Adrenal Fatigue and Life Apathy

So without a doubt, the last few months have been tumultuous at best. I've dealt with innumerable stresses, and always resilient, I've often taken for granted how easily I adapt to circumstances. Recently however, I got knocked down a few times and found myself having a hard time getting up and brushing myself off before tumbling over after another gust of unexpectedness.

And it has been rather humbling I daresay, to have allowed the air to get knocked out of me and not necessarily take in a full breath afterwards. It has been rough to say the least, but the light at the end of the tunnel, well I think I can actually see that pin point!

Ok, maybe it is the size of a bowling ball from where I stand, but needless to say, I have luckily found myself finding a balance yet again. It just took me quite a bit longer than typical and I am still recuperating. I am pretty sure I exhausted my adrenals with the intense stress I've been under, because I gained weight while in North Carolina, and for the first time have actually had trouble getting back to my old fit self strictly through dietary means. Now I am not fat in any sense of the word, but I have certain standards for myself, and by my own standards, I need to get back in shape.

From what I gather, the excessive coristol in my system caused me to gain weight and it is going to take more than diet to boost my metabolism, and I am on the right path and have already slimmed down substantially with the ground work of re-introducing fat into my diet in the form of beef tallow and coconut oil. I am experimenting with additional sources such as marrow, and am keeping my distance from poultry fat because of its high omega 6 concentration, but I do enjoy it occasionally. If I had access to raw butter, that would be awesome, but all I can get my hands on is pasteurized grass fed so I opt for that instead.

But I am trying to veer away from simple carbs again, I will eat fruit in lieu of sweets and some complex carbs, but with winter still lingering here in Denver, it is hard to resist the lure of baked goods and comforting grain based food stuffs. One thing I am doing also is re-introducing organ meats into my diet. Raw, and varied.

Ew??? Yes, I agree, EW. EW!
You don't even know, I thought swallowing raw liver was gangsta, until I tried raw buffalo Kidney.
Oh god, you can't even imagine.
So what I do, is I find a good source of grass fed humanely raised meats, I like a butcher shop in Wheat Ridge called Edwards Meats. They have basically every sort of fleshy morsel you could imagine, I mean thymus, rocky mountain oysters, brain, suet-My next experiment- (that is raw beef fat) livers, hearts and like I mentioned before the dreaded Kidney.

Why would I subject myself to this horrific routine every morning? Gulping down raw chunks of animal organs?? I will tell you why friends, and I will probably gross you out. I don't particularly like it, by any means, in fact sometimes I gag because I am so disgusted myself. But animal organ meats are incredibly nutrient dense pieces of flesh that have historically been favored over muscle meats in non-industrialized societies. America is possibly the only country that doesn't consume these rich sources of fat soluble vitamins and trace minerals. But why raw?

Well, enzymes, that is why. Enzymes, the building blocks of action, without which life would not exist. Catalysts that spark thought, metabolism, digestion, replication I mean the list goes on and on... Basically, the day you run out of enzymes is the day you die. So while I don't necessarily advocate eating entirely raw, out of convenience, I just don't think it is rational with the modern lifestyle and the stress of trying to adhere to such would offset the benefit it would bring. But I am trying to incorporate as much raw or partially raw foods into my diet and I take a digestive enzyme supplement.

Additionally I have found the most awesome fermenting solution for me, and it has allowed me to make my sauerkraut without nearly as much hassle, time, smell and various issues that accomodate the process.  So I just stuck my sauerkraut into the fridge because it has completed its fermentation cycle, so that is another great contribution I am going to be able to add to my diet that will lend enzymatic currency to my bodily processes.

So with those additions and a few others, such as putting a pinch of celtic sea salt into my beverages during the day to keep me keen and alert, I've noticed my face clearing up substantially, I don't feel exhausted by 1 or 2pm at work, and I think inch by inch, foot by foot I am making progress on acquiring those much needed nutrients that my diet has been lacking for the last few months. I take a much better approach with these things now that I am so much older, knowledgeable and mature.

Rather than thinking about what I am being deprived of in my diet, I think about what I am including, and trying to focus on trying to increase the nutritional value of what I eat versus empty calories that actually leach my body of its minerals and vitamins.

That being said, as it has started to get warmer, I've started to feel the itch of the outdoors and my love for being active when the weather is conducive. I am going to be heading to a park near my house and sprinting in the grass, doing some interval training and following a regiment of calisthenics, all body weight exercises. I know that once I do this, the last of the fat I've been having trouble shaking off, will simply melt away in a matter of weeks. So I am really not too worried, what I want to do though, is have fun while I am working out, so it isn't drudgery, but something I actually look forward to.

I'm super excited for spring and for what lies in store.