Women Fighting Fatigue - A journey to a life with energy and good health

Could Your Lack of Energy Be The Result Of Adrenal Fatigue? Answer These Five Questions And Find Out

1. Do you absolutely need coffee to get you going in the morning?

2. Do you feel exceptionally tired in the mornings and again between 3-5 in the afternoon?

3. Do you struggle with brain fog and a certain lack of clarity or memory?

4. Have you gained weight particularly around the middle?

5. Do you feel tired between 7-10 in the evening but get a second wind afterward?

Full disclosure: at one time my answer was yes to each one of these questions. Not only did I have these symptoms but many more including catching every cold bug going around, feeling lightheaded if I stood up too quickly and pain in my upper back and neck for no explainable reason.

So, if you answered yes to these questions then there’s a real possibility you have some level of adrenal fatigue.

What is An Adrenal Gland?

The adrenals are small glands located above the kidneys.

What Do Adrenal Glands Do And Why Are They Important?

Adrenal glands are responsible for life-giving and life-sustaining hormones including cortisol and the sex hormones. Adrenal glands help burn protein and fat and help control blood sugar. They also assist us with handling stressors that occur in everyday life.

To be so small, they play a huge role in how we feel and how well our bodies function.

What are Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue?

Insatiable fatigue (even after a restful sleep)
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Abdominal pain or pressure
Mood swings
Autoimmune problems

Depression
Insomnia
Brain Fog
Lightheadedness

are just some of the symptoms.

Now, of course, it’s possible to have these symptoms and it is caused by something other than adrenal fatigue.

Either way, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms on a regular basis, it’s time for a visit to your healthcare professional.

Just saying.

What Helped Relieve My Symptoms Of Adrenal Fatigue?

The first thing I did was stop drinking coffee for three days straight.

Yep, cold turkey.

Now I know for some of you this seems like an impossibility but I am here to tell you it is possible – not easy, maybe not even fun, but certainly possible and absolutely mandatory if you want to get your adrenals back in balance.

Three days off of coffee will help to reset your adrenals and give them a much-needed break.

Three days only, and then, you can (if you so desire) add back one cup per day – no more than one cup per day for that first week.

The second week you may add another cup but absolutely no more than two cups a day. Once a week try to go for no coffee for an entire day and at least once a month have absolutely zero coffee for three days straight.

The next thing I did was purchase a quality supplement that supports the adrenals. Some great supplements for adrenal fatigue are:

Rhodiola Roscea

Holy Basil

Licorice Root

Ashwaganda (no, not Wakanda, Ashwaganda)

Eat more healthy fats like salmon, avocados, coconut oil. Healthy fats not only keep you fuller longer ( a great side affect) but also help to decrease inflammation.

Make sure you consume enough vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D. Each of these not only support healthy thyroid function but adrenal function as well.

If you are unable to get it through your diet, consider a quality multivitamin. These days a quality multivitamin is essential.

Finally, get your body moving. You don’t have to join a gym or do hours of aerobics.

A brisk 30-minute walk five days a week will help you feel better, look better, sleep better, be better. If you want, add in two sessions of weight-bearing exercise twice a week.

If you can’t do 30 minutes five days a week, start small. Ten minutes a day is better than none. As each week passes add another five minutes each day.

Until next time,

Blessings!

Take Charge of Your High Blood Pressure Today

Most of us have heard of high blood pressure and may even have it. But for many, knowing what blood pressure actually is mystifies us.

What the hell is blood pressure anyway?

Blood pressure, according to the CDC is “the force of blood against your artery walls as it circulates through your body. Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day, but it can cause health problems if it stays high for a long time”.

Blood pressure can also lead to numerous other very serious health problems such as heart attack and stroke.

I can testify most people don’t want to have a heart attack or a stroke.

Yet as many as 75 million Americans now suffer knowingly or unknowingly with the disease.

And as of 2011, as much as $46 Billion (that’s with a “B”) in healthcare costs was attributed to high blood pressure.

Without doubt not only can it be deadly it can also be quite costly.

So let’s talk about the symptoms.

High blood pressure is often referred to as the “silent killer”. I know, sounds like a terrifying horror movie.

And it can be a horror if you don’t pay attention to it. High blood pressure most often has no symptoms.

You could be walking around enjoying your day. Going back to work, say, after having a nice lunch with a colleague.

And then bam!

