Fighting Fatigue Naturally

One of the reasons Australia is called The Lucky Country could be our abundance of public holidays. We do enjoy our days off!

But if you’re trying to shake off fatigue in spite of having had a relaxing weekend, long or otherwise, let’s take a look at what might be causing it, and easy, natural ways of countering it. Christmas isn’t far away, so there’s no time to lose. We wouldn’t want you too tired to enjoy your vacation! (Going into training for holidays? Don’t get me wrong — Australians like to work hard, too, not just play hard.)

The cause of ongoing fatigue can lie with a number of factors, like insufficient or poor sleep, unsupportive food and beverage choices, lack of exercise, unhappiness and stress.

If you’re mentally ticking off one or more boxes, uh-oh.  Read on and hopefully we can help nudge you in a positive direction.

Push up plenty of Zzzzs

We’ve already chatted on about this. You can read more over here.

Don’t Skip Meals

Eating three to five balanced meals a day (depending on what works best for your individual needs) is important for fuelling your brain and body, maintaining supportive blood sugar and energy levels.

And that includes breakfast!

“But I’m so busy!” I hear you saying. (Scary, isn’t it. No, I’m not psychic. One in two Australians skip breakfast, so I have a 50:50 chance of being right.)

Keep your options simple and quick, like whole grain cereal, a serve of fresh fruit and organic healthful yoghurt. (And seriously, if your favourite yoghurt is named after a dessert or pastry, better check the label to see what’s partying in there!)

Leo Babauta of Zen Habits even suggests having the same breakfast every morning so it becomes an easy habit to maintain.

Breakfast smoothies are awesome for this. And you can do variations on a theme so you’re getting a good mix of nutrients. Create a base of core staples, say: dairy or plant-based milk, yoghurt, a scoop of protein (Young Living PowerMeal™ and Balance Complete™ are my favourites), LSA, chia seeds. Keep on hand frozen bananas, mixed frozen berries and fresh fruits to choose from as the mood takes you.

When you’re tidying the kitchen after dinner, quickly toss all your smoothie ingredients together into a container and put them in the fridge. Better yet, put them straight into the blender jug then into the fridge, as long as it’s safe to do that for your appliance. Next morning, all you need do is take it out, blitz the smoothie and you’re good to go!

Bonus tip: Room temperature food and drinks are considered easier on your digestion than cold ones, so experiment with blitzing it when you first get out of bed then waiting until the chill has gone off before drinking it. Feel what works best for you.

Include protein with lunch

The amino acid tyrosine fosters the brain’s synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters that help keep your brain alert and attentive. Carbs convert to energy so a combination of protein plus carbs is a great idea. This will help prevent afternoon slumps and keep you away from the bakery next door!

Boost your magnesium

A balanced diet will take care of most of the hard yards for your vitamins and minerals daily. But magnesium deficiency can be a cause of feeling exhausted. You need it to help break down those carbs you had for lunch and convert them to energy. Include a handful of almonds as a daily snack to help your magnesium intake. (Young Living MegaCal™ is a great source of calcium, magnesium, manganese, and vitamin C if you’re considering a supplement.)

Drink plenty of good water and limit caffeine and alcohol

Both caffeine and alcohol are dehydrating, and while there is evidence showing 1-2 cups of quality coffee or tea per day can boost energy and alertness, go too far the other way and you’ll end up anxious, crabby and not performing at your best. It’s commonly accepted nowadays that a glass of red wine daily is not just ok but actually beneficial. Again, moderation is the key. Taxing your liver is a sure-fire way to erode your general energy levels. As for the importance of staying well-hydrated — it almost goes without saying. More tips on that here.

Shake your tail feather

Sixty Minutes had a really interesting segment recently on what happens to your body when you’re sitting versus standing and moving. (It’s called Stand Up Australia if you’d like to check it out.) In a nutshell: standing and moving are healthier than sitting! No big surprise but when you consider how long the majority of us sit during work hours and home hours, the maths isn’t great. You don’t need to do jumping jacks all day, but look for chances to move whenever you can, even in small ways like a gentle neck or arm stretch. Take the stairs instead of the lift, park your car at the furthest spot in the shopping centre — nothing new, just good common sense and staying conscious of it!

Switch off your adrenaline

Being in a semi-permanent state of Fight or Flight is debilitating, as is any kind of stress and anxiety. Don’t underestimate its wearing effects on your mental and physical energy and your ongoing wellbeing. If you’re conscious you need to do something in this area, please stop putting it off.

Start with any kind of relaxation that’s doable right now. Young Living Stress Away™, Peace and Calming™, Valor® and good old true lavender essential oil can all give you a quick, easy and simple helping hand while you explore all the techniques out there, like meditation and yoga.

Just relaxing and hanging out regularly with people who make you laugh and see the bright side of life is priceless. And if that’s not as easy as it sounds, there are always funny cat videos.

Fatigue can be a sign of an underlying condition, so please have a chat with your trusted healthcare practitioner if taking care of basics isn’t sorting it out.

Enjoy the good oil daily.

The information on this site does not constitute advice. Please consult with your health practitioner. When using any of the products mentioned throughout this site, please be sure to read the labels and follow their suggestions for safe use.