An estimated seven million people in the UK are living with anxiety problems and approximately 415,000 people in the UK suffer from stress levels that are making them ill. A certain amount of stress is required and is actually necessary to motivate us and move us towards our goals. However, in today’s society we are bombarded with many stressors on a daily basis; for example financial and relationship pressures, traffic jams and deadlines. For many people, stress levels have become too great and therefore problematic. In fact, stress can be a major factor in all kinds of disease and imbalance.

Adrenal Glands

The adrenal glands are situated on top of the kidneys and their job is to secrete the ‘fight or flight’ hormones that help us deal with our stressor. These glands are concerned with our survival and still operate as if we lived in prehistoric days; they release the hormones adrenalin and cortisol. These hormones act on the body in a variety of ways, to help us to either stay and fight the stressor (fight) or run away from it very fast (flight) as we would have needed to do if we met a bear in the woods for example. However, modern day stressors are very different and we cannot either fight the stress or run away from it. Therefore these hormones – that were designed to be very short-lived – circulate continuously in the body causing havoc. As a result, the adrenal glands become over worked and eventually become so fatigued that they cannot cope with the demands placed upon them. There is little ability to cope with stress.

Long-term stress can have a detrimental effect on our body, including: suppressing the immune system, slowing down the digestive system, depleting the body of nutrients, slowing down the body’s rate of repair and having a negative effect on thyroid, pancreas, liver, kidney and brain function. Mental / emotional problems such as depression, anxiety and cycles of addiction become prevalent.

Good Nutrition

During stress, levels of vitamin B5 are used up at an alarming rate, along with vitamin C and other essential nutrients. Vitamin B5 is also needed to help convert fat into energy, so chronic stress can lead to an inability to lose weight because vitamin B5 becomes so depleted.

Blood Sugar Imbalance

Avoiding highs and lows in blood sugar is very important in reducing adrenal fatigue because the adrenal glands respond when there is too much sugar in the blood stream to bring it back to a safe level. Therefore, spikes in blood sugar will place an extra and unneeded burden on these glands, especially if they are already overworked and exhausted. Good nutrition and nutritional supplementation – seek advice from a nutritional therapist – cannot remove the stressors from our lives, but it can help to:

• Increase our tolerance to stress;
• Reduce the adverse affects of stress on the body; and
• Reduce the chance of, or the effects of, adrenal exhaustion

Eating quality protein such as fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, lentils and beans is essential, not only for repair and maintenance of body structure, such as the digestive system, but also for the amino acids tyrosine and taurine. These are needed to produce adrenal hormones and are important for maintaining a calm and relaxed state of mind. Fish oil, nuts, seeds and flax oil are sources of omega 3 essential fatty acids, low levels of which have been associated with an insufficient stress response. Slow releasing sugars help to maintain blood sugar balance, while refined sugar (white bread, rice, pasta, biscuits, cakes etc) becomes an addictive response to stress. Instead choose wholegrain alternatives, such as oats, brown rice and wholemeal pasta.

Foods to Add / Increase

The main requirements for producing adrenal hormones are vitamin C, B complex, and magnesium:

• Vitamin C found in avocado, beetroot, berries, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, bell peppers, citrus fruits, kale, onions, green peas, spinach, tomatoes and watercress
• Viatmin B complex especially B5 foundin eggs, fresh vegetables, green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, nuts, salt water fish, red meat, rye flour and whole wheat.
• Magnesium found in fish, meat, dairy, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, figs, garlic, grapefruit, green leafy vegetables, kelp, lemons, millet, nuts, sesame seeds, watercress and wholegrain.
• Iron - good sources include eggs, fish, poultry, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, almonds, avocado, beetroot, kidney and lima beans, lentils, millet, watercress and red meat.
• Zinc - sources include, egg yolks, fish, lamb, legumes, mushrooms, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and whole grains

Foods to Avoid / Decrease

• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Sugar
• Salt
• Allergens

Regular exercise can also help to reduce chronic stress and bring blood sugar and hormone cycles into balance. Tai Chi, yoga and meditation promote relaxation and help the body and mind cope with our perception of what is stressful, as well as improving our adaptation to stress.