You collapse grasping at your chest, trying to catch air.

Hello heart attack.

I’m not making light of it – this is serious stuff. And if you want a nice, long, quality life, you’ll pay attention to your blood pressure.

How do you do that?

Have a full check-up twice a year or at the very least once a year. A blood pressure is standard procedure at any doctor or clinic visit.

Also, invest in a blood pressure machine which you can purchase at any chain drugstore.

With the nifty, handy, little blood pressure machine you can track your blood pressure daily without having to wait for your check up.

What to do if you have high blood pressure and how do you keep from getting it?

High blood pressure has no preferences. It doesn’t care what race, nationality, religion, or income bracket you’re in.

It is an equal opportunity killer.

So if you have it or you want to make sure you as well as your family does not get it, the same prescription applies.

Eat better. Now I know how difficult it is to do a complete overhaul of a lifetime of bad habits but small, steady, consistent changes is the key. What does that mean? Cut back one glass of alcohol a week. Add a vegetable salad a few days a week with just olive oil and vinegar for dressing. Eat an antioxidant a day like blueberries or raspberries.
Do not smoke. Now I know for most this is a huge hill to climb but believe me, if you want to control or prevent high blood pressure, this will be key and it will be life changing. There are now so many ways to help you with stopping from patches, to gum, to hypnosis to meditation. It won’t be easy but it can be done. I have three family members who smoked for years and have now been smoke free for at least a decade.
Exercise. Yes, yes I said it. The dreaded word to so many (you know who you are). I’m not talking about spending hours at a gym on a treadmill. Simple things like a thirty minute walk 3-5 days a week, a yoga class three times a week, or a round of tennis a few days a week. Something that gets the heart rate up and gets the body to sweat, or for us ladies, “sparkle”.

Try these tips and remember it’s a process – a marathon not a sprint.

Until next time,

Blessings

Want More Energy and Better Focus? These Foods Can Help

You’re sitting at your desk and for the last five minutes you’ve read the same sentence of your word document at least ten times.

You get up to get your fourth cup of coffee but once you’ve finished it you have no more energy than you did before.

And no more clarity.

As a matter of fact, a nap would be the best thing ever.

Lack of energy, fatigue and mid-day slumps are everyday challenges for millions of people everyday.

Exercise is always helpful but adding a few simple yet tasty items to your everyday diet can make a noticeable change for the better.

More energy, clearer thinking, less fatigue and likely a few less inches around the waistline are all reasonable expectations.

Consider adding these seven items to your menu and expect a boost of energy and mental focus to be your reward.

Goji Berries not only help fight disease because of their high antioxidant content but goji berries also boost energy levels, fights fatigue, enhances athletic performance, mental acuity and feelings of calmness.
Kale can assist in energy production thanks for its protein, high antioxidant levels, as well as high fiber.
Blueberries are not only delicious but also are powerful antioxidants which helps to fight free radicals. Free radicals affect healthy cells and cause fatigue.
Avocados contain fatty acids which help lower inflammation. Inflammation is linked to not only disease but also to fatigue.
Salmon has a sizable amount of healthy protein which can help to increase metabolism as well as help to increase energy. Salmon also protects brain and heart health. If you want to stave of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, science has shown this fish to be a mighty tool.

Lentils are also high in fiber and help to regulate blood sugar levels which can aid in increased energy levels.
Oats continue with the theme of high protein and fiber and help to stabilize blood sugar. I’m not talking about the prepackaged oats. I’m talking old school – the kind your granny made back in the day. Sweeten it with a half a banana or some golden raisins and you’ve got a meal that will easily hold you all day and stave off unhealthy cravings.

Add these foods to your daily line-up of meals. You don’t have to do it all at once.

Try adding salmon once a week instead of pork or beef.

Do a meatless Monday with lentils. Add carrots and celery (so good) and even kale. This is especially tasty with a slice of a fresh baguette.

Put a half of an avocado in your salad and add goji berries to your smoothie.

It doesn’t have to be hard or take all day.

Just start and you’ll find yourself feeling less fatigue and better focus in no time.

Until next time,

Blessings

7 Signs You May Suffer From Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue. Is that some odd name another celebrity has decided to name their child? Noo, but good guess!

Adrenal fatigue is “When the body starts to not be able to produce enough cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone and if the body can’t bring about enough cortisol we get tired and lethargic”. It’s caused mostly by too much stress.

