6 Tips to Avoid Holiday Adrenal Fatigue

Christmas is meant to be a time of relaxation spent with your dearest but often becomes a stressful ordeal. Lack of time, lack of money, family dynamics and mounting pressure to meet obligations (like finding the perfect gift) can take the relaxation right out of Christmas.

This is a time of year that directly contributes to adrenal fatigue. To understand the impact, note that the adrenal glands are vital to your metabolism, regulating cortisol, preventing inflammation (which leads to cancer and disease), and regulating energy levels. When you hear of fight or flight responses in the body, your adrenals are directly involved. Your adrenals secrete the hormones that put you in survival mode and it’s easy to understand with all we have going on, how these adrenals eventually become fatigued from constant action.

Feeling the stress? Here are some tips for keeping your adrenals happy:

• Boost your body with extra vitamin C and B’s and extra magnesium
• Get your probiotics everyday, through a variety of drinks and foods such as water kefir, milk kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, yogurt, tempeh, miso and kimchi
• Easy on the late nights and over-indulgences
• Know your triggers and make an effort to not fall into unhealthy patterns
• Go for a walk. Fresh air clears the mind and moving your body will help release built up tension.
• Give yourself a break. Find some time to be quiet, reflective and take joy in the beauty of the season.