Thursday, March 28, 2024

How To Combat Extreme Fatigue

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Questions A Doctor May Ask Include The Following:

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  • Do you feel drowsy or weak?
  • Do you feel down or depressed?
  • Has your fatigue developed slowly or suddenly?
  • Is it cyclical or constant?
  • What do you think the cause might be?
  • Have you experienced any significant life events recently?
  • Is your life in balance? Consider work, relationships, physical, emotional, social, sense of worth and recreation.

Eat To Live Don’t Live To Eat

Hippocrates said, Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.

If youve been eating for fun, its time to start eating for fuel. Food provides nutrients to your body for nourishment.

Whatever isnt absorbed comes out as waste.

When you overeat, your stomach expands beyond its regular size to adjust to the intake. This expansion causes your stomach to push against your organs, causing discomfort.

The discomfort results in fatigue…commonly known a food coma. Where you’ve heavily indulged in non-nutritious foods and are an uncomfortable, overstuffed being for the next couple of hours.

Sound familiar?

Avoid fatigue and the put your food coma days to rest, by being mindful

To avoid fatigue caused by food coma, limit yourself to eating smaller food portions. You can always go for that second helping, at which point youll realize you dont really need it.

Fatigue Caused By An Unhealthy Diet

The old adage you are what you eat is really true. By eating well-balanced meals and snacks that contain enough calories and nutrients, you give yourself sufficient energy to counteract extreme tiredness. Simply eating to stave off hunger during the day is not sufficient sugary and processed foods are counterproductive, and rob us of essential nutrients needed for energy production. Too many refined carbohydrates, such as bread, cause our blood sugar levels to spike and crash, leaving us exhausted. Make sure that your diet is made up of plenty of nutrient-rich foods such as whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables.

Your body can function within a range of calories depending on your weight, height, age, and other factors. However, generally speaking, women should consume about 2,000 calories a day, and men 2,500 calories a day. Consuming less than 1,200 calories per day may cause your metabolism to slow down.

Conversely, if you eat too much, this can also cause fatigue. The key to healthy eating is therefore to choose certain foods that contain adequate nutrients and make sure you have meals and snacks in appropriate portions.

Also Check: What Is The Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Make Sure You Exercise

The more you sit around, the more sluggish youll become.

Low energy is a common side effect of poor fitness levels, but exercise is also a great way to get rid of stress hormones like cortisol.

Exercising can also help to relieve pain symptoms that you may experience if you are living with a certain long term health conditions, such as fibromyalgia or arthritis.

Give Siberian ginseng a go the herb is popular for its ability to increase the bodys resistance in coping with both physical and emotional stress, reducing fatigue.

Fatigue Cause No 1: Food Allergies

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Some doctors believe hidden food allergies can make you sleepy. If your fatigue intensifies after meals, you could have a mild intolerance to something you’re eating — not enough to cause itching or hives, just enough to make you tired.

Fix: Try eliminating foods one at a time to see if your fatigue improves. You can also ask your doctor about a food allergy test.

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Eliminate Food Sensitivities And Allergens

More and more research is pointing to a link between food allergies and sensitivities and chronic fatigue syndrome. Allergies to certain foods, pollen, metals and other environmental chemicals may be causing the rising number of individuals with CFS.

According to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, IBS, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are linked, and researchers were surprised. In a study of 84 patients that had been referred for unexplained digestive problems, nearly all patients qualified for a diagnosis of IBS, 85 percent had chronic fatigue syndrome and 71 percent had fibromyalgia. The common denominator, researchers in this study believe, is poor digestion and food sensitivities.

Gluten & Other Common Intolerances

For example, one of todays most common food sensitivities is agluten sensitivity. Lactose intolerance, a casein allergy and an intolerance of other common allergens also may be at the root of chronic fatigue. Other common allergens include tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, soy, shellfish and yeast.

I suggestion is to consider taking an IgG test to help you determine the foods that you are sensitive to then you can eliminate them from your diet. By getting rid of your personal known allergens, symptoms of IBS, ADHD, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue can potentially be relieved.

Candida Imbalance

Casein

H. Pylori

Find Ways To Relax And Reset Your Mind

For some people, taking 20 minutes during the afternoon to meditate can be enough to recharge. Maybe yoga or deep breathing is your thing. Whatever you do, find time to relax and reset your mind.

Chronic fatigue can impair your health and happiness, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. A chiropractor may help address any interference in your spine that may contribute to fatigue, as well as help manage the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. While it may take some time, and some behavior changes, you can get your energy back and reclaim your health and wellbeing.

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What Should I Keep In Mind While Taking Medications For Fatigue

Some of the considerations to keep in mind during treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome include:

  • Take your medications exactly as directed. Do not take a larger or smaller dose or take the medicine more or less frequently than prescribed.
  • Contact your doctor if the side effects are severe or do not go away.
  • Talk to your doctor before stopping any medication.
  • Do not use someone elses prescription medication or share yours with others.
  • Give your doctor a complete list of your medications, including prescription medications, over-the-counter products, and herbal supplements to help avoid drug interactions.

