Can’t Sleep? Natural Sleep Remedies So You Can Fall Or Stay Asleep Tonight
Do you feel tired all the time? Maybe tired isn’t even strong enough of a word to describe the extreme fatigue you feel all day, every day. The problem seems to be pretty common place for those who eat a gluten-free diet.
Or maybe you have trouble falling asleep at night and wake up completely drained as if you were running a marathon in your sleep. Sure, you could chalk it up to a busy, stress-filled life, but the answer is more complex and hits closer to home that you even realize.
The Adrenal Fatigue Risk is Real Even if You’re Gluten-Free
Allow me share with you a personal story…
Back in 2009, I was feeling pretty good after being gluten-free for over a year. Many positive things happened as a result of going gluten-free underscored by a reduction in systemic inflammation that had formerly left me struggling with chronic digestive trouble, nearly 20 extra pounds, acne, exhaustion, headaches and low immunity to colds and viruses.
Great, right? Sure, on the surface things seemed fine, but I knew that something wasn’t right. I spent several months struggling to fall asleep at night, only to wake up feeling horrible. It was like my energy during the night and day had been flipped upside down!
Before bedtime, I craved extremely sugar-laden desserts such as my personal favorite gluten-free vegan brownies (which I happily allowed myself to devour). My sex drive was almost non-existent while my menstrual cycle was completely messed up and I’d go for long stretches of time without getting my period.
The final straw came one morning when I went out for a bike ride with my husband. At the time, I was an avid road cyclist, but was having trouble putting in the type of mileage to which I was accustomed.
Though I was physically strong and conditioned enough to go for a 45-mile bike ride, on this particular day I was completely kaput before having reached the first mile. My body felt strong enough to ride, but I felt like I was completely “out of gas”. I knew that I was in major trouble.
I promptly reached out to Samantha F. Grant, CN who had helped me the year before figure out all of my food sensitivities. Samantha’s international nutrition practice is located in Los Angeles and she has been featured several times on the TV show “The Doctors” (most recently for helping Chaz Bono lose a ton of weight). I explained my situation and she concurred that we definitely needed to check my adrenal glands. Fortunately, we had tested them the year prior so we had a great comparison already in place.
The results? Well, they were pretty shocking — Adrenal Fatigue.
I was 29 years old and had adrenal fatigue. Though it made complete sense, it was such a depressing moment. To have come full circle and made so much progress with my health after going gluten-, dairy- and egg-free, this diagnosis seemed like a cruel joke. Again, things were going to have to change in order for my adrenals to heal so that I could get back to my life!
What are adrenals?
Everyone has adrenals, but most people have no idea what they are or where they reside in their body. Adrenal glands are very important glands which sit on top of your kidneys and look like little walnuts. They are an integral part of your endocrine or hormonal system and are in charge of your energy output as well as stress management. Cortisol is one of the key hormones produced by the adrenals that helps to regulate your daily energy and deal with the onslaught of daily stress.
Often you meet your adrenals when there is a problem. This happens because the Western medical community doesn’t really acknowledge nuanced issues with adrenal health. Unless you’re on the extreme polar opposite ends of the malfunction scale dealing with Addison’s Syndrome (super low adrenal functioning) or Cushing’s Disease (hyper adrenal functioning), tired adrenals probably won’t be picked up.
Samantha shares that “most doctors will test your cortisol by taking a blood sample, usually in the morning. But by the time you have gotten out of bed, showered, driven to the doctors office (which in itself can be a stress inducing event), your cortisol is not going to test accurately. You have already endured several stressors before the test. So if you have low levels of cortisol on waking, we have no way of knowing that from the blood test. And, you need to know how your body is responding to stress throughout the day and evening-not just in the morning.”
The solution? An ASI panel (otherwise known as an Adrenal Stress Index) which is tested through saliva in the comfort of your own home. “It’s the most accurate method for testing adrenal hormones and your circadian rhythm (Sleep-wake cycle), says Samantha. Both of my ASI panels have been analyzed through DiagnosTechs Labs.
[Check out this interview where Samantha and I talk about hormone health and being gluten-free!]
