Stress, Adrenal Glands and Hydration

 

Stress, Adrenal Glands, and Hydration

Your adrenal glands are two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys and, along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone.

Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated.

Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. Stress is so everyday today that it has become chronic for most people, creating a state of adrenal fatigue. When stressed, more aldosterone and sodium circulate in your body. Once the stress is over, aldosterone levels fall, and sodium must leave your bloodstream.

The sodium passes through your kidneys and exits your body as urine, taking water.

If you experience high-stress levels regularly, you will weaken your adrenals and dehydrate your body. And even if you drink a lot of water, you may need more hydration!

11 Tips for Nourishing Your Adrenals and Rehydrating Your Body

If you want to feel more energetic and improve your health, then you need to nourish your adrenals to enhance hydration!

Here are some guidelines from Dr. Leonard Smith, a renowned gastrointestinal, vascular, and general surgeon, on how to hydrate properly:

1. Drink 100 ounces of water daily. That translates to 3 - 4 quarts per day or one gallon.

2. Sip water slowly, 2 to 3 ounces at a time, throughout the day. If you drink too fast, you risk diluting your blood, which may cause faster water excretion by the kidneys.

3. Don’t Drink water with meals, or you may dilute the gastric juices that digest your food. A small amount of liquid, especially if it is hot (like soup) or fermented (like any of Body Ecology's Probiotic liquids, including CocoBiotic and Dong Quai or the juice of cultured veggies) will actually aid in the digestion of your meal.

4. After you exercise, replace lost fluids with water.

5. Make your own flavored water with lemon or lime juice (stevia if you have to have flavor).

6. Avoid coffee, soda pop, and alcohol. These beverages are very dehydrating and act as diuretics. They cause your kidneys to excrete pure water without ridding your body of any toxins. Again, probiotic liquids are to the rescue. Replace soda pop with healing, bubbly probiotic liquids. Combine them with sparkling mineral water and a few drops of stevia. You have a delightful soda pop replacement that will give you energy AND provide your body with microflora and minerals.

7. Use a good water filter. Avoid distilled or reverse osmosis water because most minerals are removed in those processes. If you do have a reverse osmosis filter add minerals. Fulvic minerals or liquid magnesium are excellent additions.

8. If you live in a dry climate, drink before you get thirsty. Your body may not show signs of dehydration in dry climates.

9. Be sure to control your blood sugar level. Elevated blood sugar causes osmotic diuresis, where the sugar exits through your kidneys and carries water into the urine. As a result, your kidneys are unable to reabsorb the water. Body Ecology once again provides you with an excellent solution. Fermented foods and beverages that are naturally sour take away cravings for sugars. You'll feel satisfied with the natural sugars in carrots and fruit.

10. A diet high in sugar, processed foods, and taking over-the-counter and prescription drugs can make your blood more acidic. This condition leaches minerals from your body and weakens your adrenals. Including lemon water is a great way to alkalinize your blood AND hydrate, especially first thing in the morning. I also like to include ionic Minerals(1/4 teaspoon)

11. Take care of stress and get a good night's sleep. Sleep nourishes your adrenals and allows your body to repair itself, ultimately reducing cortisol levels.