Your adrenal glands are responsible for producing hormones, such as adrenaline, to help you deal with physical and emotional stress. Adrenaline regulates blood pressure, heart rate and perspiration, which increase when stressed. Chronic stress severely depletes your adrenal glands, leaving you feeling fatigued and overwhelmed. This is because stress increases your metabolism and causes you to use up your body's supply of nutrients. You need healthy foods to replenish these nutrients.
Sugar
Adrenal fatigue is associated with low blood sugar. Therefore, it is important to maintain a fairly consistent blood sugar level. One way to do this is to avoid foods that are high in sugar, such as cookies, cakes and candy. Sugary foods are quickly converted to energy. This causes a rapid increase in your blood sugar and insulin levels. High insulin levels are followed by a dramatic drop in blood sugar.
Fruits
Despite the vitamins and nutrients that fruit provides, as well as many health benefits, fruit intake should be limited for adrenal health. The fructose and potassium in certain fruits are harmful to depleted adrenal glands. Fruits that should be avoided are bananas, oranges and grapefruit. Apples, cherries, pears, kiwi and papaya are acceptable fruits, but no fruit sound be eaten in the morning. Having fruit for breakfast will cause blood sugar to rise and leave you feeling lethargic shortly after.
Fast Food
Fast foods are generally high in fat and low in nutritional value. These foods are often deep fried in hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats, which disrupt your body's metabolism. They also contain free radicals that damage the cells and tissue in your body.
Beverages
Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands to release hormones. Therefore, drinking caffeinated beverages should be avoided if you have adrenal fatigue, because the caffeine further depletes your already drained adrenal glands. Alcohol should also be avoided because it dehydrates your body. Dehydration, a common symptom of stress, is also a sign of adrenal fatigue. The Body Ecology Diet website suggests drinking half an ounce of water for every pound you weigh to replenish lost fluids.
What To Eat
To help restore adrenal function, you must restore lost nutrients. You can do this by taking vitamins or eating foods that are high in vitamins, such as vegetables. Foods high in protein, such as meat, fish and eggs provide the body with much-needed nutrients. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and fiber, are also beneficial for the body. Eating meals that regularly contain a combination of protein, complex carbohydrates and some fat will provide you with energy throughout the day, according to Dr. James Wilson, author of "Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome."
