Episode 205: Why Am I ALWAYS Tired??
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Summary
“Energizer bunny” “sunshine girl” “enthusiastic” “perky”.
These are the words my friends use to describe me these days. But that was NOT always the case.
For years I could get 10 hours of sleep and still be dragging ass. No amount of coffee or naps could remove the dark cloud of fatigue that hung over me day in and day out.
And that fatigue robbed me of so much life, so many experiences. In college I didn’t go to parties, I didn’t make a lot of friends, and I didn’t take many trips because by the time I was done with school work I had one thing on the brain: rest.
So how did I go from that version of myself to this one? How did I become the person who works out when she gets bored? Who loves to go dancing on the weekends? Who never turns down the chance to be out and about with the people she loves?
I fixed. my damn. gut.
What does the gut have to do with your energy you ask? Allow me to explain…
- When the delicate balance of microbes in your gut is disrupted, harmful bacteria can overgrow and release pro-inflammatory molecules that can trigger an immune response leading to a sense of lethargy. It’s like your body’s army is having to fight day in and day out with no rest or reprieve and of course that’s going to rob you of energy.
- Your gut microbiome produces and interacts with important neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which are responsible for regulating mood and energy levels.
- When our gut isn’t functioning well, it’s like a car with a hole in the engine. You can put all the gas you want in but it’s going to barely be puttering along. Our gut is where we extract and absorb the nutrients from our food. If we can’t do that effectively we’re missing out on our main source of energy.
- Beneficial bacteria in the gut produce short-chain fatty acids which serve as an energy source for the body. And unfortunately there’s finite real estate in your gut so if bad bacteria are overgrowing, good bacteria are being crowded out leading to a drop in short-chain fatty acids and a major drop in energy.
Of course there can be many other root causes of fatigue.
Poor sleep patterns like working until bed time, being on screens late at night, having an inconsistent sleep routine, and not getting exposure to sunlight in the morning can inhibit good sleep and therefore energy levels.
High stress and adrenal fatigue can rob you of energy because when stress is high your body steals energy from internal processes like digestion, immunity, and energy production and puts it toward dealing with the stressor.
If this goes on long enough and your adrenals can't keep up you start producing adrenaline instead of cortisol. This is highly catabolic (meaning it breaks down your own tissue for energy) and will give you the tired-but-wired feeling that robs you of energy during the day but also makes it harder to sleep at night.
Low testosterone or excess progesterone are also potential fatigue culprits. Think about testosterone as your get-up-and-go hormone. It gives you more energy, motivation, and overall oomf in your day, without it you'll feel... deflated (wink wink).
Progesterone on the other hand is a calming hormone. It helps signal your body to go into a more relaxed state and release DHEA (the counterbalance to cortisol) which is a great thing when in balance. But when we produce too much it can make us feel groggy and depressed.
Eating against your metabolic type is another energy offender that you probably haven't considered. If your a fast oxidizer and you're eating fast oxidizing foods it's going to be like a car speeding down the highway at 150. The tires are going to wear down, the engine is going to burn out, and you're headed for a major crash. On the other hand if you're already a slow oxidizer and then you add on slow oxidizing foods, it's going to feel like you're a snail pushing a boulder uphill.
Unknowingly eating foods you're sensitive to can also be problematic. Basically you eat the food, it causes damage to the gut lining, makes its way into the bloodstream in turn sounding the alarm in your immune system, and creates a cascade of energy-zapping inflammation.
These are all the reasons why in functional nutrition we don't mess around throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks.
We test to figure out exactly what the problem is so we can put together a holistic protocol designed specifically for your body.
We find out what your hormone levels are looking like, how your gut is doing, what your metabolic type is, what your food sensitivities are, and more so we can shine a light on exactly what your body needs (and doesn't need).
Because when you're struggling to get through the day, the last thing you want is to spend months or years on plans and programs that don't work.
I can’t wait to finally get started guiding you through this process and I'm beyond excited to announce that I am officially a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner!!
Click here to apply if you're ready to look under the hood of your health issues and finally feel like yourself again!
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