The adrenal glands are essential to our well being. We each have two located just above our kidneys. One adrenal for each kidney. Adrenals are part of the endocrine system.

Adrenal glands secrete the hormone adrenaline as well as over 50 other crucial hormones which influence just about every bodily function.

Here are 5 signs you may suffer from adrenal fatigue:

Insomnia isn’t just the inability to sleep. It can also be a pattern of sleep where you have trouble staying asleep

Decreased ability to handle stress and the sense of overwhelm as well as having a short fuse can also be a symptom. If you go from zero to sixty on your stress level and scare the crap outta everybody in the process you may have adrenal fatigue.
Mild depression can occur for many reasons and although it’s not unusual for the average person to experience a bout of the blues every now and then being in a consistent state of depression is irregular.
Lack of energy or feeling sluggish for many of us may be a state we remain in and at some point we may think “this is just the way it is”. But it’s not normal and could very well be the result of adrenal fatigue.
Elevated effort to do daily duties is a sure sign of potential adrenal fatigue. Conducting your life and responsibilities through sheer will power is not normal.
Abnormal weight gain in the abdomen or thighs can be a definitive sign of adrenal fatigue especially if you’re doing everything else right. Like eating well and clean and exercising 150 minutes or more a week.
Brain fog is an extremely frustrating condition and can show up as racing thoughts and the inability to focus.

These are just a few of the main symptoms of adrenal fatigue. If you have three or more of these symptoms it would be worth having a conversation with your doctor. There are numerous tests that can be done to determine if your body is in a state of adrenal fatigue and there are numerous ways to treat it both naturally and traditionally so that you can begin to feel and look as great as a fresh bouquet of tulips.

Until next time,

With love,

Ava

Warning: Vitamin C Deficiency Can Make You Fat and Sick

Do you get enough vitamin C?

Do you know how important it is in the daily functions of the human body?

I knew how important it was once.

But then I ran out of my vitamin C supplements and didn’t think anything of it until I began coming down with a cold every couple of months.

And then I gained a couple of pounds even though I was making healthy choices most days.

Sure I would allow myself a cheat meal about once a week but nothing that would tip the scale five pounds up.

So I reevaluated my health regimen and discovered I hadn’t restocked my vitamin C in almost a year.

Could that be the reason I’m catching a cold every time I blink 30 times? I’m working my ass off working out but gained five pounds! WTH?

Could lack of vitamin C be the culprit?

Yes, it could.

What Vitamin C Does for the Body

Grows and repairs tissue in each part of the body
Assists the body in making collagen which is an essential protein for healthy skin, nails, hair, cartilage, ligaments and tendons
Helps maintain healthy bones and teeth
Helps fight adrenal fatigue which can cause a sluggish metabolism and fatigue
Assists in healing wounds
Helps fight free radicals which are toxic and cause damage to living cells and tissues
Helps cholesterol levels
Protects against heart disease
Helps absorb iron from plant food sources
Boosts immunity

Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency

These include but are not limited to:

Sluggish immune system
Nosebleeds
Swollen and painful joints
Dry or scaly skin
Weight gain
Inflammation of the gums
Slow healing of wounds
Bruising easily
Fatigue
Muscle Weakness

Top 7 Vitamin C Foods

Red Peppers
Green Peppers
Grapefruit
Strawberries
Broccoli
Oranges
Guava

It can be a challenge to get the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C through food which is why a quality vitamin C supplement can be so beneficial.

Right now the recommended dose from the National Institute of Health is 75mg for adult women and 90mg for adult men.

But that’s far lower than what many health studies show is needed to make the body function at its optimum level. Some studies suggest 1,000 mg and even some as high as 2,500 a day to seriously improve health.

I finally restocked my vitamin C and currently take 1,000 mg a day. It’s only been a few days but I anticipate my body will thank me in the form of more energy, a smaller waistline, fewer colds as well a the shortened duration of a cold should I get one.

Talk to you doctor or health care practitioner and ask if vitamin C would be a good weapon in your arsenal of good health tools.

Until then,

Blessings

Warning: Your Blood Pressure Could be the Cause of Your Fatigue

The American Heart Association estimates that 1 in 3 Americans have high blood pressure. That’s over 75 million people.

And at least 16 million of those people don’t know they have it.

High blood pressure also known as hypertension is often called the “silent killer” because it can have no symptoms.

