“It started when I began losing my motivation to workout. I was going throughout my day without my usual energy, but I didn’t think it was enough to ask a doctor about.
It wasn’t until I started gaining weight that I realized I hadn’t been to the gym in months and honestly, didn’t have any desire to go back.
My wife suggested I talk to Dr. Graves. He conducted a blood test that showed my testosterone was in normal range, but not functioning at an optimal level.
Within one month of taking his suggested supplements to encourage my body to produce more testosterone on its own I felt like a new man. I had no idea how fatigued I was until I started feeling better and wanted to workout again.”
– CNMA Client
Fatigue is common and, at times, can be complicated.
You may know that you are experiencing unusual exhaustion or you may just notice that you aren’t up for doing the activities like you normally do. Whichever it is, fatigue can be a sign of the body needing support and there are plenty of natural options available if so.
How do I know if it’s fatigue?
Fatigue is such a general concept that it can be challenging to determine if you have it.
Our best advice is to notice:
- Do you feel exhausted for most of the day?
- Are you less motivated or have less energy for your lifestyle lately?
- Does it take an extra cup of coffee or caffeine to get through the day?
- Does taking on a new project or activity seem daunting and overwhelming?
These simple questions can be easy indicators of fatigue. In addition, specific fatigue symptoms can be:
– lack of motivation
– lack of energy
– lack of concentration
– headaches
– dizziness
– anxiety and/or depression
What causes fatigue?
It can sometimes seem as though fatigue has endless causes, but we find the most prominent ones are:
– unbalanced thyroid
– uneven cortisol levels at specific times throughout the day
– low iron and/or ferritin levels (ferritin is what stores iron)
– vitamin deficiency
– hormone imbalance
– diet/food sensitivities or allergies
– past trauma that has gone unresolved
– mental or emotional stagnation
– lack of self-care
How do I know if it’s serious enough to seek help?
Sure, most of us will experience a brief bout of fatigue. It may be due to jet-lag from a long flight, extra-long hours at work, or even a stressful family schedule. But when fatigue is affecting your daily life and making you feel less than your optimal self, it’s definitely time to seek help.
Some traditional western doctors may perform blood tests – particularly for thyroid, anemia, and B vitamins. And many times if these are all in normal range, clients are told that nothing is wrong. This can be stressful and frustrating.
For a more holistic approach to dealing with fatigue, naturopathic medicine looks at the entire mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of a client’s life to find not only the cause of fatigue, but the most beneficial way to treat it naturally.
How do I heal fatigue?
At CNMA, we start with specific questions and tests to give us an overall analysis. Some tests may include, but are not limited to:
– thyroid
– cortisol
– ferritin
– hormone: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
– vitamins
Click here to learn more about these tests.
In addition, it’s important to Dr. Graves to ask questions such as:
– How is sleep? Are you sleeping a lot and still tired or are you not sleeping?
– How do you feel throughout the day? Is your fatigue only felt at certain times?
– For women, is fatigue more prominent during certain days of the month?
– What is your diet?
– What is your stress level?
Once an overall analysis is concluded, Dr. Graves can then begin a specific protocol based on what your body needs. It may include:
- acupuncture to balance cortisol and hormones, get good sleep, and encourage emotional release if needed
- herbal supplements to support such aspects as the body’s response to stress, thyroid imbalance, hormone production, proper sleep, vitamin absorption, balanced cortisol levels and detoxification
- holistic counseling for a safe and comfortable environment to process past trauma or current emotional challenges
- lifestyle changes such as stress-relief exercises, relaxation, proper nutrition, and customized exercises for adequate self-care
Small tweaks can be necessary to get your body out of the slump its feeling. We always encourage communication of how you are feeling in order to find the best solutions.
Have you been feeling fatigued? If you are and don’t know what to do about it or have been told nothing is wrong and are still feeling exhausted, we are here to help you.
If you live in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, or the Greater Denver Metro area and are looking for answers to your fatigue, please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a complimentary 15 minute consultation with Dr. Graves to explain what you are feeling and learn what we can do to help.
You don’t have to feel unmotivated and tired all the time. Let’s get your energy back…starting now.
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