The Adrenal Support Shake
Adrenal fatigue comes in four stages, each depicting the level of exhaustion for the person. Many things can cause adrenal fatigue including an acute stressful event and an overloaded lifestyle without a supportive nutritional diet to compensate.
In an interview with Stephanie Seneff, Dr. Daniel Pompa asked how glyphosate negatively impacts the adrenals. Dr. Seneff says, “Glyphosate is extremely damaging to the mitochondria (located inside our cells) where our body makes ATP energy. Mitochondria must be healthy and functioning in order to fix damaged cells, and if we don’t have healthy, thriving mitochondria we experience exhaustion.”
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Seneff is a senior research scientist at MIT and a leading expert on the damages of glyphosate. She says, “The cell membrane of the mitochondria needs a good storehouse of cholesterol sulfate. But, if glyphosate has destroyed cholesterol sulfate stores, then our mitochondria will experience ion leaks (ATP is lost) and our energy flags. What’s more, glyphosate disrupts the production of DHEA sulfate, testosterone sulfate and cortisone sulfate in the adrenal glands, compromising proper hormone balance.”
Stage one adrenal fatigue includes an overall state of alertness but the sleep is not sound. Possible moments of depleted energy exist. Most folks with stage one adrenal fatigue just push through the time, not even noticing until the look back on the situation.
Stage two adrenal fatigue is a greater pronouncement of the wired but tired feeling while the person generally relies on coffee to make it through the day. The desire to spend personal time with your spouse is depleted but falling in bed is equated to great depletion at the end of the day.
Stage three adrenal fatigue is associated with the adrenals having burned out, depletion is the new normal. In this stage folks function throughout the day but have no energy once they get home. The desire to spend personal time with your spouse is nearly non-existent.
Stage four adrenal fatigue exists where there is a depletion of cortisol levels, no desire to spend personal time with your spouse, complete exhaustion, an inappropriate emotionally downward spiral when encountering confrontation, shakiness with a greater demand on the adrenals, inability to fall asleep and apathy for life events in general.
Meanwhile, some professionals claim adrenal fatigue doesn’t exist as stated by BMC Endocrine Disorders published as recently as August, 2016, displayed on the NIH.
However, the NIH also displays evidence on the contrary going back to June of 2009 where they publish Alternative Medicine Reviews and what it takes to support adrenal fatigue saying, “Non-pharmaceutical approaches have much to offer such patients. This article focuses on the use of nutrients and botanicals to support the adrenals, balance neurotransmitters, treat acute anxiety, and support restful sleep.”
The International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding said in early 2013, supporting adrenal fatigue can be done through several channels.
The GAPS Protocol shows great success in supporting the adrenals so the body can repair itself. However, support according to what the body requires, is important.
The greater the fatigue the longer it takes to recover, however, supporting the adrenals properly can be done. Many people are spending the time it takes to allow the body to heal when it is supported correctly.
Rebuilding adrenals with the GAPS Protocol includes certain basics. Dr. Natasha says adrenals love cholesterol, adrenals love salt and adrenals need sleep.
This Adrenal Support Shake is an easy meal or snack to support the adrenals on two of these three needs.
To make the Adrenal Support Shake put 12 pastured yolks in a blender and bend on low to emulsify. This can take a few minutes or over twenty minutes, whichever you prefer. Add half a cup of grass fed butter and mix. Add one cup of home brewed sour cream and a handful of frozen berries or 2-3 tablespoons of lime juice, to taste. Sprinkle a teaspoon of mineral salt and enjoy.
For starting out, jumping into this many yolks in one go could be too much since it is so nourishing. For some, starting at half the yolks is best, building up from there. The butter can be omitted, depending on desire, taste, need and stomach space. If a shake can’t be added to your rhythm, making a deep effort to do a dozen yolks a day can assist greatly.
To get a stronger understanding of why so many yolks are used click here.
“Adrenals love fat and cholesterol. So, as far as the diet is concerned, eat lots of animal fats with every meal and cholesterol-rich foods, such as egg yolks, sour cream, butter. Another essential for the adrenals is sleep! Sleep is really not optional, so organise your life in such a way that you can have a nap every afternoon and a good long sleep at night,” says Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.
This recipe is designed for those in Stage Four adrenal fatigue. If that is not fitting for you, you may not need the full recipe. Fitting food to your own needs is imperative.

To read more about the benefits of high cholesterol levels, click here.
Instigating a mandatory 9 p.m. bedtime helps most of those with adrenal fatigue. Stopping the use of blue light screens two hours prior to bedtime helps maintain sleep. The more sleep and the more cholesterol, the more the adrenals are supported.
