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I have a confession to make. I’m freakishly fascinated with the supernatural.Ever since I was a kid, I can remember having a secret soft spot for the paranormal. I never wanted to admit it, but the truth was deep down inside I was completely turned on by anything ghostly, ghastly, or out of this world.
So last fall when the crew from Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures paid a visit to the Mansfield Reformatory, my curiosity was piqued and I made my way there not only to meet them in person but to walk the halls of 1 of the worlds’ most haunted hallows.
For being celebs in their own right, I found them to be charming and quite humble, accepting the adoration of their fans with heartfelt appreciation. But in my mind, I couldn’t help but think how each 1 of them was sacrificing their body for their job, an all too common case for people and 1 I’m familiar with myself.
I spent 14 years as a claims adjuster for the 3rd largest insurer in the US and due to the high demands, often worked upwards of 90 or more hours a week. During my 3-year stint as a catastrophe adjuster at the tail end of my career, I traveled extensively too, working natural disasters around the country including both Hurricanes Ike (2008) and Rita (2005) in Houston, and the California Wildfires in 2007.
Each 1 was massive, causing large scale destruction, leaving thousands homeless in its wake. As an adjuster, it was my job to restore function to the lives of hundreds of people in an orderly and timely fashion all while paying minute detail to accuracy. Billions of dollars were on the line for the insurance industry, and regardless of the event, there was no excuse for sloppiness when it came to estimating the damage.
Needless to say I was on overdrive 24/7. My personal life completely fell by the wayside in favor of my career and my body took a toll. Due to the sheer exhaustion of late night dates with my computer, coupled with an early morning ritual of running through the Starbucks drive-through to refuel, ultimately my system shut down.As a result, I suffered from severe adrenal fatigue, low-functioning thyroid, and an inability to lose excess weight. Any other time I had found myself in this state, I’d been able to easily pull myself out of it. But this time was different. My body was in shock, and demanded I change or die.
I knew I had to leave or the long term consequences would become irreversible. So I did, and totally revamped my life, switching to a much less stressful job but 1 that is much more rewarding. I learned the hard way that being a slave to a career that inhibited my health was 1 that was not worth it, no matter how much it paid. Lack of sleep, disconnected from my life at home, and an unrelenting schedule caused my body to implode on itself.
The uphill climb to get back on track has been 2 years and counting.
It’s easy to see that the guys from Ghost Adventures love their jobs, and it’s essential that they work graveyard shift so that they can effectively capture otherworldly images to prove to us all that they exist. But no doubt they’re launching an all out attack on their anatomies by defying their natural circadian rhythms that will eventually land them in the same set of circumstances as I was in.
You see, your body has a regular sleep cycle predetermined by the laws of physics, and if you disrupt it, it’s like messing with Mother Nature.
Adrenal exhaustion doesn’t play favorites either, therefore everyone is susceptible. If you’re always reacting to stress, because you’re running late, worried about a deadline, or maybe even ghost hunting into the wee hours of the morning, you’re continually in flight or fight mode and constantly flooding your system with excess cortisol.The physical manifestations include stubborn weight, chronic fatigue, sugar and carb cravings, brain fog, irritability, and anxiety, amongst others. Reversing the damage can take months, sometimes years, and the effects are felt throughout your entire physiology.
I didn’t want to be the 1 to burst their bubble, figuring they’d find out for themselves someday. And they will. The human body is amazingly resilient, but it can only go on so long before it breaks down.
In the meantime, there are a few simple steps they could take to support their adrenals in an effort to prevent more damage and make a noticeable difference that’ll work for you too:
1) Take adaptogenic herbs. These include 1’s like ashwaganda, Dong Quai, or holy basil that help to combat stress. Try supplements from Apex Energetics such as Adaptocrine or Planetary Herbals Rehmmania Vitalizer.
2) Eat sufficient amounts of protein. Adrenal glands thrive on protein, but it’s imperative that you eat high quality protein, such as organic, grass-fed meat, unfermented soy as in tempeh or tofu (in limited quantities), or beans or nuts. Don’t go overboard on protein though because it’s extremely acidic, so stick to about 25-50 grams a day depending on your needs.
3) Get adequate sleep. Your adrenal glands need their beauty sleep so aim for 8 hours a night and be sure to get to bed by 10pm whenever possible!
GAC might be targeted for a fall out 1 day, but you don’t have to be. Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is a complex condition but 1 that is entirely reversible, not to mention preventable, if you’re willing to do the footwork, which might require making a big change like I did.
Either way, unless you plan on joining the ranks of millions of other Americans who forsake their bodies for extreme stress, it’s wise to start a protocol to maintain healthy adrenal function sooner rather than later.
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