Feelings of stress, exhaustion, weakened muscles, sleepiness and lack of mental alertness can all be a part of fatigue. Fatigue is a common enemy many of us are fighting against, but with the stress and demands of our hectic lifestyle, it often feels like an uphill battle. I recently read a great article in Today’s Dietitian Magazine, and wanted to share some of the tips to help fight fatigue and increase energy through the diet.
The obvious offender – lack of sleep
A case of chronic fatigue may simply be due to the fact that you aren’t sleeping enough, or aren’t sleeping well. If this is the case, I think it’s important to find out the reason for it. Are you too stressed and can’t fall asleep? Are you waking up in the middle of the night due to pain? Are you having too much caffeine during the day? Once you figure out the cause of your sleepless nights, it’s a lot easier to find a solution. Stress management, diet corrections, or supplementation may be just the thing to give you the sleep you need to better function through the day. Chamomile, Valerian, Magnesium, 5-HTP and Melatonin are just a few of the common supplements that can aid in sleep.
Nutrient deficiencies may be the culprit
Lacking certain nutrients such as Iron, Vitamin D, B-vitamins, and essential fatty acids can often result in fatigue. These deficiencies can easily be corrected through diet changes or proper supplementation. In fact, I’ve seen many cases where a good quality multivitamin or Omega-3 supplement is really all that is needed to bring energy back.
If you are concerned that you are lacking vitamins, minerals or other nutrients, ask your doctor to test for possible deficiencies. One tool I’ve used with several clients is a Micronutrient Test from Spectracell Laboratories. Not only does this blood test measure your status of several vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, it also goes beyond traditional tests by assessing the history of your micronutrient status. In other words, it’s not simply looking at your vitamin status at the time you get the test, but obtains a history that assesses your status over several months.
Improving mood can increase energy
According to the article, improved mood is related to feeling energized, so following guidelines known to improve mood could help many people. Animal studies have shown that diets high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids improve memory and cognition scores, and nutrition status is a predictor of mood, cognition, and memory in human studies. Eating a well balanced diet rich in antioxidants (think fruits and vegetables) and omega-3s (wild salmon or other fatty fish) can likely contribute to better energy.
If you can’t eat it, consider supplementing with it. Fish oil supplements typically contain 1000mg of omega-3 which is all most people need to get enough of this essential fatty acid. One of my favorite brands is New Chapter’s Wholemega, because it’s minimally processed wild salmon, and the next best thing to eating it.
Eat enough calories, and eat the “right” calories
Many dieters that are significantly restricting calories are also restricting their source for energy. Cutting calories will actually slow down the metabolism and burn fewer calories. Essentially, calories are fuel for our body and you get what you put in. So, when you use good fuel (fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains), you can run more efficiently then when you put in junk (fast food, soda, chips and candy). Though many turn to caffeine and sugar for an energy jolt, eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables in one of the best ways to ensure you are getting everything you need to ensure proper energy.
Furthermore, the pattern that you eat can also play a role with energy. If you find yourself not eating for several hours and then eating large portions, you are setting yourself up for fatigue. Eating small frequent meals and snacks can help keep your metabolism up, you blood sugar stable and your energy up.
Make sure you eat enough, just not too much
Just as under eating can lead to fatigue, so can overeating. Your body is putting so much energy in breaking down the huge meal, that it has little left for anything else. We all can relate to that post Thanksgiving meal nap and other times when we’ve over done it. Taking in too many calories at once puts the body into overdrive and results in the overproduction of insulin. Insulin is the hormone that is secreted after a meal to put glucose into the cells and lower blood sugar levels. This leaves too little sugar available for immediate energy.
According to the article, more than one half of the nation’s population is overweight, commonly due to overeating, so it is understandable that this trend accompanies increased reports of fatigue. Practicing portion control and a balanced diet is a great way to keep weight down and energy up.
Keeping yourself well hydrated, may keep away fatigue
It may sound simple enough, but most aren’t drinking enough water. Furthermore, the beverages we do tend to drink such as coffee and soda can actually dehydrate us further.
Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, LD, CDN, CPT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, LD, LDN, CPT, also known as The Nutrition Twins say, “Surprisingly, one of the things we’ve found most helpful when it comes to increasing our clients’ energy is drinking water consistently throughout the day. We are amazed by how many people go for a long period of time without drinking much fluid. The resulting fatigue and headaches are frequently a mystery to the client, yet the symptoms are easily and quickly reversed by simply drinking a cup or two of water and then remembering to drink 1/2 cup to 1 cup every couple hours.”
Alcohol may not be the best night cap
Many know alcohol is a depressant, and in that way consuming it can decrease energy. Though it would make sense for it to aid in sleep, it can also act as a stimulant several hours after consumption, disrupting sleep and causing fatigue the following day. Many that consume alcohol regularly may find improvements in their energy levels during the day when they eliminate it.
Fatigue is a symptom, not a disease, so treatment options vary widely. It can result from stress, imbalanced diet, lack of sleep or an underlying health condition. Often figuring out the root cause of fatigue can be the best way to find the solution. Getting more sleep and regular exercise, reducing stress, proper supplementation and improving diet can often help boost energy and combat fatigue.
Nicole Gould, RD LD
