In this, the final segment of our three-part series on AFS, we will discuss the treatments that can be prescribed to recover from adrenal fatigue and restore yin-yang balance to our kidneys and adrenal glands. Your specific treatment will depend entirely on the results of your DUTCH test and possibly a Thyroid Blood Panel – so we can speak only in generalities here – but this will give you a good framework within which you and your practitioner can work together to bring your body (and your life) back in balance.
Treating AFS
The first thing to remember is that there is no quick fix for Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. AFS is a complex disorder that affects just about every aspect of your life. How long you have been suffering from AFS, or how tight its hold is on you, will play a role, too. Three to six months is generally considered a minimum, while deeper cases may require eight to twelve months to be effective. That being said, people usually start feeling better within a month or two. Again, this all depends on your specific test results, exactly what is causing your kidney yang deficiency, and how severe your imbalance is.
The second thing to remember is that, just as AFS affects multiple aspects of your life, the treatment correspondingly takes multiple approaches. Most often, these include the prescribing of specific supplements and adaptogenic herbs, acupuncture treatments, dietary changes, and lifestyle changes – but again, your practitioner will work with you to develop the treatment plan that is best for your unique situation.
Adaptogenic Herbs and Supplements
Adaptogenic herbs are a specific class of herbal medicines which have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries to restore health and balance and to promote an overall sense of well-being. What makes them so special? It’s all in the name. These particular herbs are called adaptogens because they have the unique ability to adapt to what is going on in your body at a given moment in time; they go up in time of stress and go down in times of calm. With this ability to adapt to changes in your body, adaptogens can help your body cope more effectively with the stresses and demands of your hectic and stress-filled life by promoting an overall feeling of balance and calm, all the time, which, in turn, can help reduce the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
Your practitioner may also prescribe various supplements and tonics to address specific sources of your imbalance. These yin-building supplements and Kidney Yang tonics work in conjunction with the adaptogenic herbs to help you feel awake in the morning and to carry that energy and sense of calm throughout the day without the need for caffeine, energy drinks or other artificial stimulants. These toxic products may provide the “quick fix” that they advertise – often by stimulating the release of more adrenaline (exactly what AFS sufferers do NOT need). Then, consider the eventual energy crash and possible long term effects of stimulants – particularly on your kidneys and adrenals – and ask yourself, “Is the quick energy rush really worth it?”
Lastly, your practitioner may also prescribe certain bio-identical hormones to help restore your natural, internal production of adrenal hormones. These are called bio-identical because they mimic your body’s natural hormone production processes, rather than flooding your system with artificially-created hormones that your body may not even recognize or be able to absorb.
Acupuncture Treatments
Your practitioner may also suggest acupuncture treatments, which can also be very effective in the fight against AFS. Acupuncture treatments can stimulate key points that affect kidney yin and yang – which can then trigger your body’s natural regulatory mechanisms and restore the normal flow of Qi through your body. We could talk for hours on the benefits of acupuncture treatments for not only AFS but for countless other imbalances – but your best source for specific information is, as always, your TCM practitioner.
Dietary Changes
You certainly had to see this one coming. Given the over-processed, over-sweetened, over-salted things we Americans eat on a daily basis – it should not come as a surprise. Changing your dietary habits can have a very significant effect on the symptoms of AFS (as well as many other health issues).
One such change may be as simple as (and we all know it deep down) portion control. Many of us have come to view the amount of food served in a restaurant as a proper portion – when in fact, most restaurant portions are actually two or three proper portions, and could feed a small family at others. Changing what foods you eat may have the biggest and best impact. In the case of AFS, food choices should lean towards those that, according to TCM, warm and nurture the kidneys. And by all means, move away from the heavily-sugared sodas, alcohol, heavily-salted snacks and all of the other goodies that, deep down, we know are, well, not all that good.
Lifestyle Changes
Last, but certainly not least are lifestyle changes. If you remember from the first posting in this series, your lifestyle has a huge impact on your body and in particular, your kidneys and adrenal glands. One of the worst of these is stress. Again, remembering the first post in this series, the stress hormones released by the adrenal glands include cortisol and adrenaline (aka the stress hormones). In people afflicted with AFS, your body feels like it is constantly in a life or death situation, which over-taxes your adrenal glands and can then throw you into a big case of AFS. So it is only logical that if you reduce as many of the stressors in your life as possible, you just may reduce your AFS symptoms as well. Just remember that lifestyle changes are but one part of a multi-pronged treatment strategy. And while we would never discourage you from making positive lifestyle changes, we have to remind you that it is important to speak with your TCM practitioner about a holistic, comprehensive wellness program.
Conclusion
Your kidneys and adrenal glands are not something you want to mess around with. You need them to be functioning at top capacity if you want to enjoy a happy, stress-free, and balanced life. So, if you feel like you may be living with adrenal fatigue, make sure to call Nature’s Balance Acupuncture and Wellness Center at (815) 788-8383 to schedule your individual wellness assessment. In the meantime, to learn more about TCM and Functional Medicine or visit our web page at www.NaturesBalanceAcupunture.com .