Reasons for Fatigue

06/24/15 • 36 min

Today I talk about reasons for fatigue. Energy problems can affect everyone and they come in all different variations - ranging from general sleepiness to chronic fatigue syndrome. A lot of people experience fatigue and don't know why, so I want to go into some different reasons for fatigue and share a bit of information about how I would Podcast breakdown: 2:30 Mitochondria - The powerhouse of your cells, where energy is made. The health and quantity of our mitochrondria determine our ability to make energy, and they can they are susceptible to oxidative damage, and can be depleted by certain nutritional deficiencies. 5:22 Inflammation, particularly chronic inflammation can affect energy and cause other imbalance. 7:40 Andropause, also known as male menopause 8:16 Some tips on reducing chronic inflammation 9:14 Stress is a major cause of fatigue, usually presenting in the form of adrenal exhaustion of HPA Axis dysfunction. 11:28 Thyroid problems are another major cause of fatigue, especially hypothyroidism. 13:36 Nutritional deficiencies that can cause fatigue, Iron, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc 16:12 Certain medications can affect energy levels 16:46 Inadequate exercise can cause fatigue, but this isn't always straightforward 18:27 The wrong diet - not enough food, too much food, or the wrong type of food for you. 20:39 Sleep. Most of us aren't getting enough, or it can be an issue with the quality of sleep. I discuss some tips on sleep hygiene. 23:00 Sleep apnoea 23:40 Shift work 26:30 Obesity and fatigue 28:57 The importance of gut health; gut problems can cause fatigue as well. 30:00 Toxicity affects the mitochrondria- what is toxicity, where does it come from, how can you identify if you're toxic? 31:13 What do you do if you've been tired for a long time and you don't know why? Start by working out a timeline. If you can't do this because the fatigue has been going on for such a long time then testing may be helpful. There are several different types of testing available, but you may not need to do all of them. 33:00 Some tips for reducing inflammation and improving energy through diet 34:30 Depression is a common cause of fatigue. 35:29 My favourite herbs for energy

Previous Episode

Thyroid Health

I talk to Naturopath Lisa Costa-Bir (http://lisacostabirnaturopath.com.au) about thyroid health. We discuss the prevalence of sub-clinical thyroid problems, some common symptoms you experience with a thyroid disorder, links between thyroid, stress and depression, thyroid and cholesterol and also the way thyroid health can change during and after pregnancy. Podcast breakdown: 1:30 The prevalence of thyroid conditions; sub clinical thyroid problems are frequently going undiagnosed and taking into consideration more factors than just blood test results, the rate of thyroid problems (hypothyroidism in particular) would likely be much higher. TSH alone is not enough. 3:50 TSH can be artificially suppressed. 4:30 Reverse T3 6:15 Causes of elevated thyroid antibodies 7:47 Foods Lisa recommends for people with thyroid disorders 10:45 Wheat and thyroid 12:00 Soy and thyroid 14:14 Nutrients for the thyroid and how thyroid problems can cause reduced absorption of nutrients 16:35 Look the adrenals and stress first 18:38 Oestrogen, progesterone, PMT and thyroid 20:43 Thyroid medications - You need nutrients for it to work properly 22:00 Iodine and the building blocks for thyroid hormones 23:40 Vitamin D 25:30 Thyroid and Iodine in Preconception, Pregnancy and Post-Partum 30:22 Thyroid and Depression 31:26 Thyroid and Cholesterol 34:30 How long does it take to improve thyroid function? 35:35 Sleep for thyroid 37:44 Basal body temperature and salt in the morning 38:20 Our favourite thyroid herbs

Next Episode

Digestion

I talk to Naturopath Hayley Stockbridge (http://www.hayleystockbridge.com.au/) about digestion and answer some questions which cover reflux, constipation, children's stomach pain, bloating and gluten intolerance. Podcast Breakdown 3:57 What is a normal bowel movement? 6:50 Question 1: I've had GORD ever since I can remember, I'm on Nexium and I take metamucil. I still get the occasional bit of reflux but mostly it's controlled with the medication. I don't want to stay on it because I don't want to rely of a medication. I also get diarrhoea every week or so that's watery, explosive and smelly and really urgent and uncomfortable, and I'm frequently bloated. Is any of this connected and what do you suggest I do about it? 9:05 Diet for reflux, food intolerances. 9:40 The importance of easing of PPI medications slowly. 11:00 Reflux often due to a structural/mechanical issue, but this doesn't mean you're doomed. 12:50 Testing and avenues to look at for assessing causes of reflux, most common food triggers of reflux. 14:15 Question 2: I feel bloated and grumpy whenever I eat bread, but my GP said I'm not celiac so I can eat as much wheat as I want. I don't get it though, why am I getting these feelings if I'm ok with bread? 15:00 Non celiac gluten intolerance including fructose mal-absorption 18:34 The general overconsumption of wheat and gluten containing foods and the issues with processing of wheat 22:40 It's advisable to rule out celiac disease, as knowing this will determine how much gluten you can tolerate. 24:00 Sourdough may be an option for people sensitive to wheat as the fermentation breaks down some of the gluten and gliadin 25:45 Gluten free products are not always better for you 26:45 Experiment to find out what foods work best for you 27:55 Question 3: Help for constipation please! I have been taking movicol for about 5 yrs now. I go to the toilet once a day, but if i don't take movicol I go once a week. I don't like relying on it, but I don't know what else I can do. Hayley and I discuss some common approaches to supporting constipation and diet for good bowel movements. 30:29 Papaya vs Pawpaw 33:00 Probiotics 34:40 Apple cider vinegar benefits 36:00 Dandelion coffee/tea 37:00 Manual work for constipation 37:25 The importance of exercise for healthy bowel movements 38:57 Toilet time - make time each morning to train your bowels to go at that time, and don't suppress the urge to go when you need to. 39:50 Our yoga efforts. 41:00 Question 4: My 4 year old daughter frequently complains of stomach pains, I'm always at the doctors with her trying to find out what it is but they can't find anything. It can be really upsetting for her, and sometimes she's doubled up and crying with the pain. We eat well, but she always has a runny nose and this stomach pain is very concerning. She started preschool last year and seems to get sick all the time, I'm worried about how she'll go at school with this stomach pain. She used to go to the toilet every 3-4 days, and even though this is considered normal the doctors gave her parachoc to try and help in case this is causing the pain, now she does go to the toilet easily (although it's very lose) . Is there anything else I can do for her? 46:00 Infant massage for stomach pain 47:15 Our favourite digestion herbs