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Why am I so tired?
Tired all the time? Fatigue has many causes that aren't always easy to figure out, but we have the technology now to dig deeper and find what the root cause is.
What causes fatigue?
Fatigue has many causes, but these are some of the main causes I see with my clients:
Unbalanced microbiome - your microbiome and gut health affect your entire body. If the bacteria in your gut isn't balanced, it can lead to chronic fatigue.
The wrong carbohydrates or a lack of them - there are 3 types of carbohydrates, simple, refined, and complex. While all 3 will give you energy when you eat them, only complex carbs will extend your
Medications - medications can also cause fatigue. The most common culprits are allergy medications, blood pressure meds, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, opioids, and IBS/IBD medications.
Lacking micronutrients - Vitamin B12 and folate are usually something conventional medicine looks at when you come in with fatigue, but there is so much more we can look at. With micronutrient testing, we'll look at all micronutrients, neurotransmitters, antioxidants, detoxification indicators, and more that can all affect your energy levels.
Thyroid problems - issues with your thyroid are another common cause of fatigue. Conventional medicine will run thyroid tests, but we can take a much more complete look at your thyroid health.
If you want to get to the bottom of what is causing your fatigue, weight loss resistance, GI issues, and pain, click the button below to schedule a free call with me.
The Gut Immune Connection
A recent study shows that 90 days of pre- and probiotics can help reduce inflammation and decrease chronic disease risk. While I agree with this, it's important to note that not all probiotics are created equally. When clients work with me, I always recommend microbiome testing so I can see which exact strains of probiotics you need. I also may find that you have an overgrowth of certain "bad" bacteria that needs to be treated before we start adding in probiotics.
Our gut health is essential to our overall health. Some studies show that up to 80% of our immune system is in the gut. They're now saying that the immune system plays a role in developing Alzheimer's Disease. They're also saying that brain fog, joint pain, anxiety, depression, and more can all be linked to the microbiome.
The human immune system has evolved with microorganisms adopting a beneficial relationship with microbiota. The microbiota can produce metabolites, which are substances that are broken down and that are used by the body to produce energy, prevent tiredness, maintain health, and remove toxins. These metabolites play an important role in the development and function of the immune system.
The innate or nonspecific immune system is our body's first line of defense against antigens. Antigens produce antibodies, even to the food you eat. We can use food sensitivity testing to determine if the antibodies being produced in response to food is at low, medium, or high levels so we can remove them. We can get so much information on our bodies with today's technology, and it's time to take advantage of it!
Conventional vs. Functional Medicine Testing
A CMP, or complete metabolic panel, is one of the tests that is included in your annual physical. It looks at cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, non HDL, and the LDL:HDL ratio. You'll also get kidney and liver function tests, including total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma GT, ALT, AST, total protein, and albumin.
Then, they'll check your iron and may look at ferritin, transferrin, and transferrin saturation. Some doctors may also check B12, folate, and D2, but that's where it really stops. The technology is here and there are pages more we can look at when it comes to cholesterol before deciding that you need a statin. We can also look at all of your micronutrient levels instead of stopping at iron, B12, and D2.
If you're working with a conventional medicine doctor and your blood work looks fine but you still have symptoms we can dig so much deeper and find out what is really going on. If you're ready to start feeling better, click HERE to schedule a free call with me.
