COUNTERING CHRONIC FATIGUE AND LOSS OF ENERGY
There is not one single or known cause of chronic fatigue. ?Researchers speculate that contributing factors likely include one or more of the following:
ü? Viruses
ü? Chronic stress which elevates cortisol levels leading to adrenal fatigue, hormone imbalances, and digestive issues
ü? Allergies
ü? Environmental factors
ü? Genetic predisposition
ü? Prescription medication side effect
ü? Parasitic infestation
ü? Breathing issues or chronic insomnia
ü? Weak/damaged/shut down mitochondria that are needed to generate energy
Common signs of chronic fatigue/adrenal fatigue are: difficulty arising in the morning, continual tiredness through the day even if you got adequate sleep, craving salt, lack of energy/motivation to carry out daily activities, decreased sex drive, difficulty handling stress/easily overwhelmed, longer recovery from illness/trauma, lightheadedness when standing from sitting, increase in allergies, lack of mental clarity/poor memory, low blood pressure, easily irritated, feeling depressed.
One of the worst parts about fatigue is realizing that you can’t accomplish what you’d like each day. It’s extremely emotionally draining. Don’t beat yourself up! To help you zero in on what are the source(s) of your fatigue, consider:
ü? Lab testing: adrenal function/cortisol level (will be low if chronic adrenal fatigue), hormone levels, blood test for food sensitivities, CRP level, stool and blood testing for parasites, magnesium/iron /potassium levels, genetic profile, thyroid panel (especially T3), Vitamin D3 level, DHEA level.
ü? If you take prescription medications, check if fatigue/tiredness is a side effect and, if so, consider transitioning to a natural treatment instead.
Diet Interventions:
ü? Add anti-inflammatory foods like wild caught fish, garlic, onions, organic berries, kiwi, pumpkin seeds, pomegranates, apricots, ginger, chia seeds, cinnamon, grated citrus peels, green tea, avocadoes, red grapes, and olive oil. Try to limit inflammatory foods like sugar/corn syrup/artificial sweeteners, fried foods, GMO foods, soy, vegetable and seed oils, refined carbs, processed foods, and unsafe/processed meats. It is important to read food and body care labels as some of these items are found surprisingly often. Eat a predominantly natural, whole foods diet. Instead of sugar or sweeteners, use Stevia, raw and unfiltered honey, black strap molasses, or organic maple syrup.
ü? Eat foods that stimulate nitric oxide production such as arugula, beets/beetroot powder, celery, turnips, rhubarb, radishes, Bok choy, turnip greens, dill, spinach, parsley, boosting mitochondrial health.
ü? Stay well hydrated with clean water, not tap water.
ü? Keep a log to discover foods that improve or worsen your symptoms. It’s also helpful to have a record of how you felt day to day and throughout the day to share with your doctor. Track how you feel and what you eat each day to find any patterns, experimenting with your diet to find what makes you feel the best.
ü? Limit caffeine. Caffeine can give you a false sense of energy and lead you to overdo it
ü? Don’t skip meals. Try smaller meals more frequently or adding small, healthy snacks between each meal. Eating more frequently may help keep your energy up. Smaller portions may be easier to tolerate as well.
ü? Instead of reaching for foods with refined sugar, eat naturally sweet foods with a bit of clean (without antibiotics, cage free, grassfed, unprocessed) protein to help even out your blood sugar and energy levels. Berries with plain, unsweetened yogurt is a great option.
ü? Eat lots of veggies. Include vegetables of all colors throughout the day to get their unique nutrients and benefits. Red vegetables, for instance, are full of phytonutrients that act as antioxidants and help reduce inflammation. Yellow veggies contain important vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, C, and B6.
ü? Magnesium–rich foods to add to your diet: spinach, chard, pumpkin seeds, yogurt without sugar, kefir, almonds, black beans, avocados, figs, cacao dark chocolate, and bananas are great sources.
ü? Potassium-rich foods include avocados, spinach, sweet potatoes, coconut water, kefir and yogurt, white beans, bananas, acorn squash, dried apricots and mushrooms.
ü? Skip processed foods. Heavily processed foods typically have fewer nutrients than their whole food counterparts. It’s important to load up on plants — like legumes, fruits, vegetables, and lentils — to support your body’s needs.
ü? Eat foods high in probiotics including kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi, as well as green vegetables, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, and unsweetened organic cranberry juice.
ü? Do intermittent fasting (at least 14-16 hours before eating food in a 24-hour period) if not contradicted by another pre-existing health issue like diabetes. Don’t fast during high stress times.
ü? Add organic mint, spearmint, or peppermint extracts or essential oils to foods.
ü? Eat 1.5 oz. raisins daily or an iron supplement, preferably dissolvable under the tongue.
ü? Eat healthy fats. A sprinkle of walnuts, a few slices of avocado, a couple of ounces of wild caught trout: It can be easy to add healthy fats with omega-3 fatty acids throughout the day. Healthy fats (coconut, olive, avocado) are also important for brain and heart health, and they can also help reduce inflammation.
ü? On days that you have more energy, plan out what you will eat for the rest of the week and prep your basic ingredients or cook the meals all the way through or when preparing a meal, make enough for another meal too. Your meals will be all ready to go.
ü? Be aware that energy pills/stimulants and energy drinks are bad for you and avoid them; they are filled with caffeine, sugar and other unhealthy stimulants and have a cumulative effect requiring more and more to have the same temporary impact and eventually increase your fatigue level!
Supplement Interventions:
While there are many foods that aid in getting vitamins and minerals, the alteration of our foods and how they are grown does not give you enough and if you have any gut issues, often the vitamins and minerals ingested from food never get into the bloodstream.
ü? Increase vitamin B intake to prevent and relieve fatigue, it also supports a healthy immune system – B complex and B12.
