Some of the sickest people I have ever met thought they were exceptionally healthy, except for all those pesky symptoms. They had been following this or that fad diet and were sure it was right for them. Or, they were vegetarians or vegans who really weren’t — it turned out that they were really bagelarians! Eating mostly wheat (“but, it’s WHOLE wheat!”). Pounds of it…everyday. They just couldn’t understand why they had no energy and an assortment of symptoms.
This won’t tell you everything by any means, but a good gage of general health is to examine the health of the adrenal glands. The adrenals weaken when the body is under stress. This manifests as being in the instinctual state of fight or flight. Long term fight/flight leads to many health complications, and adrenal fatigue is a very common condition. Stress, toxicity and especially the modern diet of refined foods are the main factors that adversely affect the adrenals though there are others. You can read the article “30 Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue” to learn more about adrenal health. Today I want to give you a definitive test of adrenal strength.
How the Test Works
The postural blood pressure or BP test is a test where the blood pressure is checked while lying down in a relaxed state, and again after standing up from the relaxed position. When we stand up, there is less blood flow to the brain caused by gravity. When healthy, the adrenals respond to this change by releasing hormones that keep the pressure steady. If the adrenals are too weak to release the needed hormones, then the blood pressure will drop when you stand up. You can then determine if the adrenals are in recovery or not by taking the BP a third time three minutes later. If the pressure doesn’t come up within three minutes, then the adrenals are not recovering. If the BP comes up to the level it was when reclining then the adrenals are in recovery mode and getting better, probably because of lifestyle changes.
Of course, you need to be able to take your BP to do the test. It would be best if you had a friend who had the equipment and knowledge to take it for you. Or, you may be able to get your doctor or their nurse to check it. As awkward as it may be, you can also use the automatic testing equipment found in many drugstores. The automatic BP equipment isn’t as accurate, but it should be accurate enough for this test. Be sure to lie down for the first test. I have had people tell me they tested fine but when I checked they were obviously weak. Turns out they only relaxed while sitting in the provided chair.
The Test
The first thing you do is to lie down for ten minutes or so and relax. Then take your BP noting the numbers. For this test, you want to pay attention to the lower number called the diastolic. Next, stand up and take the BP again right away. If the diastolic drops by five or ten points then your adrenals are fatigued. Take the pressure again after three minutes or so to see if the pressure recovers to the level it was at while reclining. If not, then the stress the adrenals have been living with is still present and they are not recovering.
Conclusion
Many conditions can be traced to weakened adrenals. It is a high health priority to help them heal and keep them strong. In future articles I will trace the chemistry for why this happens as well as give supplement suggestions.
