Balanced Diet vs. Balanced Body
Many of us recognize the value of a balanced diet and regular exercise for our overall well-being. But what about things that influence more intricate aspects, such as hormonal glands? Your adrenal glands are two small but mighty organs above your kidneys – they work hard to regulate hormones, stress response, metabolism, and much more! If you don't give them proper attention it can lead to fatigue, increased stress, and weakened immunity levels - a recipe for disaster when life throws you a curveball (or let’s be honest, just in day-to-day life)! To protect ourselves from these potential issues we need to ensure our adrenal system is in peak condition.
What are Adrenal Glands?
Our adrenal glands are part of our endocrine system and they play an important role in regulating hormones and keeping us healthy. They are two tiny triangle-shaped organs located above each kidney. They produce hormones like cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone, which act as messengers to regulate different bodily processes throughout the body. The hormones produced by adrenal glands influence metabolism, blood pressure, sexual development and function, immunity, and even our response to stress.
Our Body’s Response to Stress
We just mentioned cortisol - a hormone produced by your adrenal glands. Cortisol is responsible for how we respond to stress. When we sense danger or feel threatened, cortisol is released into our bloodstream to increase our heart rate, breathing rate, and alertness levels and give us a burst of energy so we can fight or flee from danger quickly. This process is also known as the “fight or flight” response because it allows us to react quickly when faced with stressful situations. This type of natural reaction is adaptive as our body uses this fight or flight response to escape danger - like when you’re being chased by a tiger. When the threat is gone, the body returns to homeostasis. But in today’s modern world with so much emotional, chemical, and physical stress, it’s as if the fight or flight response never turns off and the body doesn’t get a chance to return to homeostasis. This means you have a constant stream of excess cortisol in your system.
It’s important to maintain healthy levels of cortisol in order to keep your adrenals functioning properly and reduce your risk for fatigue or weakened immunity caused by chronic stress. Eating nutritious meals regularly throughout the day helps maintain energy levels while reducing stress on your adrenals by providing your body with consistent fuel sources instead of relying on sugary snacks or caffeine for a quick boost.
Eating for Balanced Adrenal Glands
What you eat can have a major impact on your adrenal health. Focus on nutrient-dense whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Try to eliminate inflammatory foods and any foods that are overly processed or contain toxins, chemicals, and mystery ingredients. In other words, foods that are found on the Level 1 food list.
Increase the amount of fresh produce in your diet to get all the vitamins and minerals needed for proper adrenal gland balance. Adding herbs like spirulina or ashwagandha may also help support healthy adrenal function. Additionally, try to limit processed foods as much as possible since they often contain added sugar and unhealthy fats which can disrupt hormone levels.
What about supplements?
Incorporating supplements into your diet is also a good option for making sure you get all the nutrients needed for optimal adrenal health. There are many supplements available that have clinically proven benefits for reducing stress and fatigue while supporting a healthy immune system. You can find bottles at your local pharmacy or supermarket like vitamins B5 and B6, vitamin C, adaptogenic herbs like barberry root bark, spirulina, Rhodiola root extract, ashwagandha extract, and many more.
We recognize that’s a lot of money invested in individual supplement bottles, not to mention having to remember to take all of them! That’s why Betr offers a one-stop shop Adrenal Support supplement - because reducing stress ultimately helps you stay empowered and motivated to achieve your healthy lifestyle goals!
Tell Me More, Tell Me More!
Adrenal Support is designed to nourish your body with the right ingredients to promote healthy stress levels, mood and energy balance, and improved restorative rest cycles. Here are just a few of the power-house ingredients packed into each capsule:
- Vitamins B5, B6 and C
- Eleuthero root
- Barberry root bark
- Thyme leaf
- Rhodiola root
- Saw Palmetto berries
- Brown Seaweed
- Ashwagandha root & Gynostemma whole
- Spirulina Algae
It also includes a digestive enzyme blend that works as a catalyst for optimal nutrient absorption and an adaptogenic herbal blend that works with your body to help you naturally cope with internal and external stressors (fun fact: both of these blends are found in ALL of our supplements).
