Why
am I so tired?
by Annette Hurt
Most of us take being tired for granted. After all women generally put in more hours
in the day as workers, mothers, chauffeurs, lovers, and doers of everything
that happens in the household. When I
was a younger woman in my twenties and thirties, I worked outside the home. After
work I picked up the children from daycare, came home to cook, supervised homework and bath time, settled the kids for
the night, and started over again for the next day. The weekends were spent catching up on chores
that couldn’t easily be done during the week: i.e. grocery shopping, laundry,
and taking my little ones out to different events in the city. At no time did I ever really think of being
tired. I just put one foot in front of
the other. Does that sound familiar?
Later as I learned more from shows like Dr. Oz, and my
holistic practitioner friends, I realized what a disservice we women do to
ourselves. We are the heart of our
households and as such we should take better care of ourselves.
Getting your
energy back can be simple. Your daily
habits can influence how you feel. Listed below are some of the top 3 reasons
why women feel fatigued.
1. What you eat. Reaching for caffeine and sugar can backfire, leaving you more fatigued as your blood sugar levels fluctuate wildly. Instead, go for a balanced, healthy diet replete with fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. "Most people feel like they're less tired if they eat a healthy diet," says J. Fred Ralston Jr., MD, past president of the American College of Physicians. "Eating healthy also means you'll carry less weight, and obesity is a big contributor to fatigue.
2. How much you sleep. You saw this one coming, right? Many people don't get enough sleep. If you're one of them, avoid caffeine and alcohol in the hours just before bedtime, turn off the TV before bed, and keep your bedroom quiet and restful.
3. How much you exercise. This is the biggie, Ralston says. His favorite prescription for plain old tiredness is regular, vigorous exercise. Finish at least three hours before bedtime, so you have time to wind down.
If you think that exercise would just make you more tired, there's good news: Exercise breeds energy. Almost all the studies that have looked at this question have found the same thing: Sedentary people who start exercising feel much less fatigue than those who stay idle. It's one of those surprising truths: move more and you'll get more energy.
Shabaka Amen, Certified Mind-Body Fitness Trainer and owner of the Body of your Dreams Studio in Charlotte suggests, “the average woman should exercise at least 4 days a week and train for a duration of 20-40 minutes.”
For woman of a certain age, or actually any age, brisk walking is a good start. Start walking, and a month from now, you should notice some improvement. Keep with it for three to six months more, and you should feel much better. If you follow your exercise prescription for at least a month -- and you're also making enough time for sleep -- and you're still feeling bad, look into other causes.
Your health care provider or holistic practitioner can provide clues for other causes. Chronic fatigue tiredness has been linked to many different medical conditions, such as:
4. Anemia. "This is a very common cause of fatigue and very easy to check with a simple blood test," says Sandra Fryhofer, MD, an Emory University clinical associate professor of medicine. "It's particularly a problem for women, especially those who are having heavy menstrual periods." You can remedy anemia with an iron-rich diet, heavy in meats and dark, leafy greens, or supplements if you have a chronic iron deficiency. If you are vegetarian or vegan there are herbal preparations and vegetables like collards, kale, beets that can work just as well.
5. Deficiencies in key nutrients, such as potassium. Again, this is easily checked with blood testing and can be corrected by diet.
6. Thyroid problems. Over- and under-active thyroids both can cause fatigue. A simple blood test for your level of thyroid-stimulating hormone can help evaluate your thyroid function.
7. Diabetes. People who have uncontrolled diabetes just plain don't feel good. If you feel draggy and you also have blurred vision or feel like you urinate frequently, get that checked with a blood test.
8. Depression. If your feelings of exhaustion are accompanied by sadness and loss of appetite, and you just can’t find any pleasure in things you once enjoyed, you may be depressed. Don’t keep that to yourself. Your doctor, or a therapist, can start you on the path back to feeling better.
9. Sleep problems. If you never feel rested, and nothing seems to fix that, you might look into visiting a sleep lab, especially if you snore. Snoring can be part of obstructive sleep apnea, in which people briefly stop breathing several times a night. There are treatments for that. Or sometimes your brain just won’t quiet enough for you to relax. These are the times that some chamomile tea and soft slow music may just help you relax enough to provide an inexpensive fix.
10. Undiagnosed heart disease. Tiredness can be a sign of heart trouble, particularly in women. If you can’t exercise the way you used to do easily, or if you start feeling worse when you exercise, this could be a red flag for heart trouble. If you have any doubts, see your doctor.
But again, start with the basics: your sleep, your diet, and your
activity level. Sometimes the simplest fixes are all it takes.
Let's Be Kind to Our Kidneys
by Christine J. McQueen, RN
We are now upon the month of March which is a time of awakening of our
sleeping trees and various perennials.
Many animals at this time are giving birth to young at this time of
year. Many of us start to come out of
hibernation and spring back to life especially when we get an intermittent
sneak peak of spring as a result of experiencing 65 to 75 degree weather in the
midst of the winter season. March is
also a time to be aware of our kidney health since they are so essential to
good health and vitality. We cannot
afford to have our kidneys hibernate during our lifetime since we rely upon
them daily for our normal day to day functioning. It is important to know the general health of
our kidneys and work daily to keep them functioning properly. If our kidneys are not functioning properly
then this can affect every system in the body.
