Most of us experience times of fatigue and nothing we do seems to shake
it off. Sometimes it is just at set times of the day, usually
mid-afternoon when energy levels just seem to slump. For others fatigue
becomes more chronic, making it increasingly difficult to find the
motivation to exercise and be active in your every day life. You may
find you frequently reach for food as a pick-me-up, more often than not
something sweet, and your healthy eating plan goes to pot. Chronic
levels of fatigue can be a sign of something more serious and should be
discussed with your doctor. However many everyday eating and exercise
habits affect our energy levels. Making changes to your eating and/or
activity patterns can therefore play a major role in combating fatigue
and increasing energy levels.
Iron
Iron in the haemoglobin
in red blood cells plays a crucial role in transporting oxygen from the
lungs to cells, including exercising muscle. An iron deficiency
therefore affects the ability of the blood to get oxygen to where it is
needed. A serious iron deficiency results in anaemia which is
characterised by a shortness of breath; pale pallor; an inability to
exercise to intensity; feeling the cold; frequent infections such as
colds and flu and chronic fatigue. A blood test will confirm the
deficiency and your doctor will prescribe iron tablets to help get you
back on track.
However you can experience symptoms well before
full blown anaemia develops and the first stages of iron deficiency may
not be picked up in regular blood tests. Women are particularly
susceptible due to iron losses during menstruation. So too is anyone
who doesn’t eat red meat which is one of the best sources of iron. Meat
contains haem iron which is better absorbed than the non-haem iron
found in plant sources. If you are at risk of iron deficiency, take the
following steps:
Eat red meat or liver three times a week
Eat
plenty of plant sources of iron such as green leafy vegetables, legumes
and fortified cereals along with a source of vitamin C to assist
absorption
Avoid tea and coffee at mealtimes as these hinder the absorption of iron
Add a small amount of red meat, chicken or fish to a legume meal as
this will improve uptake of both the non-haem and haem iron
Avoid
taking iron supplements unless you have been diagnosed with iron
deficiency by a blood test as these may affect your uptake of other
minerals and/or cause constipation. Men in particular may absorb too
much iron and this can be extremely damaging in the body.
Fluctuating blood glucose levels
Blood
glucose has to remain within a certain range in order for the body to
function properly and to prevent damage caused by excessively high
levels. When blood glucose levels drop or fall below normal, energy
levels can also sink. High GI foods are often to blame for these
fluctuations. ‘Reactive hypoglycaemia,’ where blood glucose falls to
below the starting level, can occur 1.5 to two hours after eating a
high GI meal. Some people are more sensitive to these rises and falls
of blood glucose and those affected may often get cravings,
particularly for carbohydrate-rich foods, and lack energy mid-morning
or afternoon. Take the following steps to keep your blood glucose level
changes more gentle:
Include a low GI food at each meal
Avoid large intakes of carbohydrate-rich foods in one hit – spread them out evenly across the day
Try not to skip meals – this just leaves you eating more later and your body’s insulin response will be greater
Eat breakfast – this has been shown to improve concentration levels
through the morning, partly due to improved blood glucose availability.
You will also show a more gentle hormonal response to the lunchtime
meal as well as not feeling the need to reach for the biscuit tin
mid-morning
Activity levels
The less active you are,
the less energetic you feel. It’s a vicious circle that many of us fall
into from time to time. Our lives are more challenging on our brains
than our bodies and we are often unable to distinguish between mental
tiredness and physical tiredness. Movement gets blood moving through
the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles but also to the
brain. We are designed to be active beings, yet our environment is
increasingly sedentary. Fight it and ensure you build activity into
each day. Not only will you feel more energetic during the day, but you
will also sleep better and feel more refreshed and ready for the next
day.
Sleep
It seems obvious - inadequate sleep from
either not sleeping well, or not for long enough, will leave you
fatigued. If this is the cause no amount of chocolate, cappuccinos or
other pick-me-ups will solve the problem. Find the time for rest and
recuperation, particularly following exercise.