Though small in size, your adrenal glands play a role in maintaining health and well-being that is anything but small. Charged with the production of over 50 hormones, adrenal glands function mainly as your body's stress and energy management center and as you age, become important in maintaining hormonal balance. Nurse practitioner Marcelle Pick notes that while internal and environmental stress is the leading cause of poor adrenal function, providing your body with the right nutrients at the right time does much to support good adrenal health.
Guidelines
A diet that supports adrenal health starts with consuming an unsaturated, healthy fat, a protein and a carbohydrate in each meal. Your diet should include mainly fresh foods, especially brightly colored vegetables and whole grains. Although fruit is important, wait until mid-day and choose fruits such as apples, a few grapes, plums or pears, as these are lower in fructose and potassium, a combination that, according to Dr. James Wilson, author of "Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome," is counterproductive to adrenal health. Rather than beverages such as coffee, alcohol and energy drinks, Pick recommends ginseng or herbal teas or a salted vegetable juice.
Example
Delores S. Downey, author of the "The Nutritional Protocol Manual" and founder of "Balancing Body Chemistry with Nutrition" seminars provides a recipe for a vegetable soup she calls Taz as an example of food choices that support adrenal health.
Taz ingredients include 16 oz. green beans, one cup chopped celery, one sliced zucchini, one medium onion, chopped, one cup each of tomato juice, spring water and chicken broth, 2 tbsp. raw honey and 1 tsp. paprika. To make the soup, combine all ingredients and simmer for approximately one hour.
Timeframe
In addition to choosing nutritious foods, you can also support good adrenal health by maintaining a regular mealtime and snack schedule. Irregular eating patterns lead to fluctuating blood sugar levels, which puts additional strain on the adrenal glands. Dr. Wilson recommends eating a full breakfast soon after waking, lunch between 11:00 and 11:30 am and supper between 5:00 and 6:00 pm, as well as a small snack in mid-afternoon and just before going to bed at night.
Considerations
Increased or prolonged stress can undermine your attempts to support adrenal health through diet. According to University of New Mexico researchers Dr. Len Kravitz, Dr. Suzanne Schneider and Christine Maglione-Garves, high levels of the stress hormone cortisol stimulate your appetite and can cause cravings for food high in calories, fat and sugar. The result can be weight gain that increases strain on the adrenal glands.
Risks
According to Dr. Jeremy Thornton, chiropractor and natural health care specialist, an improper diet that results in nutritional deficiencies or the excessive consumption of caffeine, sugar and processed foods can contribute to a condition called adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue can cause varying degrees of general body fatigue and depression, with the most serious making it difficult to get out of bed in the morning even after a full night of sleep or staying awake for more than a few hours at a time.
References
- Women to Women: Adrenal Fatigue -- Eating to Support Your Adrenal Glands-Small Choices Can Make a Big Difference
- Adrenal Fatigue: Diet for Adrenal Fatigue
- University of New Mexico: Cortisol Connection: Tips on Managing Stress and Weight
- Thornton Natural Healthcare Center: Strategy to Manage Adrenal Fatigue
