Adrenal Loving Grain-Free "NOatmeal"

There is something so warm and comforting about a bowl of oatmeal, especially on a cold day. For many of us suffering adrenal fatigue, this carbohydrate dense start to the day, though delicious, can get in the way of our recovery. So voila, today we bring you our Adrenal Loving Grain-Free "NOatmeal".  (We couldn't resist that bad pun (#sorrynotsorry)). The way your typical bowl of oatmeal is handled by your body very much depends on a few important things, such as:

1. How well your body tolerates grains

2. How you prepare your oats and what you eat with them

Enjoying a bowl of oatmeal with berries, sugar, and milk is a very high sugar, low protein start to the day. This is not ideal for someone trying to balance their hormones and recover from adrenal fatigue. Instead, the focus should be on healthy fats and protein and THEN carbohydrates. This approach will help provide you with balanced energy all morning long and set you on the right path for the rest of the day.

The recipe we are sharing with you today is very unique. It has a similar taste and look to oatmeal, but this recipe is actually 100% grain-free. This recipe is packed full of healthy, anti-inflammatory fats, and blood sugar balancing protein. It will keep you full for hours while providing that comfort we all enjoy from a bowl of oats topped with your favorite fruits and lots of cinnamon. Whether you haven't been tolerating grains well lately or just want a new adrenal supportive breakfast recipe to add to your arsenal, this recipe has got your back.

Adrenal Loving "NOatmeal"

• 3/4 cup of cashew milk (or milk of your choice)

• 3 tbsp chia seeds

• 2 tbsp almond flour

• 2 tbsp coconut flakes

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• a sprinkle of nutmeg

• 1 tbsb of collagen protein powder

• optional: sweeten with a bit of honey, maple syrup or stevia or monk fruit if desired

• Top with ½ cup of organic berries and a dollop of coconut butter

Mix everything together in a pot on the stove top. Heat and stir. Remove from heat, add your fave toppings and enjoy! 

Adrenal Nourishing Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is a timeless tradition and has been the recipe of choice when it comes to helping to nourish sick people back to health. It's no wonder! Chicken soup, especially when made with homemade bone broth, is teeming with easy to absorb vitamins and minerals. It's warm, it's yummy, and it's the perfect dish to comfort you when you're not feeling well.  Today, we are excited to share our twist on this timeless classic- our Adrenal Nourishing Chicken Soup Recipe.

Part of the reason chicken soup is so great when you are sick, is because it is very hydrating. The minerals in the broth are great for replacing lost electrolytes, which is great for when you are sick and not eating or drinking much, but also great for adrenal health.  This is because mineral imbalance is very common for those with stressed adrenal glands.

When this soup is made using a bone broth, the amino acid glutamine is released from the bones and into the broth. This particular amino acid is great for helping fuel the production of white blood cells, this is great for immunity. When our adrenals are fatigued, depleted cortisol levels and hormonal imbalance can add stress to our immune system. Therefore a meal like this is perfect to add to your adrenal fatigue recovery diet.

Here is the recipe for our Adrenal Nourishing Chicken Soup:

• 1-litre bone broth

• 1 onion chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 stalks of celery, chopped

• 3 carrots, chopped

• 1 cup enoki mushrooms

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1/2 cup chopped basil

• 3 tbsp tamari

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (can add more or less depending on taste)

• 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped or pulled

• 3 cups, chopped greens added right at the end 

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp of grass fed ghee or olive oil in your soup pot.

Once heated, add onions and cook for a few minutes until they start to become translucent. Add in garlic, celery, and carrots. Stir well and cook for 5-7 minutes until they start to soften. Add in bone broth and turn heat up to medium to bring it to a simmer.

Add your tamari and hot sauce and stir well. Add in your mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and herbs.  Simmer your soup for 10-30 mins. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning as necessary.

At the last minute, add in your greens and stir in until soft. (Sometimes I omit this and add the greens to my bowl raw and pour the hot soup on top of them. This way they won’t go too mushy in your soup if it sits in your fridge for a few days).

This recipe is very simple to make and makes great leftovers that you can freeze for a rainy day.  We love topping ours with hemp hearts for a little extra protein and anti-inflammatory fats.

