Feeling Fatigued? Fight Exhaustion With These Simple Steps
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Tired, no energy, lack of passion? One doctor says it's not your fault.
CBS2's Lisa Sigell spoke with Dr. Eva Cwynar, endocrinologist and author of "The Fatigue Solution," about the simple steps you can take to help fight fatigue.
Dr. Cwynar penned the book because, as she says, "The 'F word' has got to go.'"
"I wrote it because I was tired of seeing patients who were told there was nothing wrong with them. 'It's just depression, it's just age...' It's not," she insists.
Millions suffer from fatigue, stress, low sex-drive, lack of sleep. And most people are told it's in their heads or the natural process of aging.
"There is always an answer for an energy crisis," Dr. Cwynar said.
She says number one: have your doctor check your thyroid.
"Thyroid controls many other hormones. It is the God hormone of your body so without having a perfect thyroid you wont have a perfect anything," Dr. Cwynar said.
Second, make sure you don't have an iodine deficiency - which can be a source of fatigue.
"The FDA has made changes so we don't have to have iodine in our salt," Dr. Cwynar explained.
Tests can be conducted at home. Dr. Cwynar advises buying liquid potassium iodine, putting an amount about 2 inches wide on your stomach and checking to see if it absorbs into the skin. If the iodine doesn't leave a stain or absorbs more than half way after four to six hours, you may be iodine deficient and should see a doctor, she says.
Number three: Dr. Cwynar recommends changing your diet, starting with adding protein to your breakfast.
"You'll feel so much better. After about two weeks you wont believe you were that exhausted person in the morning," she promises.
Snacking every three-to-four hours and avoiding eating after 7 p.m. can also help ensure you fall asleep peacefully.
Fourth on the list is cleaning that gut out.
"All our immunity, inflammation, metabolism is gut related," Dr. Cwynar said.
She recommends cutting down on acidic products like coffee and eliminating diet soda and other products with aspartame, which coats the gut.
"It causes inflammation, weight gain, fatigue - get rid of it," she said.
Getting adequate sleep is important - six to eight hours if you can. And when you're not sleeping, tip number five is simply more sex.
"Sex is a source of energy," Dr. Cwynar said.
She says its all in the science: circulation, oxygen to the body, stimulating endorphins and - timing is everything. The best time to have sex she says is in the morning when hormones are at their peak.
Dana Asher says she's proof it all works. Juggling a career as a fashion stylist, long days, travel, three kids and a husband - every day is a long day.
"It makes my head spin. I get up early in the morning and go, go go," she said.
Dana says she's found her long days more manageable since discovering "The Fatigue Solution."
"I'm able to do a million things in a day, have a sex life, have a social life, have a family life," she said.
She's living life and loving it, and has said so long to fatigue.
"I want to be happily exhausted for a really, really long time," she said.
Dr. Cwynar has more tips and a quiz to help figure out if you suffer from fatigue on her website.
