You can reduce symptoms by removing foods, BUT the root cause of these symptoms is adrenal malfunction. Go to the root cause.
Cortisol and aldosterone are hormones that are secreted by the adrenal glands. They control the immune system, the central nervous system, organ function, mineral balance, electroylye balance, sex hormone balance, growth hormone balance, blood sugar, blood pressure, the acidity and amount of the acid in the stomach , how the kidney, liver heart, bladder, brain, and lung function, the appetite... and metabolism of food, how the bowel/gut works, and more.
One of cortisol's jobs is to SUPRESS the immune system. Let me be more specific. Our adrenal hormones go through a diurnal pattern. They are highest in the morning, and gradually reduce during the day, becoming lowest at midnight -2 am.
What our body does is go into a hyper state of immune function at night, while we are sleeping, so it can fight infection and also do repair. When the morning comes, the 8am surge of cortisol "suppresses" the immune system and takes it out of overdrive. Those who have low cortisol output have immune systems that are still in a an overdrive state during the day. They become allergic to all kinds of things, foods, smells, dyes, topical things that touch the skin, etc. In addition to that, the low cortisol causes the acidity of the stomach (and the blood acidity) to change. Now, the body is coming metabolically acidic. The ability to digest PROTIENS is compromised. And so is fats to an extent. There also becomes a dysregulation of blood sugar because cortisol controls that too. The morning cortisol spike is suppose to raise the blood sugar so the body can eat and digest foods. People with Low cortisol have low blood sugar( hypoglycemia), people with high cortisol get diabetes (high blood sugar). The brain is an organ who sustains vital life. It CANNOT go without blood sugar or the person will die. So, in order to bring up the low blood sugar, it releases a backup hormone- adrenaline, and it will usually do this about 2-3 a.m. The adrenaline rush will typically wake the person, I mean- wide awake. Blood sugar deregulation also contributes to the metabilism issue.
Then you have the thyroid hormones responsible for metabolism. These hormones are manufactured in the adrenal gland. Without proper precursor hormones to feed the thyroid, you have further metabolism issues.
The mucosals are directly related to the adrenal hormones. Lungs, sinus, ears, these are all mucosal tissues. Aldosterone affects ears and hearing. people low in aldosterone hormone will have hearing issues and ear pain, (even with no apparent infection present on exam) Excess ear wax is caused by LOW adrenal hormones. Adults with years of hearing loss can find a large precentage of hearing regain by taking aldosterone replacement (Florinef) which is by prescription.
I want to interject something here about milk. Milk certainly contributes to the problems because it creates excess mucus. It causes our normally thin and viscous mucosal fluids to become thick and tacky. Now any bacteria entering the nose or mouth gets stuck on the tacky mucus, instead of being washed down into the stomach anfd killed by the acid. There in the mucosal areas in proliferates. So, milk DOES aid in ear, sinus and lung problems.
Back to hormones. Cortisol replacement is (hydrocortisone) which can be by prescription or can also be bought online in pill form, usually 10 or 20 mgs.... or over the counter in very low concentrations in a 1% topical hydrocortisone creme which would probably equal about 3mg in a very small dollop (guessing).
For my daughter I give licorice root 3x a day (increases cortisol half life)and the creme in between when needed but not always. It is a very fine balance to acheive proper hormone replacement. She has already tested low in cortisol by saliva testing.
Testing for hormone levels can be done with:
*24 hour saliva cortisol test (not the blood test)
*Aldosterone ,renin, and electrolyte testing (salt fast for 3 days prior)
*and if these show issues deeper testing (ACTH stimulation testing and more) is warranted.
A general medical doctor will typically not have a clue about anything adrenal that I have said here. If they will not give the saliva cortisol test you can buy it online from canaryclub.org, it runs about 100 bucks or so. Dont let them give the blood test. It will give a false 'ok' reading and then you are stuck with them stating you have no issue.
You can go to an adrenal support yahoo group online. ( ____@____.com ) and they can decipher the saliva test and help you The moderators are very versed in the whole issue. But please dont try to give out the hormone pills without guidance. Again it is tricky and the hormones control the LIFE of the body. Over hormone supplementation will come with extreme opposite symptoms and problems.
By the way, antibiotics suppress the adrenal gland, so they exacerbate the whole issue. Antibiotic overuse has contributed to adrenal disease of epidemic proportions.
Be well,.
Gail