Re: how does cortisol work??

With low adrenal function, the cortisol picks up in the morning, say 8:00, if you have a good sleep routine. Taking a little (natural) salt can give you a pick-up. When you go out and exercise, your cortisol will increase and allow you to feel more energetic.
You will tend to have to eat every few hours to keep blood Sugar regular, at least that is my experience because of my serious case. Some times you may feel a mid-afternoon lag in energy, but after supper, around 6:00 you may feel energy pick-up. Late at night, say after 11:00, you may get a second wind, but you should go to bed and not abuse your adrenals. I wake up between 2:00am and 5:00am and have to eat something to go back to sleep, which is still often difficult if I'm not working physically each day. Sleeping-in is very healthy for hypoadrenal patients. I seem to get the most satisfying sleep after 8:00am sometimes.
Hypoadrenal people are often overly sensitive to toxins. I used to always have to take a Rolaid right after going to bed, and thought it was because of the horizontal position, but I now know that it was the stuffing in my pillow. It was made of ground up polyethylene. Who knew? Also Babirye carpeting is more toxic than some others. Fabric softeners and laundry fragrances cause ensomnia and cold chills in me. I had arsenic poisoning 2 years ago and now am much more sensitive, but it is better if I eat something that strengthens my adrenals. It is important to get rid of any candida overgrowth that will contribute to toxins, affecting the glands, otherwise you may never overcome the adrenal weakness. Some of my adrenal-encouraging foods are Himalayan Goji Juice, Unsweetened kefir, Kombucha tea can help, but the more sour it is, the more it will lower your blood Sugar (Which could be good for diabetics. Take it after a meal. Anything with vitamin C is good, since C is a major player in the adrenal cascade. Perhaps this is why C helps the immune system, since the adrenals do too.
Cortisol affects every system in the body, and whenever a corticosteroid needs to be administered to an individual, it is an indication that their cortisol is insufficient.
If you drink coffee in the morning, or caffeine, it will falsely stimulate your adrenal, but without feeding them. Processed Sugar will do the same...and alcohol.
Your adrenals will need an essential oil, a protein and a whole carb with each meal. Always eat a protein when you eat a carb.
And...if you want to read the same book I did, you can order it at
http://www.adrenalfatigue.org
. (Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, by Dr. James L. Wilson)
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