So how do you feel after exercise?
Exercise. The benefits are well known. Everything from better cardiac health to improved mental health.
So why does it make some people feel like they've been hit by a truck ?
If you are living with an autoimmune disorder, chronic health condition or adrenal issues, exercise becomes interesting, for a few reasons.
One reason may be that the system that governs our response to stress and our tolerance of stress (exercise is physical stress) the HPA axis, or the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
This is a system that often becomes dysfunctional when we’ve been exposed to chronic stress either physical, mental or emotional, inflammation and/or chronic illness.
We call it HPA-D it was once known as adrenal fatigue.
If you have an autoimmune condition you are very likely have some level of HPA-D
Symptoms of HPA-D can be:
Reduced exercise tolerance or decreased performance in whatever activity that you’re doing,
A tendency to be a night person
Hair loss
Having difficulty falling asleep
Waking up in the middle of the night with difficulty falling back asleep
You’re a slow starter in the morning
Feeling keyed up and having trouble calming down
Low blood pressure
Headaches after exercising
Clenching or grinding your teeth
Chronic low- or middle-back pain
Difficulty maintaining chiropractic adjustments
Craving salty foods
Perspiring easily
Chronic fatigue or getting drowsy often
Afternoon yawning
Afternoon headache
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Seasonal or chronic allergies
Pain on the medial (inner) side of the knee or knees
Needing to wear sunglasses
Dizziness when you stand up
Difficulty losing weight
Gaining weight around the waistline
Getting upset or angry easily
If you have HPA-D and you try to carry out a strenuous form of exercise, you’ll not only exacerbate the symptoms of HPA-D but you will also make recovery from the symptoms even more difficult.
If you have an autoimmune condition but don't yet have HPA-D you are at a very real risk of developing HPA-D by pushing your body too hard.
A part of the problem of pushing yourself when exercising while living with autoimmunity, chronic illness or HPA-D is over production of the stress hormone cortisol.
When our body is experiencing any form of stress, including physical stress, the adrenals are instructed by the pituitary gland to release cortisol into the bloodstream.
Continued cortisol output weakens the endocrine system, the immune system, the liver, digestive system and even the brain.
Over production of cortisol and adrenalin also put the nervous system into flight or fight mode, this is very taxing for the body and in particular the nervous system.
Does this mean you need to stop exercising?
No, definitely not. It means that you need to exercise in a way that still offers the benefits but without creating too much physical stress and depleting your metabolic reserves, it's all about balance.
Restorative Yoga and Gentle Yoga both have an incredibly positive effect on helping to cultivate and increase energy without any stress to the body.
Here's a gentle yoga video for you, you can use this practice even when you are experiencing fatigue or an autoimmune flare.
Other things that can help you recover from the effects of over exercising are:
Drink a glass of water with 1/4 teaspoon of Celtic salt in it when you wake up & put just a pinch in your drinking water throughout the day. Celtic salt has over 80 minerals and trace minerals that nourish the adrenals and endocrine system.
Essential oils: Diffuse, add to bath water or apply diluted essential oils to the soles of your feet or pulse points. Lavender, wild orange bergamot and roman chamomile are all wonderful stress busters.
Practices such as Qi Gong, walking, gentle swimming are all beneficial for the adrenals.
Eat breakfast within an hour of waking. Waiting too long before eating can cause blood sugar levels to drop and prompt excess cortisol release.
Eat magnesium rich foods. Foods rich in magnesium help support the adrenal glands. dark leafy greens, fatty fish, avocado, as well as soaked nuts, seeds and legumes are great sources of magnesium.
Eliminate caffeine. This is because caffeine stimulates neuron activity in the brain. Each time you drink a cup of coffee, neurons send messages to your pituitary gland which in turn alerts your adrenals to pump out adrenaline and cortisol.
Treat yourself to an Epsom salt or magnesium flake bath a couple of times a week or more. When we become stressed the body uses large amounts of magnesium. Using Epsom salts or magnesium flakes in the bathwater is a really efficient way to replenish your magnesium stores and relax the nervous system..
Go to bed by 10pm and turn off electronic devices at least an hour before.
Creativity is an important part of rebuilding metabolic reserve. There are studies done on this. Listening to music, slow dancing, making music, observing or creating art, are all extremely beneficial.
Meditate. compared to non-meditators, people who meditator experience lower levels of cortisol when placed under stress.
According to this study - . Influence of mindfulness practice on cortisol and sleep in long-term and short-term meditators The stress hormone cortisol is reduced in proportion to the amount of time one has been practicing
Meditation reduces anxiety - Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation
Meditating results in a reduced stress reaction time Effect of Buddhist meditation on serum cortisol and total protein levels, blood pressure, pulse rate, lung volume and reaction time
Meditation has been shown to deactivate stress related genes Genomic counter-stress changes induced by the relaxation response.
Get outside - click the link to see more on the benefits of walking in nature.
Remember, you can influence your health for the better, make yourself a priority today.
To book classes in Restorative Yoga, Gentle Yoga or any of the Flowerpot Yoga Shala Healing Circles please click the button below.
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