Losing weight with adrenal fatigue is not really a difficult task. The bigger problem here is that most people are not aware that they have adrenal fatigue, let alone know what it is. Almost everyone I come across has some form of adrenal fatigue and if you’ve been having a hard time losing weight and are under any emotional, mental, or physical stress, you could be suffering from adrenal fatigue. Introducing gradual lifestyle changes, such as adopting healthy eating patterns like intermittent fasting, can help you address adrenal fatigue and achieve your sustainable weight loss goals. It is important to adapt your lifestyle as necessary to maximize your chances of long term success. However, let's explore how to lose weight a bit further.
Adrenal Glands and Stress Management
If this all seems new to you let’s first lay some foundation. Your adrenal glands are two triangular-shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys. They are responsible for managing your body’s stress load. They interact with, produce, and help regulate a number of key hormones such as epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine, estrogen, testosterone, melatonin, progesterone, and cortisol.
When you are under stress your body goes through a lot of chemical reactions to cope with the situation. For example, if you’re being yelled at by your boss at work or have tight deadlines and work pressure this will have a huge impact on you. If you’re constantly fighting with your kids, or spouse, or have an abusive relationship this will have a huge impact on you. If you bang your knee into the coffee table, don’t get it looked at right away and your pain becomes chronic this will have a huge impact on you. If you go camping, run into a hungry bear, and have to run for your life you better believe that this will have a HUGE impact on you.
The body has no problem dealing with these stressful situations however they are meant to be short-term. Extreme stress like what is described above should only be experienced for short periods of time.
You are not meant to be under immense stress twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. Can you imagine being chased by a bear all day long? Yet, the sad reality is that this is exactly how some of us live our lives.
Most people have heard of cortisol. In relation to weight loss, we often hear that it is the hormone that you need to lower if you want to get rid of belly fat. This would be a fair statement but to dig a little deeper cortisol is responsible for helping the body maintain homeostasis. In other words, it helps you to be “chill” all of the time however stressful periods upset your body’s homeostasis, and cortisol goes to work. Cortisol is a steroid hormone, that has the ability to alter blood sugar, inflammation, and metabolism. It can assist with breaking down muscle tissues and also interact with your thyroid. It really is quite the superstar hormone. In fact, it’s so valuable that if you’re not producing enough of your own your doctor will give you an injection of hydrocortisone which is a synthetic version of cortisol.
As far as weight management is concerned, too much cortisol and sleep deprivation shut down fat release. When cortisol is elevated in excess, it inhibits your body from releasing fat. When you’re under constant and extreme stress, your body thinks it’s in danger and will hold on to precious fat stores. Fat is essential for the body to survive long periods of stress or famine. In addition, constant stress upsets hormonal balance, which will create a domino effect as your body fights to maintain homeostasis. Unfortunately, if your body does not receive the support it needs, you will be left with many nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, poor health, and weight gain. The regulation of the appetite-controlling hormone leptin also depends on how long someone sleeps. Leptin sends signals of fullness to the brain.
One study found that people who regularly sleep less than 7 hours per night are more likely to have a higher body mass index and develop obesity than those who sleep more.
Adaptogens to The Rescue
Luckily God’s earth gave us adaptogens to help our bodies lower cortisol so we can return to homeostasis and achieve healthy weight loss. Adaptogens are a class of healing plants, herbs, and superfoods that help to balance, restore, and protect the body from prolonged stress. In addition, adaptogens help the body to better manage weight by helping to regulate food intake and energy balance.
One of the most popular adaptogenic supplements is SAM-e, which stands for S-adenosylmethionine. SAM-e has been shown in numerous studies to be effective at reducing cortisol levels and improving sleep quality and duration. In one study, people who took a multivitamin with 400mg of SAM-e daily experienced reductions in overall cortisol production as well as increased sensitivity to insulin after eating carbs. Another study found that supplementation with 600mg/day of SAM-e significantly. Adaptogens are also able to do the following:
Balancing hormones
Balancing your mood
Boosting the immune system
Supporting a healthy weight
Increasing physical endurance and mental focus
Reducing discomfort caused by poor health
Each adaptogen has its own unique properties that can help with specific types of stressors. Let’s take a look at how to lose weight and reduce stress with a few that I would like you to get started with. I've chosen these ones because they're easy to find and easy to make recipes with.
Holy Basil Adaptogen for Weight Loss
Holy basil, a member of the mint family, is frequently used in cooking, but it has also been used as a healing plant for thousands of years. Native to Asia, holy basil, also known as “The Incomparable One,” and is considered one of the most sacred plants of India.
Holy basil works to enhance the body’s response to physical and emotional stress naturally by optimizing the functions of the body in times of stress. It is also known to help balance stress hormones. Holy basil can be taken in pill form, as an extract, or brewed as a tea. Get started with the benefits of Holy Basil by making your own tea.
Holy Basil tea recipe:
Ingredients
- 1⁄4 cup fresh holy basil leaves
- Hot filtered water or spring water
- Raw honey
Directions
- Wash the holy basil leaves thoroughly and then place them in a cup. Use the back of a spoon to press the leaves against the side of the cup to help bruise them, which allows the essential oils to escape.