The Gluten-Adrenal Connection
If you’re dealing with celiac, a sensitivity to gluten and/or an intolerance to any other food proteins, listen up!
So long as you continue to consume gluten and other problematic food proteins (even unknowingly or before an official diagnosis of celiac or an intolerance), your body’s immune system is being triggered. With time, this scenario slowly wears down it’s ability to deal with any kind of stress. On top of the normal stressors you face (ie. traffic, your kids, money problems, relationship issues, news, eating a poor gluten-free diet), those tiny food proteins are another added burden running your adrenals ragged.
The problem is that your adrenals aren’t meant to run at maximum capacity 24 hours, 7 days a week. They’re most important during those “Fight or Flight” experiences (ie. you get mugged, you are being chased by a tiger), but instead many have boxed themselves into surviving in “Fight or Flight” mode all day long thanks to problematic food proteins and other life factors.
[Click here to grab an early bird invitation to the upcoming Adrenal Fatigue webinar event!]
Symptoms of Tired Adrenals
Perhaps my story above sounds familiar?
“Unexplained fatigue is one of the main symptoms. My clients describe being “tired but wired”. Some other signs are insomnia, anxiety, allergies and unexplained weight gain,” says Samantha.
You can also experience a slew of other issues that are signs that the adrenals should be checked. A low libido, abnormal menstrual cycle, craving salt and/or sugar and/or starchy foods, depending on caffeine and other stimulant foods to get you through your day, intolerance to cold, hair loss, mild depression and the list goes on.
And if you tend to get sick often, look out! “High cortisol levels cause IgA cells to be destroyed. IgA cells are your first line of defense to “invaders”- bacteria, virus, and toxins. Often the damage effects the mucosal lining and creates gut permeability issues causing food sensitives and allergies which, in turn, cause a stress response each time you eat the offending food,” warns Samantha.
The symptom that might surprise you the most is struggling through a rough menopause. “Once a woman begins menopause, her adrenal glands take on some of the responsibility from the ovaries in making hormones,” shares Samantha. Too much stress throws off the balance of necessary hormones to “ease through menopause without experiencing intense symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings and fatigue.”
In my own case, I believe four key factors led to my adrenal fatigue:
1) Years of living undiagnosed with multiple food sensitivities
2) Being a Type-A, always on the go, chronically over-scheduling and over-committing person
3) Years of over-exercising at the gym and on my road bike
3) Mistakenly transitioning to the “Standard Gluten-Free Diet” heavy on starchy, refined, carb-dense food products and plenty of sugar
I have so much more information to share with you about this topic and I promise to discuss it further in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
Four Tips to Start Addressing Tired Adrenals
1) Cut back on sugar and refined gluten-free starchy products & desserts
2) Avoid watching TV, surfing the internet or working on your phone at least 1 hour before bedtime to allow the body to start shutting down. Bright light makes your body think it’s still daytime.
3) Watch your caffeine intake and especially avoid it after 3pm
4) Consider getting an Adrenal Stress Index (ASI panel) done so you actually know where your levels are.
CLICK HERE to get early bird access to an upcoming Adrenal Fatigue webinar!
Leave a comment below if you’ve got energy issues and how you’ve gone about dealing with them so far!
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Thank you for posting this next time I’m at my doctors I’m going to ask her about this. I have everyone of these symptoms.
Please check because there are symptoms like these for other illnesses and you can jump to the diagnosis you see come up.
Haydee, this isn’t intended as a post (nor are any of the posts on Gluten Free School) to diagnose anyone. It’s food for thought. A lot of people have symptoms similar to this and it suggests that you should look into this issue as it is one that is often overlooked. And many times when folks have any sort of autoimmune issue happening (even leaky gut or food intolerances), their adrenals need some attention. But again, it’s not intended as a diagnosis… if this resonates with someone, then they should do their own research and speak with whatever medical practitioner they work with to see if this is a real concern for them.
