Nutrition and lifestyle tips to help conquer fatigue

Are you waking up and struggling to function without your hit of caffeine? You feel like you’re constantly haunted by brain fog and falling to sleep at night feels like a chore? This is the article you’ve been needing to read, say goodbye to fatigue with these nutrition and lifestyle tips.

Our fatigue levels are controlled by our adrenal glands, which are about two-thumb sized organs that sit above your kidneys. They are a part of the endocrine system and they’re involved in producing over 50 hormones that drive nearly every bodily function, many essential for life. The adrenal glands work closely with the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in a system known as the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). Adrenal glands play a huge role in stress response, here’s how they work…

• Your brain notices a threat, whether emotional, mental, or physical 
• The adrenal medulla releases cortisol and adrenaline hormones to help you react to the threat (flight or fight mode), rushing blood to your brain, heart, and muscles
• The adrenal cortex then releases corticosteroids to dampen processes like digestion, immune system response and other functions not necessary for survival. 
• Responsible for balancing your hormones daily as well.

Fatigue can suck the life out of you and it can have significant effects on your overall health. Luckily, you can improve this common issue naturally by focusing on upping your nutrition and lifestyle choices. Like everything, diet is a huge factor, there are several foods that offer adrenal support, helping replenish your adrenal energy so your system can come back to full health. 

So, what foods can you bring into the mix to help support those adrenals of yours? You want to add nutrient-dense foods that are easy to digest and have healing qualities, try adding these in…

• Coconut
• Olives
• Avocado and other healthy fats 
• Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts etc.)
• Fatty fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel)
• Free-range chicken and turkey
• Bone broth
• Nuts e.g., walnuts and almonds
• Seeds e.g., pumpkin, chia, and flax
• Kelp and seaweed
• Celtic or Himalayan Sea salt
• Fermented foods rich in probiotics
• Chaga and cordyceps medicinal mushrooms

These foods will nourish you and your depleted adrenals, they’re nutrient-dense, low in sugar and have healthy fat / fibre. 

Not only is nourishing your body through nutrition important but how you spend your time from day to day is just as important when it comes to restoring adrenal function. Here are some tips to try and incorporate into your week…

• Rest when you feel tired
• Sleep 8-10 hours a night
• Avoid staying up late and stay on a regular sleep cycle – ideally, in bed before 10pm. 
• Laugh and do something fun everyday 
• Minimise work and relational stress where possible
• Eat on a regular food cycle, and reduce caffeine and sugar
• Exercise (even moderate exercise and walking can help). Yoga can help improve quality of life and reduce stress responses. If you feel tired after exercise, it’s sometimes beneficial to only walk until your adrenals are healed. 
• Avoid negative people and self-talk
• Take time for yourself (do something relaxing)
• Seek counsel or support for any traumatic experiences 

Fatigue is a sign to slow up and take it easy for now, nourish yourself that extra bit and prioritise your health over everything else.