Is Adrenal Fatigue Preventing You from Losing Weight?

Most women have an understanding or can see that their hormones influence their weight. However, It's not the hormones you think. Most people believe that estrogen and progesterone are the most critical fat-burning and fat-storing hormones. They aren't. Insulin, cortisol, thyroid, and your adrenals are all more

important when it comes to fat loss. Insulin and cortisol are the primary hormones that influence your ability to burn fat—followed by the thyroid and your adrenals. Then, finally, in the end, come into play estrogen and progesterone.

Adrenal fatigue impacts all these hormones. That is because cortisol abnormalities from adrenal fatigue can cause the thyroid to function at a suboptimal level. Blood sugar is also intricately related to adrenal gland function and vice versa. Chronically elevated cortisol levels from adrenal stress will cause insulin receptor insensitivity and high blood glucose levels.

Cortisol is neither ALL bad nor ALL good. Acute stressors on the body tend to cause a short-term increase of this hormone. It gets the body primed to either fight or flee from the stress. Stress served us well in paleolithic times when a lion jumped out at us, which required metabolic messengers that are quick acting to prime us to fight or flee for our lives. Cortisol, along with adrenaline, serves this purpose.

The problem is that in the modern world, most people are overstressed. Over-exercising, extreme dieting, sleep deprivation, daily stresses of a career, parenting, and more cause many people to be very stressed out. This chronic stress sends your whole metabolism out of control because it impacts you at a deep biochemical level. Since your hypothalamus and pituitary are responsible for hormonal balance, you can imagine what happens when they aren't functioning correctly: hormonal messages either don't get released or don't communicate effectively. Your entire metabolism breaks down at the very root.

The fact is, your hormones all need to play together like a symphony. When one part of the symphony overwhelms another part, it impacts the harmony of the entire symphony. We all know that the best symphonies play in tune together. They are balanced, and that is what you want to happen with your hormones. Not too little and not too much of any hormone —but just the right amount.

That is why to lose weight; you need to manage stress. Period. Managing stress is essential if you intend to burn fat. You also need to rebalance your hormones and make sure your cellular messengers deliver their messages correctly. ​

So what can you do? Here is a simple tip: Take a relaxing walk daily (don't miss a day) aimed at 10,000 steps. It sounds simple, but it works. However, this walk has to be a leisure activity and don't make it a stressful activity. Do not push yourself. This activity is meant as a stress relief activity to help you manage cortisol. ​

Also, make sure to take an excellent herbal adaptogen supplement, like the one you can find on my website, and find time to relax during the day, be it a nice warm bath, read a book or meditate. Make a priority to make time to chill out and relax, plan to relax daily as your life depended on it because it does! ​

Remember, I'm always here to help, if you have any questions on the health of your adrenals email me at ContactToni@drToniCamacho.com 
See you next week
Toni