Adrenal fatigue is rampant in modern "civilized" world. With long, caffeine-fueled workdays, not enough sleep and too much stress it is no wonder our adrenals get overworked and start underperforming. Sadly, few of us realize how dangerous it can be to overlook this warning sign. Once normal hormone production is disregulated, the cascade of other complication follows, and these changes often lead to being depressed, overweight, having near diabetic blood sugar highs, having issues with fertility etc. Such simple rules as getting enough sleep, eating balanced meals on time and having enough quiet time in the day to unwind (preferably in nature) can save you countless expenses not only in money, but also vitality terms down the line.
If you notice that lately you get stressed out easier than usual, if you wake up tired (void of energy, not just sleepy), if you experience sudden bouts of hunger that result in being almost unable to think straight until you eat something (and you crave something high in calories and sugar) you may need to check your adrenal function.
If the visit to the trusted doctor is not in the cards, try these two trusted methods for testing your adrenal function:
Method #1
We are going to use the observation of your pupil to determine how well your adrenals perform at the moment.
Have someone help you or use a mirror if you have to do it by yourself. Stand in the dark room for a minute or so to let your eyes adjust to the absence of light - the pupil will be dilated, or enlarged. Next use a small flash light or a penlight and put it at the eyes level 8 inches or so away from your face. DO NOT shine the light directly into your eye!
Instead aim at your ear first then slowly move toward your nose and watch what happens to the pupil.
Initially, the pupil should dilate in order to adjust to the light, but in people who are suffering from adrenal fatigue/exhaustion, it will not be able to stay contracted for long. Count how many seconds does your pupil stay contracted. One you see the pupil pulsating from contracted to enlarged, the test is over.
Some people will see first changes back to dilation after just few seconds. That means their adrenal function is severely compromised. If your pupil stays contracted after 20 seconds, it is safe to say your adrenals are functioning well.
Method #2
Using your nail, "draw" a line across your belly - use a firm push, but not enough to actually break the skin.
At first, the line will appear white, but in people with regular adrenal function it will turn red pretty quickly, while in people with adrenal exhaustion it will stay white, and sometimes can appear a little wider after a few seconds.
Adrenal fatigue is a real health concern for millions of people, and the sad thing is most of them do not even realize how much damage it can do if left unchecked.
The good news is there are great natural, very effective remedies that can help support and ultimately restore healthy adrenal function, though it may take more time and some lifestyle adjustments that may pose a challenge do someone used to a different way of life. However, the benefits of these healthier choices are many, and in time most of the people who tried those will be really happy with their new life.
I hope this was useful to some of you and I am planning on continuing with the simple lifestyles recommendation to help restore optimal adrenal function next (if you guys would like to see it, please let me know in the comments.)
Thank you and have a great day!