METABOLIC HEALTH/MINERALS/ADRENALS

Written By Katie Fridge


Many highly respected doctors and health researchers tout the benefits of a low-carb diet for optimal health. Which is why I followed this approach for many years. In the short-term I noticed some benefits such as weight loss and improved concentration, but in the long-term my health started falling apart: very low body temperature, loss of menstrual cycle, inability to handle stress, hair thinning, and more.
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Little did I know, a low carb diet was destroying my thyroid, and this is what I’ve seen in many people I’ve worked with too. 
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There’s an abundance of research showing that low carb diets result in
- Fall in active T3 thyroid hormone (PMID: 6761185)
- Rise in thyroid blocking Reverse T3 hormone (PMID: 6761185)
- Fall in metabolic rate and energy production (PMID: 3740086)
All of which suppress your thyroid function.
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Low-carb diets directly deplete liver glycogen and over-activate your adrenal glands. This increases cortisol production, which suppresses your thyroid function by blocking the conversion of thyroid hormone by your liver.
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Low-carb diets also result in high levels of circulating fats in the bloodstream. This suppresses your thyroid function by blocking your cells from using thyroid hormone.
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Instead of blindly following diet ideologies like keto/paleo/banting, look at how your diet is really serving you. You want your diet to maximise efficient cellular energy production – which results in you feeling warm, full off energy, with a positive mood and a good libido. A body fighting a continuous stress hormone battle is going to struggle to achieve this in the long-term! 
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The following photos & caption are from @musclesandmotherhood.

Did you know that without enough sodium in the body, no amount of water intake will maintain optimal cellular hydration? That’s because no cell in the human body can function optimally without salt. Our electrolytes, including salt (sodium) potassium, and chloride, drive every intracellular process in the body. 

This may be strange to hear when we are constantly told that salt “increases blood pressure” and should be avoided. Much of the research was performed in the context of diets already very low in potassium, which is common in countries that eat higher amounts of processed foods that contain a lot of sodium, and not enough potassium. Potassium is designed to be balanced with sodium, and vice versa.

While the quality of the salt itself matters a great deal, science estimates that only 6% of the population is truly salt sensitive, meaning that sodium consumption does indeed raise their blood pressure. That means that 94% of people do not see any appreciable increase in their blood pressure when adding more salt.

Research has shown that elevated levels of sodium blunt the body's responses to stress by inhibiting stress hormones that would otherwise be activated in stressful situations. These hormones are located along the hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal (HPA) axis, which controls reactions to stress.

Researchers also found an inverse correlation between salt and depression/stress, especially in women. This means the body is self-regulating to prevent stress and depressive mood changes by making us crave salt.

Sodium is inherently lowering to stress hormone levels, and that is why you may tend to crave salt when you are stressed! 

Tune in and notice how you feel when you take in more salt- more energy? More mental clarity? Or, do you feel like you get puffy? If you feel like you’re retaining water when you add salt, you probably need to add more potassium! Deficiency in this mineral is extremely common and, in my opinion, deficiency is an epidemic in our highly developed countries.

Check out my highlights for some of my favorite salt sources and more information on potassium!

🧂Do you have any questions about salt?

The following photo & caption are from @carrievitt.

Did you know that adrenal imbalance is almost always a root cause of thyroid disease? Taking steps to treat thyroid disease without supporting the adrenals is one of the biggest reasons why you can continue to have symptoms even though you’re taking thyroid hormone replacement.

When the body is under chronic stress, the adrenals will send out cortisol into the bloodstream. Over time, chronic cortisol output can weaken the endocrine system, create hormone imbalance, weaken the immmun€ system, and negatively impact the liver, digestive system, and brain. It can also contribute to or even cause hypothyroidism and in some rare cases, hyperthyroidism. So, if you are wanting to reduce your thyroid symptoms and support thyroid hormone balance, I highly recommend starting with healthy adrenal glands.

The GOOD news is that there are very simple steps you can take to support your body today!

Here are a few simple steps you can try:

1. Have 1/4 teaspoon of grey Celtic Sea Salt in some water when you wake up and then use sea salt throughout the day to season your foods. The grey Celtic Sea salt contains over 80 different minerals that are helpful for adrenal support.

2. Get sunlight in your eyes for a few minutes in the morning (preferably before 9am). You don’t need to look towards the sun (of course, never look directly it) and if it’s cloudy there are still benefits.

3. Start reducing your caffeine intake because caffeine causes the adrenals to produce more cortisol. If you drink coffee, start with half caff. This is a simple way to start to pull back on the caffeine, but still enjoy a hot cup of coffee!

I’ll be covering this topic in more detail over the next couple of weeks, and am saving all stories about adrenals in my highlights, so keep an eye out for more tips!

The following photo & caption are from @izabellawentzpharmd.

Did you know? Most people with Hashimoto’s are likely to have numerous signs of adrenal dysfunction as a result of chronic stress and anxiety. ⁠
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🦋 Over the years, I have found that 90 percent of my clients that did adrenal testing, had some degree of adrenal fatigue.⁠
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🦋 Treating hypothyroidism without treating the adrenals is one of the biggest reasons people continue to feel exhausted, despite receiving treatment with thyroid hormones.⁠
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Do you - or does someone you know - have symptoms of adrenal fatigue? What was your experience like?

The following photos & caption are from @natalya.uk.