All the most delicious & nourishing vibes,
Danielle + The HYAF Team

Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Smoothie

If you have been looking for a breakfast recipe that is easy to make and nourishing for the adrenals, look no further. This Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Smoothie recipe offers a potent punch of vitamin C,  sustaining healthy fats, absorbable, high-quality protein, and a whole lot of delish. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, ESPECIALLY if you suffer from adrenal fatigue. This first meal has the power to set you up with a healthy blood sugar balance for the rest of the day.. or do the opposite. The power lays in your choice of breakfast. Whether you are recovering from adrenal fatigue or simply looking for a healthy, balanced smoothie recipe that will support your blood sugar levels and your hormones, this smoothie is for you! It covers all the nutritional bases needed to set you up on the right foot for the day.

I love doubling up this recipe on busy days and packing some to-go for a healthy, adrenal loving meal available at my fingertips when I need it.

Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Smoothie Recipe

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk + ½ cup of water

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• 1 tbsp grass-fed collagen protein powder

• 2-3 tbsp of lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon acerola cherry powder

• 1/2 cup frozen organic berries

• 1 cup of organic greens

• 4 ice cubes

• optional addition *1 or 2 drops of stevia, or 1/2 tsp of monk fruit sugar

Blend everything together for 1 minute until smooth and enjoy!

Want to learn more? Check out our post on essential foods that support adrenal fatigue recovery and start incorporating them into your diet now.  What has been your go-to breakfast that has made a difference in your adrenal fatigue recovery? Let us know your thoughts or share your favorite hormone friendly smoothie recipe below!

xo, Danielle and the HYAF team.

Holidays with Adrenal Fatigue: 5 Tips to Survive and Thrive

Why is it that when we are supposed to be celebrating tradition and spending quality time with family and friends we find ourselves ridiculously busy, stress and on the verge of burnout? The holidays can be a challenging time even for the healthiest of people. When you have adrenal fatigue the added stress that the holiday season brings can lead to major adrenal burnout and flare-ups. Here are 5 secrets to surviving the holidays with adrenal fatigue (and make sure you stay till the end, we want to give you a special holiday gift. It's a lifesaver).

Tip #1 byof

Bring Your Own Food. The holidays are filled with get-togethers focused around food. If you are suffering from food intolerances or allergies as a result of your adrenal fatigue, you most likely have had to give some foods up along the way. If so, you know how frustrating it can be to go to these gatherings. Bringing your own food means that you can still enjoy food and you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out the entire time.

If you’ve been following me for a while you know that on my adrenal fatigue healing journey I gave up many foods. Actually, the only thing I never gave up eating is vegetables. I gave up dairy, meat, sugar, gluten, grains, you name it I tried it. Not just for a couple weeks, but for months and sometimes even years at a time. And just for the record I am not suggesting that or believe you need to give up a bunch of foods in order to heal your adrenal fatigue. But I get what you’re going through and that’s why I always bring food with me, wherever I go.

I am not suggesting that or believe you need to give up a bunch of foods in order to heal your adrenal fatigue. But I get what you’re going through. That’s why I always bring food with me, wherever I go.

What are your favorite alternative food choices that you don’t want to live without during the holidays? Do you have a good or funny story about sharing your specialty foods with your loved ones?

Tip #2 Boost Your Immune System

During the holiday we do more traveling to the mall, to the supermarket, to events and get-togethers which all bring opportunities to come into contact with germs and other icky bugs that might be lurking around. And because as adrenal fatigue sufferers we already have compromised immune systems, we might be more susceptible and find ourselves constantly “under the weather” at this time of year.  Not good! Getting sick would put a huge damper on our capacity to celebrate.

Be pro-active about your health this season.  Keep yourself healthy by doing a few things to boost the immune system. Go to sleep just a bit earlier than usual each night. Cut down on the sugar intake when you aren’t out celebrating and (this is one of my favorites) use essential oils to protect yourself. Personally, I use the Doterra Oil called Onguard. This oil can be used internally to support the immune and respiratory system and can also be used externally as a non-toxic cleaner to protect against environmental threats. I use it at the first sign of the sniffles or as a preventive by diffusing it in the house or adding a few drops of distilled water and spraying down germ-infested areas like the airplane seat or grocery cart. I am not saying to walk around being a germaphobe to the point where you create anxiety for yourself or others, but simply being prepared can reduce your risk AND make you feel more in control and empowered.

My other favorite immune boosting ritual is drinking Echinacea tea or taking an Echinacea extract, which you can find at a health food store. Some people like Emergen-C or Airborne which are also great options. What essential vitamins and supplements support your immune system? Make sure you don’t forget to take them.

