Healthy Snack Ideas for Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Adrenal Fatigue sufferers commonly have problems maintaining their blood sugar in what is commonly called reactive hypoglycemia. Serum blood sugar is normal, but symptoms of hypoglycemia can be troublesome. The more advanced the Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS), the more prevalent this can be. Symptoms include dizziness, anxiety, fatigue, and a sense of being drowned. Frequent healthy snack ideas are the easiest way to overcome this. Carrying some healthy snacks wherever you go is a good practice. However, finding the right kind of snacks may not be as easy. There are limitations on what are considered healthy snack ideas, as inappropriate snacking can trigger adrenal crashes. Taking a snack before bedtime may help you to fall asleep and stay asleep because the blood sugar is more balance. Snacks for sleep issues will be covered in a separate article. Key focuses that help re-balance the blood sugar. An ample amount of salt is important because sufferers of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome are normally in a state of salt depletion. This is due to aldosterone dysregulation. The hormone imbalances and sugar crashes of adrenal fatigue syndrome sufferers are easily understood because the hormones directly affect the processes in our body. Are other areas of our body being affected though, and are those helped with snacking? Yes. By incorporating some of these healthy snack ideas, not only is Adrenal Fatigue being helped, but also the wide ranging response known as the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress ResponseSM. When hypoglycemic crashes occur because of low blood sugar, it sends our body into a stress response, which triggers hormones, neurotransmitters, and decreases our metabolism, all part of the NEM Response. In order to fully and steadily recover from adrenal fatigue, this response must be addressed and in balance. Read on for nutritious good snacks to balance blood sugar, and the body.
Nuts Nuts are widely available in today’s market, but the focus, for AFS sufferers, should be on both organic and raw nuts. The wide variety of organic nuts and raw nuts available carry different benefits, advantages, or disadvantages. Try to find mixes that contain organic ingredients that are raw. Organic and raw trail mix is good, as it will reduce the level of toxins you add into the body, as well as the danger from potentially threatening byproducts. When we say nuts, please be aware that we are talking about tree nuts, such as almonds, cashews, pecans, macadamias, and so on. Peanuts, even though it is called nuts, are actually part of the legume family. Peanuts are not a good option for those with AFS, not just because peanuts are one of the most common food allergens, but also because the aflatoxins inside can cause more inflammation in the body. Some of these nuts and dried fruits will be discussed below.
Nuts and fruits, when consumed in combination, offer a good mix of protein, fat and sugar. The following dried fruits are recommended to use together with nuts after your AFS is stabilized: Mulberries, Goji Berries, Goldenberries, Cranberries and blueberries. Nature has given nuts self-preservation capabilities so that they can survive harsh conditions until the environment is viable for growth. These defense mechanisms come in forms of enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid. Normal people may not feel anything from consuming these nuts, but those with AFS will have trouble with the digestion of these toxic substances. Fortunately, soaking the nuts will remove or reduce the toxic substances and will increase the production of beneficial enzymes. With the increase of enzymes, the result will be an increase in the amount of vitamins contained within the nuts. All nuts consumed by AFS sufferers should be soaked in water for at least twelve hours before undergoing a salt enrichment dehydration
process. Salted trail mix is an important consideration when choosing good snacks. Most regular table salt has gone through a refinement process and contains additional chemicals or additives. The additives can add stress to your body, especially for those in the advanced stages of AFS. Himalayan salt is a good, natural option over table salt for salted trail mixes. It provides a higher content of minerals and is easier to digest. No matter what you choose, salt should be added to the nuts during the soaking process. This creates an even amount of salt in the nuts, compared to only adding granules of salt on the nuts as salt has a hard time sticking to the nuts as it is and will most likely fall to the bottom of the container. Roasting is a good way to make the salt stick to the nuts, but this process can destroy the nutrient in the nuts and is not recommended.