Feel Tired All the Time? Reasons Why You’re Fatigued
When the body is over stressed, ether physically or emotionally, there is an increased demand placed on the adrenal gland to produce the adrenaline hormone. In addition to stress, dietary habits including the over use of coffee, white flour, sugar, alcohol and other stimulants, people find that their adrenal become stressed and that their dependency for stimulants increase to maintain energy levels. The adrenal glands are now over worked and are unable to produce at normal levels the adrenal hormone. The result may be dehydration, which interferes with nutrient delivery and contributes to aging and kidney problems, reduced cardio out-put, hypertension and heart attacks.
The adrenal glands are a pair of triangular-shaped organs that rest on top of the kidneys. Each gland normally weighs about 5 grams, slightly less than 1/5 ounce, and is made up of two parts, the cortex, or the outer section, which is responsible for the production of cortisone, and the medulla, or central section, which secretes adrenaline. The adrenal cortex helps maintain the salt and water balance in the body and is also involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and the regulation of blood sugar. In addition, the cortex produces a sex hormone similar to that secreted by the testes.
When the adrenal glands are working at high levels everyday all day, the body will create higher levels of cortisol. Cortisol eats muscle! Muscle is needed to burn fat. Therefore, the body begins to store fat and muscle loss is destroying the body. The heart is the muscle that is hit first because all of the blood travels through it. The heart is weakened and then a heart attack is inevitable.
Ragland’s Test: An easy way to see if your adrenals are in balance is to purchase a blood pressure “wrist cuff” so that you can monitor your own reading. Lie down flat. Begin your test by pressing the start button on the wrist cuff. In about 30 seconds you will see two separate numbers. The top number is the Systolic pressure. The bottom number will be your Diastolic pressure. We are only interested in your top number, or Systolic pressure, at this time. After seeing the top number display, you must now stand up and within 10 seconds restart or push the button again. When the Systolic pressure appears again, take note of the difference between lying down and standing pressure. The numbers should not move or change more than 4 points ether higher or lower.
Example! Lying down the pressure reads 120/80 – standing pressure reads 129/83 so the difference would be 9 points.
Below is a chart to use:
15 and over High Hyperactivity
5 to 14 Hyperactive
0 to 4 Normal
5 to 14 Low Fatigue
15 and over High Fatigue