Cut the B.S Wednesday – Fatigue, the Modern Woman’s Curse

As women, and most definitely as mother’s, we must begin to listen to our bodies more often. If your energy gauge is running low, then something in your body needs attention. To help you stay energized, take a look at some of these suggestions and see if by implementing them into your lifestyle and current routine, you can shake things up and give your mind and body a good wake up in the process.

1. Start Boosting Your B’s – when you are stressed your b vitamins rush to respond and your body depletes them quite quickly, leaving you feeling tired and listless. B-vitamins help your body to better access nutrients and energy in food. These vitamins need to be replaced daily because they are water-soluble and easily washed out of your system (hence the fluorescent urine you will notice once you start taking B’s). Incorporate more B’s by eating more whole grains, brown rice, quinoa, nuts and seeds and taking a daily supplement. A liquid B complex is my number once choice; brands to try: Genestra, Nature’s Harmony or Sisu.
2. Stretching and Moving – any movement that gets you away from sitting will increase your energy and lift your mood. Physical activity forces your lungs to work harder and pushes oxygen into your blood cells, helping you to revitalize your brain and body. The easiest thing you can do throughout the day is to take one or more 10-15 minute walking – brisk walking – breaks, ideally at lunch. It will increase your energy and better your mood, plus it will also prevent that 3pm slump and the cravings. Stretching also increases blood flow when you need a quick energy fix. Try taking 3-5 minute stretch breaks throughout your day and be sure to stretch key muscles like your neck, chest, shoulders and thighs.
3. Make sure you are getting enough iron – Women need about 18 milligrams of iron per day but many of us only manage to get 8-10 milligrams. Iron is necessary for red blood cells to be healthy so that they can carry oxygen around the body. Low energy may mean low iron. Other signs may be dark circles under the eyes, headaches and restless legs. The question to ask may be: Why am I not absorbing Iron from my food? Support your digestion by limiting food triggers that cause bloating, gas and upset. Try eating more iron rich foods including lentils, chickpeas, dates, greens, raw cocoa powder and nettles. My favourite supplement is Iron Smart by Lorna Vanderhaeghe.  Nutrition Tip: It’s important to consume iron-rich foods with vitamin C because it helps your body absorb the iron.
4. Make sure that you are eating 4-6 times per day or at least every 3-4 hours and that your meals and snacks have the proper balance of carbs, fat, protein and fiber in order to keep your blood sugar stable and energy levels up.
5. Drink at minimum 2 ltrs. of water daily and herbal teas such as green, ginger, fennel and peppermint to stay hydrated. If you are dehydrated your muscles are too and will become fatigued that much quicker.
6.  Create a bedtime routine just like you would do for your toddler, create a consistent nightly routine that will help to induce sleep. Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed at roughly the same hour each night, and wake up at the same hour each morning. Our bodies prefer a well-regulated and predictable schedule, especially when it comes to sleep.
7. Power down! Avoid watching action packed TV and turn off all electronics. We live in a society of constant stimulation, via TV, news, work, social media – and the fact that our phones have become our 24-hour round-the-clock assistant doesn’t help! Try to power down at least one hour before bed, to allow your system a chance to recognize how tired you really are.
8. AVOID popular energy drinks!!! They are loaded with sugar or synthetic sweeteners and caffeine. They may boost your energy in the short-term, but you will feel a crash a few hours later. All of the ingredients in these drinks stimulate your body, sending it into a flight-or-flight state. In this state, your body thinks it’s in a state of emergency, so your adrenals release a stress hormone, adrenaline, that makes you feel more alert. When that hormone is depleted, your body feels more fatigued than ever. There is nothing positive to these drinks and when used in excess, they can lead to feeling jittery, anxiety, stomach problems, headaches, and abnormal heart rhythms. DO NOT GIVE THESE DRINKS TO CHILDREN.

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