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Are you suffering from Adrenal fatigue signs symptoms what is paleo diet-min

Are You Suffering From Adrenal Fatigue?

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Tired, washed out and exhausted, even when you had enough sleep? Feeling tired, weak and incapable of doing things? Could you be suffering from adrenal fatigue?




What are the adrenals?

The adrenals are like two caps on top of the kidneys which play a key role in the endocrine (hormonal) system. They produce more than 50 different hormones, such as adrenaline (epinephrine), noradrenaline, cortisol, progesterone and testosterone. These hormones are involved in energy production, water-salt balance, blood pressure, metabolism, heartbeat, liver function, the immune system, blood sugar level, fat storage and dealing with stress.

When we’re under stress, the adrenals should react by releasing adrenalin and noradrenalin to cope with physical danger, typically called the ‘fight or flight’-reaction. Whenever the ‘danger’ is gone, the adrenals make sure that the hormone levels are back to normal. Cortisol is produced in this situation and the release of DHEA is suppose to ‘un-stress’ the body.

And, who isn't faced with stress these days? Work, family, pressure from friends and our eating pattern put us under constant stress. This stress on the mental, physical and emotional levels, ensure that the adrenals are constantly overloaded with the amount of hormones they have to release. When these processes are prolonged, the adrenals can become exhausted; adrenal fatigue. We start to feel tired and are not able to cope with whatever comes our way any more.

Are you suffering from Adrenal fatigue signs symptoms what is paleo diet-min

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue

Because the adrenals play such an important role in the endocrine system, the symptoms of adrenal fatigue are expressed in various forms. This long list makes it more than clear that the right balance of hormones is crucial to us.

  • Appetite for salt
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Dizziness
  • Sleeping disorders
  • Inflammations
  • Headache
  • Unstable blood sugar
  • Excessive thirst and urge to urinate
  • Swellings
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Varicose veins
  • Bad digestion
  • Heart disorders
  • Asthma
  • Infections
  • Behavioral and memory problems
  • Allergies
  • Hyperpigmentation

Some other symptoms are

  • Mood swings
  • Irritation
  • Low energy level
  • Depression
  • Painful bodyparts
  • Low bloodpressure
  • Anxiety attacks
  • And many more…

What to do if you're suffering from adrenal fatigue?

Change your nutrition! When you have adrenal fatigue, the time you eat becomes very important. You need to keep the cortisol in your blood at the right level. If you don’t have the right amount of cortisol in your blood, it’s hard for your body to keep the right glucose levels. The result of this could be hypoglycemia.

People with exhausted adrenals often tend to choose the foods and drinks which give them energy at the expense of the adrenals, such as fast food, soft drinks and coffee. The fats in fast food are the wrong fats, the carbohydrates are often refined and the nutritional value is low. This way they withhold their body of the nutrients it needs more than ever, to function and recover. And this will make the adrenals more and more exhausted.

Eat immediately when you get up, to refuel your body. This is not the time for intermitant fasting.

Eat a strict Paleo diet, with enough protein, healthy fats, unrefined carbohydrates, vegetables and enough fruits. You may choose to experiment with increasing your carbohydrate intake in the form of things like pumpkin and sweet potato.

Stress is a huge factor, with sufferers of adrenal fatigue simply truing to do it all. When trying to heal, it’s really important to reduce stress, and take time out to meditate and relax.

Have you suffered from adrenal fatigue? What helped you to heal? Please share your stories and tips in the comments below, and help someone out!

The Paleo Diet Offal Liver Kidney Heart organ meat-min

Offal & The Paleo Diet

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Offal is the organs found in animals and includes the liver, hearts, brains and kidneys and these foods are not commonly consumed, which is the reason why they can be found at really low costs. Offal is not processed, so you know exactly what you are getting, which is not the case with many other foods. If you were to eat non-Paleo processed meat, like sausage rolls or chicken nuggets for example, you would usually be eating bones and other parts of animals which offer no nutritional benefits whatsoever.

As part of the Paleo diet, offal is encouraged as it is packed full of nutrients. The most nutritious is the liver, which is a good source of Vitamin A and the brain, which is rich in Omega 3. Offal also contains a lot of protein and iron, which is not only good for the functioning of your organs but is also good for making your appearance clearer and healthier.

The reason why the Paleo diet encourages the consumption of these organs is that they can offer a wide range of benefits to our health, including improving the immune system and staving off a whole host of illnesses which can result in someone with a poor diet. The point of the diet is to maximise the benefits of the foods we are eating, so even if they don’t seem like the kind of foods you would like, it is well worth giving them a try.

The Paleo Diet Offal Liver Kidney Heart organ meat-min

Offal is known as a super-food and although many of us wouldn't usually choose to eat these foods, the number of people buying these has increased in recent years. We are becoming a lot more educated in what foods are beneficial to our bodies and even though offal may not be the most tantalising of choices, the potential benefits make them an important choice as part of our daily diets.

If you are following the Paleo diet, it is important to include offal as it will make a substantial difference in how you look and feel. If the thought of eating these kinds of foods makes you feel a little queasy, there are many ways you can incorporate them into your meal, without even tasting them. You will be surprised at how quickly they become part of your daily routine and these super-foods will set you up for the rest of your life.

We all love a good curry and you can easily make this using offal without really having to taste them. You can add plenty of flavours to your curry which will disguise the texture, if this is off putting to you. If you are on a tight budget, offal is the ideal food to add to your diet, without stretching your budget but ensuring you enjoy the health benefits.

You may even wish to add your offal to a tasty stew or soup and by introducing plenty of other ingredients; you won’t really know the difference from your usual meals. You may even find that after time you start to enjoy the taste of offal on its own. If you have children and want them to enjoy the benefits of the Paleo diet, you should try and add offal to their meals, as it will help to improve their immune system and they will get used to the taste from a young age.

The most nutritious is the liver, so if you choose only one as part of your diet, this should be it. It shouldn't take long to start noticing the health benefits of offal as part of your Paleo diet and you will also find improvements in the appearance of your hair and skin.

With offal, it is even more important than usual to ensure the meat is of the very best quality, ideally organic and grass-fed or pasture raised.

The best animals to consume your offal from are goat, sheep, buffalo and horse and you should be able to pick these up from your local butchers.

Do you use Offal in your cooking? What are your favourite types – and recipes? Share below!