Tired all the time? This is how to fight fatigue

I am very excited to write this post because it’s about one of my main lifetime problems – fatigue. I felt tired all the time since I was a teenager. I kind of got used to the fact that I have low energy and feel week most of my life.

It seemed that it’s just a feature of my body and I could do nothing with it. But luckily now I know that this condition is treateable and manageable. And that it’s the best feeling to be energized, excited and full of strengths for the whole day. I can do a lot of tasks and lead an active lifestyle because I’ve managed to cure my fatigue.

So you can definitely improve your symptoms too and beat the fatigue! Let’s get into details in this post.

Main reasons for feeling tired all the time:

1.Anaemia

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One of the main medical reasons for being tired all the time can be iron deficiency anaemia.

You may be prone to anaemia if you have heavy periods, stomach problems, if you are on a vegetarian diet or pregnant.

Even if your diet is rich in food with good iron content you may still lack it in your body when you have intestinal disorders. For example, celiac disease can affect your intestine’s ability to absorb nutrients from digested food, therefore leading to iron deficiency anemia. It all can be the cause of why you feel tired all the time.

Iron deficiency anemia signs and symptoms may include:

• Extreme fatigue
• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Sensitivity to cold
• Painful open sores in the corners of your mouth
• Increased hair loss
• Restless legs syndrome
• Chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath
• Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness
• Cold hands and feet
• Inflammation or soreness of your tongue
• Brittle nails
• Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or starch
• Poor appetite

Treatment:

• Make your diet rich in iron by adding seafood, beans, peas and lentils, dark leafy greens, dried fruits (like raisins and apricots), peanut butter, brown rice, iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas. As plant-based food contains a non-heme iron (while animal products contain heme) which is absorbed less effective by our body than heme it’s recommended for vegetarians to increase their iron intake by 2 times in order to get enough amount of this mineral. On average you may need about 20mg of iron every day or 35-40mg if vegan/vegetarian.
• Cook your plant foods in order to get the most of the iron in it.
• Take vitamin C to increase iron absorption. It’s very beneficial to consume vitamin C containing products together with food rich in iron. For example, you can sprinkle lemon juice over your bean curry or salad. You can also include meals with broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, oranges, and kiwi in your diet. If needed you may opt for vitamin C supplements as well. Try to take about 100 mg of vitamin C with your iron.
• Vitamin A can also enhance the iron absorption so try to include carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, squash, red peppers, cantaloupe, apricots, oranges and peaches into your diet.
• Consume less coffee, tea, dairy and gluten as these foods can worsen the absorption of iron.
• You also want to avoid food that contains Phytate (whole grains, cereals, soy, nuts and legumes etc) and Calcium (all dairy products, tofu, wing and white beans, almonds, kale and collard greens etc). They should be eaten separately from the foods rich in iron.
• The less you eat, the better it is absorbed. Eating smaller amounts throughout the day is a great way to increase absorption rather than taking all your iron-rich foods at once.
• Cast-iron skillet increases the iron in your meal

I personally prefer to take iron in supplements together with plant-based foods rich in iron. As I’ve mentioned above it’s better to consume iron in small doses so I take my supplements apart from my iron dense meals. And I always drink it with fresh lemon water.

The brand I use is Blackmores Pregnancy iron (you can get $5 discount if you use my email janearts@yandex.ru as a promocode at a checkout). I am not pregnant but I choose this one because it has higher iron content then regular supplements and doesn’t cause nausea.

If you think you feel tired all the time due to iron deficiency try to follow these tips. They helped to increase my energy levels and fight fatigue. But also consider consulting a specialist as your tiredness may be a sign of some serious problems.

2. Hormones

Hormones play a huge role in the work of our body. If you have any issues or imbalance it can cause many unpleasant (and even dangerous) symptoms including fatigue.

If you feel tired all the time and consider hormonal imbalance as the main reason you may want to check the following hormones: cortisol, thyroid, estrogen, insulin. They all may cause severe fatigue, brain fog, and depression.

Fatigue is one of the leading symptoms reported among women with PCOS. When you have PCOS you may feel a crushing fatigue due to rapid changes in blood sugar and insulin levels as well as vitamin/mineral deficiency or increased stress hormones.

Other hormonal imbalance symptoms may include:

• Weight gain
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Infertility
• Acne prone skin
• Extreme hair loss
• Breast tenderness
• Changes in appetite
• Excess hair on a body
• Mood swings

Treatment:

• Check your hormones and get professional help if you have any imbalance.
• In case of PCOS follow a special diet: avoid sugar, soy, gluten, dairy and simple carbs. Make your diet full of vegetables, berries, nuts, healthy plant-based fat and lean protein.
• If you take Metformin or Birth Control Pills you likely to have a vitamin B12 deficiency. So make sure you get a B12 test and take supplements if you don’t have enough of it in your body.
• If you feel tired all the time as a part of PMS it may happen because of estrogen swings. To deal with it try to detox your body by:
  • eating healthy food (choose nutrient-dense meals, vegetables and green salads)
  • reducing stress (or taking calming supplements and herbs)
  • taking magnesium (as it fights fatigue and anxiety)
  • consuming anti-inflammatory food (turmeric, cinnamon, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, berries, green tea, fermented products)
  • Omega fatty acids with vitamin D and B vitamins help balance estrogen as well.
• You can experience weakness and be tired all the time when your blood sugar drops. It also may happen if you have PCOS, insulin resistance or diabetes. To help your body stabilize sugar follow these rules:
  • Avoid food that causes major spikes in blood sugar: all refined flours and sugar, fruit juices, soda and alcohol, processed food and simple carbs.
  • Eat food that will help you to balance your blood sugar: protein like beans, eggs, raw dairy products. Healthy fats like avocado, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Fiber like green salads, sweet potato, celery, peppers, beans, peas etc. For the sweets, try to consume dates, stevia, berries.
  • Exercise regularly but choose something mild in order to control blood sugar. It can be walking, HIIT, lifting small weights, cycling.
  • Reduce stress and pay attention to the quality of your sleep (I’ll go over that in the section below).

3. Chronic fatigue syndrome

Of course, you can feel tired all the time if you deal with chronic fatigue syndrome. It is characterized by constant tiredness and sleepiness. What’s more is that these conditions don’t disappear after good sleep and rest. This may affect the quality of your life as being tired all the time makes you fail everyday tasks and activities.

Another symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are:

• Joint pains or aching muscles
• Sleep problems (difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep)
• Brain fog and other memory issues
• Weakness and dizziness
• Frequent sore throat and sickness
• Urinary problems

Even though this syndrome is quite common nowadays nobody knows its true cause. There are some theories that CFS may occur among people suffering from chronical viral infections (like Epstein-Barr virus, for example), who have hormonal imbalance, immune system or gut problems ( like IBS or leaky gut).

All these deseases can lead to chronic fatigue.

Chronic fatigue syndrome treatment:

• Always strengthen your immune system (healthy eating, getting lots of nutrients, spending much time outdoors, taking Echinacea can contribute to good immunity)
• Improve the quality of your sleep (go to bed at a certain time, relax or meditate before bed, take a warm bath, spray lavender oil in your bedroom, drink calming herbs in the evening, try to walk on fresh air before sleeping etc)
• Try to find an activity that doesn’t make your symptoms worse while improving your muscles and contributing to your healthy lifestyle. It may be walking, swimming or doing yoga.
• A balanced healthy diet can also help. Avoid caffeine, sugar and processed foods as they make your fatigue even worse. Instead, opt for fresh vegetables and fruits, consume berries for antioxidants, eat nuts and complex carbs for energy.
• If you are sick of being tired all the time you may want to try some natural remedies to boost your energy: Ginseng, Beetroot Powder, Rhodiola rosea, Rosemary etc.
• Be sure to consume enough vitamins/minerals: Coenzyme Q10, Magnesium, Potassium, B Vitamins (especially B6 and B12), Vitamin D. These vitamins can help with your fatigue a lot as they provide you with energy and improve the processes in your body.

4. Long-term stress or depression

It’s proved that constant stress or depression can make you feel tired all the time. Stress and depression are different conditions but I combined them in one chapter only because some types of treatment may be the same. But you should know that depression is much more serious and complex condition which can be cured successfully mainly under control of a specialist.

As for the stress, it may be safe if it doesn’t last long. When you feel stressed out for a quite some time it may lead to fatigue, migraines and even illnesses.

Some symptoms of a long-term stress:

• Low energy and feeling tired all the time
• Stomach issues like diarrhea or cramps
• Headaches and migraines
• Sleep problems
• Immunity system drop (you may get cold or other infections)
• Feeling restless

Treatment:

• Try to figure out the reasons for your stress and eliminate them as much as possible. Sometimes it’s easier said than done but you have to make priorities. After all, our health is the most important thing we have. When people have serious health problems all other possessions in life becomes way less valuable. So make your health a priority all the time.
• If it’s impossible to escape stress completely try to find time for meditation, gratitude practice or breathing exercises as they can help you to handle stress better.
• Find ways to have quality rest. It’s important for both stress and depression. Emotional problems can leave you exhausted and drained. So it’s crucial to have ways to relax and restore your inner energy: it can be walking in a park or along the ocean, spending time with animals or close friends, enjoying food or sport activities. Find what works for you and stick to it.
• Natural remedies like Ashwagandha, Lemon Balm, Valeriana or Kava root can reduce the symptoms of stress.
• Sometimes it helps to limit the Internet and social media for some time. Modern technologies are an amazing way to stay connected. But at the same time they may stress people out, make them exhausted, envy or overwhelmed. If you under stress try to stay away from social media and spend more time on nature. It will heal your soul way more effective.

5. Vitamin deficiency

Additional causes of feeling tired all the time may include vitamin and mineral deficiency. If you lack some of the essential nutrients you may experience fatigue as well as many other symptoms.