I have these problems too. I tend to go back and take a nap and try and feel better. Sometimes helps but not a solution… Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for posting! I have been cutting out gluten (after being diagnosed) for about 7 mos. now and have been suffering from all the problems you listed (just within the last yr). I’m 34 and a marathon runner, a spin instructor, and used to be full of life & always on the go. Now I find that I barely have the energy, the drive or excitement to make get out of bed or even make it to the gym. At first I thought it had something to do with me moving to a new city & discovering I didn’t really enjoy it here, but exercise is something I’ve always loved, and started to wonder “what happened to myself?” – where is the awesome, positive peppy girl I used to know! Now this is starting to make sense … I have an appt. with my doctor on Monday and will ask about my cortisol & adrenals. Thanks again!!
Re adrenals, I’ve suffered for years because my morning cortisol level was normal. When they took a late afternoon level, that’s when it proved that my adrenals were fatigued late in the day. I’ve gotten much relief from a natural supplement called AdreCor. There are others out there that safely support the adrenals, but this is the best I’ve found.
I just did my second saliva test in a couple of years, having had a recent upsurge in issues. I highly recommend them. Your naturopath has the info.
I agree – a 24 hour saliva test is the best. By the time one wakes up, has breakfast, and goes to the lab to get a blood test for cortisol level, the adrenals have been jump started. For a true level, take a saliva test per a naturopath because you can do it at home at proper times.
So said. I am celiac and have a yeast infection so any sweets are a no-no because yeast grows on sugar and I cheat but have to stop but I’ve tried. My bodily energy starts to wind down between 6:30 and 7:00 and I have trouble getting to sleep later on. I need and want to know about the adrenals and how to control the havoc in my body.
Where do you get the test?
Betsy
Kathy, you’ve got to look for a more holistic or functional medicine practitioner who can run the test. Samantha Grant (mentioned in the article) has clients all over the place and can do the test for you if you want. A link to her site is in this article.
I do have these problems. I would like some great exercises to handle the stress and all day thinking that comes with the bills and job. I would like to have a job at home, all i do is think about this. Thats why i would like some type of exercise to help me.
I would like more info on Adrenal Stress. I have the following symptoms:
-EXTREME FATIGUE: 10 years
-Weight Gain (60 lbs in 4 years)
-Depression
-Muscle & Bone Pain
-Rash on Elbows & Knees
-Hot Flashes
-Extreme Sweating
-Food Allergies since childhood which cause anaphylactic shock:
*Peanuts
*Nuts
*Legumes: Peas, Lentils, Garbanzo Beans, White Beans, Lima Beans
Please help me! Thanks!
Cheryl, I’d suggest reaching out to Samantha and talk with her… perhaps it’s time to consider investigating what’s going on.
Interesting article. I’m definitely going to look into the saliva test. My NMD and regular physician don’t agree on treatment options. I’ve been suffering with a burnt out adrenal system for over a year. Thanks for the information.
I’m glad I found your article, I recently found out I have adrenal fatigue. I am a 23 years old who has completely no energy whatsoever. I’m an active athletic person as well. I’ve had food allergies all my life, and wasn’t diagnosed until I was 18 years old. I felt better after I started on my gluten-free diet, but I came crashing back down a few years later. My mom and brother are in the same boat. 18 years straight of my adrenals being on overdrive has given me the energy levels of a 60 year old. I have started on my supplements to restore my adrenals, Adaptacrin, Essential Fatty acids and Vitamin C. It’s been about a month and I can get through the day now without passing out after I sit down for ten minutes.
Thanks for sharing your story, Brooke! You’re definitely not alone. Have you checked out Taylor over at GlutenAway.com? He is 16 with celiac and serious adrenal issues… he’s a true inspiration (if you ask me). So great that you are doing what you need to do to remedy this problem. I’m curious, who diagnosed the problem for you?
What do you do if the doktors don’t take you seriously? They are Old school. I live in Sweden and tunisia. Both countries are Old school.
There are doctors and nutritionists that do consults from all across the world. Samantha Grant, CN (www.samfgrant.com) is a nutritionist and Dr. Amy Myers (www.amymyersmd.com) is another.
