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When Stress Gets Out of Hand
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I’m always excited by the energy of the fall. I always loved the excitement of taking new courses at school, so when fall gets here there is a part of me that wants to delve into a new subject and discover a new understanding of my world.
I know some of you are not equally delighted at the prospect of a new school year. If you’re a parent of younger children you’re often in charge of helping your family members adapt to a new routine. With the less-structured days of summer behind you, and the pressure of new deadlines and additional to-do’s, you may feel like you’re burning the candle at both ends.
Stress and change are a normal part of life. Going through an adjustment period when you experience significant changes in your schedule, relationships, or responsibilities is to be expected. If you run on empty for too long, though, your adrenals may not be able to keep up with your demanding life.
Last month, I introduced you to some new insights from Catherine Ponder of the root cause of adrenal exhaustion, particularly the emotions associated with it. This month, I explain more about supporting your adrenals—a subject that confuses both the average woman and many seasoned wellness practitioners.
Do You Have Adrenal Exhaustion?
Last month in my blog “Spiritual Support for Your Adrenals,” I explained that emotions, such as excessive or prolonged anger, fear, worry, guilt, or the lack of pleasurable experiences can overburden your adrenals. Obviously, there are physical stressors, too. Packing too many to-do’s and not enough rest into your day for extended periods of time will certainly cause you to feel burned out. A poor diet will only make it worse. There are other physical stressors that tax the adrenals, which are not as obvious. They include chronic illness or allergies, chronic pain, lack of sunlight, excessive exercise, and exposure to environmental toxins.
So how do you know you have adrenal exhaustion? If you are experiencing relentless, debilitating fatigue, which is accompanied by depressed mood, irritability, loss of interest in life, low energy, and the inability to carry out your normal day-to-day activities you may have adrenal exhaustion. (See note.)
Here’s what your day might look like: You awaken feeling groggy and have difficulty dragging yourself out of bed. You can’t get going without that first cup or two of coffee. You rely on sugary snacks and caffeine to get through the day, particularly in the late morning or afternoon. At night, though exhausted, you have difficulty falling asleep as the worries of the day keep replaying in your mind. You wonder what happened to your interest in sex.
Click here to continue reading this month's blog.
The Wisdom of Menopause
Midlife has the tendency to put everything that’s not working under a magnifying glass. That’s why I refer to it as the mother of all wake up calls—like PMS on steroids. But that’s OK, because you have access to a book, which was written to help you navigate the choppy waters of midlife mayhem. That book is The Wisdom of Menopause. Trust me when I say it’s entirely possible to find your way through those waters and emerge a happier, stronger, and healthier person than you’ve ever been.
As with any natural transition, the more you know—and the sooner you know it—the more you can make any necessary course adjustments. If you’re just beginning perimenopause, The Wisdom of Menopause will give you the background you need to support your health throughout “the change” and beyond. Having information about how your body is changing, the latest information on hormone therapy, and when you should seek professional help will likely allow you to be an active partner in your health care. It may give you added peace of mind, too.
So, if you’re approaching midlife and you have more questions than answers, I encourage you to seek advice within the pages of The Wisdom of Menopause. It’s the perfect companion for women ages 35-80, regardless of where they are in the menopausal transition.
Cooking for the Rushed
In June 2011, I introduced my e-News subscribers to Sandi Richard. Sandi was a guest on my weekly Internet radio program Flourish! in May 2011. As I was writing about adrenal stress, and thinking about the day-to-day stressors that women with families face, I was reminded of how stressful it was at mealtime when my daughters were young. What’s for dinner? is a question that can cause even the most courageous to cringe.
Enter Sandi Richard. Sandi developed a system—and mindset—called “Eating Forward” that can dramatically reduce your stress around feeding your family. Sandi isn’t a celebrity chef, she’s a mother of seven who was struggling with the issues all of us face: How to have a healthy meal that will bring the family together, in spite of all that we have going on.
When eating became the enemy in her house Sandi began searching for solutions. That was two decades ago and she never looked back. Now she is considered by many to be North America's leading meal planning expert. She is the three-time award winning creator and host of Fixing Dinner on Food Network Canada, American Life TV, and Discovery Asia. Sandi is also an International bestselling author of six life-changing books in her “Cooking for the Rushed” series, including Dinner Survival: The Most Uncomplicated, Approachable Way to Get Dinner to Fit Your Life, The Dinner Fix: Cooking for the Rushed, and The Healthy Family: Start EATING FORWARD.
One tip Sandi gave callers is that dinner prep on a weeknight should never take more than 20 minutes. (I can hear a bunch of you sighing with relief at that!) For more about Sandi and her helpful ideas, go to the Cooking for the Rushed Web site.
More Health Resources for September
I’ve chosen these special resources to help you on your journey to vibrant health.
Articles
Battle of the Sexes Revisited
Who handles stress better, men or women? Click here to read more.
Law of Attraction and Vibrational Energy
Understand the effect that your thoughts, emotions, and energy have on your health and life circumstances. Click here to read more.
Podcast
Get Organized!
Want to declutter your living space? It can be so overwhelming you want to give up before you start! Dr. Northrup offers motivating tips to help you get organized!
Flourish!
Did you know that my Internet radio show programs are available for you to listen to for free? For about a week after they are recorded, you can download them. You can also become a member of Hay House Radio, and listen to programs in the archives whenever you like. Download some, and catch up on what you’ve missed over the summer. In addition to music, listening to these programs is a great diversion when you’re traveling.
Upcoming Events
Here are some events taking place over the next few months. I’d love for you to tune in or attend:
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Listen to my Internet radio program live every Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST.
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September 5, 2012
Virtual Town Hall Meeting with Birth Visionaries including Christiane Northrup, M.D., Ina May Gaskin, Karen Brody, Debra Pascali-Bonaro, and many more!
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September 7-9, 2012
The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating the Best Years of Your Life
Washington, D.C.
Flourishingly yours,
Christiane Northrup, M.D.
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