Recession stress? Bailout burnout? Given the current economic crisis, it's an appropriate time to talk about stress. Stress is a killer, there's no doubt. But it's also unavoidable; contemporary life is built around stress. The mental pressure of financial concerns, strained relationships, and other frustrations is compounded by inadequate sleep, poor nutritional choices and, for many of us, inappropriate physical demands on our bodies, such as sitting in one position in front of the computer (yeah, I mean you).

Your body can successfully adapt to stress for a certain period of time, but with time this ability becomes overtaxed and we begin to see the physiological effects of an inability to compensate for higher demands. Because stress is managed through hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine (aka adrenaline) that are secreted by your adrenal glands, the physiological effects of long-term stress have been termed adrenal fatigue.

Signs that you have adrenal fatigue:

• Fatigue not relieved by sleep
• Difficulty getting up in the morning
• Energy crash around 3 p.m.
• Getting dizzy when standing up quickly
• Difficulty concentrating
• Poor memory, forgetting what you were about to say
• Feeling better after a meal and worse skipping one
• Craving salty food
• Allergies, respiratory or food

Sound familiar?

Unchecked adrenal fatigue can lead to further hormonal imbalances. Low thyroid function is often secondary to adrenal fatigue, as are PMS and infertility. Allergic responses to foods or environmental agents are responsible for a vast array of symptoms and conditions, notably autoimmune disorders.

What can we do?

Want to start feeling better? Naturally, the first order of business is to reduce stress as much as possible. Take a good look at the things that are stressing you out and ask yourself: Do I need to be in this situation? If not, leave it. If so: can I change this situation? Do what you can and if you can't do anything: how can I change my reaction to this situation?

The second step is to get enough sleep and, folks, enough sleep is eight hours. Eight is enough, not five, not six, not even seven. Get eight hours and establish a regular schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. If you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, then we need to figure out why and address that. Too much coffee too late in the day? Drink it in the morning or, if you really want to destress, drop the caffeine all together. For other causes of insomnia, there are simple herbs or homeopathic remedies that are very effective, non-toxic and non-addictive.

Next on the list is establishing an intentional relaxation practice. Yoga, tai chi and meditation are great examples of relaxing activities you can make a regular part of your life. Strenuous exercise is a stress on your body so, though it is certainly good for you, it doesn't fill this particular need. Neither does watching TV or drinking a glass of wine, though they may feel relaxing they in fact contribute to stress.

A superb relaxation technique is simple abdominal breathing: Lie down with your hands on your belly and breath into your abdomen, rather than your chest. You should feel your belly rise and fall while your chest stays relatively still. Abdominal breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the control center for calm and relaxation in the body.

In terms of nutrition, two nutrients that your adrenal glands rely on are vitamin C and pantothenic acid (aka vitamin B5). The need for these two nutrients goes up when we are under stress. I generally recommend these vitamins in ratios of 1000 mg vitamin C to 250 mg of pantothenic acid, three times a day or more. A B-complex should be taken to support the pantothenic acid.

Herbs that help with adrenal fatigue include Eleutherococcus senticosus, formerly known as Siberian ginseng but now sold simply as Eleuthero, and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). One herb that is particularly suited to those devoted to a lot of mental work is Rhodiola rosea. And probably the best herb to relax mental tension is Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia).

If you are feeling worn-out, these are the steps to take. If you are experiencing the symptoms listed above, addressing them now will prevent illness and save you discomfort later. But don't stress out about it...