Feeling Low on Energy?

“Do you have anything for energy?” Is one of the most common phrases I hear from patients.  As a Naturopathic Doctor in Mississauga, it is my job to get to the root cause of why you are feeling tired so that you can be at the top of your game at home, at work or at school.

The first thing I ask my patients after they tell me they are tired is, “Tell me about your sleep?”  Most patients don’t get enough quality sleep.  Dr. Wyse ND wrote an excellent article on sleeping difficulties about how Naturopathic medicine can improve sleep quality and quantity.

If you are not waking refreshed, despite a good night’s sleep, there are other factors that need to be investigated.  Comprehensive blood work can rule out any deficiencies in iron levels and B12 or hormone imbalances such as a thyroid condition.  Blood work can also rule out a more serious underlying condition.

Poor gut health can be a reason why vitamins and minerals aren’t being absorbed properly, leading to fatigue.  Your Naturopathic doctor can get your digestive system back on track by discovering food sensitivities and improving leaky gut.

Stress can play a big role in why you may be tired.  Your stress hormone, cortisol, should be the highest in the morning, and decrease at night.  Chronic stress upsets this rhythm.  If your body remains in a constant state of stress, your cortisol levels stay high.  This can disrupt sleep or deplete your adrenal glands causing a constant state of being “tired but wired”.  Making sure to add in recovery time to your exercise routine and daily regime is important.

Certain medications can deplete essential nutrients such as B12 and CoQ10.  Your Mississauga Naturopathic Doctor can speak to you about how we can support the side effects of your conventional medications.

After getting to the root cause of why you are tired, your Naturopath can offer diet and lifestyle advice as well as herbs and supplements.  We also offer B12 injections and intravenous vitamin infusions.  The injections and IVs are able to give you high doses while bypassing the stomach.  Since the dosages can be much higher than in an oral form, most patients notice results much quicker.

Thanks to our Mississauga Naturopathic Doctor Ashley Chauvin for writing this article for us on how she addresses patients who complain of low energy levels!

For help investigating some of the above problems or in implementing new health strategies, contact our team of Naturopathic Doctors in Mississauga today!