Lost Your ‘Get-Up-and-Go?’
Most people have experienced low energy or fatigue at some point in their lives. After juggling home, work and family life, it’s no wonder there is little energy left for yourself! Anyone can feel tired at the end of the day, but ongoing fatigue can sneak up on you and become your ‘new normal’ – even though it’s not normal to be tired all the time. Persistent fatigue can often be misunderstood, as diagnostic procedures (such as blood tests) may not show any imbalance within your body. If you have persistent fatigue, don’t accept this as normal.
Why Am I So Exhausted?
When you’re feeling fatigued, it is important to consider whether you have the nutrients required for optimal energy. If your not providing your body with the nutrients it needs, it can be hard to jump out of bed feeling refreshed.
The energy powerhouses within your body are known as mitochondria, and are present in almost all of your cells. During a busy day, your mitochondria produce all of the energy you need, however, producing energy relies on a steady stream of nutrients. If your mitochondria do not receive adequate nutrition, they cannot perform at their best!
Nutrients That Energise
When your body needs energy, it calls on the following nutrients to keep you energised:
Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10): is a vital nutrient used by your mitochondria in the process of energy production. It also protects against daily damage;
Magnesium: helps your body transform the food you eat into energy. Once created, units of energy must also bind to magnesium before they can be used by the body;
B group vitamins: enter the mitochondria, where they are used to synthesise energy, and assist the mitochondria; and
Acetyl-L-carnitine: Brings fats into your mitochondria to burn for energy.
Want To Be Bursting With Energy?
Energising yourself also means creating a diet and lifestyle that supports your energy stores:
- Eat foods rich in unrefined and unprocessed carbohydrates, protein and fat; the primary ingredients for energy production.
- Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, which can ultimately drain your energy and deplete vitalising nutrients including your B vitamins.
- Sleep for seven to nine hours each night.
- Destress by spending time in nature, meditating and having fun! Being busy and feeling stressed places increased pressure on your mitochondria.
- Exercise four to five times per week. Exercise stimulates your body to make new mitochondria, resulting in more energy! When feeling very fatigued, go for a regular walk, swim or yoga class which will be beneficial for your energy levels then staying sedentary.
Time to Rediscover Your Spark
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