Our kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs in the
dorsal (back) part of the abdomen with one located on each side of the spinal
column between the 12th thoracic and third vertebrae. Each kidney is surrounded by a large amount
of fat and connective tissue that support and maintain the position of the
kidneys. The kidneys are the main organs of the urinary system, but the
ureters, urinary bladder, and the urethra also make up the urinary system. The
main function of the kidneys is to regulate the volume and makeup of the
extracellular fluid (fluid outside of the cells). The second function of the
kidneys is to filter the blood and eliminate waste via the urine through a
complex filtration network and reabsorption system. This network and system remove urea (a by-product
of the metabolism of protein), salts, and other soluable waste from the blood
plasma (the watery straw-colored fluid part of blood) and returning the
purified filtrate to the blood. The
kidneys remove water as urine and return the water that has been filtered to
the blood plasma, thus helping to maintain the water balance of the body. Other functions of the kidneys are blood
pressure control, the stimulation of the production of the red blood cells in
the bone marrow, vitamin D activation, and the regulation of the
water-electrolyte balance of the body.
More than 1183 liters of blood pass through the kidneys everyday. All of the blood in the body passes through
the kidneys about 20 times every hour, but only 1/5 of the blood volume is
routed through the complex filtration network an resorption system.
Since the kidneys perform so many functions for the body,
any disease of the kidneys can have serious consequences for all of the body
systems. Disease of the kidneys is
caused by trauma, hemorrhage, severe burns, myocardial infarction (heart
attack), toxic metal consumption, infection, inflammation, lower urinary tract
obstruction, birth defect, and chronic disease (hypertension, diabetes,
arterioslcerosis, and hyperlipidemia).
There is some evidence that heavy consumption of protein can cause
kidney damage. When the kidneys are
impaired by these various processes, then the blood builds up with various
waste products and various toxins that normally would have been excreted out of
the body in the urine. Also, there are
disturbances in urination, insulin resistance, increased blood triglycerides,
electrolyte & acid-base imbalances, anemia, bleeding problems, infection,
increased incidence of cancer, cardiovascular problems, respiratory issues,
gastrointestinal concerns, neurological problems, musculoskeletal issues, skins
concerns, reproductive system problems, endocrine system issues, and
psychological concerns.
Some of the causes of kidney disease cannot be prevented,
but many of them are preventable. It is
important to know the state our kidneys by seeing a qualified licensed
healthcare professional annually for a physical exam which should include a
routine urinalysis and a complete metabolic panel. A urinalysis is a test where you provide a
urine sample in a cup and then the urine is tested for various things like
color, smell, protein, glucose, ketones, bilirubin, nitrite, specific gravity,
osmolality, pH, red blood cells, white blood cells, and casts. The urinalysis is a general examination of
the urine to establish baseline information or provide data to establish a
tentative diagnosis and determine whether further studies are to be
ordered. Another lab test that should be
done during the annual physical exam is
a blood test called a complete metabolic panel which tests the blood for things
like blood in urea, nitrogen, creatinine, sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride,
carbon dioxide, glucose, albumin, bilirubin, and liver enzymes. If kidney disease is present, the results of
the urinalysis and complete metabolic panel will be abnormal.
Another way to reduce the
chances of kidney disease is by seeking prompt medical care from a
qualified licensed healthcare professional to diagnose and treat streptococcal
infections because if left untreated these infections not only damage the
kidneys, but can also damage the valves of the heart. It is important to reduce of chances of
developing a chronic health condition (diabetes, hypertension,
arteriosclerosis, and high cholesterol) that puts one at risk for developing
kidney disease by maintaining a healthy body through eating a more plant-based
diet, regular movement, proper stress management, proper amount of sleep,
maintaining a healthy weight (proper weight based on height & BMI between
18.4 and 24.9), keep blood pressure under 120/80, keep blood sugar level
between 70 and 100, keep HDL greater than 50, keep LDL less than 100, keep the
total cholesterol under 200, and proper
daily intake of water (drinking at least half of our body weight in ounces of
water daily). Uncontrolled diabetes,
uncontrolled hypertension, or any processes in the body that can result in
increasing the blood pressure in the body can cause damage to the
microstructures of the kidneys that are responsible for filtration and resorption
aspects of the kidneys. If diagnosed
with a chronic health condition that puts one at risk for developing kidney
disease it is extremely important to be compliant with the treatment for that
condition and to have annual physical exams along by a qualified licensed
healthcare professional which are to include the previously mentioned laboratory
tests (urinalysis & complete metabolic panel).
Prevention of injury and/or disease of the kidneys is important
because the job of the kidneys cannot be done by any organ. In acute kidney failure which typically
occurs with hemorrhage, trauma, severe burns, toxic injury to the kidneys,
inflammation of the kidneys, infection of the kidneys, or a lower urinary tract
obstruction recovery is promising after the underlying cause has been identified
and usually resolves in a few days or weeks.
In the case of chronic kidney failure there is no cure, but treatment is
available with dialysis (artificial kidney) and/or a kidney transplant. So let us remember to be kind to our kidneys
by making better health choices daily so that our kidneys will be kind to us
for a lifetime.
Quick & Easy Recipes for Energy & Kidney Health
by Aura Agape, CCMH
Below are a couple of recipes that are healthy, nutrient dense, energizing and kidney-friendly.
Berry Fresh Fruit Salad
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup red raspberries
1/4 cup strawberries (quartered pieces)
1/4 cup red grapes or pitted cherries
Mix and add a splash of fresh citrus juice. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and chill overnight.
Sweeten with honey, maple syrup or agave as desired and serve with whole grain cereal such as steel cut oatmeal.
Quinoa Pilaf
1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
2 cups water
1 tbs organic E.V. Olive Oil
1 tsp (low sodium) miso
1/2 medium red bell pepper diced
1/2 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 broccoli crown finely chopped
1/8 bunch parsley chopped.
1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water. Bring water to boil and reduce temperature to low and add 1 tsp miso and stir. Cover for 15 mins. Add red bell peppers, onion, garlic & broccoli. Mix together and allow to sit for 5 mins or so. Add organic E.V. Olive Oil, parsley, and no-salt seasoning blend. Serves 4.
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