Article Index:

• Drink Up: How Much Water Do You Need?
  
• Skin Care Tips/Weight Loss Ideas/Natural Ways To Stay Cool
  
• Adrenal Insufficiency by Dr. Jacob Tietelbaum

Drink Up!

Summer has arrived and temperatures are rising, so now more than ever you need to pay special attention to adequately meeting your body’s need for fluids. The average body contains 96 pints of water and because we sweat more during the warm summer months, this can lead to an increase in loss of this vital fluid. 

Water is needed for a vast number of functions in the body from transporting nutrients, burning fat, body temperature control, circulation, removing waste products, aiding digestion, and healthy skin. Dehydration can put undue stress on the body and can impair both physical and mental function.  Although we can’t live more than a few days without water many people do not consume enough water and are in a state of dehydration daily. It’s no wonder we are tired, have difficulty losing weight, have wrinkled skin, and health issues.

Symptoms of Dehydration

Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause:

• Dry, sticky mouth
• Sleepiness or tiredness
• Thirst
• Decreased urine output
• Few or no tears when crying
• Muscle weakness
• Headache
• Dizziness or lightheadedness

Severe dehydration, a medical emergency, can cause:

• Extreme thirst
• Extreme fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in adults
• Very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
• Lack of sweating
• Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be dark yellow or amber
• Sunken eyes
• Shriveled and dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn't "bounce back" when pinched into a fold
• In infants, sunken fontanels — the soft spots on the top of a baby's head
• Low blood pressure
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fever In the most serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness
  *Source www.MayoClinic.com

So How Much Water Do You Need?

Thirst isn't always a reliable gauge of the body's need for water – actually by the time you are feeling thirsty you may already be dehydrated! A better barometer is the color of your urine: Clear or light-colored urine means you're well hydrated, whereas a dark yellow or amber color usually signals dehydration.

Nutritionist Rebecca Gerard recommends drinking 4-8 ounces of water in addition to your normal fluid needs for every 30 minutes of exercise or time spent outside in the heat. 

Here is a basic guide for calculating your body’s fluid needs:

Divide your weight in half and then putting that number into ounces. For example if you weigh 150 pounds then you would need about 75 ounces of fluid. This may seem like a lot, but remember you also get fluids from foods and other beverages you drink.  Do keep in mind that caffeine can have a diuretic effect so replace 1 cup of water for every cup of caffeinated beverage you drink.

The bottom line is, there is nothing like pure water! Experts suggest that 75% of your fluid needs to come from water. So in the case of the 150 pound person, they would need approx. 56 ounces of pure water. The best kind of water to drink is water that has been filtered from impurities and chemicals like chlorine.

Like everything else, moderation is the key.  Drinking too much water can pose its own health risks.  The information provided here is a general recommendation, your individual needs will vary based on your size, weight, energy expenditure, temperature, humidity levels, etc.

Enjoy your summer and "drink up"!!

NOTE: You may also be interested in our article about Water Filtration

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY & HAPPY SUMMER: 

• Summer Skin-Care
  
• Natural Ways To Stay Cool 
  
• Weight Loss Tips
  
  
  
  SUMMER SKIN-CARE TIPS

Skin is the largest organ of the body containing over 300 million cells and covering 21 sq.ft!! It is responsible for regulating temperature, excreting waste and providing a barrier against dehydration, infection and the environment. Over-exposure to the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and causes 90% of wrinkles, so here are some ideas for taking care of your skin during the warm summer months:

• Because the sun is so hard on skin, choose suncare that not only protect, but will nourish and soothe with high levels of nutrient-rich natural ingredients.
  Some of these include green tea, soy, milk thistle, caffeine, and carotenoids (carrot oil).
• When taken orally Vitamin E and Mixed Carotenoids may help decrease the risk of skin damage from the sun.
• Vitamin C is your best friend under the sun. It supports: collagen production (wrinkles are the result of collagen breakdown); hydration to keep the skin smooth and firm; immune function; and, like other antioxidants, protectionfrom free radical damage. Look for facial care products with Vitamin C and eat foods rich in Vitamin C such as citrus fruits, broccoli, tomatoes, papaya, mangos, red peppers - though many fruits and vegetables are good souces of this important vitamin.

