In todays society, we talk about how busy we are like a badge of honor humble bragging about how late we went to bed, how early we got up or how we never have free time to exercise. Comparing hectic schedules can become an unspoken competition amongst friends and family members as we praise each other with comments like How did you work that many hours this week?, or I cant believe how much you have on your plate, its so impressive how you manage it all. The irony in these compliments is that while being busy is championed, consistently overstretching ourselves can chip away at our daily energy levels and metabolic processes, resulting in stress and fatigue.
As we push the limits of what our brains and bodies can handle on a daily basis, people often seek an answer to the million-dollar question of how to increase their stamina, have more energy and avoid fatigue. There are several factors that make fatigue difficult to treat, the first being that fatigue is a symptom, not a disease state or condition. Fatigue could be a result of a plethora of causes such as hectic lifestyles, regularly not sleeping well, eating poorly, aging or perhaps an underlying medical condition that affects energy to name just a few reasons. Or, it could be all of these things combined, and more. You have to pinpoint what is causing the fatigue to get it to go away, which can be perplexing and takes time.
MORE FUEL UP: What to know about staying hydrated in the Houston heat
Another challenge in treating fatigue is that it presents itself differently depending on the person. For me, I feel sluggish and as if I could lay down on the spot and take a nap regardless if Im in my cozy bed or at the grocery store. Many people feel a different combination of signs, such as weak muscles or brain fog. Each persons definition of how it feels to be energized and what contributes to that feeling is unique, making fatigue difficult to define and study in research. Since medical treatment is based on scientific research studies, we currently dont have specific nutrition treatment that targets fatigue. If you suffer from chronic fatigue, I strongly recommend working with a doctor and registered dietitian to holistically explore and treat the source.
The promising and positive news is that we do have nutrition recommendations for the systems that overlap and work together to promote energy production and mitigate fatigue. People often go for extreme interventions like sketchy herbal supplements to battle debilitating fatigue. I recommend following the nutrition tips below in sequential order as a checklist to help boost energy and fight fatigue.
1. Identify gaps in your daily health and wellness routine: Your health and wellness routine should consist of regular exercise, seven to nine hours of quality sleep, a balanced diet, staying hydrated and regularly practicing stress management. This is the low-hanging fruit that people often ignore in the pursuit of more energy and focus. To feel good on a daily basis, its essential to practice these pillars of wellness on a daily basis.
2. Eat to meet your calorie (energy) needs: Calories are a unit of energy. I often find that patients I work with are either drastically undereating, or consuming too many calories both of which can lead to fatigue. Many people chronically and severely restrict food in an effort to lose weight, which can hinder your metabolism and lead to very low energy. Nowadays, there are many apps and websites that can help you calculate a very rough estimate of how many calories you need in a given day and subsequently log your food intake. Even if you try this out just for a few days, you can determine if you are roughly coming in range of your needs. For more specific numbers and potential calorie goals, it would be helpful to work with a dietitian. In general, you want to spread your intake out by aiming for three meals and one to two snacks per day.
3. Make breakfast part of your daily routine: Breakfast should always be one of three meals helping you meet your energy needs. Ideally, your breakfast should include a high-quality carbohydrate such as fruit or grains, a source of protein and some healthy fat like avocado or peanut butter. Many people dont have time to make a full-blown breakfast or are simply not breakfast people if this is you, anything is better than nothing, even if its just a handful of nuts or a protein smoothie. Having breakfast revs up your digestive system, provides some energy and sets the tone for the rest of the day.
MORE FUEL UP: Want to reduce inflammation? Try the Mediterranean diet.
4. Skip the inflammatory foods: Low-grade inflammation is often discussed in research as a contributing factor to fatigue. We want to minimize foods that could increase inflammatory load, like highly processed foods, and foods high in sugar or saturated fats. When we feel fatigued, our inhibitions are typically lowered and we are more inclined to choose these highly palatable foods, contributing to a vicious cycle. Instead, pack on the antioxidants with fruits, vegetables and unsaturated fats. Omega-3s in olive oil, avocado, nuts and oily fish are particularly anti-inflammatory and have been shown to contribute to better mood and cognition. Try to aim for at least one serving of fruit and one serving of vegetables (about cup of each) per meal and swap the potato chips for nuts.
5. If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation: If you do not consume alcohol, there is no need to start! Drinking in moderation is defined as one standard size drink for women and two standard size drinks for men per day. Alcohol can disrupt sleep quality and cause fatigue even after just one drink. We want to be mindful of our fluid consumption in general. Water should be our primary source of fluid intake. Coffee or caffeinated beverages can increase alertness, but it is easy to over-do it and should only be used as a short-term intervention. Energy drinks should be avoided when trying to beat fatigue, as people often experience significant crashes when the energy wears off. These drinks also typically contain unknown amounts of added ingredients in the form of proprietary blends, which can present risks in not knowing all thats in said blend.
6. Dont be afraid to snack strategically: Snacks are usually the first to get the boot when one is trying to cut back on their intake. In my opinion, snacks should be incorporated into everyones daily nutrition routine. They present an excellent opportunity to obtain more nutrients and fuel to help you maintain your energy. When we go long periods of time without eating, our blood sugar drops and we feel fatigued and lethargic. To bring it back up and feel more energized, have a snack! Fruit is an excellent option, as youre getting both carbohydrates and energy, as well as antioxidants. Aim for at least one snack per day in between meals to keep up your energy.
7. Work with a dietitian to pinpoint nutrient deficiencies: If youve written a check mark next to all of the points above and still feel abnormal fatigue, its time to work with a doctor and dietitian for a more personal plan. Completing bloodwork and identifying any nutrient deficiencies could provide solid answers as to why you feel fatigued. Many people with chronic fatigue immediately turn to supplementation in an effort to address the issue. One study looking at a sample of adults with chronic fatigue syndrome demonstrated that many people with this diagnosis take supplements even though they report the supplements do not appear to enhance their health-related quality of life. Some supplements often advertised for fatigue are forms of antioxidants, like coenzyme Q10, or are molecules that are cofactors in processes that help produce energy, like vitamin b12. Remember the saying from sixth grade science class: the mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell? Some supplement products, like NADH, target mitochondrial function to in theory, help stimulate energy production and decrease fatigue. More studies are needed, but a dietitian can help you decide if this is worth exploring for your case, and help you find a safe product as well.
There are many individualized factors at play that influence fatigue. Its crucial to practice foundational healthy behaviors to mitigate fatigue and pinpoint its source.
Emma Willingham is a registered dietitian who practices in an outpatient hospital clinic and through her private practice, Fuel with Emma. You can find her on social media at @fuelwithemma.
Read more:
Want to fight fatigue? Start with tweaking your diet. - Houston Chronicle
