Connecting Intestinal Health to Adrenal Fatigue
The health of your intestine is directly connected to the development of adrenal fatigue. Your intestine contains trillions of bacteria, which form an ecological community often referred to as an intestinal microbiome. These bacteria communicate with each other. They’re also important in regulating your immune system.
Your intestine contains good bacteria, bad bacteria, and fungi. Your goal is to maximize the number of good bacteria in your intestine and minimize the number of bad bacteria and fungal overgrowth.
When bad bacteria or fungi overwhelm the intestine, they cause inflammation, which directly stimulates the adrenal glands to make cortisol and other hormones. Unless you actively do something to improve your intestinal health, this inflammation won’t shut off, and you’ll develop worsening adrenal fatigue.
Here are some factors that can worsen your intestinal health:
The standard American diet (SAD): Western diets are pro-inflammatory, low in omega-3 content, and high in acidity, chemicals, and toxins that can drastically alter your intestinal health.
Sugar: Sugar can drive the inflammatory process. It’s also responsible for the overgrowth of Candida and other intestinal fungi.
Antibiotics: Antibiotics can dramatically knock out the good intestinal bacteria, allowing the bad bacteria to proliferate. Too many antibiotics can even lead to Clostridium difficile colitis, a potentially fatal infection of the colon.
Acid suppressors: Being on prescription medications that inhibit your stomach’s acid secretion for longer than a few weeks can affect your ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. This changes your intestinal makeup for the worse.
Stress: Studies show that physical and psychological stress can alter the bacterial makeup of the intestine.
What can you do to improve your intestinal health and decrease total body inflammation? Here are some tips:
Modify your diet to be more plant-based and alkaline.
Take probiotics daily.
Take digestive enzymes with each meal to help with digestion.
Eliminate sugar and sweets from your diet.
Add natural antifungals to your regimen, including olive leaf extract and garlic.
Add meditative exercises to your day to relieve stress.