Do you feel tired, even when you’ve gotten plenty of sleep the night before? Does your mind feel “foggy” all day long, no matter how many cups of coffee you have?
While many people think that having low energy is a byproduct of not getting enough sleep, it can be more serious and actually the symptom of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Adrenal and Mitrochondrial Dysfunction.
Symptoms often include extreme tiredness that can occur following light movement or exercise. Poor decision-making, fogginess/memory loss, and cognitive decline may also be signs of a chronic fatigue issue.
Root Causes for Chronic Fatigue
It all starts with your mitochondria. Mitochondria are like tiny factories that turn food and oxygen into energy. In each cell, there are hundreds to thousands of these little energy factories. Simply put, the mitochondria are where metabolism happens.
The problem? Mitochondria are very sensitive to damage. And when they aren’t working properly, you suffer all the symptoms of low energy — fatigue, memory loss, pain, rapid aging and more. Fatigue is the most common symptom of poorly functioning mitochondria.
The first order of business is to find the things that damage your mitochondria — things like toxins, infections, allergens and stress. The biggest insult over time is eating too much high-calorie, low-nutrient food — in short, too many “empty calories.”
When food is burned or metabolized with oxygen in the mitochondria, your body produces waste in the form of free radicals, which create a chain reaction of rusting, or oxidation. Unless you have enough antioxidants in your diet or you make enough in your body, you can’t protect yourself from the damage to your mitochondria. So when you eat empty calories — such as sugar, flour and processed foods that don’t have the high antioxidant levels of fruits and vegetables — you produce too many free radicals that tip the balance and start a chain reaction of cellular and tissue damage that destroys your mitochondria and, thus, your life force.
Your adrenal glands also play a central role in your endocrine system when it comes to regulating and reacting to your body’s stress levels. When they are functioning properly, you are able to effectively adapt and react to the day-to-day stresses that you encounter.Toxic relationships, digestive compromise, and hormone imbalances are a few common culprits. But a poor diet, dormant infections, or exposure to environmental toxins are other potential causes that need to be evaluated and addressed.
Tips to Better Manage Chronic Fatigue and Adrenal Insufficiency
Minimize your intake of processed food, junk food, sugar, empty calories, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors and other chemical food additives. Their toxic effects can damage your mitochondria and prevent them from producing energy properly.
Address inflammation. Chronic, smoldering inflammation slowly destroys our organs and our ability for optimal functioning, and leads to rapid aging.
Address hidden issues. Lyme disease, hidden gut infections, heavy metal poisoning and adrenal fatigue are all root causes of chronic fatigue syndrome. Work with a Functional Medicine practitioner to get to the bottom of these issues.
Eat food that’s full of antioxidants and phytonutrients. Include 8 to 12 servings of fresh vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains every day.
Take mitochondria-protective and energy-boosting nutrients. These include acetyl-L-carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, n-acetyl-cysteine, resveratrol and magnesium. While not a cure-all, these nutrients, taken in conjunction with a whole-food, plant-based diet, can provide metabolic support for those low on energy.
Increase omega-3 fats to help build your mitochondrial membranes. Coldwater fish, such as wild salmon, sardines and herring, are good sources of omega-3 fats, as are flaxseeds and omega-3 eggs. They all help strengthen the fragile cellular membranes that make your mitochondria work the way they’re supposed to.
Prioritize sleep: Get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Everything in your life will look and feel better, and you will make better choices when you do this.
Avoid drugs: Almost all of us use drugs every day to manage our energy. These include sugar, caffeine, alcohol and more. Think about taking a “drug holiday” for six weeks and see how much better you feel.
Remember feeling well: When I get off track, I simply remember what it is like to feel great and what I have to do to get there — eat better, sleep more, exercise more, or do nothing more!
Are you looking for help with a customized plan to overcome your chronic fatigue symptoms? Schedule a free 1:1 consult today!
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