stress is not just an emotional condition, but also a physical one. On a pathology level, adrenal conditions are either normal, Addison's (no production of hormones) or Cushing's (excess production of hormones). However, there are marry varying states of adrenal function, most of which will probably never result in arty adrenal disease. I am going to explain the typical symptoms of abnormal adrenal function, and the changes we can make to minimise the damage stress does to our bodies.

Symptoms of an over-stressed individual

• Restlessness
• Anxiety / Depression
• Lethargy & fatigue
• Uncharacteristic weight gain/loss, sluggish metabolism
• Indecision, memory and concentration difficulties
• Poor caffeine and alcohol tolerance
• Muscle and joint pain
• Light-headedness / fainting
• Panic attacks and paranoia
• Frequent infections/ weakened immunity
• Digestive discomfort.

Definition of Stress

Stress is any imbalance of homeostasis involving Cortisol, neurotensin, DHEA, adrenaline and noradrenaline. Stressful events affect everyone differently, and there are various factors that contribute to the stress burden of any one individual, including: emotions, lifestyle, exercise, diet, environment, and physical injury.

The Adrenal Rhythm & its Importance

Steroid hormones are released from the adrenal gland in a cycle, with the highest value in the morning and the lowest at night. This is called the circadian rhythm. An abnormal adrenal rhythm influences many functions of the body; hence the diverse list of symptoms described above.

Adrenal Testing -Adrenal Stress Profile (ASP)

An Adrenal Stress Profile (ASP) can be used to determine an individuals stress levels. This is a simple noninvasive saliva test, requiring four samples over the course of one day, that are analysed to measure for Cortisol and DHEA. This is not possible with blood and urine samples: Saliva analysis measures the free and active component of Cortisol rather than its total level.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

The body's response to modern stress has been characterised as General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), first proposed by renowned physiologist Dr. Hans Selye. This starts with the alarm stage, otherwise known as the "fight or flight" response. During the Resistance Stage, in which we adapt to coping with the stress, hypothalamic Cortisol receptors become less sensitive to feedback inhibition, resulting in increased Cortisol production. Excess Cortisol can have negative effects in the body including insulin resistance, central visceral obesity, and increased blood pressure, suppressed immune function and impaired wound healing. The final stage of the GAS is adrenal fatigue, which involves a depletion of energy reserves and a loss of resilience leading to the symptoms I have described.

Supporting your Adrenals

Clearly, if there is some circumstance in your life that is the major burden on your body, this must be resolved before your adrenal health can be restored. Nevertheless, these steps can help:

• Eat regular moderate-sized meals, each containing a high quality protein (e.g. egg. fish, chicken).
• Eat plenty of fresh vegetables at lunch and dinner.
• Relax before eating and chew food well.
• Drink plenty of water /herbal
• Go to bed at the same time every night and ensure 7-8 hours of sleep.
• Get at least 1 hour of daylight every day, especially in winter.
• Walk for 15 minutes a day or practice Tai Chi or Qi Gong three times a week.
• Avoid coffee, tea, cigarettes, refined sugar and carbohydrates.
• Limit your alcohol intake to two units a day
• Avoid fried / junk foods.

Supplementing the following may support adrenal health:

EPA & DHA from fish oil, GLA from Evening Primrose Oil, Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5), Vitamin C, Magnesium, B vitamins, Chromium, Ginseng, Ashwaganda, GotuRola, Licorice, Jaio Gulan. L-Theanine may be useful to increase alpha wave activity in the brain. PEA (phenylethylamine) may also be of benefit by increasing the feel-good factor and reducing stress. When there is low adrenal output, animal glandulars may be indicated.

The minimum time it takes to rest the adrenals and or to heal them from a state of over or under activity seems to be about 90 days for lasting effects -otherwise you return to a previous state.

Conclusion

A multiplicity of conditions can arise from excessive stress and may be related to the levels of Cortisol and DHEA, which can now be measured and, once known, stabilised. The basics for adrenal health are just that; basic, made difficult to maintain by our modern lifestyles. In addition, and to offer some much needed support whilst we continue to live in this mode, there are herbal, amino acid, vitamin and mineral supports which can help.

Reproduced with the kind permission of Today's Therapist