Wow you’re lucky to have someone figure out your food intolerances. I’m diabetic AND coeliac and getting a dietician to give proper advice is hard going. I’m also tired all the time, this article was informative and helpful. Thanks!
Have you tried eliminating all of the so called ‘gluten-free’ processed food? I can’t eat them as they contain trace amounts of gluten. I can’t tolerate corn and get the same effects as if eating wheat, barley or rye. Rice also makes me feel tired but not to the extreme that other grains do. I don’t eat eggs, chicken or pork as these are usually soley grain fed and I avoid farmed fish. I only suffer from exhaustion and other health problems when I’ve been glutened.
Wow. I am 28 years old. I have been tired for forever. I also used to drink pretty heavily, mostly to deal with how depressed I was that I was so tired all the time. This obviously made things worse. After quitting drinking last year, I found I just way upped my intake of sugar and carbs… but it was ok because I was skinnier and at least I wasn’t drinking right? Well now I know sugar is just a sneaky alcohol. I started researching online after I had cold, itchy feet! I had a lot of yeast overgrowth symptoms (which I thought was just a crazy fad). I started eating gluten free, but also watching the sugar, salt and fat content in those products and adding ick lots of fresh vegetables. I also cut caffeine. I have only been strict for a few weeks, and I’ll admit I’m still really tired. But! I think it’s working. Physically I feel just better somehow… and No itchy feet. I ate a pear one day and my feet started itching like crazy! It’s the sugar. I’m certain. But the salt doesn’t help. So while I’m going through alcohol withdrawal all over again, this time I’m really kicking the addiction, not replacing it. I’m trying to get my stress down too…telling myself, by getting mad at this person, what am I really gaining? The better question, what am I losing?
Tammy, thanks for sharing what you’re going through. I think you gain better health and a sense of real control over your life. You might lose foods that seem tasty, but in reality you’re losing foods that have control over you. You’re losing or maybe releasing the need to put yourself last and the not-so-good foods first in your life. Feeling well is worth so much… but it’s hard to know that until you start to feel it. I have a sneaking suspicion that you’re already beginning to sense how much better you’ll feel.
To me… the battle is always about picking your own self over everything else and being a gladiator (in the words of Olivia Pope). You can totally do this 🙂
Thanks so much for the support! You are right that I was already the overachiever, straight A who needs sleep? person… then life settled down and my body couldn’t. I started feeling anxious all the time, and they called it generalized anxiety. What it really is, is being in fight or flight all the time! Now I am tired but at least not wired. I would be tired all day, then lay in bed awake at night, like you said, the reverse! Of course then I would get on my phone and delay sleep further. I will let you know how the diet goes… I am feeling more confident, as the early side effects of your body demanding sugar and possible yeast die off begins to calm down. Thanks again so much! No woman is exactly the same, but we can support each other… and to others, don’t ever give up on yourself! You are worth too much and deserve to feel good!
Amen, Tammy! Keep me posted! And a possible thought for you… have you considered taking any herbs or other supplements to help deal with the yeast and help your body to calm down at night? I’ve personally been helped a lot by them and I know others have too!
Fabulous post! Thank you. I hadn’t realized how similar my hashimoto’s symptoms sounds like adrenal fatigue. Now to get my husband on board to health and wellness! If you get a second, please check out my blog. (Website listed above) Best wishes!
Whether *my* case was adrenal fatigue or just fatigue due to unidentified causes, I know not. But I know that in the 5 days that I ditched grain (still eating some white potatoes to deal with the carb cravings), I feel……different, in a good way. No cakes, cookies, icecream, candy or sugared soda. Have been loaded up on vegetables, a LITTLE bit of fruit, chicken, eggs, beef, nuts and more chicken. Two days into it I was craving pasta. That feeling isn’t gone yet, but it’s getting better and there is a subtly increasing feeling of alertness and spryness.
