10 Reasons Why You Are Tired
/YOUR THYROID – When was the last time you had a thorough evaluation of your thyroid? Most people will have a TSH lab test on their annual physical, but that is not ENOUGH to determine if you have an underlying thyroid condition. Research has shown that approx. 5-20% of people with underactive thyroid will have a normal TSH, but further lab testing indicates that they have an underactive thyroid. It would be best to have a full thyroid panel, thyroid exam, basal body temperatures, and physical exam to evaluate the thyroid fully.
YOUR HORMONES – You don’t have to be menopausal to have a hormone imbalance. Many people are walking around with low testosterone, low progesterone, and high estrogen levels due to poor sleep, life stressors, and a poor-quality diet, all of which will disrupt your natural hormone balance and cause fatigue. Checking a random partial hormone panel is not enough. Hormones need to be appropriately reviewed by someone trained in abnormal hormone levels to determine if there is an imbalance.
YOUR DIET – Many people have underlying food sensitivities they are unaware of. When they inadvertently eat these foods, they will get episodes of fatigue that can last up to 3 days as the body is trying to eliminate that problem food. We do extensive food sensitivity testing to determine what foods you are eating that your body doesn’t like and need to be stopped from your diet.
YOUR METABOLISM – Along with thyroid conditions, many people have a slowed metabolism due to other disorders such as insulin resistance and pre-diabetes/diabetes, where essentially you are eating too many carbohydrates for your biochemistry, and you are having large shifts in your blood sugar that cause fatigue. If you get tired after eating, you should be evaluated thoroughly.
VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES – Over 80 % of the people I check Vitamin D levels on are low in this critical vitamin. If you live anywhere outside of Florida or the Bahamas, even eating a diet rich in dairy and going outdoors frequently usually will not give you enough of this critical vitamin. Low vitamin D causes depression, fatigue, memory loss, and a long list of other disorders. Do you know your vitamin D level? Also, 90% of patients I screen have significant vitamin deficiencies due to poor nutrient-rich soil and foods in their diet. Cellular or red blood cell testing is the most accurate testing for vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, conventional physician lab tests do not offer this testing.
YOUR GUT – We all walk around with good and bad bacteria and yeast in our gut to help digest our food. The problem that can cause fatigue is when one of these bacteria or yeast gets overgrown, which can induce significant fatigue. Another thing in our gut that can cause fatigue is inflammation. Inflammation can come from food sensitivities/allergies, stress, and infections that can all rob your body’s energy. We offer detailed, comprehensive stool testing to check for these.
YOUR METHYLATION – Some people were born with a genetic inability to correctly process their B vitamins from food, causing significant B vitamin deficiencies and fatigue.
YOUR ADRENALS – The adrenals are small glands that significantly control stress hormones. People who have a lot of stress in their life, over time, will essentially “burn out” their adrenals, causing them to be unable to have appropriate cortisol levels, which helps regulate their energy levels in times of stress.
YOUR SLEEP – What are your sleep habits? Do you turn off ALL screen time at least an hour before bedtime? Is your bedroom dark and cool at night? Do you avoid sugar and caffeine after 2 pm to let your body wind down naturally? What do you do to relax at night?
YOUR MIND – Do you struggle with anxiety and depression? One of the first symptoms of these disorders is fatigue. Many people daily will struggle with underlying depression and anxiety from a lot of the health issues listed above as well. There are ways to address and treat your mental health naturally while trying to find the underlying root cause.