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Adrenal Fatigue Recipes: 5 Nutrient-Packed Meals To Support Your Adrenals
Do you constantly feel drained, inflamed, or anxious? Are you sleeping poorly or struggle with brain fog? Or do you feel like you're on a constant blood sugar roller coaster, craving sugary and salty foods? If this sounds familiar, you might be experiencing adrenal fatigue. While the concept is not medically diagnosed, adrenal fatigue is routinely treated anecdotally by some doctors and healthcare providers, and it's one of the most common forms of fatigue that I see in patients.
Here, I've carefully put together five nutrient-packed, yummy recipes specifically tailored to support your adrenals. While you should always consult your doctor if you're experiencing symptoms of adrenal fatigue, these five recipes can be a good place to get started.
Healthy Brain-Adrenal Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or MCT oil
- 1 scoop collagen peptides
- 1 teaspoon ashwagandha powder
- 1 teaspoon rhodiola powder
- 1 tablespoon maca powder
- 1 cup frozen organic berries
- 1 drop stevia
- 1 cup spinach
- 5 Brazil nuts
Method:
- Combine everything in a blender until smooth.
How it can help.
This smoothie is rich with adaptogenic herbs that can help promote balanced cortisol levels1, whether they are too high or too low. The healthy fats in the coconut milk and oil can also promote a healthy brain2, while the collagen is great for your gut, your "second brain," which is essential to brain and hormone health.
Beef Liver Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 pound grass-fed beef liver (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 large white onion, sliced
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup sprouts
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
Method:
- Heat coconut oil over a medium-high heat and sauté the liver for about 3 to 5 minutes, until cooked.
- Remove the liver from the pan and add in the onions. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add ginger, garlic, and turmeric, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add sprouts and cook, stirring until slightly softened.
- Add the liver, coconut aminos, and additional coconut oil if needed. Cook on a high heat for 2 minutes. Voilà.
How it can help.
Organ meat, like the liver in this recipe, is an exceptionally nutrient-dense source of activated B vitamins, which are essential for healthy methylation pathways3, which makes for a healthy brain and hormonal system! On top of this, the sulfur-rich vegetables such as onion and garlic may give methylation an extra boost. Take away: great for healthy brain-adrenal function.
Salmon With Avocado Sauce And Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients for the salmon:
- 2 pounds salmon filet, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Himalayan sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients for the avocado sauce:
- 2 chopped avocados
- 1 diced small red onion
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced cilantro
- 1 lime's worth of juice
- Himalayan sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients for the Brussels Sprouts:
- 3 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup raw honey
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- Himalayan sea salt and ground black pepper
To make the salmon:
- Combine paprika, cumin, onion, garlic, and chili powders, and season with salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.
- Put dry rub on salmon, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Mash the avocado until you get a smooth texture in another bowl.
- Add all the remaining ingredients for the avocado sauce, and stir until mixed.
- Remove the salmon from the fridge.
- Grill the salmon on the preheated grill around 5 minutes on each side, depending on grill.
- Drizzle avocado sauce on salmon.
To make the Brussels sprouts:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Mix Brussels sprouts in the coconut oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Put Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and roast until brown for about 30 minutes.
- Combine the balsamic vinegar and honey in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook until thickened.
- Drizzle glaze over the sprouts. Sprinkle the dried cranberries over the sprouts. Enjoy!
How it can help.
Where do I begin? The omega fats found in wild-caught fish are great for a healthy brain and hormones.4 Avocados provide more healthy fats and B vitamins, which can be beneficial for healthy neurotransmitters5. Brussels sprouts are rich in sulfur groups, which again can enhance methylation.
Healthy Crunchy Granola
Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup Brazil nuts
- ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ⅓ cup ground flaxseeds
- ⅔ cup pecans
- ¼ cup coconut flakes
- ⅓ cup raisins
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°F.
- Chop Brazil nuts and pecans in a food processor. Mix in a bowl with all the other nuts, seeds, and coconut flakes.
- Combine melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well-coated.
- Place in the oven to cook for 30 minutes.
How it can help.
Magnesium has a range of healthy benefits, and it's found in these healthy Brazil nuts. Selenium is also abundant in this snack, which is great for making active hormones, especially in your thyroid gland6. This granola is also rich in healthy omega fats that can be, as mentioned, beneficial for healthy brain function.
Calming Iced Tea
Ingredients:
- 1 quart spring water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar with mother
- 2 tablespoon organic lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon magnesium citrate powder
- 1 drop stevia
Method:
- Mix in water bottle, add some ice, and shake together.
How it can help.
This refreshing drink contains apple cider vinegar, which can help support the gut microbiome (a process that can also help balance hormone levels). Consuming probiotic-rich fermented foods, like ACV, has been shown to improve digestion, boost the immune system, and even positively affect mental health. Magnesium, as discussed, can help ease stress and improve sleep7.
Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, D.C., is a leading functional medicine expert who consults people around the globe, starting one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers in the world. Named one of the top 50 functional and integrative doctors in the nation, Dr. Will Cole provides a functional medicine approach for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain problems. He is the host of the popular The Art Of Being Well podcast and the New York Times bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting, Ketotarian,The Inflammation Spectrum, and Gut Feelings.
More from the author:
Functional Nutrition Training
Check out Functional Nutrition Coaching
A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts
Learn moreMore from the author:
Functional Nutrition Training
Check out Functional Nutrition Coaching
A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts
Learn moreWill Cole, IFMCP, DNM, D.C., is a leading functional medicine expert who consults people around the globe, starting one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers in the world. Named one of the top 50 functional and integrative doctors in the nation, Dr. Will Cole provides a functional medicine approach for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain problems. He is the host of the popular The Art Of Being Well podcast and the New York Times bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting, Ketotarian,The Inflammation Spectrum, and Gut Feelings.
7 Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3991026/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6120115/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6471069/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4404917/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772032/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5307254/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23853635
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