I absolutely love the summer months and warm weather. It’s incredibly energizing to wake up everyday to the sun shining bright.
And speaking of energy, I constantly hear from clients about their lack-of-energy and constant fatigue.
I thought it would be important to address this topic today because it seems that MANY people are really tired and dragging themselves through their day.
Is this you?
Do you feel tired all day and struggle to get out of bed in the morning?
Do you drink coffee as a way to ‘wake’ you up in the morning or afternoon?
Do you hit that 3pm energy slump and reach for sweets?
Fatigue generally is a result of both physical and emotional issues. Often times, conventional medicine will assume that fatigue is a form of depression and before you know it, you’re handed a prescription for anti-depressants.
So let’s address simple and effective ways (natural ways!) you can get your energy back and what symptoms you really need to pay attention to:
1. Breathing – most people breathe incorrectly! Shallow breathing is commonly caused by anxiety, fear and poor posture, which can reduce your oxygen supply. Pay attention to your breathing patterns. Are you breathing with your shoulders and chest? If so, you’re breathing incorrectly!
Here’s how to breath correctly: Inhale through your nose and EXTEND your belly button out (like you’re pregnant). Then exhale, through your nose and pull the belly button to the spine (as though you’re sucking in your tummy). Your shoulders and chest do not need to move. On both your inhale and exhale, hold for 5 counts. Repeat. Do this exercise a few times throughout the day, especially when stressed or anxious.
2. Note Your Caffeine Intake – who doesn’t love a good cup of coffee? And nowadays, with all the fancy ways to make coffee (i.e. with butter and MCT oil), more people are hoping on the coffee wagon. If you’re using coffee in the morning to ‘wake’ you up, that’s not a good thing! Coffee is supplying you with ‘fake’ energy and if you’re already in a stressed out state and anxious, it will affect your adrenal glands (stress glands) even more.
If you just can’t survive without a coffee and feel like your face is going to hit the floor, then I would check in with your doctor to order some tests, such as: blood glucose, adrenal hormones (cortisol and DHEA), as well as thyroid function (TSH, T3 and T4).
These tests are especially important if your fatigue has been dragging on for months and you truly feel exhausted. Fatigue can be caused by diabetes, anemia and other medical conditions, so it’s important to monitor your symptoms.
3. Keep a Food Diary – pay attention to the food you’re eating. Too much sugar? Too much processed food or fast food? If you’re diet is lacking nutrients, quality and vibrant colours, this can be an obvious reason why you’re lacking energy. Food is your fuel! A food diary will also help you pinpoint certain food triggers and intolerances.
On top of what you eat, you might not be eating enough or skipping meals altogether. This will deplete you of energy, nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to fuel your body and cells. Want more energy? Simply don’t skip meals!
4. Water – are you drinking enough? Probably not! I see this one ALL THE TIME! You should aim to drink half your body weight in ounces and MORE if you are active, sweat a lot and are looking to lose weight.
5. Assess Your Emotions – are you experiencing grief, anger, sadness? Our emotional state can dictate a lot about our physical and physiological health. It’s all connected. It might be time to work with a coach, chat with a friend or connect with a counsellor if there are deep unresolved emotional issues that need to be worked through.
6. Sleep – this is an obvious one. If you’re a new mama, you’re off the hook on this one, but lack of sleep will obviously cause you to feel tired and fatigued. Be sure to go to bed at the same time every night, keep your room dark and cool, don’t use stimulants (ie. coffee) after 2pm, and consider taking some Magnesium Bisglycinate before bed to help with stress, sleep, anxiety and calm the nervous system.
Another thing to think about is your blood sugar – hormones can dictate a lot about our energy levels. If your blood sugar is erratic and your moods are unstable, this can cause a serious drain in your energy. And there’s a good chance you’re loading up on protein and fat – two essential macro nutrients that balance your blood sugar and keep you stable, happy and energized.
A few of my favourite energy supplements are:
- B complex – involved in detoxification processes, energy production and great for hormonal support, B vitamins often get depleted during times of stress.
- Juice Plus+ – the simple and whole food way to get in your vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. I love that there is no fructose in these and they are made strictly from fruits and vegetables. A few caps a day and my energy is soaring + it also supports detoxification and digestion too.
- CoQ10 – is involved in cellular energy production. Every cell in the body contains CoQ10, although organs like the heart, kidneys, and liver have higher concentrations. This is an especially important supplement if you have heart issues or are on cholesterol lowering drugs. (Juice Plus+ also contains some COQ10).
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions and are interested in working together to support your hormones, increase your energy and kick the fatigue to the curb!
A simple 30 day energy and health reboot might be just what you need to get back on track to feeling like yourself again. It’s amazing what only 1 month can do for your energy, hormones, weight and vitality! Just email me here to connect and see if working together is the right fit for you – samantha@holisticwellness.ca
Cheers to an energizing week ahead!
P.S. I’m super excited for the amazing achievements my clients have been making in as little as 2 weeks! (see the screen shot below!) Losing weight, sleeping better, less snacking and needing to buy new pants! I just LOVE seeing their weekly checkins and hearing about their progress. What energizes me? My clients – their commitment, their dedication and their courage to jump in, get started and move in the direction of better health!
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