The Adrenal Stress Index™

The Adrenal Stress Index™ The adrenals are two small glands, each weighing 3 to 5 grams, that are located above the kidneys. The adrenals have one of the highest rates of blood flow per gram of tissue, and the highest content of Vitamin C per gram of any tissue in the body. Each adrenal gland is composed of two separate functional entities. The outer zone, or cortex, accounts for 80% to 90% of the gland, and secretes adrenal steroids (Cortisol, DHEA(S) and Aldosterone). The inner zone, or medulla, comprises 10% to 20% of the gland, and secretes the catecholamines adrenaline and nor-adrenaline. Cortisol, DHEA and adrenaline are the three main adrenal stress hormones. The Adrenal Rhythm & Its Importance The human adrenal gland does not secrete its steroid hormones at a constant level throughout the day. The hormones are actually released in a cycle with the highest value in the morning and the lowest value at night. This is easily understood by looking at Figure 1. This 24-hour cycle is called the circadian rhythm. An abnormal adrenal rhythm can influence many functions of the body, some of which are listed below. 1. Energy production Abnormal adrenal function can alter the ability of cells to produce energy for activities of daily living. People who have a hard time rising in the morning, or who suffer with a low energy level during the day, often have abnormal adrenal rhythms and poor blood sugar regulation. The maintenance of a stable blood sugar level depends on food choice, lifestyle, adrenal function and insulin activity. This panel measures stress hormones and insulin, to help ferret out causes of fatigue, cravings and obesity. 2. Muscle & joint function Abnormal adrenal rhythms are known to compromise tissue healing. Reduced tissue repair and increased tissue breakdown can lead to muscle and joint breakdown with chronic pain. 3. Bone health The adrenal rhythm determines how well we build bone. If the night cortisol level is elevated and the morning level is too high, our bones do not rebuild well, and we are more prone to the osteoporotic process. Stress is the enemy of the bones. In postmenopausal women, the effect of stress worsens due to the female hormone imbalances. 4. Immune health Various immune cells (white blood cells) cycle in and out of the spleen and bone marrow for special conditioning, and possible nourishment and instructions. This immune system trafficking follows the cortisol cycle. So, if the cycle is disrupted, especially at night, then the immune system is adversely affected. Short and long-term stress is known to suppress the immune response on the surfaces of our body as in lungs, throat, urinary and intestinal tract. With the reduction in the surface antibody (called secretory IgA), the resistance to infection is reduced and allergic reactions are believed to increase. 5. Sleep quality The ability to enter REM sleep cycles, i.e. regenerative sleep, is interrupted by high cortisol values at night and in the morning. Chronic lack of REM sleep can reduce the mental vitality and vigor of a person and induce depression. 6. Skin regeneration Human skin regenerates mostly during the night. With higher night cortisol values, less skin regeneration takes place. So, a normal cortisol rhythm is essential for optimal skin health (See Figure 2). 7. Thyroid function The level of Cortisol at the cell level controls thyroid hormone production. Quite often, hypothyroid symptoms such as fatigue and low body temperature are due to an adrenal maladaptation. 8. Grain intolerance & stress About 12-18% of the U.S. population suffers from a genetic intol- erance to grain. Specifically, a high incidence occurs in Celtic, Germanic, and Nordic derivation. The gut becomes inflamed within 30 minutes after consuming the grains and this can lead to an adrenal stress response, increased cortisol and reduced DHEA. (Several other functions that go beyond the scope of the pamphlet are also cortisol and DHEA dependent.) The Adrenal Stress Index™ (ASI™) Four saliva samples are used in the ASI™ for the following ten tests: 4 x Cortisol Helps evaluate stress response 2 x Insulin Helps investigate blood sugar control DHEA Helps determine stress adaptation Secretory IgA Helps evaluate toll on immunity 17-OH Progesterone Helps determine adrenal reserve Gluten Antibodies Helps identify grain intolerance Your health care provider can use the findings in this panel to recommend customized treatment and preventive measures that may include diet and lifestyle changes, hormones, botanicals and vitamins. Advantages of the ASI™ The test is non-invasive & can be performed wherever you are. Saliva is collected under real life conditions. There are no stressful blood draws and no gallon sized urine containers to carry around for 24 hours. With blood and urine testing, a number of borderline adrenal conditions are missed due to lack of sensitivity. This is not the case with the ASI™ because samples are taken within one circadian cycle and the more definitive free fraction is measured. The ASI™ is an in-depth test, such that options for treatment are expanded by 400-500% over serum and urine test results. Note: The ASI™ was invented and introduced by Diagnos-Techs, Inc. in 1989. All other panels offered on the market are copies. Abnormal adrenal rhythm can influence: Energy Production Bone Health Immune System Health Sleep Quality Skin Regeneration Thyroid Function Muscle and Joint Function Do you need the ASI™ Test? To determine if the ASI™ is the appropriate test for assessing your health condition, ask your physician for a stress questionnaire. The score can help your doctor determine a course of action. The ASI™ is mostly ordered for individuals that suffer from: Chronic stress and related health problems Lack of vitality and energy Muscle and joint pain Hypoglycemia Migraine headaches Osteoporosis Sleep disturbances Poor memory Alcohol intolerance Stress maladaptation Low sex drive Low body temperature

Trouble Sleeping? Try These Tips

Trouble Sleeping? Try These Tips
What you do and drink before bedtime can have an effect

(HealthDay News) -- Though the value of a good night's sleep is well known, it's not uncommon for people to get far less than the eight hours recommended for peak performance.