Tip #3 Don’t Fall Into the Crazy Trap

When everyone around you is running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done it’s easy to feel like that is what you are supposed to do too. Just because our society buys into the belief that this time of year has to be crazy, doesn’t mean that it’s true, or that it has to be true for you—no matter what the people around you are doing.   I am telling you that it is possible to avoid that trap. What if you could be that person in line at the supermarket or at the mall while everyone else is huffing and puffing, saying rude things to the checker or just acting annoyed, who is stays cool, calm and collected? You can be an example of what else is possible. And as Gandhi would say “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

Tip # 4 Do Your Shopping Online

We have such a luxury now that didn’t exist even 10 –years-ago where you can pretty much buy anything online that you need. So unless you enjoy being out and about this time of year or you have a great deal of patience consider doing all your shopping this year from the convenience of your own cozy couch. Get yourself a cup of your favorite tea, put on some calming music and shop away.  There are lots of options for online shopping these days—it’s not Amazon or nothing. So if you like to shop small or local, check to see if your favorite physical shops have websites…these days you’d be surprised at how many do!

Tip #5 Emotionally Prepare for Your Loved Ones

No matter how close we are to our loved ones or how much we love seeing them during the holidays, it doesn’t negate the fact that family has the ability to bring up a lot of our old “stuff” including limiting beliefs about ourselves, insecurities, failures, etc.

Prepare yourself emotionally by taking some time before you see them to center yourself. Say positive affirmations to yourself. Remind yourself how amazing you are and that your old choices no longer define who you are. Get plenty of sleep and visualize yourself having positive and loving interactions with these people.

I have just given you 5 easy tips to surviving the holidays with adrenal fatigue.

Now I’d love to hear from you. What things do you do to guarantee more fun and less stress during the holidays? How do you avoid flair up during the holidays? What has been the most helpful piece of information shared here?

Please share this blog with friends, family and/or colleagues you feel could benefit from this information.

All my best,

Angela

Increase Your Nutrient Absorption with Adrenal Fatigue

Ever wonder why you eat well, but still don’t feel well? Most likely poor nutrient absorption is the culprit. When you have poor nutrient absorption you can’t access the nutrients from your food or supplements. This is an issue because adrenal fatigue happens to be a condition of depletion. You need extra nutrients right now and this nourishment is essential for recovery. So if you want to stop wasting your money on expensive foods and supplements, that you aren't benefiting from, you need to understand this. Poor nutrient absorption is a result of poor gut health. How does our gut health become poor? There are several reasons why and we want to share those with you now.

You must rule out these issues or address them, to heal your adrenal fatigue. So here we go:

1. Poor Digestion

Do you have poor digestion? Why is digestion such an issue for adrenal fatigue sufferers? Here's why. When we are in a stressed our bodies actually push blood and energy to the muscles in our arms and legs to fight or flee. That doesn’t leave much energy for digestion. For tips on improving digestion naturally check out this vlog.

Years of poor digestion harms the walls of the gastrointestinal tract. This leads to poor gut health.

2. Leaky Gut

Leaky gut is a condition that occurs when the lining of the intestines becomes permeable. Bacteria, toxins, incomplete digested proteins & fats, "leak" out of the intestines and into the blood stream. When these substances "leak" out into the bloodstream this triggers an autoimmune reaction. This leads to a myriad of gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, excessive gas and cramps, fatigue, food sensitivities, joint pain, skin rashes, and autoimmunity. Learn more about Leaky Gut here...

3. Dysbiosis

Dysbiosis is a condition in the digestive tract. The most common contributing factors are parasites or candida overgrowth. Do you wonder if  you might have a parasite?

Have you done a lot of international travel? Have you been suffering from chronic digestive symptoms since then? I don't recommend trying to treat parasites without testing.  The test I recommend is a comprehensive parasitology and stool analysis x3.

As for Candida, Candida lives naturally in your intestines but when it overproduces it can lead to dysbiosis and leaky gut. Candida overgrowth can be the reason for intense cravings for sweets, chronic allergies, white coating on the tongue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, and so much more.

Well there you go, now you know what is keeping you from absorbing nutrients critical to your healing, poor gut health. And you know the 3 causes of poor gut health. To improve nutrient absorption and heal your adrenal fatigue, you need to rule out or address these 3 causes;  poor digestion, leaky gut and dysbiosis.

Now we’d love to hear from you in the comments below. What do you believe is standing in your way of absorbing nutrients? Have you been told you have leaky gut, a parasite, dysbiosis? What remedies have you tried? Or share some advice about how you’ve dealt with these obstacles. We are a healing community and your share will support others on their healing journey. So take a moment to drop us a line below.

Love,
Dr. Holly German

For more great health tips check out our friends at https://www.positivehealthwellness.com/

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