It’s not an easy transition, so I’m taking it slowly. But as certain as I am that I’m breathing, I KNOW that grain is neither necessary nor uniquely beneficial to human health. In its ‘whole’ form, it’s unpalatable and largely indigestible, which is PROBABLY why nutrition guidelines have a hard time getting the masses to eat the recommended 37 THOUSAND daily servings a day! Refine it, micronize it, tweek it, whatever!!!…..then we DO eat it to the point of virtual addiction. So we end up overloaded on empty calories, a whipsawing blood sugar level and insulin response, fatigue, inflammation, weight gain, and a surplus of fat tissue-produced estrogen.
So if experts want to continue recommending this disease causing diet and try to eke out some hidden health benefit from these pesky plants, fine. Maybe they should also try to find some redeeming health benefit from cigarette smoking!
I’m 28 yrs old and was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2012. I’ve always been really good about sticking to my diet and started feeling better in a lot of ways. But, I’ve also noticed some issues that just don’t seem to go away. I too have trouble staying asleep at night. I’ll wake up 4-5 times in one night. I also went from being underweight to gaining 50lbs. I’m heavier than I’ve ever been. I recently started craving fatty desserts, which is new, because I’ve never been big on sweets. I don’t have any sex drive, and I always go through quick mood changes which lead in to depression. I just want to thank you for sharing your story, because I can relate. I’ll definately be following up with my doctor.
Sounds like we’re all sailing on the same boat, sometimes sinking, sometimes floating just fine. I have been dealing with Celiac for 3 yrs. (unofficial diagnosis). Had the blood work and biopsy and my MD was convinced w/ the evidence to say “it’s Celiac” even if the Gastroenterologist refused to officially diagnose. Along with that an official diagnosis of Hashimotos. However, my MD prescribed Levothyroxine, which bothered my stomach, so to avoid that I took it in the evening before bed (supposed to and should be taken in the morning). I also acquired an allergy to corn, can not tolerate sugar (use sugar in the raw) and get yeast production with the least intake of yeast & sugar containing products. I have had to do my own research and connected with a Chiropractor who also practices natural health/endocrine/hormone. She has been the largest contributor to my overall health and well-being. I was getting no where FAST with my MD. In fact readers “BEWARE”, Levothyroxine (tablet form) has GLUTEN in it. Took myself off it and of course when I went for update bloodwork my TSH was waaay outta the ball park. MD wanted me back on it for a year, so I did…and I took it faithfully every morning to the tune of gluten symptoms & ONE YEAR LATER my TSH was still out of control. MD wanted to increase dosage. I tried another brand same reaction. I did my research……Levo has gluten & corn. Tried another that had neither but had depression side effects. When I called my MD and told the nurse I could not take any of the 3 that I had tried and gave the side effects. The response from my MD was that she did not believe I was having all those symptoms from those meds and thought I should come in to her office to discuss the depression issue and get on a medication to help with that!!!! I told the nurse I WILL NOT! I will not be put on yet another med when I was fine until I tried that 3rd one. And let me tell you, it only took 2 days for the depression to set in. And 2 days for it to leave when I went off it. Then I was told, do your own research and tell us what you want to take. So, I did. I found Natur-Throid. Got the script started and decided; If I have to do my own research, diagnosis and prescribing…..why do I need an MD. Needless to say, I have changed Dr.s The first month on Natur-Throid didn’t improve my TSH, in fact it more than doubled. We are working on 12 weeks @ a higher dose right now. we’ll see how it goes. (I’m usually a very patient person.)
I’m sorry this is so long, however, just trying to help those who haven’t researched and may experience the same. Who would think that the very thing you should absolutely STAY AWAY FROM would be an ingredient in a prescription by your MD? I didn’t and I was a bit angry to find out that after trying so hard to stay away from gluten, I was still ingesting it every single time I took my prescription. Wishing us all the best of HEALTH & WISDOM.
Just to throw it out there…I have always been a relatively inactive and mellow person (soccer once a week and low-stress work at home for the last 3 years). In an attempt to figure out an issue with chronic nausea that started 2 years ago, my doctor had me try a gluten-free diet for 10 weeks. As a long time (25 yr) vegan, I think I was pretty good at really accomplishing a balanced and total elimination diet. On that diet was the ONLY time that I experienced the extreme fatigue, weakness, shakiness, foggyness and dizzyness that you describe. As devils advocate and assuming that the symptoms are adrenal-based, I have to say, consider the possibility that a diet without gluten is actually what disrupts adrenal function. Seems an equally plausible theory…
I was unable to download your Free Hormone Guide. The dialog box said the compression method was unsupported and I should notify you. I am getting a lot of info from your site. Thanks for all you do.
