The Worrier Diet
Support the Adrenal Cortex
Individuals that require Ortho Adapt need to eat more often than the average individual to prevent hypoglycemia. It is recommended to eat snacks in between meals to stabilize energy levels and improve mental activity. If you start craving simple carbohydrates like pastries, bread, or cookies and/or require caffeine or stimulants, it means you have already gone too long without eating.
It can be challenging to combine eating healthy and often enough with a busy schedule. Here we will provide you with some helpful tips and ways to make your life easier.
The most important thing to avoid is caffeine and stimulants. This is chocolate, coffee, tea, soda, etc. Consuming caffeine causes your body to go into sympathetic dominance (fight or flight response), which results in feeling on edge. Being in this state will stress the body and the adrenals and make it challenging to eat substantially. Think about it, if your body subconsciously thinks a bear is running at you, you’re not going to be in the mood to eat and digest a steak.
Foods that stress the adrenal cortex include;
- Caffeine
- Herbal Stimulants (Yerba Mate, Guarana)
- Refined sugar
Foods that support the adrenal cortex include;
- Grass-fed beef and buffalo
- Avocados
- Salmon, Mackeral
- Free-Range Eggs
Helpful Tips
Meal Planning is one of the most effective ways to make sure you eat enough during the day. Designating one day of the week to prep your lunches/dinners ahead of time will make it easier for those that lead busy lives.
If you eat lunch at work, avoid having to use the microwave since it is harmful to your health. Instead, prepare something that is best served cold, like; chicken salad, cold noodle dishes, etc.
Snacking is very important for brain activity and balancing blood sugar levels. Avoid hi-glycemic food, however, because it can cause energy loss, fatigue, muscular weakness, and moodiness. It’s best to stick to complex carbohydrates, quality protein, and small amounts of fat.
Supporting Supplements
Lecithin; is one of the primary nutrients needed for the adrenal gland to produce stress hormones.
Recommendation: Take 1 to 2 a day.
Beta-Sitosterol; is a high quality plant-based cholesterol molecule. Since all adrenal cortical stress hormones are made of cholesterol, the combination of lecithin with beta-sitosterol greatly improves adrenal functions.
Recommendation: Take 1 to 2 a day.
Pantothenic Acid; is the main vitamin that the adrenal uses to make stress adapting hormones.
Recommendation: 500mg a day is sufficient unless advised otherwise.