Re: Can someone tell me what's going on?

A lot of good post has been posted on your situation. I read about the eye bag issue you raised and just make a comment.

This can be a function of electroyle imbalance and many other causes, but one possibility that comes to mind in adrenal fatigue is the breakdown of collagen from excessive cortisol, leading to thinning of skin and thus more swelling of the eye as fluid is not "contained" as well. without looking at you, i cannot be 100% sure, but taht is a consideration. That is why skin ages very fast in people with high stress. when the collagen is broken down, wrinkles appears. That is pure physiology.

Let me explain a bit more.

Collagen is a major body protein. There are 19 forms of collagen, and it accounts for almost 20% of the total protein in our body. In addition to its critical role in forming support structure of the skin, it is also the main constituent of the extra-cellular matrix.

Collagen is characterized by its high proline content, which constitutes about one third of the amino acids. Its triple helix, rope-like structure contains protein organized in bundles that are anchored to each together at right angles and held in place by inter-fiber cross linkages. The most abundant collagen is Type I Collagen.

The spatial arrangement of the collagen network also depends on the presence of supporting macromolecules known as proteoglycans and glycoaminoglycans (GAGs) .

Collagen is a much better support structure than GAGs. GAGs are a water-saturated gel in which water soluble molecules, hormones, peptides, and ions circulate. During the aging process, the diminished amount of collagen is gradually replaced by the weaker GAGs. This reduction in the quantity of collagen and replacement with alternative but weaker macromolecules results in skin that is less thin and less elastic. With age, this gel, due to its weak support structure, tends to sag, and cellular metabolism and mitosis is compromised. Furthermore, if water intake is insufficient, the links in the collagen network, like those of a net cast into the sea, collapse as the net is only "kept open" in the presence of water and collapses upon itself in a dehydrated environment.

Hope this helps Tweet