Top 3 Energy Zappers
“I feel tired” is the most common complaint I hear in my office. I would suggest a majority of people suffer from low energy and it affects nearly every area of their lives. Do you feel tired frequently? Do you notice it’s more difficult to problem solve at work when you’re tired? Do you find it hard to cook, clean, and take care of your kids when you’re tired? Do you think fatigue might be contributing to relationship issues and might be keeping you from being your best self?
I’d like to share some of the most common causes of fatigue because we can easily help, and maybe even solve this issue if we look in the right place.
Sugar - Sugar, in its many forms, is like rocket fuel for the body: It burns fast, it burns bright, and when it burns out it causes a crash. Eating foods that raise our blood sugar too high too quickly (such as candy, baked goods, white bread, white pasta, soda, juice, etc) cause the body to create a lot of energy quickly and then less energy very quickly. The Fix: Pair with protein. Cut down on your sugar consumption and, if you eat it, make sure you have it with protein. Protein helps mitigate the ups and downs of eating sugar.
Bad Sleep - Many patients complain of sleep issues - difficult getting to sleep, staying asleep, early waking or all of the above. There are many reasons why sleep might be poor - maybe you’re drinking water too late or you have an irritable bladder or prostate that keeps you up, maybe you have undiagnosed sleep apnea (snoring and daytime sleepiness are two symptoms), perhaps your room is too warm, or maybe your blood sugar is all over the place and hypoglycemia is waking you up. The Fix: Try a protein snack at bedtime which can help regulate blood sugar, avoid caffeine too late, avoid blue light (electronics) 1 hour before bedtime, see a doc about your bladder or prostate, or see a sleep specialist about a sleep study. There are many causes of bad sleep which you may not even know are going on.
Thyroid Problems - Your thyroid is your master metabolism gland and plays a huge role in energy and alertness. This gland is a small butterfly-shaped organ found in your neck. Thyroid issues (running to slowly or too quickly) are an issue in a majority of my patients with unexplained fatigue. Make sure you get the right labs run to determine if your thyroid is working normally. The Fix: Get your thyroid assessed by a provider who has thyroid experience. Make sure you get these labs measured at least: TSH, Free T3, Free T4 and thyroid antibodies to begin with - more if needed.
