fatigue

There can be many causes for fatigue, and it is recommended to see a health care practitioner to find out what the root cause of fatigue can be.

Often times we associate fatigue with adrenal fatigue, saying that we have run our adrenals dry. This can be the case, as we do need our adrenal system to function proper when we deal with stress, and who doesn’t have stress in their life.

Blood work is recommended to find any nutritional, mineral or hormonal deficiencies.

When it comes to acupuncture, blood work can help us direct our treatments, but we also look at a variety of different patterns that could be causing fatigue on an individual basis. There are more than 10 patterns that could be the cause of fatigue, so a thorough intake from your Acupuncturist can get you on the right path to feeling energized.

 

There are a variety of herbs and nutritional recommendations that set Acupuncturists apart in the treatment of fatigue. When there is a vitamin deficiency, getting vitamin support from a Naturopath can be beneficial.

 

Here are some general items that can help alleviate symptoms of fatigue:

  • a daily multi-vitamin as well as a mineral supplement to replenish a deficiency. With this being said, I still think it is ideal to identify what specific deficiencies are the cause. Often times we have enough of one mineral or vitamin, and we are just compounding without really making the best use of the supplement. And what type of supplement you use is also important. Some studies have shown that there is little to no benefit of taking a daily vitamin, and I think it is due to the processing and sourcing of the supplement. I tend to go for whole food supplements that have a cellulose encapsulation. These are easier to digest and less likely to just pass through our system.
    • Vitamin C             500 to 1000 mg tid
    • Vitamin E             200 to 400 IU daily
    • EFA’s                     daily
    • Magnesium           250 mg tid
    • B complex             50 mg tid
    • CoQ10                    100 mg tid
    • DHEA                    25 to 50 mg daily
    • Selenium               100 to 200 mcg daily
  • Shiitake and Reishi mushroom can help boost immunity and increase energy levels
  • Increase fresh fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts into your daily diet. Certain grains can have the daily Vitamin B recommendations in them, so grains can be added to, if there aren’t any allergies. Brewer’s yeast or nutritional yeast is a great sourse of vitamins for vegans or gluten-free diets.
  • This sounds contradictory, but avoid using coffee or sugar to help boost your energy.

 

One supplement I think is necessary to keep on hand is Ashwagandha. It is an adaptogen, and therefore an incredible herb to moderate our stress response.

 

Ashwagandha is great for : the immune system // regulates the effects of stress // anxiety // depression // reduces brain-cell degeneration // anti-inflammatory