Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms in our society today. Look at the proliferation of Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts Coffee, energy drinks and various caffeinated beverages, along with chocolate!
Caffeine in moderation has some benefits in exercise. The research on the long term effects are still undecided. However, what people are not understanding and addressing is why are we so tired? We can look at the symptom from several different perspectives, knowing that each aspect leads to greater knowledge of the overall picture.
Louis Hay in her book ” You Can Heal Your Body” states that fatigue is an emotional indicator of “resistance, boredom, and lack of love for what one does.” What is resistance? It is any belief, thought, emotion, word or action that seeks to avoid or change the “what is” or the lesson of the moment. It’s the equivalent of trying to drive forward in life with one foot on the brake and one on the gas. I go nowhere, but down. I create a rut; and the only difference between a rut and the grave is the depth. I also burn my car (my body) out before its time by refusing to learn the lesson.
So when I learn to make healthier choices in my 6 Essential Choices (eat, drink, breathe, rest, exercise and think) I am no longer living in the addiction to constant over-stimulation. What I’m saying is our collective ego’s are addicted to conflict, since the only way the ego knows itself is through dualistic drama!
Dualism. Me v them, winner v loser, better than v less than. All left brain thinking, not seeing the forest through the trees. The problem is seen as out there, in reality its in here. All this results in a timing problem from over stimulation. Our bodies do perfect physiology at the wrong time, leading to exhaustion and sub-optimal function which can only be “cured” by a 180 ° turn from what I am doing to create the situation.
Here’s some practical suggestions
1. Alkalize– decrease acid forming foods and drinks, while alkalizing with appropriate nutrition. See previous blogs or research a list of alkaline v acid foods.
2. Get more sleep– lack of sleep can interfere with circadian rhythms, cortisol and growth hormone metabolism. Which can lead to age related symptoms, i.e. glucose metabolism ( type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, P.V.D.) and metabolic syndromes ( weight gain, arthritis, cancer). So moderate your schedule; since our bodies detoxify, repair and heal, primarily, at night.
There is no treatment for a lack of sleep, except to sleep. Reduce stimulating behavior before bed, cut out caffeine and related products after 12 noon. If you’re used to going to bed at 11:30, go down an hour earlier and see how you feel in 1 month of this change. Develop a nightly routine to prepare for sleep, much as preparing to exercise: read a relaxing book, take a bath, listen to music, breathe deeply with 4 score breathing and do the M-Power March.
3. Snack in between meals– with nuts and veggies: blood sugar and hormonal levels can be maintained with proper nutrition.
4. Drink healthy water– chronic dehydration (we are over 75% water in our make up) can cause
– blood sugar / hormonal imbalances
– slow recovery from exercise
-acidification of tissues
-decreased absorption of nutrients
-poor detoxification of biologic waste products
Are you dehydrated? Here’s a checklist of possible signs of dehydration.
Decreased energy
Fatigue
Colds, flu’s. allergies
Joint pain and inflammation
Constipation
Headaches
Depression
Dementia
Anxiety
Confusion
Delerium
4. Schedule regular B.E.S.T. visits– get reconnected through B.E.S.T. to be your B.E.S.T. possible you!
Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.) removes interference in the energy fields in and around the body and updates higher brain patterns of neurologic disharmony, allowing for improved function and timing in the body. You don’t need a symptom to get treated you could choose to get more in sync with the vibration of health, happiness and success. Maybe you want to be a more loving person in relationships, perhaps it’s bringing more devoted service to your clients? Whatever the case, we always go deeper with B.E.S.T. !
5. Get active– in a recent study the top 7 symptoms of perceived aging were found to be poor fitness and flexibility! Exercise improves cardiovascular, joint, hormonal (growth hormone, glucagon, testosterone etc.) digestive and musculo-skeletal function. When we loose body fat and put on lean muscle mass we increase our basal metabolism (thyroid function) and feel less fatigued. Both cardiovascular (aerobic) and weight training / crossfit, pilates (anaerobic) have numerous hormonal benefits. Exercise also brings harmonious balance to an emotionally stressed system (?cortisol, ?adrenaline, ?serotonin, ?DHEA).
In Health & Service,
Dr. Roland F. Phillips BA, BS, D.C.