Other supplements that may be beneficial:

• Beta carotene which may help prevent DNA mutations triggered by the sun
• Coenzyme Q10 fights free radicals and increases oxygen to the cells
• Green Tea has antioxidants, anticarcinogens, and anti-inflammatory properties
• Lutein (in dark, leafy greens) protects agains some damaging effects of sun exposure
• Lycopene (in red foods like tomatoes) helps prevent UVB damage
• Omega 3 fatty acids (cold-water fish) reduces UV-related skin inflammation and help protect cells
• Pycnogenol is an antioxidant that appears to reduce skin damage
• Vitamin A (take as mixed carotenoids and use topically in skin care) fights free radicals released by sun exposure and topically promotes healing
• Vitamin C (take with bioflavinoids and use topically in skin care) fights free radicals released by sun exposure
• Vitamin E (use in supplements and topically in skin care) fights free radicals released by sun exposure and topically promotes healing

Use suncare products that are right for your individual needs.  Consider your age, acitivity level, skin type, and the amount of time you will be exposed to the sun. Stores like Whole Foods, and other natural food and drug stores, have a variety of sun protection products available from mineral based, unscented, water resistant, PABA free, oil-free, and sensitive skin.

NATURAL WAYS TO STAY COOL:

Keep your house cool:

• Keep your windows & shades closed during the day
• At night create a cross current with open windows to catch the breeze
• Hang wet sheets over your open windows at night to create natural air-conditioning
• Plant trees around your house: their shade reduces the energy needed to cool your home by as much as 50%
• Use candles to create ambiance and save energy (Learn more about the health benefits of Beeswax Candles)

Refresh Yourself:

• Keep your neck cool with a bandanna dunked in ice cubes, it cools off the rest of your body
• Freeze grapes, blueberries or chunks of juicy watermelon for a snack
• Drink lots of cooling liquids like homemade lemonade or iced tea
• Avoid using the stove: think salads, cold soups, or snack food
• Dine alfresco especially for breakfast before the heat of the day sets in
• Picnic in the back yard or hang outside late into the cool evening with friends and family
• Camp in your own garden or on the deck for open air dreams

Sleep Well:

• Take a cool shower and get into bed on a towel without drying off; the moisture evaporates and cools you down and helps you drift off to sleep
• Try breathable bamboo sheets that wick away moisture and are cool to the touch
• Mist your bed linens and spritz yourself with a spray bottle filled with soothing lavender water

Most of all keep your inner cool. Don’t expend a lot of your own energy either —stay cool when you’re stressed with meditation, keep the peace and avoid needless “hot air” arguments, and remember K.I.S.S. (Keeping It Simple in Summer) is the easiest way to approach cooling off without consumption.
 

WEIGHT LOSS TIPS:

Weight is about more than looking good - it is an important component of good health!  Here are a few ideas for taking or keeping the pounds off!

Beware of:

• Highly processed foods destroy enzymes needed for digestion of nutrients and fiber
• Larger portions that restaurants serve encourage us to eat more
• Eating only one good meal a day, which leads to snacking and overeating
• Added chemicals can cause health issues and metabolic stagnation

Experts suggest we should:

•  Eat less, but more often!  Eat 4-6 times per day (every 3-4 hours) and include fiber foods like fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains to help keep blood sugar stable and food cravings to a minumum
• Eating wholesome, nutritious foods also helps to provide enzymes and nutrients to help energy cycles work better, including the ability to burn fat.
• Have realistic goals - 1/2 to 2 pounds per week is considered a safe rate of weight loss.
• For healthy weight loss digestion and metabolism need to be working like clockwork. Things that will help to keep your system healthy and balanced include:
  Fiber helps to balance blood sugar, control hunger and keep the intestines clean and comes from plant foods like vegetables, beans, whole grains, fruits and seeds.
  Essential fats like Omega-3 and monunsaturated essential fats support healthy metabolism, blood sugar levels and feelings of fullness - try flaxseed oil or fish oil, fish and walnuts.
  Probiotics are beneficial live bacteria essential to intestinal health, thus digestion are a few of the crucial substances that will keep them ticking. 
• Don't skip meals - if you do or don't eat enough or often enough, your metabolism will slow down and burn less fat and calories. Depriving yourself of certain foods makes it more likely you will binge on those things later because your body requires a balance of nutrients, including good fats and good carbohydrates.
•  If you don't exercise your body may replace lost muscle with fat as you regain weight.
•  Drink lots of water to battle hunger, keep cells and systems working properly and wash away toxins. Add lemon to aid digestion.
•  Learn to destress as studies show that stress contributes to unhealthy weight patterns.(See Stress, Relaxation Techniques, Meditation)
•  Choose low GI (glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food causes blood sugar levels to rise) foods and cooking methods.  
• Eat less and chew more - overeating and not chewing enough inhibits digestion by limiting the effectiveness of stomach enzymes in breaking down food.  

