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Why Am I So Tired? Tips From A Naturopath For An Energy Boost

Why Am I So Tired? Tips From A Naturopath For An Energy Boost
Tired businesswoman with head in hands looking away
Caiaimage/Agnieszka Wozniak via Getty Images
Tired businesswoman with head in hands looking away

A new advice book to guide Australians on living well has tackled the problem of fatigue, and how changes to diet and lifestyle can help the body bounce back from lethargy.

Bahar Etminan wrote in her book Rescu me! that advice from naturopath Anthia Koullouros showed how diet can help with feeling energetic.

"Meeting Naturopath Anthia Koullouros is like spending time with an old friend who knows you from the inside out and knows what’s best for you first," Etminan said.

"Anthia believes that food is the starting point to perfect health, glowing beauty and boundless energy. Through her understanding of the role of food, hormones, sleep and lifestyle, she transforms the burnt-out into refreshed go-getters with spark to spare. No wonder she’s the secret fountain of youth and vitality for more than one Sydney celebrity client," said Etminan.

Here, Naturopath Anthia Koullouros' advice on energy fatigue and how to reboot:

OVERCOME EXHAUSTION WITH NUTRITION

  • Don’t rely on sugar and caffeine as your energy source or quick fix or you will always be at their mercy. Your body can become addicted.
  • Avoid processed breakfast cereals, breads, snack bars and muesli bars, condiments, sauces, juices and sweets as they are full of sugar. Check the sugar content of all packaged foods.
  • Eat three square meals per day. Eating whole foods with animal fat and proteins will sustain your energy levels between meals.
  • Eat fresh, organic fruit two times each day.
  • Eat fresh, organic vegetables at every meal.
  • Eat grass-fed or pastured beef, lamb, chicken, whole eggs (not just the whites), full-fat and sugar-free dairy or wild/sustainable fish/sea- food at every meal.
  • Eat smaller amounts of gluten-free grains or pseudo-cereals such as rice or buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa.
  • Eat a few tablespoons each of healthy plant fats such as extra virgin coconut oil and olive oil every day.
  • Enjoy quality organic tea and coffee in moderation.

STILL SLEEPY?

Poor quality sleep is also one of the biggest modern culprits behind low energy. Tapping into a healthy circadian rhythm, or sleep/wake cycle, is a good start to addressing tiredness. The circadian rhythm is a biological process involved in hormone regulation, production and synthesis of neurotransmitters, appetite regulation, fertility and physical strength. Melatonin, our sleep, growth and repair hormone, is secreted from the pineal gland -- a small gland in the brain -- in response to levels of light and dark, regulating sleep and wakefulness.

WHAT DISRUPTS THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM?

  • Jet lag
  • Shift work
  • Parental sleep deprivation and tending to a newborn
  • Stimulants, drinking copious amounts of water/tea before bed or eating carbohydrates/ desserts before bed
  • Room temperature – too hot or too cold
  • Stress, anxiety and worry
  • Nightmares and dreams
  • Excessive light – computers and electronics before bedtime, too many lights on in the house, not enough morning sunshine

TIPS FOR TUNING BACK INTO YOUR NATURAL CIRCADIAN RHYTHM

  • Wind down with the sun. This allows cortisol to taper off and make way for melatonin.
  • Sleep by 10pm and wake with the sun.
  • Remove all electrical items from your room – even alarm clocks and mobile phones. Keep them just outside. Electromagnetic fields are stressors that interfere with healthy sleep rhythms.
  • Eat by 8pm, allowing enough time to commence digestion before sleeping at 10pm.
  • Keep your room very dark. Block out any light -- even a little will interfere with the release of melatonin. Poor quality sleep is also one of the biggest modern culprits behind low energy.

Rescu me! (Harlequin MIRA) is available for purchase online or at all good book stores nationally for RRP $29.99 / eRRP $19.99

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