Issue 08: Feeling Low? Don’t Ignore Falling Energy

Feeling Low? Don’t Ignore Falling Energy

By Denise Patel

These days many young adults feel depleted of energy, despite watching their diet and exercising.

So what else might be going on? Persistent signs of tiredness, fatigue, brain fog, cravings, a need to over-exercise and generalised anxiety, all pose a risk to health and wellbeing and could eventually result in “burn out” if not addressed early.

Diet and exercise play a vital part in our lives. The types of foods you choose, the timing of your meals, and the environment in which you eat, all add up to how well you absorb your food, digest nutrients, and feel. Eating processed foods, overdoing it at the gym, binge drinking on weekends etc will undoubtedly take its toll on your body.

Your calorie intake should ideally equal the energy you spend in a day, so calculate your body mass index (BMI) and consider how active you are in your school or workplace plus any additional exercise on weekends. 1200 calories is the average food requirement for an adult, but that requirement may vary on any given day if you’re being less active.

There are several factors that could be preventing you from being your most energetic, creative and wonderful self. Genetics, your environment, and hormone fluctuations impact overall wellbeing, so if you feel tired persistently, talk to your parents, ask your doctor questions, and if necessary, investigate further. A family history of obesity, insulin resistance, anxiety and lethargy are “yellow flags” as we natural therapists like to call it. In other words, not to be alarmist or anything, there IS a possibility you may be heading in that direction if symptoms are left unaddressed.

Do not ignore low energy.

Let’s take a quick look at some conditions where low energy is a symptom:

Mitochondrial disease has recently gained some attention. It is mostly an inherited condition where the power–house of the human cell is not working as it should. Diet, exercise and rest can help with this. Skeletal muscle mitochondria can increase with regular exercise and consuming good fat, such as coconut oil, avocados, oily fish and nut butters, satiating the energy requirements of your body.

Anaemia is common in many parts of the world. Test your iron levels every three months. Loss of blood from periods, gum disease, occult blood in stools are culprits in blood loss. A vegetarian or vegan diet is known to be lacking in iron, so supplements are necessary, but try to find a good quality product that is easily absorbed, and take Vitamin C, which aids in absorption of iron. Iron storage and blood cell count will determine any another blood related disorders that your GP can address. If you’re planning on having children, get your iron levels to optimal levels, as baby will drain you of already diminished levels.

Endocrine related disease such as hypothyroidism or diabetes can also impact energy levels. Reduce screen time an hour before bed, open a window for fresh air, sleep in light clothing, drink a glass of warm milk with a small teaspoon of turmeric, black pepper and some honey. If you make a list of things worrying you (projects, relationships etc), you can deal with things better in the morning.

Allergies. An unhealthy gut due to ongoing parasite or viral infections could condition the body to perpetually run low on fuel, and if left unattended could result in a chronic disease state, including auto–immune disease.

Dehydration. Your cells need sufficient water to remain buoyant. You need a minimum of six glasses of water a day, more if you’ve exercised or consumed alcohol or coffee. People often pass out at music festivals because of a dangerous combination of dehydration and substance abuse.

Finally, when your energy is low, you may consume more sweet treats thinking your energy levels will go up. Instead, all you’ll get is a blood sugar rush, fast followed by a blood sugar crash and brain fog, rather than sustained energy release and mental clarity. Muscle strengthening and resistance workouts (such as pilates and yoga) can maintain flexibility while helping you focus on breathing and mindfulness. Yoga Calm or Yoga Flow class at the end of a busy day can relieve some of our pent –up stress.

Now, don’t lose hope! Diet, exercise, mindfulness, rest–and–digest, maintaining a healthy weight and investigative testing is vital in keeping the sluggish, bored and sleepy syndrome at bay, so don’t wait!