By Cristina Proano-Carrion
Fatigued? Sick all the time? Perhaps your adrenal glands are the culprit.
What are The Adrenal Glands?
The adrenal glands are two walnut-sized lumps that sit atop the kidneys. Their foremost function is to help you deal with stress in all its varied forms—from the slight to the extreme. The adrenal glands have close to 50 other functions, including metabolism, the sodium/potassium balance, blood sugar levels, and aiding in the production of sex hormones.
The Fight or Flight Response
When stress hits, the adrenal glands jump into action by putting you into fight-or-flight mode. The glands release adrenaline to increase your heart rate, blood pressure, rate of breathing, and secrete other hormones that instruct your digestive system and other “non-vital” systems to temporarily stop functioning. By directing all available blood flow to your muscles at the same time, your body prepares itself to either attack (fight) or to run away from (flee) the perceived threat or challenge.
The fight-or-flight response is normal and healthy, but it becomes damaging when we react to every minor situation in a state of tremendous stress. In the fast-paced lives, we lead today, just getting to work on time can be stressful; not to mention the dozens of other tasks that need we need to complete. Problems arise if throughout the day the adrenal glands are kept constantly stimulated.
A person with overworked adrenal glands is constantly fatigued, has low sex drive, frequently catches colds and infections, is easily depressed and has trouble sleeping.
How Can Aromatherapy Help the Adrenal Glands?
There are compounds in some volatile oils that have a structural similarity to natural human hormones, and these promote efficient endocrine gland activity by natural means. For instance, the compounds found in Pine, Spruce and Rosemary oils are like cortisone. It is said that they stimulate the cortex of the adrenal glands or they mimic the action of cortisone in so far as they have a modulating effect on the activity of the adrenal cortex. [1]
Here are some strategies that you could use to integrate aromatherapy into your daily routine to help both physically and emotionally.
- During the day, add 2 drops to a tissue with a calming essential oil, and breathe deeply, all the while visualizing a calm, positive scene. Experiment with essential oils of Clary Sage, Bergamot, Litsea Cubeba and Citrus Delight.
- In the morning, start off your day with the magic of essential oils. Begin in the shower, by massaging the center of your back, where the kidneys are located. Rub the area with a washcloth to which two drops of Rosemary and Spruce oils have been added. These oils mimic adrenal hormones and, in stimulating the adrenal cortex, send a current of energy all through your body.
- After your shower, massage the same area with a ½ teaspoon of carrier oil and a couple of drops of Pine, Spruce, Rosemary, essential oils. or 1/2 teaspoon of Adrenal Support Body Oil. Feel your hands instilling restoration and balance with each loving stroke. As you massage, thank the energies of the oils for all the help they provide you.
- In the evening, there’s nothing better to calm and soothe than a warm bath with essential oils. Great oils to relax in the evenings are Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, and Rose. If you prefer showers, soak a washcloth a few drops of essential oil and let the hot water run through the washcloth, and inhale and soak in the fragrant steam as you unwind.
[1]
Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, Shirley Price, Len Price, page 117
