Ava Frick

Dr. Royal Lee devoted his lifetime to researching whole food nutrients and the precise balance of vitamins and minerals that each organ requires. He recognized early on that, “The adrenals are the first glands to fail under various stress conditions, including malnutrition. Endocrine exhaustion, in general, is due to the use of refined foods.” Causes of adrenal stress are many. The stressors list includes anger, fear, anxiety, excessive exercise, sleep deprivation, light-cycle disruption, trauma, chronic pain, chronic inflammation, toxic exposure, malabsorption, maldigestion, chronic illness or allergies, and nutritional deficiencies. Left unaddressed the body over time can develop chronic maladaptation leading to adrenal exhaustion or insufficiency. This phase of exhaustion is a precursor to Cushing’s Disease. It is caused by the body’s prolonged exposure to excess cortisol levels and the loss of hypothalamic sensitivity of the inhibitory effects of cortisol. Symptoms and consequences of impaired adrenal gland function are low body temperature, unexplained hair loss, nervousness or irritability, difficulty building muscle, melanin pigmentation to skin, inability to concentrate, increased panting, tendency toward inflammation, indigestion, poor memory, alternating diarrhea and constipation, poor resistance to infection, food or inhalant allergies, inability to mobilize fat from tissue, dry and thin skin, and auto-immune diseases.