Hi Ivy, that guide is no longer available. I’ve offering webinars now in it’s place, feel free to register for early bird access here: https://glutenfreeschool.leadpages.co/eb-adrenal-2-gfs-leads/
Hi there. I know you’re not a doctor, but I’m curious about your thoughts:) About three weeks ago, I went gluten free in hopes of balancing my blood sugar. I’ve always had a fast metabolism and need to eat a lot and frequently, which I’m still doing. However, I have no energy and feel hormonal most of the time. I’m wondering if I should start eating some bread or if this is detox. Thoughts? Many thanks! Oh, and due to the stress in my life I wouldn’t be surprised at all if I have adrenal fatigue. I’m not currently taking in caffeine, but when I have in the past, I felt like a new woman!
Did you experience memory and concentration problems with adrenal fatigue? I have gluten, dairy, and egg intolerances, and feel run down every day. It’s very frustrating – although I try avoiding gluten and wheat, it’s difficult with my job as I travel each week. I have a cortisol saliva test kit, which I haven’t sent in yet. I will do that to figure out if I’m experiencing adrenal fatigue as well. What did you do differently once you determined you had adrenal issues?
Hi Tom, yes, absolutely that makes sense. There’s a lot of things you can do… I put together a webinar all about it and if you want to join myself and Dr. Jill Carnahan on an upcoming webinar next week, you can grab an early bird invite here: https://glutenfreeschool.leadpages.co/eb-adrenal-2-gfs-leads/
ive known about this for years Andi was I stage 4 adrenal fatigue a few years ago after no one knew what it meant. I went to dr after dr and I could barely get out of bed. My life got somewhat better seeking new treatments with different Drs but never have I fully cured my adrenals. My hormones are a mess, I’m in perimenopause, I have autoimmune disorders now, my endometriosis and PCOS are full blown again, I am stressed beyond measure and I have no one to help in area. I’m in dire need of a miracle and searching searching online constantly. There are thousands of Drs that offer help at a huge expense and not even functional Drs in my area get it. I could use some help! I feel like death and if I accidentally eat gluten I get full blown issues from severe headaches to crabby moods and full blown fibromialgia type joint pain all over my body. I am at my wits end.
This is all wonderful information but again I find that any non traditional tests are soooo expensive. I contacted a facility from the web link you provided to see about getting a ASI test, over $350 us which is over $500 can (I am a snowbird). That is way too expensive for me to even consider. So frustrated that all these unconventional options are so expensive.
Hi Verna, unfortunately they can be costly. Some may be covered under your insurance, but it depends on your plan and what state you live in. I’ve typically paid out of pocket for all of mine. I agree with you that it would be nice if they were all covered by insurance (or at least partially covered). I look at it this way… the information that I’ve always received has dramatically improved my life. When it’s expensive, I’ll figure out how to save up to afford it because ultimately it’s a worth while investment in my life. Something to consider…
I am tired at night and fall asleep easily. I wake up in the middle of the night every night for no reason. When I awake, I feel ok for about an hour, then I feel drained. I usually drink 2 cups of coffee, then take a caffeine pill to get me through my day. I have been eating gluten free for approximately 4 years, and I don’t eat a lot of gf foods like bread, or much sugar. I went gf at the request of my nutritionist/chiropractor because I was having a lot of problems with back pain, and arthritis, plus years of intestinal issues and acid reflux. He asked me to try it for 2 weeks and I could not believe the difference! But now I’m struggling with my energy. I love reading your emails, as they are very helpful!
Thank you!
Thank you for writing this article and sharing your story. Adrenal burnout is real and no fun.
