Adrenal Fatigue And Weight Gain: Are They Linked And What Does It Mean?

Adrenal fatigue and weight gain are considered to be linked. In this post, I’m going to dive into more on what adrenal fatigue is and what it means to your energy levels, moods, and weight fluctuations. I’m also going to talk about the hormone cortisol and particularly how an imbalance of this can lead to adrenal fatigue.

Consider this example:

Do you ever wake up in the morning and think: Why am I so tired? I just slept for 10 hours and I feel like it was for 5 minutes!

It’s 10 am and you finally feel like your waking up after your third coffee.

Then lunchtime rolls around and you’re really craving carbs. But if you eat carbs it will go straight to your bum and you are already struggling to lose weight.

By 2 pm you feel like you could take a nap. Seriously is this day ever going to end, you are so tired and moody you can’t tolerate your co-workers anymore! You drag yourself to do some exercise, eat dinner and try and stop yourself from eating chocolate afterwards.

Then by the time 9 pm comes around you get your second wind and feel better than you have all day! 

Nodding your head? You could have a hormone imbalance

If you were nodding your head while reading that then you possibly have a hormone imbalance specifically leading to adrenal fatigue and weight gain.

Cortisol is our main stress hormone. It is produced by the adrenal glands which are located on top of each kidney. Cortisol helps to convert protein, fat, and carbohydrates into energy, increase blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and regulate your blood pressure.

Adrenal fatigue can be used to describe what is happening if your cortisol levels have dropped to low level and stay there consistently.

Ideally, our cortisol levels should be at their highest in the morning, helping to wake us up and give us energy for the day to come. The levels then gradually decline throughout the day, getting to their lowest levels at night time allowing us to fall asleep.

Essentially you have a cortisol imbalance if your levels are low when they should be high, or high when they should be low. You can also have a cortisol imbalance if your levels are always high or always low.

What are the symptoms of a cortisol imbalance?

An imbalance of any hormone can cause a number of symptoms in your body. When we consider cortisol in particular, we notice that the symptoms can vary depending on what is causing your levels to rise.

Generally, the symptoms of a cortisol imbalance include:

• Moodiness or irritability

• Anxiety

• Fatigue 

• Skin ailments

• Fluctuations in body weight

• Fluid retention

• Blood sugar issues

• Light headiness and dizzy spells

• Hormonal imbalances 

• Frequent colds and allergies

• Decreased memory and increased brain fog

• Decreased sex drive or libido

• Sleep disturbances (unable to fall asleep for a long time, insomnia, frequent waking during the night, and waking up tired)

• Cravings for foods which are sweet, salty, or high carbohydrate

• Digestive complaints

• Hair loss

• Headaches

When you experience these symptoms, the explanation used to describe them is often referred to as adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue is often occurs when we experience mental, emotional, or physical stress load and our cortisol levels remain consistently high.

If you are experiencing any or multiple of these symptoms, consider getting your cortisol levels checked throughout the day to see where the imbalance is occurring. This can be done via your natural health practitioner.

If you do have a cortisol imbalance, then your natural health practitioner may wish to discuss adrenal fatigue and the links to symptoms such as low energy levels, severe mood swings, and weight gain.

How to avoid adrenal fatigue by maintaining healthy cortisol levels

Depending on adrenal fatigue symptoms you may wish to maintain healthy cortisol levels by ensuring you:

• Eat a fresh, whole food diet which includes plenty of fruit, veggies, good quality protein, and healthy fats

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and known food allergens

• Eat small regular meals to help regulate blood sugar and avoid overeating

• Get adequate sleep - go to bed before 10 pm

• Reduce stress

• Enjoy regular exercise such as walking, swimming, weights, pilates, yoga.

• Practice meditation – there are many apps available to help with guided meditation or YouTube has many resources

• If you are a smoker, make a plan to cease.

• Set boundaries in work, relationships, and family

• Self-care - schedule time for yourself to switch off, relax and do something you really enjoy

Reach out to understand the links between adrenal fatigue and weight gain (along with other symptoms)

Understandably, weight gain may not be your only symptom of a cortisol imbalance. However if you are experiencing this common symptom or you want to understand more, BOOK YOUR FREE 10 MINUTE DISCOVERY CALL HERE to chat about how I can help you.

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