Adrenal cortex insufficiency & allergies

[Guest guest]

Adrenal cortex insufficiency & allergies by Jule Klotter, Townsend

Letter for Doctors and Patients > May, 2006

Are allergies, asthma, eczema, and other inflammatory conditions

signs of adrenal cortex insufficiency? They certainly are treated

that way, according to S. Cowan, MD, in his book, The

Fourfold Path to Healing. The adrenal hormone cortisone and its

derivatives are often the treatment of choice for such conditions.

The adrenal cortex (the large, outer portion of the gland) produces

several hormones necessary for maintaining and restoring

equilibrium. These hormones include glucocorticoids, which regulate

sugar metabolism and inflammation; mineralocorticoids, which

regulate salt balance; and sex hormone precursors. In contrast,

epinephrine (adrenaline) from the adrenal medulla (the inner

portion) primes the body for emergencies. It produces the " fight-or-

flight " response to stress. In addition to the many life-challenging

situations that cause legitimate stress, our culture manufactures

stress in the form of " urgent " news reports, adrenaline-pumping

television shows, and video games. High consumption of caffeine

further stimulates the system. Restoring equilibrium in the face of

a constant onslaught of emergency alerts can exhaust the adrenal

cortex. It simply cannot respond to the pituitary gland's call to

increase hormone production.

As a practitioner of anthroposophical medicine, Dr. Cowan's

recommendations for treating adrenal cortex insufficiency address

all aspects of the patient. " True relief from asthma, allergies, and

other symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, " he writes, " can only be

achieved by rebuilding the gland with proper nutrition and by re-

establishing the balance of the adrenal/pituitary system through

various activities that heal the Emotional body. " First, he

emphasizes the need for good nutrition, based on traditionally

prepared whole foods, to support the physical body. Because the

adrenal cortex uses cholesterol to make its hormone, Cowan

emphasizes the importance of including high-quality butter and

cultured cream, produced by grass-fed cows. Processed foods,

hydrogenated fats, and caffeine should be avoided. In terms of

therapeutics, he recommends supporting the adrenal glands and, if

necessary, other glands that make up the pituitary-endocrine axis

(pituitary, thyroid, ovaries, testicles) with protomorphogen-

containing products developed by Dr. Royal Lee and made by Standard

Process. Protomorphogens, the cellular determinants in an organ's

nucleoproteins, provide a " blueprint for the regeneration and

rebuilding of a distressed organ. " Herbs, homeopathics, nutritional

supplements, and chiropractic adjustments are other therapeutic

options.

Reducing stress and eliminating unnecessary stressors are vital for

restoring adrenal function. Cowan says, " Many people with allergies

are in fact anxious and fearful, and they tend to overreact on many

levels. " He addresses the emotional-mental bodies with suggestions

for grounding through walking (heel placed down first) and deep

breathing. A simple meditation technique drawn from Rudolf Steiner's

Ruckschau Meditation can be helpful for reducing stress. The

technique consists of reviewing each day's events (beginning with

the most recent event), as if watching a film of someone else's

life. While doing this meditation each evening, Dr. Cowan suggests

fostering an objective, philosophical view, taking a long-term

perspective. Instead of seeing the day's events as the whole book of

your life, view them as paragraphs in a much longer volume. Dr.

Cowan points out that " it is the perception of the events in our

lives that affects our physiology, not the actual events. Daily or

frequent application of this kind of mental exercise can help us

achieve balance in the physical performance of our adrenal glands. "

In addition, he urges people to listen to their inner guide instead

of " living a life of 'should.' " He calls the adrenal gland " the

processor of stress in our bodies. " Cowan defines stress as

being " anything that forces us to live contrary to what our inner

guide is telling us is right for us. "

Cowan TS, Fallon S, McMillan J. Diseases of adrenal cortex

insufficiency. The Fourfold Path to Healing. Washington, DC: New

Trends Publishing, Inc; 2004:179-193.