A Week in Review: Fatigue, The Unruly Participant.

This may be the last weekend of rest before the holidays rush us through to the new year, or it may be a busy rush to get things done before Thanksgiving.  Either way, fatigue is likely to set in.  Here are a few delicious suggestions on how to undo the 'errand hangover!'

From April 24, 2013:

Fatigue:  The Unruly Participant.

Fatigue is unruly participant in any competition or challenge we face.  Fatigue, understood as exhaustion or feeling tired, is a complicated symptom or condition.  It can be caused by a lack of sleep, depression, poor circulation and poor oxygenation but can also be a result of stress, boredom or lack of exercise.  Fatigue can also be a side effect of medication, synthetic hormones or toxins built up in the body. Just as your body can become addicted to stress, it can become addicted to fatigue: what better excuse to ignore a challenge than, "I'm too tired!"

Let's go straight to the nutrients that may help you throw off the chains of fatigue.  Vitamin C.  Omega-3's.  Caffeine.  Fiber.  Pro-biotics. Water.  Complex carbohydrates.  Polyphenols, phytonutrients and balanced electrolytes: magnesium, chloride, calcium, sodium, phosphorus and potassium.  Looking at this list we can see similarities with the foods that help fight stress (in fact, the list is almost identical) and if we dig a little deeper we can see similarities with foods that promote sleep.

Where do we find these nutrients?  Start with a cup of black coffee in the morning.  Poach an egg and have it with whole wheat toast, freshly ground pepper and put a grapefruit on the side.  Right there you have fiber, whole grains, protein, antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamin C and caffeine.  Grab a hand full of almonds and cashews, 1/8 cup of raisins, craisins, or dehydrated cherries, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and dark cocoa bits for a snack (rocky mountain trail mix sold in the organic foods section of your supermarket has all of these).  These ingredients will fill in the need for omega-3 fatty acids while delivering more polyphenols to your system.

For lunch enjoy something green:  broccoli salad with walnuts and olive oil; avocado and turkey on whole grain flat bread; spinach salad with strawberries and almonds;  spring greens and tomatoes with 2 or 3 ounces of lean meat or fish.  The greens provide phytonutrients, vitamin C and a plethora of other fatigue fighting nutrients while the grains and proteins offer lasting fuel.  Have a banana for an afternoon snack to help balance electrolytes.  For dinner, green beans, brussels sprouts, or asparagus aside pork tenderloin, chicken or flank steak.  If you are feeling it, enjoy a yogurt for dessert~

The number one tip for fighting stress, fatigue and lack of sleep is,  "Skip the 'white' and 'processed' food that you might normally indulge in."  White bread.  Mashed potatoes.  Pasta.  Chips and crackers.  Doughnuts.  White rice.  Breakfast cereal.  Muffins.  Biscuits....  Instead, eat real, whole, naturally occurring foods.  Drink plenty of water.  Give  your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.  Fatigue is only an excuse keeping you from being the best version of yourself.

Anna~

Is Your Morning a Good Place to Start?

We all have a wake-up routine.  Some hit the alarm and optimistically hop in the shower.  Some take a few moments in bed, then move to the coffee machine for motivation.  Others move from the mattress to meditation or prayer to begin their day with enlightenment and joy.  There are also those that wake with yesterday's burdens and haul them around with sadness and disdain as they move from task to task.  Then, there are those that treat each morning anew with no rigid pattern or playbook, embracing whatever the day has to offer.  No matter your routine, let's all take a look to see what is working and what isn't~

Sleep.  The morning, whether we realize it or not, should begin with sleep.  Typical adults hit the sheets between 10 and 11 pm and wake between 5 and 6 am.  Sleep starts when you close your eyes and deepens over the hours of slumber.  Relaxation turns to light sleep, then deep sleep, then REM sleep with stages of transition between.  If sleep is interrupted (children, stress, sadness, aches, pains) or inhibited (alcohol or caffeine, light or noise) then deep sleep and REM cannot be reached leaving your body sleep deprived and tired.  If your alarm clock has to sound several times to kick you out of bed your 'sleep' may not be working. 

Water.  The average male should consume nearly 3 liters of water daily; women should exceed 2 liters.  Too little water causes a myriad of problems, and, most times, these problems aren't consciously associated with dehydration.  Obvious dehydration symptoms are headaches, dry, cracked lips, and limp skin.  Sleepiness, moodiness, and fogginess are also direct symptoms of dehydration.  More complex symptoms include thickened blood resulting in higher blood pressure, sluggish digestion (constipation, lack of hunger, cramps), muscle soreness and stress.  We treat symptoms individually with corresponding medications or applications when most can be remedied with water.  Instead of applying lotion to your skin, caffeine to your catatonic, and Motrin to your muscles, start your morning with water and continue the trend all day long.  Tomorrow you may notice your 'morning' working better.

Nutrition.  A doughnut, no matter how you slice it, is not nutritious.  So many breakfast foods are sugar slathered and seductive, but you, with brains in your head, know that though the body runs on 'sugar', it can not be nourished by it.  Bread, bagels, doughnuts, muffins, pastries, rolls, scones, potatoes, pancakes and waffles, syrup included, are all recognized by the body as sugar.  Refined, simple, straight to the bloodstream sugar.  What else is there?  Eggs.  Vegetables.  Fruit.  Whole grains.  Dairy.  That doesn't mean you should grab a V8 and a Danimals yogurt, for many 'healthy' concoctions are loaded with added sugar, added salt and added artificial ingredients.  It does mean vegetable juice and minimally processed dairy foods, whole fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and protein are better choices than doughnuts.  Nourish your body with nutrition and it will work and sleep and think well!

Too many changes?  Can't give up the doughnut?  Don't have any more hours to dedicate to sleep?  Start with drinking water.  Pour a pitcher equalling a liter of water and leave it on your counter or desk.  Make sure your glass is always half full until it is gone!  (Then repeat!)  When hunger comes, choose real, delicious, whole foods.  Don't be afraid to give your vitamins their vitamins.  And, before you go to sleep, wash your hands of all the mistakes and regrets so that your morning is good place to start!

Anna~