How Can I Ease Or Relieve Fatigue

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If a medical condition isnât causing your fatigue, lifestyle changes may improve your symptoms. To reduce fatigue, you can:

  • Practice good sleep habits: Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Donât drink caffeine, use electronics, or exercise right before bed. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
  • Avoid toxins: Donât use illegal drugs, and drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
  • Eat a healthy diet: A balanced diet and plenty of water will keep your body nourished and hydrated.
  • Manage stress: Yoga, mindfulness, meditation and regular exercise can help you relieve stress and gain more energy.
  • See your healthcare provider: Make an appointment to rule out infections, disease, illness, vitamin deficiencies and other health conditions. You should also talk to your provider about medications youâre taking to see if they are causing your symptoms.
  • Exercise often: Regular exercise is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. Though it might seem counter-intuitive, vigorous exercise can help you feel more energetic once you get used to it. But exercising too much can cause fatigue, so talk to your provider about whatâs best for you.
  • Maintain a healthy weight: Talk to your healthcare provider about your ideal weight, and try to stay within that range.

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How Chronic Fatigue Affects You

Fatigue can be a serious and debilitating symptom of rheumatoid arthritis. Those who suffer from chronic fatigue report that it makes them feel so physically exhausted that everyday tasks of life become a burden. They report that their limbs feel heavy, weak and are difficult to move.

Fatigue also affects ones ability to focus, making it difficult to perform daily tasks at home, work or school. It may also be challenging to pay attention during conversations. Chronic Fatigue can lead to decreased workplace productivity, social isolation, and depression.

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What Is Fatigue Vs Being Tired

Fatigue is a symptom you need to pay attention to because it is a red flag for so many underlying diseases. Its often the driving symptom that leads patients to come in and eventually get diagnosed, says Aly Cohen, MD, a rheumatologist at Integrative Rheumatology Associates in Princeton, New Jersey, and founder of The Smart Human. Patients will tell me, Im just tired all the time and shrug it off but its not normal and there are ways to treat fatigue.First things first: How do you know if you have ordinary Im exhausted after a long day of work tiredness or if its actual clinical fatigue?Medically speaking, fatigue is characterized by a feeling of weakness and a chronic lack of energy, says Stuart Kaplan, MD, a rheumatologist with Rheumatology Consultants, LLP, and chief of rheumatology at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, New York. Sound kinda vague? Because tiredness is a subjective feeling, your doctor should ask you more questions and you should be as detailed as possible about how your exhaustion symptoms are affecting your life, he says. Questions about your fatigue may include:

  • Do you wake up tired even after a full nights sleep?
  • Do you find it difficult to muster energy for activities you enjoy and are excited about?
  • Do you forego important daily activities, like showering or work, because youre just too exhausted to do them?
  • Do you sleep more than seven to eight hours a night ?
  • Has the exhaustion lasted more than a week?

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Rule Out Health Problems

Fatigue is a common symptom of many illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, anemia, thyroid disease, and sleep apnea. Talk to your doctor if you feel unusually tired.

Many medications can contribute to fatigue. These include some blood pressure medicines, antihistamines, diuretics, and other drugs. If you begin to experience fatigue after starting a new medication, tell your doctor.

Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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Doctors have narrowed down some of the triggers for chronic fatigue syndrome. Everyone is different, though, and may experience symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome differently, but theCenters for Disease Control and doctors classifychronic fatigue syndrome as having at least four of the following physical symptoms for at least six months:

  • Post-exertional malaise
  • Unrefreshing sleep

Chronic fatigue syndrome can only be diagnosed when other diseases have been ruled out, but thats the problem: You may experience fatigue as a symptom of other health conditions.

Read Also: How To Restore Adrenal Fatigue

Drink Plenty Of Water

Dehydration zaps energy and impairs physical performance. âOur research shows that dehydration makes it harder for athletes to complete a weight lifting workout,â says Dan Judelson, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology at California State University at Fullerton. “Itâs reasonable to think that dehydration causes fatigue even for people who are just doing chores.”

Dehydration has also been shown to decrease alertness and concentration.

How to know if youâre drinking enough water?âUrine should be pale yellow or straw colored,â Judelson says. âIf itâs darker than that, you need to drink water.â

Take Breaks From Your Phone

Technology can be a catch-22 when it comes to resting. Playing Candy Crush, watching Netflix, or surfing the web may feel like a good way to wind down but its not real rest and may even make you more anxious. In addition, the blue light emitted from phone, tablet, and laptop screens can also mess up your sleep. Dont use screens within an hour of bedtime, Dr. Cohen cautions.

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Fatigue Cause No : Diabetes

In people with diabetes, abnormally high levels of sugar remain in the bloodstream instead of entering the body’s cells, where it would be converted into energy. The result is a body that runs out of steam despite having enough to eat. If you have persistent, unexplained fatigue, ask your doctor about being tested for diabetes.

