Feeling drained? Deep nutrition for your adrenals
Happy mid-summer! I hope this email finds you enjoying these long summer days (even if you are here in Munich and feeling like the weather is more winter than summer!!)
This summer I have been working with a lot of clients who have been under a lot of stress. For a long time. Whether the client suffers from mystery gut symptoms to hormonal imbalances to skin breakouts to perimenopause/menopause symptoms, one underlying cause which feeds ALL of these outward symptoms is too much work, too much on their metaphorical plates, saying YES too much and NO too little, not enough down time and too much ‘up’ time.
When your body is under stress—whether from overwork, emotional strain, poor sleep, overexercising, under-eating, or chronic illness—your adrenal glands are constantly working to keep up. The adrenals produce cortisol (long term stress hormone), adrenaline (short term stress hormone), and DHEA (the ‘longevity hormone’ released to counter the negative affects of cortisol).
Most people think of high stress/burnout as purely mental—feeling tired, lacking drive, motivation or joy in what we used to do. But high stress leading to burnout is not just a mindset. It’s a physiological state, rooted in how your body responds to prolonged stress.
Stress is normal and inevitable. We get sick. We have a big project. We suffer loss. We care for kids or loved ones. Our bodies have many adaptive mechanisms to cope with short term sterssors. But chronic, long-term stress is not something our bodies were built to adapt to. Over time, chronic stress can dysregulate the entire system—not just your energy levels, but your hormones (such as irregular cycles, low libido, thyroid issues), gut health (bloating, constipation, indigestion, SIBO are all ), skin (acne, dryness, inflammation, eczema or rosacea flares), mood & cognition (brain fog, irritability, sleep disturbances). When you’re feeling “off” across multiple systems, it’s often your adrenals and stress response asking for support. (BTW, I run and interpret cortisol hormone testing in my practice if you want to learn more, schedule a free call with me)
Eating a well balanced, nutrient dense diet which supports the stress response system is one of the most powerful, accessible ways to regulate your body’s stress response and rebalance cortisol :)
Foods that Support Your Adrenals
Nutrients are the building blocks of all organs, systems and glands in your body - including your adrenals. Your body needs real, nutrient-dense food to repair and restore. When we are under stress, our body uses certain nutrients in high quantity to meet the energy demands it perceives we need. When stress is chronic, we can see severe nutrient deficiencies even among people who eat very healthy diets and would never guess it! When under stress, the body is depleted of electroytes, Vitamin C, amino acids (proteins), fatty acids and zinc. So we simply need more of these foods when we are under chronic stress. These are the top foods I recommend to support the adrenals and the stress response:
Vitamin C-rich foods: bell peppers, kiwi, citrus, parsley, broccoli
Starchy vegetables: sweet potatoes, squash, beets
Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil, coconut, nuts, seeds
Fatty fish: like salmon or sardines for omega-3s
Pumpkin seeds: full of magnesium and zinc
Leafy greens: for antioxidants and minerals
Add electrolytes to your water - either an electrolyte packet or a squeeze of lemon and pinch salt to your water.
Foods to Limit
Excess caffeine (especially first thing and with persons with high cortisol. Burnout is actually a low cortisol picture).
Processed carbs and sugars - because balanced blood sugars help balance adrenals
Alcohol
Packaged foods with processed oils
Artificial sweeteners and energy drinks
Your adrenals don’t just respond to what’s happening outside of you—they respond to how you nourish, rest, and care for your body from the inside. By learning how to eat in sync with your stress response, you’re not just preventing burnout—you’re building resilience, energy, and a foundation for long-term vitality.