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There are many causes of fatigue that we’re facing today, and how something as simple as processing our food properly can severely impact your energy levels.
You take daily vitamins and minerals, incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, get the recommended hours of sleep each night—and still feel exhausted. The culprit might be your gut.
More than 22 million people have seen their doctor for digestive issues. Gastrointestinal disorders are one of the ways our bodies speak to us, telling us something has gone off the rails. Unfortunately, we’ve become used to ignoring or dismissing these messages.
If you can’t digest your food or your gut is inflamed, chances are you’re also probably feeling depleted of energy.
| How can you tell if you’re not metabolising your food correctly ? Here are three easy questions to help you identify what macronutrient you may have trouble digesting.
Do you have a heavy feeling in your body, like food is not moving, particularly after consuming any of the following?
After eating, do you experience any of the following?
When you poop, do you experience any of the following?
If you answered YES to any of the above it could mean you are having trouble digesting fat. |
There are some natural ways you can start turning the food you eat into fuel you can use to thrive through your day :
- Eat more fiber : Your body’s friendly bacteria love anything that’s high in fiber and low in sugar. We’re talking whole grains, leafy greens, quinoa, and many of the other good-complex carbohydrates.
- Eat a varied diet filled with organic produce and humanely raised animal protein : If you’re someone who lives off eating the same foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it’s time to switch it up. You want diversity in your microbiome, so you need to eat diverse foods. You’re an interesting person. Eat interesting food. It’s better for you and the environment !!
- Eat slowly and chew your food : Eating slowly and chewing wasn’t just something your mom told you as a kid so you wouldn’t choke. Turns out, when we eat and chew our food, it activates our gastric acid production. Take more time to taste and enjoy your food—in the process you will naturally signal your brain to tell your digestive organs what type of macronutrient needs breaking down.
Additionally, there are a few tests you can ask your doctor about if you are experiencing GI issues :
- Amino Acids/Enzymes (testing for amino acid and mineral insufficiencies)
- Lipase/ Bile (testing for fat in your stool)
- Food Sensitivity (testing foods that nourish and foods that cause inflammation)
- Organic Acids (testing on how your physiology is functioning)
- Stool (testing how well you are digesting fats and proteins from your food)
It can be frustrating and take some time to heal GI issues, but you can heal your gut. And when you do, your energy levels will be higher and you’ll feel all-around better.
Plus, here’s a short list of natural herbs and supplements for focus and energy :
- Ginko Biloba – helps improves blood flow and blood circulation in the brain to improve brain function.
- Magnesium Thronate – helps memory loss or concentration issues.
- Gotu Kola – helps rejuvenate energy and balances the nervous system, which can reduce anxiety and stress. It also helps with mental alertness.
- Rhodiola – is a gentle herb that gives you energy (or can ramp it down) and is great for helping you rebuild an exhausted system.
- B Vitamins – helps nourish the adrenals, balance your mood, and can give you a morning energy boost.
And other options to help you sleep:
- Valerian – is an herbal treatment for insomnia and sleep disorders.
- Holy Basil – is great at calming and soothing your system, and it’s commonly used to help with anxiety and stress.
- Skull Cap – is commonly used by those who have trouble sleeping and/or anxiety.
- Lemon Balm – is amazing for anxiety which can get much worse when you’re exhausted.
- Ashwagandha – is an herbal treatment that’s ideal for those who are “wired and tired” and dealing with high or low cortisol.
- Reishi – is a mushroom that can enhance the immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep, and lesson fatigue.
- L-Theanine – is commonly used to improve mental function.
Learn more about how healing from exhaustion in Dr. Pedram Shojai and Nick Polizzi’s book ==> Exhausted : How to Revitalize, Restore, and Renew Your Energy.
A road map for healing from exhaustion, inside and out
The economics are simple: you can’t run on a deficit of energy and expect to feel well. Yet that is what we’ve come to expect from ourselves, as we have pushed farther and farther down the hole of fatigue and away from any semblance of being healthy.
But what if you had a simple road map to reclaiming your health and vibrancy? Nick Polizzi, author of The Sacred Science, and Pedram Shojai, O.M.D., and New York Times best-selling author of The Urban Monk and The Art of Stopping Time, provide:
• Wisdom from the top scientists, physicians, and experts in traditional healing practices
• A concise nuts-and-bolts understanding of what energy is and how we use it
• An exploration of the key areas in which we have been depriving our body of energy
From our immune system to hormones to sleep patterns, Polizzi and Shojai offer methods for evaluating your individual needs, as well as safe, easy remedies for whole-body healing. Maximize the potential energy from the essential parts of your body and life so you can finally feel fully alive and find the fulfillment you deserve, both personally and professionally.