Fix: Treatments for diabetes may include lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, insulin therapy, and medications to help the body process sugar.

When Should I Call My Doctor About Fatigue

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Itâs normal to feel tired now and then. Everyone experiences occasional, brief fatigue due to illness, sleep disturbances, travel or changes in diet or medication. But you should talk to your healthcare provider if youâre tired all the time. Call your provider if:

  • Your fatigue lasts longer than a few days
  • Youâre having a hard time going to work or performing daily activities.
  • There isnât a clear reason for your fatigue.
  • It comes on suddenly.
  • Youâve also been losing weight.

Fatigue can be a sign of a serious health condition. You should seek immediate medical attention if you have fatigue along with other symptoms, such as:

  • Shortness of breath or pain in your chest, arm or upper back.
  • Fast, pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat.
  • Headache or vision problems .

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Are We Making The Right Choices In Foods To Fight Fatigue

The moment we feel low on energy or tired, we turn to caffeinated drinks or energy bars to perk up ourselves. A cup of coffee, a can of energy drink, a granola bar or some sugary snack looks so appealing when we are tired. But do these choices help? Doctors and nutritionists believe that they may provide initial energy high but soon the levels plummet, and we end up feeling more tired than before.

Causes Of Afternoon Fatigue

That drowsy feeling you get shortly after lunch is referred to as the afternoon slump and sometimes the 2:30 feeling because many day shift workers experience it between the hours of 2 and 3 pm. For shift workers, it obviously varies based on the time you work, but the concept is the same.

Science hints at several potential causes for afternoon fatigue, including:

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The Impact Of Caffeine And Energy Drinks

90% of American adults drink caffeine-infused beverages almost every day. This includes coffee, tea, and energy drinks, which have high quantities of sugar in addition to containing the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. Some of the smaller energy shots can contain up to 160mg of caffeine in a 60ml bottle. With extreme tiredness, you may start drinking too much of these drinks to give yourself a temporary energy boost.

The problem is that these caffeinated beverages have short-lived results and do not tackle your general fatigue. Caffeine has a stimulatory effect on the nervous system, and creates a momentary surge of adrenaline. However, once it subsides, you are left drained of energy the opposite effect to what you wanted. Caffeine can also lead to other problems such as:

So rather than improving your fatigue, caffeine can cause you to feel worse.

Increase Potassium And Magnesium Intake

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Research shows that both potassium and magnesium can help improve the symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Magnesium

In a study published in the UK medical journal The Lancet, chronic fatigue syndrome patients were found to have low magnesium levels that accounted for a low red blood cell count.

In this study, patients that were treated with magnesium supplements self-reported improved energy levels, a more balanced emotional state and less pain. At the end of the six-week study, all patients that were given magnesium had their red cell magnesium levels return to normal.

If you have chronic fatigue syndrome, consider adding these magnesiumrich foods to add to your diet: spinach, chard, pumpkin seeds, yogurt and kefir, almonds, black beans, avocados, figs, dark chocolate and bananas.

These delicious foods can help you overcome chronic fatigue, one of the symptoms of a magnesium deficiency, and support healthy nerve function, healthy blood sugar levels, blood pressure regulation, and much more. Its estimated that nearly 80 percent of Americans are currently deficient in this essential mineral.

Potassium

Potassium is responsible for proper electrolyte balance in the body. Potassium-rich foods include avocados, spinach, sweet potatoes, coconut water, kefir and yogurt, white beans, bananas, acorn squash, dried apricots and mushrooms.

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Can Dehydration Cause Fatigue

If you are feeling fatigued, it could be due to dehydration. Usually, you feel thirsty later than your body senses dehydration, making it hard to catch up on your water intake.

Try these tips to stay hydrated:

  • Drink at least two glasses of water an hour before and an hour after vigorous physical activity.
  • Sip water during your workout.

Natural Ways To Fight Chronic Fatigue

More than 1 million Americans live with chronic fatigue syndrome , according to the Centers for Disease Control . Chronic fatigue is a medical condition characterized by extreme fatigue after physical or mental exertion that is unrelated to an underlying condition. There are several theories on what leads to this syndrome, but the exact cause still remains unknown.

If you have chronic fatigue syndrome you know that on some days, even brushing your teeth can feel like a marathon. You may have tried every approved pharmacologic treatment out there. If youre searching for an alternative, here are four ways to boost your energy without popping pills.

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Symptoms Of Mental Exhaustion

Although mental exhaustion is primarily associated with your mental health, it can also be detrimental to your physical and emotional wellbeing.

Emotionally, you can experience:

  • Chronic physical fatigue, weakness, tiredness
  • Trouble sleeping, including insomnia
  • Greater susceptibility to illness

Chronic mental fatigue will heighten physical and emotional symptoms. What may otherwise be a minor headache can become a crushing pain when mentally exhausted. A fleeting bout of anxiety in normal circumstances can result in uncontrolled worry.

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