The lack of the following vitamins/minerals can contribute to your fatigue the most: iron (I’ve covered this topic in the very first part of this post), potassium, folic acid, magnesium, B vitamins (especially B12) and vitamin D.

It’s proved by researches that there is a link between B12 deficiency and chronic fatigue. All the B group is very important for your help. But if you feel tired all the time and want to cure this condition you have to pay attention to vitamin B6 as well. It helps to fight fatigue and supports an immune system.

Magnesium and Potassium improve energy levels, emotional state and relieve muscle pain. If you experience long-term stress you may be in a risk of magnesium deficiency.

Except fatigue you may suffer from these symptoms:

• lack of motivation
• poor focus and memory
• emotional mood swings
• muscle tension, bone pain
• brittle hair and nails, hair loss
• ulcers in the corners of the mouth
• flaking skin
• breathing difficulties

Treatment:

• It’s great if you find a supplement with Iron, Vit C, Vit B12 and Folic Acid in one complex as these vitamins enhance the effect of each other. I love Fusion brand and this particular complex contains all the mentioned nutrients (you can get $5 discount if you use my email janearts@yandex.ru as a promocode at a checkout). This one also contains iron together with B vitamins and Folic Acid.
• Spend at least 15 minutes in the sun to get your daily amount of vitamin D. Be sure to include mushrooms, soy products, eggs, Swiss cheese in your food as they contain vitamin D as well. During winter months it’s recommended to take this vitamin as a supplement because you obviously don’t get enough sunshine.
• The best source of potassium is cooked beet greens, yams, and white beans. There are also enough amount in potatoes, avocado, and bananas. Usually, there is no need to take supplements with potassium as it’s better to get this mineral from the mentioned foods.
• The best foods for magnesium are nuts (cashew, peanuts, almonds), black beans, spinach, avocado, edamame. To absorb magnesium better eat more raw vegetables, avoid zinc and calcium in the same meals with magnesium.

6. Allergy and sensitivities

It’s pretty common to feel tired all the time when you have allergy or experience intolerance to food you consume. It happens because your body constantly fights against allergen and wastes lots of energy.

If the allergy is strong you may also experience problems with sleeping and waking up. Brain fog is also a common symptom and it may affect your performance at the university or at work.

The most common allergy triggers are pollens, mold, pet dander, dust mites and cockroaches.

Food sensitivies can also cause fatigue as well as stomach pain, leaky guts, rashes etc. The most common types of food intolerance are connected with the following ingredients: gluten, lactose, soy, nuts, seafood.

Main symptoms of allergy:

• stuffy nose, sniffing or cough
• itching, rashes or eczema
• swelling in the throat, eyelids, lips
• fatigue and sleepiness
• poor digestion

Treatment:

• It’s definitely easier said than done but try to determine the source of your allergy. Sometimes it’s relatively easy to do by keeping your new pet at a friend’s house for a few days and checking your symptoms. Sometimes it’s almost impossible to figure out the allergen as in the case with pollen. You may live in the area where there are lots of different blooming flowers and trees. It’s totally true to my experience as I live in Sydney where everything is blooming, smelling and produce pollen all year round. So the only thing that helped me to cure my allergy was the routine I described in my post “How to cure allergy naturally”.
• But if you find the source of your allergy the best and the easiest way to cure your symptoms will be avoiding this allergen by all means. I know people who even move cities to change the environment and to cure their condition. Of course, it’s kind of extreme. But sometimes it’s the only way.
• Get tested for allergies. There are skin tests and blood tests that help to determine which allergy you have. They are the most effective in case of pollen, pet dander, mold, food and medicine allergies.
• As a short-term but effective remedy I recommend to use nasal-filters. They work great if you have a temporary environmental allergy (for example, you are going to visit your relatives who have pets, or you expect to spend holidays in a place where there are lots of flowers etc). You may want to use these filters to prevent allergens from getting to your nose and lungs. They work pretty well at least for me. So I highly recommend to try it (I used other brands that were available in my city but there looks very similar): WoodyKnows-Pollutant and O2-Filters
• I personally don’t like this method as it doesn’t cure the reason for your suffering but if your allergy is severe and you are tired all the time you may need to take antihistamine medicines. Your doctor will prescribe your something from the most recent modern pills that won’t make your sleepy but help to reduce the symptoms.

General Tips if you feel tired all the time:

• Eat a healthy nutrient-dense diet
• Be sure to consume enough vitamins/minerals
• Have your hormones checked
• Avoid or cut down on your caffeine intake
• Reduce stress and have quality rest
• Avoid allergens and sensitivities
• Opt for natural energy boosters like genchen, rhodiola etc.

I hope this post helps you to figure out the reasons for your fatigue and choose the right solution. If you find this information helpful please share this post so more people can find it and improve their conditions as well. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below. I have a big experience in dealing with tiredness and fatigue so I will try to help.

Jane x

Posted By: Jane EvergreenJane · In: Health