There’s healing in authenticity. As I pondered the message I wanted to share with you this month, I thought to myself perhaps I should wear something a bit more professional and businesslike in my photo. Yet I realized, that I’ve begun my journey in truly living life authentically and so I’m coming to you just as I am.

My workout clothes are on for the first time in a long time as it’s been a while since I’ve had the energy to work out. You see, I was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue this past summer, and my life as I used to know it, changed considerably. I’m sharing my journey, so that for those of you who are already exhibiting the signs of Adrenal Fatigue (which is quite common in women, especially those who have had children) that perhaps you may avoid going down this road by catching it early and implementing the life changes you need to now. For those who are on the road to recovery, then I’m here to inspire and encourage you. Things will get better, you (& I ) will recover and your mindset has much to do with how quickly that will be.

Here are some things I want you to think about:

Over the past few months or years have you:

• Felt tired more often than usual?
• Struggle to have enough energy in the morning when you get out of bed?
• Find yourself reaching for coffee and energy drinks to help give you the energy that you feel you’re lacking?
• Experienced some type of stressful emotional experience such as divorce, death of a loved one, or loss of a job?
• Had a hard time getting through the day without wanting to rest?
• Find yourself becoming more sensitive to certain foods?
• Have less and less patience or feel that even the smallest things can seem to irritate you?
• Experienced a considerable weight gain or are having trouble losing weight no matter how hard you try?

If you answered yes to any of these, then you may want to look further into the possibility of Adrenal Fatigue.

Everyone’s experience with Adrenal Fatigue is different. However, these are symptoms that many have.

The frustrating thing? It’s often not recognized by traditional medicine. For the last two or three years I would go to my primary care physician indicating that my energy was low and I wasn’t feeling like myself. The biggest red flag was right after my fitness competition, I couldn’t seem to stop gaining weight no matter how much I worked out or how healthy I ate (many of the “healthy” things I’d been doing like intense workouts actually accelerated the decline of my adrenal glands!) In fact I gained over 30 lbs in less than 2 years and my energy began a steady decline until I could barely get out of bed some days. My Primary care physician had me take several tests and nothing out of the norm showed up except that my glucose was higher than it had ever been-due to the weight gain. Yet, I know my body very well and I knew something was wrong. I finally found a doctor trained in natural medicine who not only helped me to find the proper diagnosis, he has created a plan for healing & recovery which is focused on self care. This includes more sleep, eating the right foods, yoga, light exercise, & relaxation activities. If you think that you may have Adrenal Fatigue or would like to know more about it, certainly do some research on it and find a doctor in your area trained in natural medicine or a functional nutritionist who may be able to help you. There are several Facebook pages as well as Instagram pages dedicated to Adrenal Fatigue. I’m actually thinking of starting one myself. I’ll let you know if I do.

Over my next few posts, I will share some of the things that I’m learning to heal my body. I’m learning lots of great information! I’m not a specialist or a dr –just a woman like you who is healing and wants to be able to share things that are working for me. I’ll also be sharing a bit of my journey, as a highly motivated woman who owns her own business and is managing to still do what I love to do in fulfilling my purpose while healing from Adrenal Fatigue. If you are reading this and anything is resonating with you, know that it’s not by coincidence you’ve come across this. Know that God places people, circumstances, and resources in your path for a reason. Instead of thinking of Adrenal Fatigue as a health challenge, I’m looking at it as a wisdom experience. It’s an opportunity for me to take a look at my life and see what I can do to create healthy changes that will support a more balanced lifestyle and ensure my healing. It’s an opportunity to really get in touch with myself, and my body, and really take care of it in a way that I hadn’t been. I’m becoming naturally aligned mind, body, and spirit.

Learning to listen to what feels good and doing more of that and letting go of that which is no longer serving me. And it feels so good! You know what? You can choose to see your health challenge-which is really a wisdom health experience-as an opportunity to really look at your life and see what’s working/not working, tune into your body and become realigned with how God has naturally designed you to be. Look at it as a time to be true to you & let go of what’s not. There’s healing in authenticity. This is a journey that can take you to your next level and allow you to gain wisdom that will one day be used to help others. Remember to Live Inspired Today and we’ll see you next time.

Blessings!