Post storm recovery and self care
My family and I live in Houston and we just went through one of the most traumatic events of our lives: Hurricane Harvey.
After such a historic, stressful natural disaster, it's common to experience adrenal fatigue and post storm stress disorder (anger, depression, nightmares, jumpiness, anxiety, tiredness). Yes, the levels to which we are effected will vary, but EVERYONE in Houston was/is effected in some way. I'm a trained nutritionist and vitamin expert, so I need to share with you a few things you can do this week for you and your family as you recover:
1) Hydrate. Go for about 1 gallon of water per day per adult. Our beverages of choice for the past week have been coffee, coffee, and....energy drinks? This is one of the reasons we are at risk for adrenal fatigue right now. It's time to let our adrenals recover. Hydrate first thing in the morning. If you need to have 1-2 cups of coffee, try half cafe or decaf. Later in the day if you feel tired and want more caffeine, have another glass of water, and if you still feel tired 30 minutes later, try green tea. A bold brew of coffee is your #1 enemy right now. Don't do it. If you are generally low in energy, try a multi vitamin with lots of b vitamins in it. I take Dr. Hotze's Energy Formula and it works great.
2) Reduce or eliminate carbs. Sugar and white carbs are a no-go (sugary desserts, potatoes, wheat or white flour and pasta/bread). Carbs surge your adrenals and give you a rush, but then what goes up must come down, and then you crash. When your adrenals are healthy and you aren't stressed, you can take in carbs occasionally and your body can deal with it. Right now you can't deal with it. You will get sick.
3) Eat primarily nutrient dense vegetables like spinach, kale, zucchini, bell peppers (especially red), broccoli, garlic, beets, carrots, cauliflower, and avocados. Make a salad, eat them raw with a dip, add them as a side to dinner, make a soup with them. Just get them in your body. They are so full of nutrients that you need!
4) Eat other healthy things like old fashioned oats, brown rice, salmon (if you can find any!), tuna, eggs, organic chicken, grass fed beef. For a treat, have some strawberries, blueberries, apples, or pears (all fruit in moderation due to sugar content). Some ideas for healthy meals/foods are spaghetti squash pizza casserole, chicken fajita bake, Parmesan roasted cauliflower, egg cups, stuffed bell peppers, Italian chicken skillet, taco wraps, and tortilla soup.
5) Take magnesium. Normally I have a list of vitamins I think you should take, but right now, we need to focus on magnesium which is depleted in times of stress. Coffee also depletes it as well as alcohol and carbs. Take 200-400mg at bed time (at least). You can also take an Epsom salt bath or focus on foods high in magnesium. If you do not replete your magnesium level YOUR HEART IS AT RISK AND YOU COULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK. The other nutrient you want to take right now is vitamin d. Take at least 2,000iu per day.
I never encourage drinking alcohol, but especially right now, DON'T drink. If you normally drink casually or socially, times like these can leave you dependent. God's word is what your soul needs daily, not alcohol. Alcohol depletes nutrients and will further stress your immune and adrenal system.
My fear is that if we don't get this information out we could be dealing with an overwhelming amount of illnesses and stress disorders in Houston and in other parts of Texas/Louisiana very soon, so if you benefit from this, please share.
After such a historic, stressful natural disaster, it's common to experience adrenal fatigue and post storm stress disorder (anger, depression, nightmares, jumpiness, anxiety, tiredness). Yes, the levels to which we are effected will vary, but EVERYONE in Houston was/is effected in some way. I'm a trained nutritionist and vitamin expert, so I need to share with you a few things you can do this week for you and your family as you recover:
1) Hydrate. Go for about 1 gallon of water per day per adult. Our beverages of choice for the past week have been coffee, coffee, and....energy drinks? This is one of the reasons we are at risk for adrenal fatigue right now. It's time to let our adrenals recover. Hydrate first thing in the morning. If you need to have 1-2 cups of coffee, try half cafe or decaf. Later in the day if you feel tired and want more caffeine, have another glass of water, and if you still feel tired 30 minutes later, try green tea. A bold brew of coffee is your #1 enemy right now. Don't do it. If you are generally low in energy, try a multi vitamin with lots of b vitamins in it. I take Dr. Hotze's Energy Formula and it works great.
2) Reduce or eliminate carbs. Sugar and white carbs are a no-go (sugary desserts, potatoes, wheat or white flour and pasta/bread). Carbs surge your adrenals and give you a rush, but then what goes up must come down, and then you crash. When your adrenals are healthy and you aren't stressed, you can take in carbs occasionally and your body can deal with it. Right now you can't deal with it. You will get sick.
3) Eat primarily nutrient dense vegetables like spinach, kale, zucchini, bell peppers (especially red), broccoli, garlic, beets, carrots, cauliflower, and avocados. Make a salad, eat them raw with a dip, add them as a side to dinner, make a soup with them. Just get them in your body. They are so full of nutrients that you need!
4) Eat other healthy things like old fashioned oats, brown rice, salmon (if you can find any!), tuna, eggs, organic chicken, grass fed beef. For a treat, have some strawberries, blueberries, apples, or pears (all fruit in moderation due to sugar content). Some ideas for healthy meals/foods are spaghetti squash pizza casserole, chicken fajita bake, Parmesan roasted cauliflower, egg cups, stuffed bell peppers, Italian chicken skillet, taco wraps, and tortilla soup.
5) Take magnesium. Normally I have a list of vitamins I think you should take, but right now, we need to focus on magnesium which is depleted in times of stress. Coffee also depletes it as well as alcohol and carbs. Take 200-400mg at bed time (at least). You can also take an Epsom salt bath or focus on foods high in magnesium. If you do not replete your magnesium level YOUR HEART IS AT RISK AND YOU COULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK. The other nutrient you want to take right now is vitamin d. Take at least 2,000iu per day.
I never encourage drinking alcohol, but especially right now, DON'T drink. If you normally drink casually or socially, times like these can leave you dependent. God's word is what your soul needs daily, not alcohol. Alcohol depletes nutrients and will further stress your immune and adrenal system.
My fear is that if we don't get this information out we could be dealing with an overwhelming amount of illnesses and stress disorders in Houston and in other parts of Texas/Louisiana very soon, so if you benefit from this, please share.
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