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Do you feel tired all the time?
9 August 2005
Is it just me, or is everyone tired these days?
Whenever I say, 'How are you?' to a friend, or an elderly Aunty, or even a teenage relative, I get the same answer.
'Oh, tired. You know...'
Well, as a matter of fact, I DO know.
Society is becoming ever more prey to fatigue, thanks to our heavy, irregular diets... our late-night television watching... and our over-prescribed drugs...
How about you? Do you seem to feel tired all the time?
Then you might want to read this great piece of advice, from Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD, author of 'Alternative Medicine: What Works?'.
It appears in 'The World's Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets' - a great book for good common sense advice - as well as some fascinating alternative health ideas.
Here's her article in full...
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Natural Remedies for Fatigue
By Adriane Fugh-Berman
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Do you feel tired all the time? Do you lack the energy you used to have? Join the club.
Chronic fatigue is an extremely common complaint - and one with many different causes. Here's what you need to know to get to the root of your problem...
Lack of sleep. Although sleeplnessness seems an obvious reason to be tired, it's often overlooked. These days, people like to brag about how little sleep they need. But there are actually very few people who truly need only five or six hours a night. Most of us need eight. Some of us need 9 or 10.
Just because you can get by on 6 or 7 hours a night does not mean that's all the sleep you need. If you suffer from fatigue, see how much better you'll feel with an extra 40 or 60 minutes of sleep each night.
Maximise the quality of your sleep, too. Never work or worry in your bedroom. Make your bedroom as quiet as possible - use earlplugs if you must. If street lamps or other sources of light outside you window
bother you, try heavy drapes or an eye shade.
Medication. Sleeping pills can cause a sort of fatigue 'hangover' in many people. That goes for melatonin as well as prescription sedatives like diazepam. (Valium).
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Fatigue can also be a side-effect of many other over-the- counter and prescription medications, including blood and prescription drugs like propranolol (Inderal) and atenolol (Tenormin)... as well as many
antidepressants and antihistamines.
Diet. Heavy meals, especially late in the day, or particularly starchy meals can cause fatigue. If you insist on a heavy meal, have it early in the day. A hearty breakfast is less likely to sap your energy than a hearty lunch or supper.
What else can you do to boost your energy? Consider taking vitamin and herbal supplements. B-complex is especially effective - take the supplement once a day. Vitamin B-12 is good, too. Take 1,000 micrograms a day. Since B-12 is found almost exclusively in meat and dairy products, many strict vegetarians suffer from B-12 deficiency - and from chronic fatigue as a result.
Vitamin B-12 may be better absorbed when it's injected, and some people swear by injections for an energy boost. I generally prefer a B-12 tablet. They're far less costly and, I think, just as effective.
Coenzyme Q-10 helps fight fatigue by maximising the heart's pumping efficiency. Take 30mg once or twice a day.
Ginseng tea, capsules or extract can be a potent source of energy. Be sure not to mix ginseng with caffeine or another stimulant. The combination can cause palpitations or irregular heartbeat.
Siberian 'ginseng' isn't really ginseng at all, but another plant species called Eleutherococcus. It, too, has energising qualities. Both herbs are adaptogens, meaning that they help the body to adapt to stress.
If these measures don't boost your energy, see a doctor. You may be suffering from depression, anaemia, chronic fatigue syndrome or another disease that requires medical intervention.
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Thanks Adriane. Food for thought, I hope...
You can find out more about the World's Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets by clicking here:
Health Secrets
I'll be back with some more of tips, remedies, thoughts and rants on Friday.
Yours truly,
Ray Collins
The Good Life Letter
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