Hi, I started gluten free 3 years ago. I wad overweight, always bloated, red faced, had very bad skin problems, tired as soon as I woke up, and very easily irritated. Since I went gluten free (I also eliminated sugar and dairy at that time) I lost 50 pounds and felt really good. I was very careful on my gluten free eating not to buy packaged gf snacks. I read all labels. I inly occasionally had raw honey and ate low sugar fruits mostly. My vegetable intake went from nonexistent to eating them at every meal in large quantities. But about 3 months later, I got pregnant. I became very ill and vomited so much i had to be hospitalized. I gradually started feeling better and was back to my normal healthy eating, moderate exercise and only gained a small amount of weight. After I had the baby, I promptly went back to normal. No extreme post partum issues…I had a great recovery. I went back to moderate exercise and was eating very healthy again. Pregnancy number 2 came not long after. This pregnancy was horrible. I had iron deficiency anemia and had to get iron by iv for a long time. I was so tired i could barely move. On top of that, taking care of a toddler, still working full time, and having absolutely no desire to eat healthy. I gained too much weight and got really out of shape. Afterwards I had postpartum depression really bad and cried all the time. On top of that, it was haard to find daycare and had to switch my work schedule due to no care. Marriage issues, exhaustion, and trying to keep up with working out and eating right, I crashed and started eating really bad. I’m afraid I’m addicted to sugar again. I don’t feel like giving effort. I’ve finally crashed under the weight. It’s been hard. I feel tired as soon as I wake up.
Hi Ive been diagnosed with Addisons disease for over 3 years now, but recently noticed Im seriously struggling to stay awake after eating ryvita or shreddied wheat and any rye type bread sandwiches. Does this now mean Im allergic to wheat or gluten? I really could do with some advice thank you in advance.
Im also carving sugar at night just before bed, I could easily down a bag of sweets or a huge chocolate bar before sleep. Im not sure whats happening or where to start looking to fix it.
Cazi
Hi Cazi, you are not allergic to wheat or gluten… To be allergic to wheat, you’d have to have allergic symptoms like develop hives or itching after consuming it. And you can’t be allergic to gluten. You can, on the other hand, be sensitive to them which could be the case here. It’s certainly possible. Have you considered looking for some outside help to get this under control? That’s where a clinical nutritionist (like myself) could be of great help.
Is there a way to fix the adrenals?
Absolutely! The key is determine the level of hormonal dysfunction, and then make dietary and lifestyle changes (along with targeted supplement support monitored by a practitioner) to reverse the trend. It’s not wise to screw around with hormonal issues yourself if you’re not trained in that area. I was able to reverse my own issues years ago (with the help of a practitioner) and I support clients with these types of issues as part of my nutrition practice.
I have Hashimoto’s Thyroid disease and have been diagnosed with it for many years but my fatigue got much worse a few years ago and my thyroid did not seem to be the culprit. Not only was I fatigued but I was experiencing weakness (though I was athletic enough and muscularly strong). I went to so many different Doctors and got so many brush offs. I finally found a doctor the diagnosised me worth Fibro (not 100% convinced of that) but he did insist that I stop consuming gluten. I did and it was amazing how much it helped with the fatigue and weakness. The only thing that helped infact. I do still wonder about my adrenals. I also don’t think I am eating right though I avoid gluten completely. Thanks for the article it has me considering better food choices and adrenal stress.
This diet is not for me it is for a three year old little girl that has extreme gut problems and the doctor is saying that it is celiac disease that it is in her intestines I have told her father to stop with anything that has gluten in it no wheat no barley no rice to read the labels to make sure that he is not accidentally slipping any of those to her no potatoes last night he had noodles and chicken and I said noodles is out for her so he asked what should I give her and ice is make a vegetable make a green vegetable like green beans or peas give her some of those and the chicken and then afterwards her little hurt other third little spot should be a fruit and all she wanted was the banana he had and I told him I says bargain with her ask her to eat some meat and some of the vegetable then she can have some of her fruit as you have to bargain and plead with them when they’re that young you have any other suggestions of how to help this little girl the doctor all he does is give her pills and then usually couple months after she runs out of the pills is when it acts up again