June 4, 2023

What I wish I knew 8 years ago...

Photo of Justine Friedman, Registered Clinical Dietician and Mindset Mentor
Justine Friedman
Registered Clinical Dietitian and Mindset Mentor

I’m sure you have daily stresses, and perhaps many that you feel you can’t avoid. After all, this is a busy and crazy world that we live in!

Are you coping with everything on your plate? Or do you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and drained by your to-do list?

Stress is a daily part of life, and not all of it is bad. In fact, it can be very positive when it motivates you to get stuff done.

But when good stress crosses a threshold and goes unchecked for too long you could be heading for adrenal fatigue or burnout and the recovery from this is not always so simple.

Here is how I struggled with this and the path I took to heal.

8 years ago I hit rock bottom and was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue and burnout.

Stressed woman sitting at her computer

What got me there?

This all culminated a year after my dad passed away. It was a combination of emotional overwhelm as I grieved his passing, and the constant pushing I demanded from myself to continue to show up in my life and do everything I had always done and as perfectly as possible.

Only when my body stopped me in my tracks and said no more, did I finally stop and listen- I had no other choice!

My recovery from this resulted from a number of different areas that I focused on and the help that I got.

  1. Weekly sessions with a psychologist to help me process my grief
  2. Slowing down and prioritizing what was essential (and doing it well enough- no more perfection goals- as hard as this was)
  3. Nutrition and a specific pattern of eating with a focus on foods that would help my cortisol levels to return to normal and that would heal my fatigue and boost my energy
  4. Daily supplements and weekly jet fuel infusions (Each week I went for an hour and received a drip with a combination of B vitamins)
  5. Vagus nerve exercises
  6. Very gentle exercise (I wasn’t allowed to get my heart rate above a certain level)
  7. Going on anti-anxiety medication to deal with extreme & debilitating anxiety I was experiencing

The truth is there are days that I can sense myself slipping back. It’s so easy to get caught back up into being driven and feeling the need to be everything to everyone.

If you feel caught in this cycle of being the supporter for aging parents, for your partner, for your children (who actually need us more as they go through teenage and young adult years), for friends, and work, then it may be time to pause and give yourself the support that no-one else can give you.

I know it feels like there may be nothing you can possibly do to change your life and reduce your stress, but if you leave it too long, your body may force you to stop.

Wouldn’t you rather feel more in control of this and put measures in place to enjoy your life and actually thrive rather than just survive?

If you are already experiencing exhaustion, poor sleep, racing heart, anxiety or depression, mood swings, increased appetite, cravings, and weight gain then burnout is not far away.

It’s not too late to make a change and include daily habits that will give you your life back and help you feel more energized, balance your blood sugar, restore calm, manage your weight, and improve your sleep.

All of this is available to you in my masterclass “The Magic Wellness Switch” which is available for you to purchase as a bundle (includes a comprehensive workbook and meal ideas).

You don’t have to just deal with this or suffer alone, I’m here to support you and give you the most practical tips and tools that you can easily include in your daily routine (without adding more stress!)

Purchase here and get the guidance you need.

Photo of Justine Friedman, Registered Clinical Dietician and Mindset Mentor
Justine Friedman
Registered Clinical Dietitian and Mindset Mentor
Justine is a seasoned Clinical Dietician with over two decades of experience in private practice. Holding a Bachelor of Science from WITS and an Honorary Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from UCT, she is both South African qualified and Israeli licensed. Justine's journey into nutrition was deeply personal, stemming from her own battles with weight management, emotional eating, and adapting her diet post-40 to meet the changing needs of her body. This personal connection to her field fuels her mission to empower clients to forge a harmonious relationship with food and their bodies. Understanding the complexity of diet, hormones, gut health, and eating habits, Justine brings empathy and expertise to her practice. She is dedicated to helping individuals overcome the cycle of dieting and self-sabotage by fostering a profound understanding of their own bodies. Justine's approach is grounded in the belief that knowledge is power—by understanding your body, you can work with it, not against it, to achieve lasting health and wellness.