Did you know that high levels of calcium is associated with insulin resistance and decreased beta-cell function? 🤓

In the case of high ferritin (iron), giving blood has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. 🩸

Swipe to view more info on each mineral… ➡️

Whilst magnesium and chromium are well known minerals for their role in blood sugar, several other minerals also play a part.

Do you regularly experience the following:

🔸Feeling shaky, nauseas, dizzy, irritable or hangry when going too long without eating
🔸Crashing or an urgency to eat
🔸Feeling sleepy after a meal
🔸Feeling hyper or buzzing after a meal
🔸Headache and poor concentration 1-2 hours after eating
🔸Intense thirst and frequent urination 

Assessing how much of the following minerals you’re getting in your diet is a good place to start, as each one is involved in insulin regulation.

Key minerals:

🔸Boron
🔸Calcium
🔸Chromium
🔸Iron
🔸Magnesium
🔸Potassium
🔸Selenium
🔸Zinc

⚠️ Note: there can be too much of a good thing! For example, elevated levels of calcium and iron are associated with a greater risk of blood sugar dysregulation. 

We’re looking for mineral balance, not excess. ⚖️

(More info for each on the slides)

⭐️ Boron modulates plasma insulin concentrations and improves beta-cell function.

⭐️ Calcium regulates insulin secretion. High levels decrease beta-cell function and impaired insulin sensitivity.

⭐️ Chromium increases beta cell sensitivity, insulin receptor sites, enzymes and insulin binding.

⭐️ Iron modulates beta-cells and insulin secretion (too much is harmful).

⭐️ Magnesium allows glucose into the cell.

⭐️ Potassium improves beta-cell sensitivity and insulin release.

⭐️ Selenium regulates genes involved in insulin signalling and glucose metabolism. 

⭐️ Zinc can improve blood sugar control, through its role in insulin production, storage and release.
If you’re unsure, the easiest way to test is via a hair mineral analysis (HTMA). 👩‍🔬⁠

The following photo & caption are from @preventionpharmacist.

Magnesium is a miracle mineral. Hands down. It is absolutely critical for thyroid health. We need magnesium to convert t4 to active t3…. If not, Houston, we have a problem. 

The problem? Most people are majorly lacking magnesium because of our diets and lifestyle. (Stress is known to absolutely burn up mag)
It is involved in so much in our body:
Magnesium plays a vital role in all of the bodies metabolic systems
Magnesium plays a role in activating 3751 proteins and thousands of enzyme systems

Highly recommend reading the magnesium miracle for more.

Adrenal fatigue has been a hot topic, and this is not shocking to me! We live in a society that is chronically stressed, striving and frankly leaves many people in a state of fight or flight. 

CAUSES:

Any excess and/or period of prolonged stress can cause the adrenals to increase cortisol!! The “fatigue” is considered to take place after the adrenals have been *overworked* to a degree that they can no longer secrete levels of cortisol that are needed for adequate function. Yes we NEED cortisol!

POTENTIAL STRESSORS:

🔅ongoing anxiety
🔅emotional stresses
🔅life changes such as job transitions
🔅trauma and grief 
🔅dietary influences/stresses
🔅autoimmune conditions 

Adrenal fatigue is not a disease nor is it something that can’t be healed! It is a result of taxing those adrenals — and is a sign from your body to YOU that something needs to change. 💕 Our bodies are so genius like that! 

SIGNS:

🔅chronic fatigue + crashes throughout the day
🔅poor stress response and mood regulation
🔅trouble focusing, brain fog, cognitive issues
🔅increased energy in the evening
🔅 cravings for sweet and salty foods
🔅overuse of caffeine + other stimulants
🔅compromised immune system — sick often 
🔅depression, insomnia, weight gain, poor circulation, decreased libido are all less common symptoms 

CONSIDER:

I will go into how to manage it soon, but some considerations (knowing CAUSE of yours will be different than somebody else’s!) —

🔅consider source of stress — is this something you can change or manage differently? Thought patterns around it? 
🔅consider supplements like magnesium, B vitamins, Ashwagandha 
🔅increase protein, healthy fats and minimize processed foods + sugar 
🔅avoid alcohol, caffeine 
🔅consider adrenal cocktails! posting recipe next 

More to come on this! I hope this is a helpful Adrenal Fatigue 101 post. It can go hand in hand with nervous system dysregulation, but doesn’t always. 

*none of this is medical advice 💗

The term “running on stress hormones” is an easy way to describe what happens when we start relying on stress hormones, such as cortisol, to make sugar by eating our own bodies. 
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This takes place whenever we don’t eat enough overall to meet the energy demands of the body, or when we decide to restrict carbohydrates. 
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This is not to say that all that we should be eating is carbs. We still need high-quality animal foods for their vitamins, proteins and fats, needed to build and maintain tissues. However, building blocks alone are not enough. We also need the energy to put these building blocks together. This is where carbs are essential. 
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For those concerned with weight loss and believing that cutting out carbs is the only way to lose weight, remember that the most important thing for HEALTHY weight loss is maintaining a high metabolic rate. This becomes impossible when stress hormones are constantly elevated.
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As your body is made up of different cells with different preferences, the body burns both glucose AND fat at all times. The difference is that MOST of your cells prefer glucose to fat, and when you try to force the glucose-preferring cells in your body to run on fat, you signal famine and perpetuate the stress response. 
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For any of you who are interested in reading more on this topic, @jfwellnesshas incredible articles on his website, going into detail about why you don’t want to be a “fat burner” and why carbs are indeed essential. 
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Not medical advice.

Katie Fridge https://www.katiefridge.com
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