The Most Common Question People Ask A Naturopathic Doctor - Why Am I So Tired?

My wife, who is a naturopathic doctor has written a great article addressing the root cause of fatigue and tiredness. Here is the article from her website. Enjoy!

Fatigue, or tiredness is the number one complaint that brings people in for naturopathic care. There are many underlying factors to investigate in determining the cause of tiredness. Many of these are missed in a conventional medical work-up.

Adrenal gland function: Your adrenal glands produce hormones such as cortisol, DHEA and adrenalin, and they all help our bodies adapt to stress better. Over time with chronic stress, a state called “adrenal fatigue” develops. This is characterized by: tiredness, sugar and salt cravings, poor tolerance for stress (meaning that stressful situations are harder to handle), poor blood sugar regulation, sleep disturbances and lower body temperature. If you suspect your low energy could be due to stress and adrenal gland fatigue, this can be tested most accurately with an “Adrenal Stress Index” (salivary hormone panel), which will give information on how best to bring those adrenal glands back to optimal function.

Blood sugar regulation: Many people find that when they track their energy patterns, they are either very low just before or just after eating. If your energy is lowest between meals, or before eating this could indicate hypoglycemia or low blood sugar between meals. In this case, eating regularly through the day (every 3 hours), and minimizing sweet and all-carb meals will help. If on the other hand you are very sleepy and bloated after eating, it could indicate high insulin levels or insulin resistance, which is associated with poor blood sugar control. In both cases, a blood test for fasting glucose and fasting insulin is important.

Food intolerances: Food intolerances are different from allergies in that they are not life-threatening, and may not cause an immediate reaction. They are associated with many conditions, such as: allergies, eczema, asthma, autoimmune disease, digestive upset, low energy, low mood, and acne for example. In some people, intolerant foods can cause sleepiness, low energy, strong food cravings and fogginess. Elimination of the offending foods will often improve energy levels within one month. Testing is very simply done with a blood test called the IgG food sensitivity test.

Low mood or depression: Finally, we can’t ignore depression as a cause of low energy. Signs of depression include: low motivation, difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, feeling overwhelmed or emotional, either under or over-eating and not receiving pleasure or enjoyment from things that you used to like. If you think that depression may be the cause of your low energy, please discuss with a health care professional for support and solutions to assist both your emotional and physical state. In naturopathic medicine, a combination of nutrition, exercise, omega-3 fats and sometimes other specific nutritional supplements or herbs have proven to be a safe and effective alternative to antidepressant medications.