Could this be the reason you can't get up in the morning?

Lots of us wake up in the morning feeling as tired as when we went to bed the night before.  Modern life, at least as we know it, can be very stressful.  Holding down a full time job in the current economic crisis is not easy, family obligations - especially if you have small children, and the need to have fun with friends and family in the little spare time you have can take it's toll.  Or, the stress of being unemployed and trying hard to find a job or family problems all stress us far more than many would believe.  All or any one of these modern problems can lead to high stress levels and a feeling of being burnt out.

This feeling of being burnt out can be due to an illness called Adrenal Fatigue.  It is estimated that up to 80% of adults experience adrenal fatigue at some time during their lives, however it is still one of the most under-diagnosed illnesses in the United States.  Stress is the main factor in adrenal fatigue, if the stress is not treated and controlled it can, overtime, tax your adrenal glands to the point of causing other health problems such as:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Sleep disorders
• Weight gain

So, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms you need to read on...

Dr. Daniel Kalish has designed The Kalish Method which integrates scientific testing with natural health solutions to heal your adrenals and restore them so that they function normally again.

The Kalish Method is divided into 3 stages:

Stage 1:

Your cortisol levels are very high and you're under a lot of stress.  However, you are usually on a "high" enjoying yourself and not really aware of the toll.  Your body needs that excitement, but the key is to absorb that stress, enjoy it, reap the benefits and then dissipate it.  If you do not get enough rest to recharge your batteries, as it were, then the adrenal glands become over taxed, causing your cortisol levels to descend, which is when most people begin to notice there's a problem.

Stage 2:

This second stage means that the cortisol levels are starting to fail, which is when people begin to gain weight, stop sleeping properly and their sex drive starts to falter.  If you don't change your lifestyle, don't correct your bad eating habits, stop exercising and lack of beneficial rest you enter stage 3.

Stage 3:

Adrenal burn out and your cortisol levels are low all the time, the result is you feel chronically fatigued and are unable to recoup your energy despite resting.

Dr. Kalish illustrates the way cortisol works using units.  When you wake up in the morning you should have 20 units of energy, at the end of the day you should have around 2 units.  This would be normal, and would create the normal feeling of a day ending normally followed by restful sleep.  However many people are waking up in the morning with reduced cortisol levels, which brings on the feeling of exhaustion despite having just woken up.  Also the reverse happens, many people go to bed at night with elevated cortisol levels which makes sleep difficult as you can't shut your brain off.

The four main causes of adrenal dysfunction are:

1. Emotional stress, usually related to grief or loss
2. Poor diet, eating too many refined carbs can alter cortisol levels.
3. Chronic inflammation in the body.
4. Hypothyroidism.

Before trying any remedies on your own, if you have reason to believe that you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, you should be tested appropriately         by a specialist.

As far as dietary changes are concerned, it would be advisable to make sure you are getting the following:

• Protein, high quality animal protein is advisable, preferably lightly cooked or raw whenever possible such as: sushi, ceviche, steak tartare, eggs, legumes combined with whole grains, seeds or nuts.
• Healthy fats.  Coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernal oil, cocoa butter, butter, almond oil and olive oil.  Fats are essential especially because some fats such as butter, contain cholesterol which the adrenal glands need to produce hormones.  However, fat should not exceed  20 - 25% of total daily calories.
• Complex carbohydrates.  The body metabolizes unrefined, complex carbs in whole foods more slowly than the refined carbs in white bread, pasta or pastries - this means your energy levels last longer and the sugar crashes from refined carbs don't happen.  The best complex carbohydrates are: Spinach, chard, red peppers, yellow and butternut squash, beets, carrots, millet, brown rice, quinoa, papaya, mango, plums, pears, kiwi, apples and cherries.
• Up your intake of fermented foods to improve healthy gut bacteria.

Stay away from:

• Coffee and black tea (even decaf)
• Juice
• Sugar
• Alcohol
• Deep-fried foods
• Rancid oils, seed and nuts
• Soda - even diet soda
• Precessed meats and cheeses
• Textured vegetable protein
• Chocolate
• White flour in breads, pies, cakes, cookies and pasta
• Cow's milk
• Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame
• Fast food
• White rice