ü? Both potassium (100-200 mg daily) and magnesium (100-200 mg daily) can help improve the symptoms associated with chronic fatigue, aid sleep, and support healthy mitochondria.
ü? Potassium is responsible for proper electrolyte balance in the body necessary for energy generation.
ü? CoQ10 which has a critical role in energy production and mitochondrial health.
ü? Vitamin C (at least 1000 mg daily) to help balance cortisol output and boost immunity.
ü? Vitamin E in combination with vitamin C helps reduce adrenal fatigue.
ü? DHEA to support adrenal health, especially if you deal with chronic stress.
领英推荐
ü? Probiotics that are at least 100 degrees heat tolerant, enteric coated, and contain at least 20 billion bacteria – all others are a waste of money.
ü? Melatonin cream improves immune function, lowers virus impact, and reduces inflammation.
ü? Astaxanthin (4-20 mg daily) to rebuild mitochondria.
ü? Super Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress in cells, reduce inflammation, and boost immunity.
ü? Apple cider vinegar capsules that contain spirulina for mitochondrial health and support healthy thyroid function
ü? Liquid turmeric supports mitochondrial health and is a potent anti-inflammatory.
ü? Quercetin protects mitochondria, inhibits viruses, and supports energy production by cells.
ü? R alpha lipoic acid boosts energy production, heals damaged mitochondria, and reduces oxidative stress.
ü? Thyroid Boost is indicated if your thyroid T3 levels are low.
ü? Selenium is essential to the body but not produced by it and is mostly concentrated in the thyroid for proper thyroid function.
ü? Bioidentical progesterone (25 or 50 mg) is indicated if hormonal imbalance exists.
Other Interventions
ü? Avoid napping/create a sleep routine of at least 7 hours, following the natural circadian rhythm. Limit your use of electronic devices, like your phone, laptop, or TV, during the last couple hours before bed and have none of these in your bedroom while sleeping.? If you cannot resist these the last couple hours before sleep, invest in amber lensed glasses that block blue and green UV light and wear them during the last couple hours before bed. Shut off Wi-Fi at night and turn off your phone or put it on airplane mode to diminish EMFs.
ü? Reduce stress. Stress takes a serious toll on your physical and mental health and is closely linked to tiredness and fatigue. Take some time for yourself to relax, read, listen to soothing music, or go for a walk.
ü? Get plenty of sunshine.? If that’s not possible where you live or in your life situation, then a Vitamin D3 supplement is essential.
ü? Regularly detox from heavy metals and parasites.
ü? Breath for energy as well as stress relief and better sleep. Technique 1: Calming Breath. Several times daily and before you go to bed, repeat the following cycle at least 10 times: inhale through the nose and from the gut (like a baby), hold for 7 seconds, then exhale through the open mouth with the tongue touching the roof of the mouth for a count of 7 seconds. Technique 2: Breath of Fire. Rapid, rhythmic, continuous breath done through the nostrils with the mouth closed at a pace of 2-3 cycles per second with equal inhale and exhale. (Not for pregnant women.)
ü? Regular exercise, low exertion in nature, daily.? Also ensure that you include movement, even just standing instead of sitting, for at least 5 minutes of each waking hour.? You may have to set an alarm to prompt you if you are easily engrossed in what you are doing.
ü? Getting out of the house and mingling with other people is beneficial for both your energy levels and your health. Try organizing social activities with your friends, volunteering, or starting a new activity by joining a club or class.
ü? Get a massage at least 2 times a month, if possible.
ü? Get daily at least 15-30 minutes of silence and solitude or meditation.
For Quick Energy:
1.????? 1.5 oz. raisins
3.????? A shake of 1 c. almond milk, a pinch each of cardamom and ginger powder, 1 tsp. date sugar or any flavor of pure Stevia
Summary
Recognize that your body has an innate drive and ability to heal, very often part of supporting this process is creating an inner environment of calm and trust where this can happen. Understand that symptoms can be a message that your body is in a stress state, and that you need to find ways to access a calmer, more healing state that will allow your body to heal.? By changing our mental and emotional response to what is happening to us, we can ultimately take more control of how we move forward – this feels far more empowering and promotes healing.? Persistence is essential as whatever is causing your fatigue did not happen overnight and will take faithful natural efforts to achieve resolution and regain energy.
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Please remember that the supplements mentioned need to be certified organic and, if not topical or sublingual, need to be enteric coated to reach the gut undiminished.? All the supplements on our website meet these requirements but many store brands, OTC, and commercial online products do not, so be aware.
*FDA Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide information about the diagnosis, prevention, cure, or treatment of any disease.? You are encouraged to consult your health care practitioner if you have a medical condition that you think might benefit from any of the supplements listed.
?You can also contact me for a homeopathic consultation. If you desire a consultation (in person or by phone) to address any questions or to discuss natural alternatives to address other health issues, send an email request.? You can find the email in the contact link on our website: www.amhealthbeauty.com.
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1 “The Energy Blueprint” by Michael Ruscio, DO.? [email protected].? 10/1/2021.
2 “The Top Science-Backed Supplements for Energy Enhancement” by Ari Whitten.? 4/27/2024.
3 “Enhance Your Energy: 11 Simple Ways to Generate Energy Without Crashing” by Jason Prall. Awakened Collective. ?5/19/2024.
4 “Kate Deering Interview on Bioenergetics” with Dr. Joseph Mercola.? Take Control of Your Health. 6/2/2024.
5 “Can’t Shake Fatigue: Check Your Thyroid” by David Alliot. Newsmax Special Report. 8/11/2022.
6 “Fatigue – 12 Secrets to Recovery” by Alex Howard and Anna Duschinsky. The Optimum Health Clinic. 8/25/2024.