- Pour hot (not boiling) water over the leaves and stir. Place the saucer on top of the cup to trap the essential oils inside the cup as the tea steeps.
- Wait for about 5 minutes. Remove the saucer, strain the leaves, and sweeten the tea as you like it.
- Drink warm or pour over ice.
Ashwagandha Adaptogen for Weight Loss
Ashwagandha, also known as the “strength of the stallion” due to its use as immune system support, is a natural stress reliever. It relieves stress by helping to correct hormone imbalances due to emotional or physical stress. This includes adrenal fatigue that can take a physical toll on the body, as well as anxiety, a common psychological side effect of chronic stress.
In addition, ashwagandha helps to balance glucose levels in the body, lower blood pressure, reduce brain cell degeneration, and increase sex drive.
Ashwagandha and its extracts are commonly taken in the form of herbal teas, powders, tablets, and syrups but today we’ll learn how to make cookies with them. I personally like to throw 2-3 teaspoons of ashwagandha powder into my smoothies.
Try these ashwagandha cookies:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all purpose gluten free flour
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 tsp Ashwagandha powder
- 1/4 cup organic butter
- 1/8 cup of stevia or raw honey
- 1/4 cup of almond or coconut milk
Directions:
- Sift the flour, salt, and ashwagandha powder together 3-4 times with a sieve and set aside. Melt the butter in a pan.
- Add sugar to the melted butter and mix well.
- Next, add almond or coconut milk and mix together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix, and knead into a dough.
- Form the dough into cookies on a baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven at 375 F for 2-3 minutes.
Licorice Root Adaptogen for Weight Loss
Licorice root is a therapeutic herb that has been used for its natural balancing abilities for centuries. It is a powerhouse herb when it comes to treating adrenal fatigue, which, as you know, is often associated with chronic stress.
Research has shown that licorice can help to modify or increase the body’s levels of cortisol production to support healthy adrenal production, and to help with adrenal fatigue. Licorice contains a compound called glycyrrhizic acid that stops the body from breaking down cortisol, so that the body does not become depleted during times increased or prolonged stress.
Licorice root can be found in many specialty health stores in several different forms, such as powder, capsules, tincture, and tea. Here’s a simple tea recipe you can make.
Try this licorice and ginger tea:
Ingredients:
- 2 quarts filtered or spring water
- 1/4 cup licorice root
- 1 finger's length fresh ginger, sliced, not peeled
Instructions:
- Fill a pot with 2 quarts of water
- Add licorice and ginger
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes
- Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into mugs
- Serve and enjoy
Gingseng Adaptogen for Weight Loss
Ginseng is a slow-growing root used for its stress-related benefits in the United States and Asia for centuries. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Ginseng effectively regulates the immune response and the hormonal changes due to stress, thus maintaining homeostasis.
In addition to suppressing the occurrence of psychological diseases such as anxiety and depression, ginseng also prevents stress-associated physiological diseases.” Ginseng not only helps to balance the hormones, but it also works to treat stress-related issues like adrenal fatigue and unbalanced plasma glucose levels.
Gingseng can be found in many specialty health stores in several different forms, such as powder, capsules, tincture, and tea. Here’s a smoothie recipe you can make with ginseng.
Try making this delicious ginseng smoothie:
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces of coconut water
- 1/2 cup fresh mango
- 1/2 heaping cup fresh pineapple chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon ginseng powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions:
Add the coconut water, mango, pineapple, ginseng powder, cinnamon and nutmeg to a blender, blending on low speed until smooth.
Astragalus Adaptogen for Weight Loss
Astragalus root is an essential herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and it has been used as a natural curative for thousands of years. It is most commonly known as an herb capable of slowing the aging process. It also helps to support a strong immune system, one of the many bodily systems that come under attack in cases of chronic stress.
Like many of the other adaptogens we have discussed, astragalus is used to help balance the stress hormone cortisol to prevent adrenal fatigue. It is also used to prevent or reduce conditions that can be related to stress, such as high blood pressure, and diabetes, and works as an anti-inflammatory.
Astragalus root is most commonly available as a pill, capsule, or extract, but many recipes also include the powerhouse root.
Try making this astragalus super soup:
Ingredients:
- 8 cups of spring water or filtered water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 bulb garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated
- 1 1/2 cups organic vegetable soup stock
- 5 pieces of sliced, dried astragalus root
- 2 cups fresh, sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 1 large reishi mushroom
- Cayenne powder, if desired
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Bring water to boil in large pot
- Heat olive oil, sauté garlic, onions, and ginger until soft and aromatic
- Add contents of skillet to water
- Add broth, shiitake, astragalus, and reishi
- Simmer covered for two hours
- Remove from heat, allow to sit for two more hours
- Remove astragalus and reishi mushrooms
- Reheat before serving
- Add salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne powder if desired
Conclusion
The body will have a difficult time losing weight if cortisol levels are elevated but with your newfound knowledge of adaptogens and the recipes that go along with it, you’ll be able to lower your cortisol levels and return your body to homeostasis. Many of my clients used to have a hard time losing weight and getting healthy before we implemented adaptogenic plants herbs and superfoods.
It’s important when trying adaptogens for the first time to check with your doctor if you’re on medications as everyone has individual needs. Happy stress lowering!
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