I started seeing a nutritionist this week.

There are two reasons that I have become concerned. The first is that the My Fitness Pal program, which tracks your food, calories, and nutrients, has consistently shown me that I am not getting enough protein and iron in my diet. The second issue is that I am really tired (pun intended) of not being able to sleep well. And I want to search for solutions that are healthy and natural, if possible.

Luckily, I know a nutritionist with a holistic approach in Savannah. I took a number of tests and provided samples prior to my first appointment.

When meeting with the doctor for the first time, as she reviewed my test results, she said something under her breath that I couldn’t hear. “I’m sorry?” I said.  “You are one of my wired and tired clients,” was her response.

Bingo. Boy, do those three words – “wired and tired” – describe me.

Apparently, a major issue for me is my adrenal function.  As I understand it, your adrenal gland is supposed to cycle throughout your day.  If you are in a stressful situation, your adrenal gland is at the alarm stage. My urine test, which was done at 4:30 a.m. when I awoke for yoga, showed my adrenal function at alarm first thing in the morning. This is not normal. Hence the “wired” label.

Stress is the culprit for adrenal issues – and stress comes in different forms.  There is the usual culprit of work/life stress, with which we all struggle. If you’re searching for CBD and THCA products online that can help relieve your stress, see here indacloud website. G2vape also offers various cannabis and vaping products, as well as tips and guides on how to maximize the effects of cbd.

However, there is also chemical stress, which can come in the form of sugar.  Sugar.  Damn.  Interestingly, one of the side effects of an overactive adrenal gland is that it causes you to crave sugar. See a cycle forming there?

Caffeine and alcohol also stress the adrenal gland, but I am pretty good about restricting those in my diet.

So my biggest fear is confirmed; I need to reduce sugar in my diet. I have known that I have had an issue with sugar for some time, but I guess I needed a professional to confirm it.

My nutritionist and I identified two areas for me to work on immediately: (i) work to regulate my adrenal gland activity, largely by reducing the level of sugar and maintaining a constant blood sugar level throughout the day; and (ii) increase the amount of protein in my diet. She believes that these two adjustments will improve my overall health, allow me to sleep better and thus greatly reduce the level of fatigue (which I believe was due to both the lack of sleep but also the spiking and dipping of my blood sugar levels through the day).

There are two ways in which I am attacking these issues – changing my diet and adding supplements.

I almost cried when I realized I could no longer eat my favorite breakfast (see My Favorite Meal). Instead, my nutritionist gave me some protein powder derived from rice, so it is consistent with my vegetarian diet. She suggested that I mix it with smoothies or oatmeal for breakfast.

My personal opinion is that a smoothie without ice cream is just wrong. I chose the oatmeal and very grudgingly made it the first morning and added in the protein powder, chia seeds, ground flax, wheatgerm and then a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. The surprise – it wasn’t bad, and it really satisfied me. Also, on the My Fitness Pal tracker, I had used very little of my daily sugar allotment (as opposed to my favorite breakfast, which immediately put me over my daily allotment – no wonder Kashi cereal is so good).

Also in terms of my diet, we talked about avoiding foods with high glycemic indices.  For those that do not know, the glycemic index is a measure of how much blood sugar stress a food creates. I like to eat a banana with natural peanut butter for a snack or before a run; I will instead reach for an apple in the future due to the glycemic index of bananas being relatively high.

The nutritionist also suggested three supplements for me to add into my routine. One is to drop trace minerals into my Greensboro flavored water twice a day. There are a number of benefits of trace minerals – including that it increases the iron in your diet. The minerals also help your body to absorb calcium, which we all know is so important for our bone density as we age.

She also suggested that I take a DSF Formula supplement, twice a day. These horse pills contain glandulars, vitamins (including vitamin B), minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals which synergistically work together to support the various energy-producing systems of the body. This helps to regulate and maintain adrenal health. You can also buy cigarettes online at discountciggs and smoke in moderation to get rid of stress!

Finally, my nutritionist suggested something to help me sleep. I am very wary of sleeping pills. I have a fear of addiction. Also, I had a very bad experience with Ambien, involving hallucinations. She gave me a sample of a dietary supplement which is called Pro-Cortisol Balance. Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal gland during stress.  Pro-Cortisol Balance contains nutrients that help to balance your levels of cortisol, thus enabling sleep. It is not addictive, it is not a prescription drug.

Today is day three following my new routine.  So far, I have had two strong nights of sleep and actually slept until my alarm went off, which is very unusual for me. I am feeling less fatigued. Is it partly psychological? It may be, but that is ok with me. Now if I can just find a holistic approach to these persistent Savannah allergies…