From Fatigued to Fantastic by Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum

Great thanks to Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum for allowing us to present the following excerpt from his book," From Fatigued to Fantastic."   Dr. Teitelbaum is a medical doctor who has personally struggled with chronic fatigue and is well-known expert on the subject. Whether you have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue, adrenal fatigue, or a combination of both, you well know the challenges of living with fatigue and will find the following information of great interest. For additional information read our article on the topic: Adrenal Fatigue. 

The Adrenal Gland

The adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys, are actually two different glands in one. The center of the gland makes epinephrine (also known as adrenaline—for the adrenaline "junkies" out there) and is under the control of the autonomic nervous system. Although it is known that this part of the nervous system is also on the fritz in chronic fatigue patients—contributing to such symptoms as hot and cold sweats, cold sweaty hands, neurally mediated hypotension, and panic attacks—it is not understood if or how this ties into the adrenal's ability to make adrenaline in CFS/FMS. More likely, adrenaline deficiency is a central brain problem.

The outer part of the adrenal gland, the cortex, also makes many important hormones. These include:

1. Cortisol. The adrenal glands increase their production of cortisol in response to stress. Cortisol raises blood sugar and blood pressure levels and moderates immune function, in addition to playing numerous other roles. If the cortisol level is low, the person has fatigue, low blood pressure, hypoglycemia, poor immune function, an increased tendency to allergies and environmental sensitivity, and an inability to deal with stress.

2. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). Although its mechanism of action is not clear, DHEA is the most abundant hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. If it is low, you will feel poorly. DHEA-S levels normally decline with age, but appear to drop prematurely in chronic fatigue patients. Patients often feel much better when their DHEA-S levels are brought to the mid-normal range for a twenty nine year-old.

3. Aldosterone. This hormone helps to keep salt and water balanced in the body.

4. Estrogen and testosterone. These hormones are produced in small but significant amounts by the adrenals as well as by the ovaries and testicles.

Symptoms of Adrenal Insufficiency
If your adrenal glands are under active, what might you be experiencing? Low adrenal function can cause, among other symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Recurrent infections
• Difficulty shaking off infections
• Poor response and "crashing" during stress
• Achiness
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar with irritability when hungry)
• Low blood pressure and dizziness upon first standing

Hypoglycemia deserves special mention. Many people with CFS/FMS sometimes become shaky and nervous, then dizzy, irritable and fatigued. These people often feel better after they eat sweets, which improve their energy and mood for a short period of time. Because of this, these people often crave sugar, not realizing that it makes their blood sugar level initially shoot back up to normal, which is what makes them feel better, but then makes it continue shooting up beyond normal. The body responds to this by driving the sugar level back down below normal again. The effect, energy-wise, is like a roller coaster.

Dr. Jefferies has noted—and again, my experience confirms his finding—that most people with hypoglycemia have under active adrenal glands. This makes sense because the adrenal glands' responsibilities include maintaining blood sugar at an adequate level during stress. Sugar is the only fuel that the brain can use. When a person's blood sugar level drops, he or she feels anxious, irritable, and then tired. (For information about blood sugar imbalance read our article on Insulin Resistance)

Causes of Adrenal Insufficiency
About two-thirds of chronic fatigue patients appear to have underactive adrenal glands. One reason may be that the hypothalamus does not make enough corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), which is the brain's way of telling the adrenals that more cortisol is needed. I suspect that many people also have adrenal exhaustion. Dr. Hans Selye, one of the first doctors to research stress reactions, found that if an animal becomes severely overstressed, its adrenal glands bleed and develop signs of adrenal destruction before the animal finally dies from the stress.

If you think back to your biology classes in high school, you may remember something called the fight-or-flight response. This is a physical reaction that occurs during times of stress. During the Stone Age, when a caveman met an animal that wanted to eat him, the caveman's adrenal glands activated multiple systems in his body that prompted him to either fight or run. This reaction helped the caveman survive. In those days, however, people probably had a couple of weeks or months to recover before facing the next major stress. In today's society though, people often experience stress reactions every few minutes. I suspect that many people suffer exhaustion of their adrenal glands, but without the adrenal gland destruction that Hans Selye saw in his experimental animals. With the kinds of stresses common in modern society, a person's adrenal test may initially show hormonal levels that are actually higher than usual (but possibly still inadequate to deal with the degree of stress), since the adrenal gland increases hormonal output to deal with the many burdens placed on your body. Over time, this may exhaust the adrenal reserve—that is, the adrenal's ability to increase hormone production in response to stress. At this point the hormone levels may then drop to overtly deficient levels. This is why some studies show low adrenal hormone levels and others show normal levels.

