Stress causes increased levels of stress hormones in the body. You have likely heard of adrenaline, cortisol is also a big one. We want cortisol to stay in its antagonistic relationship with melatonin, so that we wake up with energy and fall asleep naturally and easily. If that is thrown off by stress, then we begin to feel poorly, tired, foggy headed, insomnia, anxiety, and more
Astragalus, or Huang Qi, is a tonic herb that is useful for a variety of conditions characterized by Qi deficiency and sinking Qi:
Fatigue, foggy thinking
Allergies, including skin conditions and food sensitivities
Frequent infections, lowered immunity
Diarrhea, loose stools
Heavy menses, or depleted blood
Poor appetite, weak digestion
Yesterday a patient asked me if I thought she might have adrenal fatigue. Her friend had mentioned it when they were discussing their health and she wondered what type of symptoms are caused by adrenal fatigue.
This is such a common question and, in our culture, a very common state of being. Lets rewind and explore the historical aspect of adrenal fatigue; our lifestyle has evolved faster than our bodies. We no longer have to spend our days hunting or gathering for our next meal, putting ourselves between tiger and snake in order to find food, this is the type of stress that our 'fight our flight' response was designed for.
