Adrenal Cocktails
The Power of Adrenal Cocktails
These fun drinks may not sound as exciting as a regular cocktail but they are definitely much better for you.
What's the purpose of an adrenal cocktail?
Just like it says in the name, it's a drink to support your adrenals.
But what are your adrenals and why do they need this extra support?
They are located right above our kidneys and they regulate important stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline, and aldosterone). They regulate the body's response to stress --- they control that “fight or flight” response in the body. In addition, they also regulate key physiological processes in the body such as glucose usage, blood pressure regulation, and immune responses.
It's important that we keep the adrenals and their hormones in check because we want all of these systems to be regulated properly. When hormonal imbalances happen, symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety will arise. This is a sign of “adrenal fatigue” -- when this gland is out of balance, it can create more stress on the body whereas a healthy adrenal gland would help us manage stress better.
When aldosterone levels are reduced (due to stress), the body is not able to regulate mineral and fluid levels properly, which then causes sodium to be removed from the body and this, in turn, causes water to be removed as well.
Because of this cascade of events, symptoms of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance begin to occur.
How do we balance the adrenals?
The key to obtaining the power of an adrenal cocktail lies in the nutritional content! It all starts with getting enough vitamins and minerals. Specifically vitamin c, sodium and potassium.
Vitamin C
Our adrenals have a high demand for vitamin C -- much of the body's vitamin c is stored in and used by the adrenal gland which makes this a vital component for the cocktails. The base of this drink is typically orange juice, but you can use other juice sources that you prefer such as pineapple, apple, grape juice, etc.
Potassium
We need both potassium and sodium to get optimal absorption into the adrenals. We can obtain potassium from Cream of tartar, coconut water, aloe vera juice or lime juice.
Sodium
Yes, sodium! Again, sodium helps to properly absorb other nutrients to fully hydrate and replenish mineral stores. The best source for the adrenal cocktail is pink Himalayan sea salt.
How to make an adrenal cocktail
-60mg of vitamin C
-375 mg of potassium
-460mg of sodium
This does not have to be exact! You can adjust the ratios to your liking, especially if you are more sensitive to juice for blood sugar control. Instead of a cup of juice, you could reduce it to 1-2 tbsps.
Recipe 1
4 oz of orange juice- fresh squeezed is best but not essential (vitamin c)
¼ tsp of cream of tartar (potassium)
¼ tsp of pink Himalayan sea salt - excellent source of sodium and other trace minerals (sodium)
Recipe 2
8 oz or 1 cup of coconut water
4 oz of pineapple juice
¼ teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt
If you find that you need more support with balancing your adrenals and overall hormone support, consider working 1:1 with one of our Registered Dietitians for more individualized support.