In endocrinologist Dr. William Jefferies' experience (and in mine as well), people with either low hormone production or a low reserve often respond dramatically to treatment with a low dose of adrenal hormone.

Dr. Jefferies' opinion is that everyone who has unexplained, disabling chronic fatigue should be given a low-dose trial of adrenal hormone. Both natural over the counter adrenal support and bioidentical ultra low dose cortisol (cortef) can dramatically improve your well being in this setting!

Treating Adrenal Insufficiency
People with hypoglycemia, which in CFS/FMS is most often caused by inadequate adrenal function, can treat low blood sugar symptoms by cutting sugar and caffeine out of their diets; having frequent, small meals; and increasing their intake of proteins while decreasing carbohydrates. It's best to avoid white flour and sugar and to substitute complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and vegetables. Fruit—not fruit juices, which contain concentrated sugar—can be eaten in moderation, about one to two pieces a day, depending on the type of fruit. If you get irritable, eat something with protein. For quick relief, put a quarter to half a teaspoon of sugar (or even just 1 or 2 Tic Tacs) under your tongue at the same time. This is enough to quickly raise your blood sugar levels but not enough to put you on a sugar "roller coaster ride."

More directly, treating the under active adrenal problem with low doses of adrenal hormone usually quickly banishes the symptoms of low blood sugar. I like to begin with natural hydrocortisone such as Cortef (by prescription at most pharmacies) or, better yet, sustained release hydrocortisone from a compounding pharmacy. This immediately gives your body the support that your adrenal gland is unable to give, and may help you feel much better very quickly. The added cortisol also takes some of the strain off your adrenals so that they can heal.

There are also many natural things that you can take that can both help to support your adrenal glands, while also naturally raising your body's cortisol level.

Natural Adrenal Support
Below are several things that can be very helpful in supporting your adrenal glands to heal:

1. Adrenal glandulars supply the raw materials that your adrenal glands need to heal. It is critical however that you get them from reputable companies (I recommend Enzymatic Therapy) so that the purity and potency is guaranteed and so you can be sure that they come from cows that are not at risk of transmitting infections.

2. Vitamin C is critical for adrenal function. Your body's highest levels of vitamin C are found in the adrenal glands and brain tissues, and the urinary excretion of Vitamin C is increased during stress. Optimizing vitamin C intake by taking 500-1,000 mg a day will also help immune function.

3. Pantothenic acid, a B vitamin, also supports adrenal function, and Pantothenic acid deficiency causes shrinking of your adrenal glands. Optimal levels are approximately 100-150 mg daily, although some physicians use even higher levels for adrenal support.

4. Licorice also slows down the breakdown of adrenal hormones in your body, helping to maintain optimal levels. There is no licorice in licorice candies in the United States because of this. Another beneficial effect of the licorice is that it helps in the treatment of indigestion, and it is even as effective as the prescription heartburn medication Tagamet. Do not take licorice if you have high blood pressure, as too much licorice can cause excess adrenal function and worsen high blood pressure. You can safely take 200-400 mg a day of a licorice extract standardized to contain 5 percent glycyrrhizic acid.

5. Chromium also helps decrease the symptoms of low blood sugar. Take 200 mcg a day. If you'd rather not take these natural remedies separately, or just to simplify the supplementation, you can take Adrenal Stress End, which I helped the Enzymatic Therapy Company to develop. Take 1-2 capsules in the morning. If symptoms recur in the afternoon, add another capsule at lunch. Adrenal Stress End, combined with the Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder (which supplies outstanding overall nutritional support easily and affordably), will supply everything noted above, as well as many other nutrients that will help support adrenal function.

To summarize, if your symptoms started suddenly after a viral infection, if you suffer from hypoglycemia (irritability when hungry), "crash" with stress, or if you have recurrent infections that take a long time to resolve, you probably have under-active adrenal glands. About two-thirds of my severe chronic fatigue patients have under active or marginally functioning adrenal glands or a decreased adrenal reserve. Using Adrenal Stress End, and in more severe cases adding ultra low dose cortisol (cortef by prescription), can be done very safely, can allow your adrenal glands to heal, and can give you back your life!

For more information visit Dr. Teitelbaum's website: www.endfatigue.com, and look for his book "From Fatigued to Fantastic!"

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