Tired? Low Energy? This May Be Why – Dr. Chris Ogilvie
Americans are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Being tired or having low energy is a common complaint. There are many components that could be affecting your energy, your umph, and your get up and go. In this article we will explore some of the major reasons why YOU may be tired. Remember, before you make any changes to your diet, consult with your primary care physician.
Sleep: Let’s start out with the obvious. When you sleep you restore, you rejuvenate, you slow down the aging process. You will literally age quicker if you sleep less. Generally, we need the 8 hours that you’ve always heard about. In a small percentage of people, less sleep is sufficient. That is not you. You need the full 8 hours. Even if you have been getting 6 hours of sleep per night for the last couple years, that just means that your body has adapted to your lifestyle. This is not healthy. My recommendation: Get 8 hours of sleep per night. The hours you sleep before midnight are more effective than the hours after midnight, so get to bed early. P.S don’t say you’ll “catch-up” on the weekends, the body doesn’t work like that.
Nutrition: Do you subscribe to the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.)? If you do, you are going to have low energy. Think about it like this: You are driving a high performance car and running it on low quality gas. Highly processed foods (pastas, breads, crackers, cereal), bad fats, sugar, soft drinks, and many other products that come out of a factory are BRINGING YOU DOWN. These foods lower immune function and cause inflammation. Both of these factors zap your energy and leave you with the after-meal-lull, and the 3pm crash. My recommendations: Instead, why don’t you try eating real food. This includes grass fed, wild meats, nuts & seeds, organic veggies, organic fruits, legumes, and limited whole grains. That should put and extra pep in your step.
Lifestyle: For millions of years our ancestors ran and hunted and searched for food. Now you sit behind a computer for 8 hours, go home and get on the internet, watch some TV, and do it all over. The body wants to move, so move it. My recommendations: Move or exercise 30-45 minutes per day, no less than 4 hours per week. Very easy!
Adrenal Fatigue: Adrenal means; “on top of kidney” which is exactly where the adrenal glands are located. Think of your adrenal glands not only as your morning pick-me-up and source of adrenaline, but as your reserve tank. When you are burning the candle at both ends, not sleeping enough, working overtime and not giving your body a change to rejuvenate, your adrenal glands will suffer. This can be tested with a 24 hr salivary cortisol test and then the adrenal glands can be fortified with adrenal herbs. First there are a few things you can do for free. My recommendations: 1. Remember to get your sleep. 2. Get your body into a rhythm; go to bed at the same time, wake up at the same time 3. Make sure you are exercising (don’t overdo it). 4. Consider some hydrotherapy. This could be as simple as doing 30 seconds of freezing cold water at the end of you shower every day or as complicated as getting a constitutional hydrotherapy treatment from a professional.
Hypothyroid: The thyroid gland is located in the neck and is responsible for helping you maintain your energy. If you have low thyroid function you will definitely feel tired. Other signs of hypothyroid: Dry skin, constipation, hair-loss. The good news is that a simple blood test and proper medication or supplementation can knock this one out of the park. My recommendation: Ask your doctor for a blood test and medicate / supplement as necessary. If this is your problem, you will notice a huge difference once your thyroid is managed properly.
Iron Deficiency Anemia: Most people think anemia is synonymous with iron deficiency. Although iron-deficiency is a very common type of anemia, there are other forms. Iron deficiency anemia is more common in women due to menstrual cycles. In men, iron deficiency anemia is seen in gastro-intestinal bleeding. Iron is also the most deficient nutrient in children, oftentimes a result of excessive cow milk consumption. Iron is crucial in the electron transport chain, which is the final stage of energy production in the human body. No iron = no energy production. So what can you do? You can supplement but let’s try to get the iron naturally, through food. My recommendations: Red meat is probably the number one source of iron in your diet, so get it grass fed and don’t eat it every day. The other meats (chicken & fish) are next, followed by eggs. If you are a vegetarian don’t worry, dark green leafy veggies like collard greens, kale, spinach and broccoli. Remember: vitamin C liberates iron from it’s food so sprinkle some lemon or lime on your salad to increase absorption of Iron. Dried fruit and beans are also a good source of iron. Finally, use a cast iron skillet to cook with.
If you have any questions about any of the topics discussed in this article, feel free to call Dr. Ogilvie at 703-226-9291 or visit our website: integrativehealthcenterofvirginia.com.
January 14, 2011 at 6:15 pm
What if you have a hard time falling asleep. Are there any breathing techniques or natural ways of helping lull yourself to sleep?
January 14, 2011 at 6:38 pm
Sure, yoga breathing is excellent at calming the mind. That is, stomach breathing. First though, the body wants to be in a rhythm, so I would use some nice calming herbs to get the body used to going to bed at the same time and slowly wean yourself off.
January 16, 2011 at 12:17 am
Great article Chris! When you say limited whole grains, which ones do you suggest? That is one area I struggle with.
January 16, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Thanks Paola, We tend to eat one grain… wheat. Even when we don’t eat wheat, we eat wheat through processed foods. So I recommend avoiding it and trying some of the other wonderful grains we have such as quinoa, oats, barley etc. Sandwiches are tough though because they are a mainstay in our culture. In that case, make sure the bread is whole grain and experiment with some of the healthier breads like spelt, or rice.