Health and energy...

[fajrdrako]

I have been so lacking energy over the past six months that I've been worried about my health. I asked Beulah for advice and she gave me a clipping:

Ten Tips for Energy

1. East at least 5 small meals or snacks per day, at 4-hour intervals. Include breakfast.
   
2. Eat 2,000 calories per day of fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, low-fat milk products.
   
3. Avoid overeating in the evening.
   
4. Limit caffeine to less than 15-oz per day.
   
5. Limit sugar.
   
6. Drink 6 glasses of water per day.
   
7. Avoid quick weight-loss diets.
   
8. Take time to relax and enjoy life.
   
9. Exercise moderately every day.
   
10. Get enough restful sleep each night.

These are generally easy; the problem is, they are things I've already been taking pains to do every day. And I've still been unnaturally tired all the time. So what's next? Increase exercise? Currently this is taken care of by the exercises the Physiotherapist gave me. I want to walk more, do yoga more, do... something else.

What else? Vitamin pills? More time spent sleeping? But surely 8 hours per night should be enough -?

Comments

[tavella.livejournal.com]

Probably a stupid question -- but have you gone to the doctor to eliminate physical possibilities? Anemia, thyroid, etc?

[karra.livejournal.com]

Iron pills, maybe. Or B12.

[sraun]

8 hours per night is actually the average that us poor humans need. Some people do well on less, some need more. So, you might need more like nine or ten. I know I do better on about 9.5 - which means that on the weekend I end up making up some of my sleep deficit, because working 12 hour days makes it really hard to cram in more than 8 hours of sleep!

As tavella pointed out - get checked for physical possibilities. While we didn't realize it until it was pointed out to us, loss of energy due to anemia was one of the symptoms of my leukemia. It just came on so slowly that neither my wife nor I noticed it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I did talk to the doctor about it, but we didn't do the testing - nothing except normal blood work. (I'm not anaemic, for example.) If I don't feel more energetic after The Foot heals, I'll probably go back for that. But I hate medical tests - to be avoided at - well, not all costs, obviously, but I like to find other solutions first if possible.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I second this.

Turns out I had sleep apnea.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Those might be good.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

How do you feel about consulting an acupuncturist or somesuch? A different perspective can help you get the picture in focus.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh - interesting. Okay, if I don't feel livelier when The Foot has healed, I'm going to the doctor for tests and answers.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I love acupuncture; I took it some years ago for candidiasis and I thought it was wonderful, and the results were great. The problem is, it isn't covered by OHIP and I'm not sure how to scrape up the money.

A budget overhaul is due, maybe.

[theplushiegirl.livejournal.com]

Vitamin D is amazing for improving energy levels =D

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

You said the other day that you always have a lot of questions. This would be a good time for them. :-)

[justinej.livejournal.com]

I've stopped eating bread and I've lost half a stone and feel loads better.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I only had it once, as a what-the-hell sort of thing as part of a spa day.

Holy moly, I'm a believer. He knew things about me, just from touching my skin.

It's not covered here, either, tha bums.

[meret.livejournal.com]

A daily multi-vitamin certainly can't hurt. I'd recommend seeing a doctor about it, and running some tests. It can be a symptom of a huge amount of things. *hugs*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Good suggestion!

[jwaneeta.livejournal.com]

This is just me, but I joined a gym to counter my lack of energy. This is not something you can really do right now when you're all crippled up, but you might want to try it when you're mobile again.

I never thought I'd like gym-ing, but endorphins are The Bomb, seriously. I feel melloow as a little clam afterwards, and the energy boost carries into the next 24 hours or so. Plus, you get little muscles! I've never had muscles and it cheers me inordinately. :D

[jwaneeta.livejournal.com]

PS: I found that when I got *more* than eight hours of sleep, it actually made me slower and stupider, so I cut back to 7.5.

Which is unfair. But it helped.

Pip!

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

No, no, nooooo… Doctors first. Even if you hate tests, they are more likely to pick something up that's wrong.

[mommimus-prime.livejournal.com]

Well, 8 hours isn't enough for me. I like 10.

As for fatigue, I've noticed that as I approach that certain age, I feel less energetic. And the other suggestions can't hurt and can only help...or not. No harm giving them a try. Did you get your thyroid checked?

[kimsrants.livejournal.com]

two things i do when I'm low on energy:

take the iron pills I know I've forgotten to take (both in multivitamin and straight up prescription--anemia is a god awful thing for making me tired)Or eat broccoli, spinach, beans or other high iron food.

spend some time in the daylight. at least 20 minutes. I sleep better at night, feel more awake and rested during the day and the added bonus of a nice glow about me.

other than that, i figure if you stop stressing about how tired you are it may actually help make you less tired. so.. forget about it?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I like 10 hours of sleep, too. Maybe I should take care to get 10 hours per night for a while and see if I feel better?

As for being a certain age... sigh. That doesn't help.

My thyroid should probably be checked. It's always been low, but my current doctor didn't think it was so low that I needed pills. Maybe pills would help.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

spend some time in the daylight. at least 20 minutes.

Very good plan!

so.. forget about it?

Relax and enjoy it? That's a good thought.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Even if you hate tests, they are more likely to pick something up that's wrong.

Often true, often not. It has been my misfortune generally to suffer from things that don't show up in tests - scleroderma, candidiasis, epstein-barr, and whatever myseterious interior malfunction is causing me gynecological pain. (Fybriods? Cysts? Endometriosis?) None of it it's current or life-threatening, but any or all of it might be contributing to my fatigue.

Mind you, if it's something easy, like low thyroid or anaemia, tests are a good thing. I live in hope.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

There are days I feel better with 7 hours of sleep, but not consistently. I've yet to discover exactly the right pattern. 7 hours per night would be wonderful!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I joined a gym to counter my lack of energy.

A was in a gym a few years back, and I really liked it. And yes, it helped my energy levels. It was a Good Thing.

Muscles are fun, too.

I get this effect with yoga, too. Which is a good reason to start doing it fairly seriously once The Foot is acting like a foot again.