The Comprehensive Epilepsy and Sleep Disorders Center at Baylor Regional Medical Center in Texas offers these explanations why, and tips on how to get more shut-eye:

• Control caffeine. The cycle of downing a large cup of coffee to wake up in the morning and more after dinner, whether out of habit or desire to stay up late, counters the body's ability to sleep soundly on its own. Go easy on the caffeine, especially in the six hours before bedtime.
• Stress less. Lying awake at night worrying about responsibilities at home or work does little besides making sleep more difficult, so just let your troubles go at bedtime. "Once your head hits the pillow, your only duty is to sleep," Raul Noriega, manager of the center, said in a Baylor news release.
• Reschedule that nighttime workout. Exercising helps your body, but doing it too close to bedtime might hurt it in the end, because it makes falling asleep more difficult. That's because sleep causes the body temperature to drop about a degree and, if you're heated up from exercise, it could take hours for you to cool down enough for sleep, Noriega said.
• Develop a sleep routine. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Shut off the TV and music, turn down the lights and take a warm (not hot) shower to build an atmosphere of calm. And you might try reading in bed for a little bit before turning off the lights.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream?

William Shakespeare isn't the only one to espouse the benefits of adequate sleep. The question remains, however: How much is enough? Certainly, not enough sleep can be detrimental to your health, but can you also suffer health risks from catching too many zzz's?

Daniel Kripke, co-director of research at the Scripps Clinic Sleep Center in La Jolla, Calif., compared death rates among more than 1 million American adults who, as part of a study on cancer prevention, reported their average nightly sleep totals. He recently discussed the results of his findings in an interview with Time magazine.
According to Kripke, "Studies show that people who sleep between 6.5 hr. and 7.5 hours a night, as they report, live the longest. And people who sleep 8 hours or more, or less than 6.5 hours don't live quite as long. There is just as much risk associated with sleeping too long as with sleeping too short. The big surprise is that long sleep seems to start at 8 hours. Sleeping 8.5 hours might really be a little worse than sleeping 5 hours."

I've seen this even 20 years ago in my health books so this is not new evidence.

He added that risks for various illnesses, such as depression, obesity, heart disease and diabetes increase both with not enough and too much sleep. 'Morbidity [or sickness] is also ëu-shaped,' in the sense that both very short sleep and very long sleep are associated with many illnesses."

Finally, getting out of bed when you're not sleepy and restricting your time in bed actually helps you to sleep more. Kripke noted this helps people get over their fear of the bed. "Spending less time in bed actually makes you sleep better. It is, in fact, a more powerful and effective long-term treatment for insomnia than sleeping pills."

Balance away the blues, and sleep better too!

There several benefits of L-tryptophan, such as how it has been shown to normalize
sleep, enhance mood and even reduce our craving for carbohydrates. I've had patients on this for fibromyalgia as part of my protocol with great success. L-Tryptophan has recently been reintroduced back into the market by the FDA, who unjustifiably banned it for many years because of the negligence of one overseas manufacturer cutting corners to produce profit. But some are confused about the purity and quality of various forms of L-tryptophan, because there are several forms of this amino acid available on the market today.

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I have personally tried this the other day and WOW! it gave me a wonderful state of relaxation within 10 minutes. (I actually opened the capsule to check the taste of the powder-I know you know I'm a little silly this way!) It was totally unexpected, since I was on my way to the office. I personally did not feel any impairment in driving whatsoever, but please, use your own sound judgement and get used to the effects for several days before operating any machinery. This supplement should be taken best before bedtime.

Lastly, I've found a source that give great savings off of the manufacturer's price!

"Natural Calm"

A patient walked in Saturday and commented on how he was manging his diabetes with our magnesium supplement "Natural Calm". He said his blood pressure normalized, he has taken less insulin (140, down from 200 units), he could sleep better.

Another patient remarked on how she had irregular bowel movements which improved to be the best she's ever had in her 20 some years (you really shouldn't have these issues, being so young. But she has many more issues that we are resolving that traditional medicine has not helped her with.)

Lastly, my pregnant wife couldn't fall asleep so at 2 am I made her some Mama Calm with honey and she did sleep better afterwards.

SLEEPING can get you into trouble – so can getting up.

NEVER sleep on your stomach (unless you have cut out a hole in your mattress to keep your head in neutral.) This may be good for your lower back but will certainly cause neck problems. The best sleeping posture is in a semi-fetal position with a pillow between your legs/knees. The pillow reduces the risk of rolling the top leg over the bottom causing twisting of the lumbar spine and straining the hip joints. This will allow for all kinds of nasty things to happen. Also make sure the neck is properly supported with a curve-facilitating pillow, such as our Tempur-Pedic millenium pillow.


If you are a back sleeper support the lower back with a small thin pillow or loosely rolled up towel. This will maintain the inward (lordotic) curve of the small of the back which will flatten either on a firm or soft mattress and put you at risk.


Have you ever gotten stuck getting out of bed? I see these patients often. No matter how you sleep the most important step you can take getting out of bed is to perform 5-6 Extension Push-Ups just BEFORE you swing your legs out of bed and stand up. When you are sleeping, even in the best posture, things can slide around. This helps the facet joints (joints between the vertebrae) to “track” like they are suppose to and prepares your back for weight-bearing. To perform the Extension Push-Up, roll onto your front, push up with the arms while you push your pelvis and stomach into the bed. If this bothers your arms, shoulders or wrist, simply cross your arms under your chest rather than trying to straighten your arms. Develop this as a habit every time you are getting up, even in the middle of the night for a bit of bladder relief.