Foods that Fight Stress: How to eat to
support your adrenal healthGeorgia Tetlow, MD
Lauren Houser, CRNPRachel Hershberger, MS, CNS, LDN
Danielle Huntsman, MS, AADP
Agenda What are the adrenals and what do they do? How does stress affect your body? Testing Lifestyle supports for adrenal health Nutrition and adrenal health
Foods to avoid Foods to incorporate Digging deeper: foods for stress response Helpful tips
What are your adrenal glands? Produce hormones that
Control blood sugar React to stress Regulate blood pressure
Adrenals and Stress Connection
Functional Medicine Testing
Quest/Labcorp: Cortisol, DHEA-S, Insulin, HgbA1C Adrenal Stress Profile Hormone Testing
Quest/Labcorp
Cortisol DHEA-S HgbA1C Insulin
Adrenal Cortex Stress Profile
Complete Hormones
Lifestyle Support for Adrenal health Reduce caffeine intake Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep at night Adjust exercise to support your body Incorporate mind body practice into your daily life Try yoga or Tai Chi Reevaluate stressors Eat regular meals- do not skip Reduce or avoid alcohol
MindfulnessPaying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the
present moment, and non-judgmentally.
- Jon Kabat-Zinn
Nutrition and Your Adrenals
Reduce or Avoid:
Caffeine Stresses the adrenals and endocrine system Try Dandelion Tea cleanse your liver, tastes similar to coffee
Fast food/Junk Foods Refined or high glycemic carbs
You pay for the high with mood swings, anxiety, blood sugar dips
Nutrition and Your Adrenals
Incorporate:
Regular Low glycemic meals, keep your blood sugar balanced
Good quality protein with every meal Omega 3 Fatty Acids Sea Salt/Himalayan Salt Quality fats
Avocado, coconut, butter, nuts Complex carbs support hormones, root vegetables
Foods that Support our Stress Response
Pumpkin Seeds Free-Range Eggs Green Leafy Vegetables Fermented Foods Wild Caught Fish Blueberries Sea Vegetables Avocado Sweet Potatoes Asparagus
Supplemental Support & Adaptogenic Herbs
B Vitamins Magnesium Vitamin C Zinc Adaptogenic Herbs: Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Rhodiola, Holy Basil, Licorice
Root & Ginseng
Helpful Tips
Use Cinnamon to help balance your blood sugar Choose naturally sweet foods over processed high sugar foods
(vanilla, coconut, fruits) Try Chamomile Tea, Tulsi, Roobios Tea (very nourishing for the
adrenals!) & Dandelion Tea as a Coffee alternative Make a healthy trail mix to keep in your bag
Summary What are the adrenals and what do they do? How does stress affect your body? Testing Lifestyle supports for adrenal health Nutrition and adrenal health
Foods to avoid Foods to incorporate Digging deeper: foods for stress response Helpful tips
Questions?