I hate to be the bearer of bad news but giving up coffee, (for a period of time, at least) is important for those wishing to recover from adrenal fatigue. The reason why is two-fold. Firstly, cortisol plays an important role in blood sugar regulation, which is why so many adrenal fatigue sufferers suffer from blood sugar imbalances. And coffee? Well, coffee can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels, because it stimulates the release of cortisol. More about cortisol’s connection to blood sugar balance here.
Secondly, coffee stimulates your fight or flight response. It does this by sending a signal to your pituitary gland in your brain causing the adrenals to pump out the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
Think you’re doing okay if your body doesn’t respond to caffeine much? Think again. Oftentimes this is because you’ve drunk so much caffeine or been so stressed out that your adrenals reaction to caffeine has become weakened, and unable to respond as they otherwise should.
Those with adrenal fatigue have already over-stimulated their adrenals, so the last thing they should be doing is stimulating them some more, therefore in order to recover you must give up your daily caffeine. But don’t worry, this isn’t a “forever” things. You will be able to have your cup of joe again in the future, but if you want to heal and feel better then the your priority has to be that, and not your morning jolt of java.
What do I prefer to drink in the morning instead of coffee?
Matcha latte. This is one of my favourite coffee alternatives. Get my recipe here.
Dandy blend. I suggest my client give this a go instead of coffee, since it tastes a lot like coffee. Made from dandelion, chicory and beet roots, and barley and rye grains but gluten-free I think this will be liver-supportive drink for my client that could potentially replace coffee.
