Top Causes Of Fatigue - Part 2
PROGESTERONE, ESTROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE
Many factors in our lives can impact our hormone levels including stress, chemicals, plastics, diet and medications. Our hormones like to be in a happy balance so when this balance is disrupted we can experience a range of reproductive and other body symptoms including fatigue.
Low progesterone, high estrogen or low testosterone are the most common imbalances I see which contribute to fatigue. We can assess your levels through a salivary hormone test which shows the levels of these hormones including the three types of estrogen. Testing will help to ensure treatment is specific to your particular hormone imbalance which will result in quicker symptom improvement.
METHYLATION ISSUES
Methylation is a process which is involved in many essential areas of health including energy production, mental health and reproduction. A genetic mutation can reduce your ability to activate and utilise folate, and thereby reduce the efficiency of this methylation cycle (by 30-70%!) and contribute to fatigue and many other health issues. This gene mutation affects the enzyme MTHFR (for short!) and reports estimate 1 in 3 of us may have this defect. This means taking certain forms of folate - such as folic acid in supplements and consuming foods fortified with folic acid are not a good idea for everyone!
A simple salivary test can detect if you have a defect in the 2 most common and researched gene variants. However even if the test comes back negative, you could still have impaired methylation due to other reasons. This is why it is important to work with a qualified Naturopath or Nutritionist in this area, and utilise other blood tests to assess other markers of methylation efficiency. There is more involved than just taking an activated folate supplement!
POOR BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL
If you rely on sugars and flour products (and caffeine!) for quick energy, or these make up the majority of your diet, it's likely you will have blood sugar regulation issues which will contribute to fatigue. This will be experienced as short bursts of energy followed by energy slumps or crashes. This pattern usually continues in an unfortunate cycle - however you can make simple changes to stop it!
Eating adequate fat and protein at each meal will keep your energy more stable for longer and keep you full for longer, as there will be less of an impact on your blood sugar and insulin levels.
Include good quality fats such as olive, macadamia, avocado and coconut oils, grass fed butter/ghee/eggs/meat, local wild fish, avocado and some nuts and seeds.
Don't forget to include a variety of organic vegetables too - you can fill up on these instead of bread!
A guide to daily protein is 0.8g per kg of ideal body weight. So 0.8 x 70kg = 56g of protein per day, spread over 2-3 meals. Of course this is only a guide and recommendations can vary depending on your activity level, health issues or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
FOOD INTOLERANCES
Many women are intolerant to certain foods even if they don't have a diagnosed allergy. The most common are
- Gluten in Wheat, Barley, Rye
- Casein and/or Lactose in Dairy
- Soy
- Eggs
- Peanuts or Tree Nuts
- Shellfish
- Corn
We can also be intolerant to natural plant chemicals in 'healthy' foods such as
- Oxalates (spinach, kale, nuts, soy)
- Histamines (fermented foods, aged cheese, wine, avocado)
- Salicylates (tomato, zucchini, blueberries, almonds)
Food intolerances may produce digestive symptoms or may present in other ways such as fatigue, headaches and irritability.
There are blood tests which test different panels of foods however it is not always completely accurate and will only pick up an intolerance if the tested foods have been consumed recently. Working with your Naturopath and eliminating foods for certain periods of time can be another option to figure out the foods you feel best on.
Food intolerances can improve once gut health has been improved, so you may not have to avoid these foods forever.
If you would like to get to the bottom of your fatigue and improve your energy in 2018, book your consultation today!
Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances and thyroid issues. The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype. You can contact Marion here.