When was the last time you sprang out of bed in the morning feeling full of energy? Lots of people can’t remember the last time they felt this way. Fatigue is one of the most common complaints people present to their health professional with, so if you suffer from fatigue – you’re not alone!
Fatigue is a normal response to physical exertion, emotional stress or lack of sleep. In a healthy person fatigue will resolve after a few early nights, good diet and rest. If you experience ongoing fatigue that doesn’t resolve after resting it’s time to seek professional advice. Take our simple test and see how your energy levels stack up!
Take this simple test!
Give yourself a score out of ten for your current energy levels. 10 being the highest energy levels you have experienced and 0 feeling so fatigued you don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. If you’ve rated yourself 5 or less, and have felt this way for a while now it’s time to seek professional advice.
Ongoing fatigue is your body’s way of telling you there’s something wrong, so it’s important that you are assessed and the root cause of your fatigue is identified.
Inflammation – the energy enemy
Inflammation is one of the key causes of fatigue; many people have low grade systemic inflammation without even realizing it. ‘Leaky Gut Syndrome’, allergies, food sensitivities, viral and bacterial infections, autoimmune conditions, a highly refined diet, caffeine and alcohol all contribute to inflammation.
This is what inflammation looks like in the blood, as you can see the red blood cells clump together and fibrin (the little white lines you can see in the photo) proliferate causing your blood to become sticky and congested which means your body has to work harder to function. If you have ongoing fatigue, looking at the blood is an important way to identify systemic inflammation and provide valuable information that can help your health care practitioner structure the best treatment plan to get you feeling back on top of the world in no time.
Dehydration the energy drain
Dehydration is one of the major causes of fatigue and when we consider that our brain is approximately 83% water its no wonder we feel flat without enough fluid on board! Not drinking enough water, a processed diet and coffee, tea and alcohol all contribute to dehydration. Many people don’t realize they’re dehydrated, an easy way to tell is to take a look at your urine, it should be fairly clear, if yours looks darker and concentrated its time to increase your fluids. 2 litres of pure filtered water per day will help your body function at its best.
Top tips to Manage Fatigue
- Make sure you get adequate, regular and consistent amounts of sleep each night
- Eat a healthy well balanced diet
- Drink plenty of filtered water
- Manage your work and personal schedule to suit your energy levels
- Deal with stress, learn stress management techniques
- Exercise – probably the last thing you feel like doing, but regular exercise will really help
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar – all these will rob you of energy
- Never ever skip breakfast, try to eat protein at breakfast
- Make sure any nutritional deficiencies are addressed – seek professional advice
Nutrition
Good nutrition is the first line defence against fatigue, even borderline nutritional deficiencies can have a big impact on your energy levels. Eating a nutritious diet and making sure you get enough of the most important nutrients needed to tackle fatigue will ensure your energy starts to pick up in no time at all.
Top 7 nutrients for energy production
- Magnesium – Almonds, cashews, soybeans, eggs, whole grains, seeds
- Lipoic acid – potatoes, liver, broccoli, spinch and leafy green vegetables
- Iron – red meat, parsley, poultry, sunflower and pumpkin seeds
- CoQ10 – almonds, broccoli, salmon, sardines, hazelnuts
- Carnitine – avocado, beef, chicken, fish, milk, liver
- B vitamins – chicken, egg yolk, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes
- Vitamin C – citrus fruits, blackcurrants, broccoli, capsicum, strawberries
If you are experiencing ongoing fatigue and can’t remember the last time you felt full of energy, get some professional advice. There is always a root cause for ongoing fatigue and with proper treatment you’ll be feeling on top of the world in no time!