Adrenal gland exhaustion is at the root of asthma and allergies, so supporting it is very important for asthma relief. The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine or hormonal system and are located on the top of the kidneys. Healthy adrenals produce various hormones, one of which is cortisol. Cortisol has several functions, helping us to respond quickly to an emergency, often called the "flight or fight" response, it also regulates blood sugar levels and reduces inflammation in the body.
Very often people who have asthma and allergies have a low functioning adrenal gland or adrenal exhaustion. This is often caused by emotional or environmental stress over prolonged periods. Working for years at a stressful job, the demands of being a multitasking parent, or having a long term physical illness or disability are just a few examples of constant stress that can lead to this condition. Under constant stress, the adrenal gland produces cortisol and releases it into the body for prolonged periods, which in turn raises the heart rate, blood pressure and lowers the immune system, until it becomes exhausted creating a very detrimental effect on your health and fitness.
In addition, long term use of cortisone drugs or corticosteroids often prescribed for asthma and allergic reactions such as prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, beclamethasone, betamethasone, dexamethasone, fludrocortisone, hydrocortisone and triamcinolone can also cause a decrease in cortisol production in the adrenal glands for up to twelve months after discontinuing their use. These drugs requires gradually stepping down the dosage when discontinuing them. This is because suddenly stopping the medication can cause dangerous rebound effects, resulting in severe asthma symptoms. For this reason it's best to consult a doctor first when deciding to stop taking any prescription drugs.
The symptoms of adrenal exhaustion can include feeling tired in the morning after waking and in the afternoon, extreme fatigue, allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases, eczema, hives, sugar or salt cravings and dizziness. Even if you have all of these symptoms, it's always best to know for sure, rather than guess and self medicate. Naturopathic or holistic doctors often use saliva testing to determine adrenal gland function. Adrenal fatigue is evident if the adrenal glands are low in DHEA, as this hormone level is actually the first to drop when the adrenals are becoming depleted. When adrenal exhaustion occurs, cortisol levels will also plummet.
Building Up and Supporting the Adrenal Glands
When too much of the hormone cortisol is constantly released into the body, it causes health problems and when too little is produced it's also a bad thing. Balancing cortisol production is important to lower stress. Fortunately there are simple ways to support the adrenal glands and to increase and balance hormonal levels naturally. Finding ways to lower the stress in your life and to relax more like yoga or meditation are of course very important. Exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins, which decrease the release of cortisol. In addition to chronic stress, consuming foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat, refined carbohydrates, sugar and drinking coffee also act to deplete the adrenals and should be avoided or greatly reduced.
If you are like me, complete abstinence just doesn't work and moderation is best. I drink only one cup of coffee a day in the morning when I wake up. I avoid all refined foods and treat myself to dessert once a week. I am a major dessert freak who loves dark chocolate (also rich in antioxidants) so this was not easy! If I can do it you can too. I also enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner. Red wine contains resveratrol, which is an antioxidant.
Holistic doctors often recommend using adaptogens like Siberian ginseng, which is particularly good at helping our bodies to handle stress and exhaustion and to boost the immune system. I've found it very beneficial in boosting my energy levels and have noticed a definite increase in my health and fitness levels as a result of using it.
B5, also known as pantothenic acid, is particularly important for protecting the body from stress, building red blood cells and converting fat into energy. B6 or pyridoxine, has many benefits, some of which help to regulate hormones, support the nervous and immune systems, prevent heart disease, blood clotting among others. Health experts recommend that it's best to take a good quality B complex supplement, rather than just one or two of the B's to avoid creating an imbalance in your system. Therapeutic doses range from 30 mg to 1,000 mg per day.
Vitamin C, a long time immune system booster and cold fighter is also important in building your adrenals and also is helpful for reducing histamine release. Therapeutic doses range from 1,000 mg to 3,000 mg a day. Some people are sensitive to dosages over 1,000 mg, which can cause loose stools. Magnesium is important for building the immune system, is not surprisingly also needed to support and protect the adrenal system. Last but not least, a good quality multivitamin is important. You'll find that taking all of these measures will help to strengthen your adrenal glands, improve your health and fitness and really does increase allergy and asthma relief.
Susan Millar is a former asthma and allergy sufferer. She is a researcher and the author of The Dramatic Asthma Relief Report, based on extensive research from internationally respected medical publications about genuinely effective drug-free asthma relief, which helped her to eliminate her asthma and allergies. Please visit http://www.dramatic-asthma-relief.com for more information.