[yumprint-recipe id=’46’]*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, CGP, D.PSc. who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. She has been published in Wise Traditions, spoken at two Weston A. Price Conferences, Certified GAPS Practitioner Trainings, has been on many radio shows, television shows and writes for Nourishing Plot. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia, through food, she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. She is a Chapter Leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation. becky.nourishingplot@hotmail.com
“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.
15 Comments
Is this to be drunk everyday? 12 egg yolks is a whole carton of eggs and that’s going to be a very expensive drink.
Thanks!
It’s worth the cost if you are struggling with severe adrenal fatigue and it’s affecting your life.
If you have advanced adrenal stress, you’re not functioning, you’re life is in bed. For me, a $4 expense of a dozen yolks is worth the cost to be functional. The choice is up to each individual.
What if you can’t have dairy?
If dairy is not tolerated, the dairy intro should be addressed to rebuild the missing enzymes. In the meantime doing the yolks in stock is another option.
Can a person have this with the blueberries if they are on stage 2?
I would use honey while on stage 2.
Hello Becky, thank you for the wonderful article. I noticed that in the green ‘recipe card
area in the instructions you omitted the addition of the butter that is listed under the ingredients, and that is described being added earlier in the article. I am so thankful we are able to keep our own flock of chicken. It has made it possible to do gaps more successfully. I see I can and should increase the number of yolks I am eating even more.
Many days I manage 6 to 8 of them in a special desert I make for my husband and I. I cream up about a TBSP each of butter and coconut oil per person with a tsp. of honey and a dash of real pure vanilla then once that is all smooth begin to blend egg yolks in. A tsp. of dark organic cocoa for a treat and to cover the intense yellow-orange colour of the home raised pastured yolks and so it would be less savory and more like a dessert. (this was something I only began doing after a long time into gaps) Since I always used to love dark chocolate I don’t mind it having hardly any sweetener most times. Once in a while if I have not had much in the way of fruits or other honey that day I will enjoy a little more. It is so easy to eat healthy yolks this way. Our hens are only too happy to have the cooked mashed whites added into the moist style fermented feed before we dish it out to them. Boost the protein for them of the gmo free, soy free, unsprayed natural feed that is slightly lower then commercial unhealthy feeds, so its a win-win for all.
I have been away from your website for too long and am so glad your article showed up on my FB news feed to remind me to be a regular visitor here.
Gratefully appreciative for your efforts to help and educate,
Ellen
Thank you for the assist!
This treat sounds absolutely delicious! I will try it later today.
Thank you for your kind words!
Does anyone have suggestions for how to use the egg whites?
We either do this or feed them to pig- https://www.nourishingplot.com/2015/06/19/cotton-candy-cookies-gaps-approved/
I didn’t have 12 yolks, so I used just 6. I can’t do fruit at the moment, so I added a bit of organic raw honey after mixing in the butter, plus a bit of salt for the unsalted butter, and a little vanilla extract. I had some souring raw milk in the fridge that seemed to have perfect sour cream on top, but it was in a gallon jug so I could only scrape a bit of it out to mix into the shake. (I need to put it in something else so I can harvest the sour cream on top! I’m thinking a Pyrex dish…)
Anyhow, the “shake” was delicious! Now I wish I had more egg yolks! But it wasn’t as difficult to make as I originally thought.
Hi Becky! Wow what a loaded shake!! I made it this morning. It’s quite heavy! I don’t have a gallbladder, is it ok to consume this shake with out one? And would it make me gain more unwanted weight? I’m already about 30 lbs too heavy ?
Hi Becky. I’m intrigued by this. When I read about the stages of adrenal fatigue I’ve been in stage 4 for a long time. I have days of stage 3, which I think means I’m making some improvements. I take several different herbal adrenal supports but it is all very slow progress.
Anyway, I’ve done a similar smoothie that Kelly Brogan recommends but it’s a lot less dense. This smoothie you recommend is almost 2400 calories. Do the calories really not matter? I can see myself splitting this between breakfast and lunch and then having a small dinner. I really want to simplify my life and eat the same thing every day for awhile because cooking has become an added stress. Cooking different foods for myself and my family is exhausting. A smoothie would make it so easy. I have all the things you talk about. I have inflammation with a CRP of 3.5. My blood sugar and insulin are elevated. I have weight to lose especially belly fat. I don’t detox well–detoxing makes me feel worse!! So I’m definitely open to trying this….I just really hope the density of calories doesn’t make me gain even more weight. I really want to heal. Sorry this is so long.
For those of you who have made this full strength, is the smoothie the only thing you consume all day? Or do you have other meals as well?