We’ve all seen them—at the grocery store, little league games, PTA meetings—those miraculous woman warriors, the super moms. These incredible women seem to have it all, beauty, brains, and the energy to power through a long day at the office and still drive their kids to soccer practice. You may wonder what makes these women so special. How are they able to balance all the demands of their daily lives so gracefully? The secret lies in how these women cope with their stress. By addressing certain biological factors, you too can enable your body to cope with stress more efficiently and become a stress-free super woman.
Stress, Cortisol, and Adrenal Fatigue
Women today tend to have a lot on their plate. Busy struggling to juggle the various facets of their daily lives—their kids, careers, household duties, etc.—many women feel overwhelmed by the numerous demands of their busy schedules. Often times, these feelings of fatigue and stress are exacerbated by a condition known as adrenal fatigue, an ailment resulting from the overstimulation of the adrenal glands.
Cortisol is a hormone produced by the body as a reaction to stress. The body utilizes cortisol to handle elevated stress levels. Physicians may sometimes evaluate a patient’s cortisol levels to determine the level of stress a patient experiences regularly. Those who suffer from frequent periods of prolonged stress often display increased cortisol levels.
Imagine a perfectly healthy woman gets in a car accident. Upon impact, the body automatically enters crisis mode, immediately signaling the brain to produce increased levels of cortisol. These concentrated amounts of cortisol allow the body to efficiently manage and respond to high levels of stress. After several days, the body’s cortisol production should gradually decrease as the woman’s stress levels decline.
However, if the stress does not subside after several days, the body will effectively “pull the plug” on cortisol production, in order to prevent the body from poisoning itself. As cortisol production levels shut down, the body is denied the chemicals necessary to cope with stress. For those who struggle through regular, sustained periods of high-stress, their adrenal glands are eventually exhausted from the constant demand to produce high levels of cortisol.
Many of our patients recall when they first observed symptoms of adrenal fatigue, describing the feeling as though they had “hit a wall.” Cortisol is not only responsible for helping the body cope with stress; it impacts a variety of functions and processes, including maintaining metabolic functions, regulating blood sugar, sustaining energy levels, reducing inflammation, and boosting the immune system. It is essential to maintain adequate cortisol levels to ensure optimum health. If your body fails to produce sufficient levels of cortisol, you will feel tired, and may develop a disease called Addison’s disease. Simply put, if you suffer adrenal fatigue, you’re likely to feel it all over the body.
Diagnosing & Treating Adrenal Fatigue
If you suffer from adrenal fatigue, it becomes almost impossible for the body to cope with stress. This miserable condition inevitably leads patients toward a physical and mental breakdown, as their body fails to produce sufficient amounts of cortisol to deal with the individual’s high stress levels. Too many doctors attempt to treat the symptoms of adrenal fatigue with antidepressants, but these ultimately fail to resolve the real issue. Supplementation through medication and natural supplements is the ONLY way to improve and heal your adrenals.
Various medical professionals, from chiropractors, to nutritionists, to homeopathic physicians treat adrenal issues, but it is always best to consult a licensed medical doctor with experience in the adrenal field.
Testing for adrenal fatigue is simple; the most effective testing method is a take-home saliva test. This test will provide your physician with the most accurate information to evaluate and assess your adrenal activity, and allow him or her to prescribe the appropriate treatment regimen.
Hormone Imbalance
Hormone levels are extremely important to the healthy function of various bodily processes. As a woman matures, her hormone levels will slowly decline. This decline often results in a hormone deficiency, manifesting through various symptoms including mood swings, memory loss, headaches, and hot flashes.
Many women mistakenly believe that hormonal imbalances only affect menopausal women. In fact, complications resulting from hormone deficiencies often appear in women in their 30s, and even 20s in some cases. If you struggle with chronic fatigue, inability to cope with stress, diminished sex drive, skin and hair issues, or weight gain, you may be suffering from a hormone imbalance. If you think you may have a hormone deficiency, it is recommended that you consult a medical professional with a background in hormone therapy as soon as possible.
Maintaining Adequate Vitamin Levels
Vitamins are essential to the proper function and healthy performance of the human body. B Vitamins, for example, play an important role in energy production and aide in stress management. B-12, in particular, is responsible for developing red blood cells and nerve cells; this crucial vitamin also participates in the production of amino acids and the processing of carbohydrates into energy. When a woman struggles with chronic, unexplainable fatigue and stress, it is often the result of a vitamin deficiency. Like hormone deficiencies, vitamin deficiencies can result in chronic fatigue symptoms, as well as other ailments, including migraines, anemia, hypertension, etc.
Women can prevent vitamin deficiencies by taking physician-prescribed nutraceutical supplements. The term “nutraceutical” refers to the clinically recommended daily supplements that provide the proper nutrition your body requires to maintain proper health and function. As always, consult with your doctor before beginning any vitamin regimen. A physician familiar with vitamin health will be able to assess which areas of your nutrition require supplementation.
Become a Super Woman
The power to becoming a superwoman is in your hands. It begins with the decision to improve your health and your quality of life. The reality is that your stress will not simply vanish—your family will still lean on you, your job will still be demanding, and your responsibilities will continue to mount. You may not be able to purge stress from your life, but you can give your body the ability to manage it.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “You may delay, but time will not.” Our bodies can tolerate abuse for a while, but eventually the day will come when your lifestyle catches up with you. Don’t wait for your body to hit the breaking point. By taking a proactive approach to your health today, you can prevent serious negative health repercussions in the future. You cannot prevent your adrenals from overstimulation, but you can work to repair them with prescribed medicines and supplements. Become the superwoman you know you can be today; your body won’t wait.
