* Fatigue, lethargy
* Lack of energy in the mornings, and also in the afternoon between 3 and 5 pm
* Often feel tired between 9 and 10 pm, but resist going to bed
* Lightheadedness (including dizziness and fainting) when rising from a sitting or laying-down position
* Lowered blood pressure and blood sugar
* Difficulty concentrating or remembering (brain fog)
* Consistently feeling unwell or difficulty recovering from infections
* Craving either salty or sugary foods to keep going
* Unexplained hair loss
* Nausea
* Alternating constipation and diarrhea
* Mild depression
* Decreased sex drive
* Sleep difficulties
* Unexplained pain in the upper back or neck
* Increased symptoms of PMS for women – periods are heavy and then stop (or almost stop) on the 4th day, only to start flow again on the 5th or 6th day
* Tendency to gain weight and inability to lose it – especially around the waist
* High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases – plus a tendency for them to last longer than usual

Treatment:

Dietary recommendations for Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome include:

* Add ground flax meal to your diet since it contains healthy dietary fiber and omega-3 essential fatty acids.
* Add extra virgin organic coconut oil to your diet to benefit from the saturated fat that can help stabilize blood sugar levels.
* Add foods rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids to your diet in the form of fish oil, wild-caught salmon, minimal-mercury albacore tuna, and sprouted walnuts.
* Add mineralized salt to your diet, especially upon rising (½ to 1 teaspoon mixed in water) and at least a half-hour before your lowest energy point of the day.4 Choose Himalayan crystal salt.
* Eat lightly cooked animal and vegetable proteins (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes). Read more about good protein and bad protein.
* Eat dairy products with live, active cultures (probiotics), such as organic, unpasteurized yogurt and kefir (unless you are allergic to dairy).
* Eat plenty of unrefined low-glycemic carbohydrates (brown rice, sprouted grains, winter squash).
* Limit intake of fruits that have a high glycemic index such as apricots, raisins, banana, papaya, and mango.
* Eat plenty of vegetables and vegetable juices (kelp, sprouts, green and black olives, peppers, spinach, chard, celery, zucchini).
* Add nutrient-dense and unprocessed foods such as sprouted nuts and seeds to your diet.
* Drink purified water throughout the day.

Foods to AVOID include:

* All foods containing refined sugar or artificial sugar-substitutes such as aspartame, Splenda®, etc. Choose a natural sweetener like Xylosweet instead.
* All simple or refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, crackers, etc.) – Read more about good carbs and bad carbs.
* Foods high in potassium since they make adrenal fatigue worse (bananas, all melons, dried figs, raisins, dates, oranges, grapefruit, etc.)
* Excessive caffeine intake – While moderate amounts of caffeine may be beneficial, excessive consumption of caffeine can disrupt the body’s systems, causing insomnia and irregularity (constipation or diarrhea)
* Alcoholic beverages in excess since they hinder the functioning of the immune and energy production systems
* Fermented foods such as cheese and wine
* Fungi such as mushrooms
* Pickled foods
* Sweetened fruit juices that spike blood sugar levels too rapidly
* Carbonated soft drinks that alter pH levels, making the blood more acidic
* Bottom crawlers such as oysters, clams, and lobster that may contain toxic levels of mercury
* Deep-sea fish such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish that may contain toxic levels of mercury. Choose minimal-mercury albacore tuna instead.
* Farm-raised fish that contain PCBs and not enough omega-3 essential fatty acids, due to their land-based diets. Choose wild-caught salmon instead.
* Yeast and wheat products (breads, crackers, pasta, etc.) that contain gluten
* Sodium nitrite found in processed foods such as hot dogs, lunch meats, and bacon
* Monosodium glutamate (MSG) found in many foods as a flavor enhancer
* Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils/trans fats found in many processed foods, deep-fried food, fast food, and junk food – Read more about good fats and bad fats.

Note: Those with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome tend to tolerate fewer carbohydrates and need more protein than what is recommended in the USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid.4

Other tips for sufferers of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome:

* Laugh as often as possible since this increases the parasympathetic supply to the adrenals.
* Take small breaks from stressful activity to lie down.
* Actively try to increase/promote relaxation, by doing activities such as yoga, meditation, and prayer

Your adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones that are essential to life. The medical term “adrenal insufficiency” refers to inadequate production of one or more of these hormones as a result of an underlying disease. Signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency include fatigue, body aches, unexplained weight loss, low blood pressure, lightheadedness and loss of body hair. Adrenal insufficiency can be diagnosed by blood tests and special stimulation tests that show inadequate levels of adrenal hormones.

Proponents of the adrenal fatigue diagnosis claim this is a mild form of adrenal insufficiency caused by chronic stress. The unproven theory behind adrenal fatigue is that your adrenal glands are unable to keep pace with the demands of perpetual fight-or-flight arousal. As a result, they can’t produce quite enough of the hormones you need to feel good. Existing blood tests, according to this theory, aren’t sensitive enough to detect such a small decline in adrenal function — but your body is. That’s why you feel tired, weak and depressed.

It’s frustrating to have persistent symptoms your doctor can’t readily explain. But accepting a medically unrecognized diagnostic label from an unqualified practitioner could be worse. Unproven remedies for so-called “adrenal fatigue” may leave you feeling sicker, while a treatable condition — such as depression or fibromyalgia — continues to take its toll.

**Please go back and insist on further testing to determine if there is a Underlying Medical Condition such as Fibromyalgi which may be causing you to feel so bad.

Many Blessings