Most of us know that high blood pressure is bad for us but some of us may not be fully aware of how bad. So let me take a moment to list some of the life threatening complications it can cause.

Heart disease
Kidney disease (also known as renal)
Stroke which can result in brain damage
Hardening of the arteries which can cause a heart attack or stroke

It’s important to remember that most times people don’t have symptoms of high blood pressure.

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There are a few symptoms that can be obvious if you’re blood pressure is very high.

Light headed
Shortness of breath
Tiredness

There are numerous natural ways to get your blood pressure down and what you put in you’re pie hole is where we should start (Oops sorry. I said pie).

Here are 3 things to do in order to make sure you’re blood pressure stays healthy and your energy stays up.

Cut down on salt
Cut down on white starches like potatoes and pasta and replace with sweet potatoes or yams
Increase your vegetables and herbs (think spinach, kale, turnip or mustard greens, cilantro, and parsley)

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This is just a start as there are many natural ways to improve blood pressure.

Think about it. We need our blood to flow and to flow well throughout our bodies.

And if the blood isn’t getting to where it needs to or is having to fight an uphill battle to do so high blood pressure could be the culprit in feeling tired all the time.

So let’s get to the doctor or your local drugstore many of which have blood pressure machines and get your blood pressure checked out pronto!

Until next time,

Blessings

8 Easy Tips to Walk for More Energy and Less Fatigue

Do you wake up feeling tired most mornings even if you’ve gotten seven or eight hours of sleep? Do you hit the wall around three in the afternoon like clockwork? So fatigued you stumble your way into the break room for another cup of coffee and a “should I get a snickers or a bag of chips question”?

Exercising Doesn’t Make You Tired but Directly Creates Energy in the Body

Research shows moderate exercise like a fifteen or thirty minute walk is the most effective at fighting the feeling of fatigue as compared to say an hour long run on the treadmill.

Dr. Therese Pasqualoni, a Behavioral Therapist and Personal Trainer says, “You should always aim to exercise in your low to moderate heart range when exercising for energy. This will prevent you from depleting your body and help you to avoid feeling fatigue.

Exercise Boosts Energy and Fights Fatigue

A study published in the Psychological Bulletin involving more than 6800 people concluded that, “Sedentary people who completed a regular exercise program improved fatigue compared to those who did not exercise”.

Researchers say that each group studied from healthy adults to cancer patients as well as those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease benefited from low to moderate exercise.

How to Start and What to Do

Get a green light from your doctor or healthcare practitioner especially if you have serious health issues or if you’re over 40.
Once that’s done you want to invest in a pair of decent to good walking shoes. Shoes which support the activity of walking makes the experience more enjoyable and can also help keep soreness at bay especially if exercise is new to you.
Start slow – not only in your walking pace but also in the days of the week that you walk. Aim for three days a week with the goal of moving up to five.
Warm up. Begin your walk with an easy, comfortable pace for the first five minutes. After your warm up you can increase your pace working up to 3 or 4 miles an hour as your long term goal. Your breathing should pick up but you should still be able to carry on a conversation.
If you’re completely new to exercise start with 10 to 15 minutes three times a week.
Add 2 minutes each week to your walk. If you can’t walk outside because of weather or for whatever reason you can buy an indoor walking video or use a free indoor walking video on Youtube.
After your walk is completed cool down by slowing your pace and do a few easy calf stretches and side waist stretches.
Enjoy. Remember this should be fun. This is not a race but a process. Enjoy the air, the singing birds, the colors of the trees around you, and most of all yourself.

Happy walking..until next time,

Blessings

Fight Brain Fog and Boost Focus with These Easily Available Herbs

What is Brain Fog?

The best definition I’ve ever read of brain fog is, “A clouding of consciousness”. That’s actually how it feels – like every thing and every action has a cloud or a bank of fog over it -difficult to see the way.

Definition of Fog:

A thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth’s surface that obscures or restricts visibility (to a greater extent than mist; strictly, reducing visibility; something that obscures and confuses a situation or someone’s thought processes.

Symptoms

What do the symptoms look like? Most of us have experienced the familiar, “What the hell did I do with my keys or where the hell did I park my car”? episodes. You can read about my personal experience with brain fog here.

Brain fog in it’s simplest description can be one, a combination of, or all of these symptoms:

difficult focusing
lack of clarity or comprehension
trouble remembering information
anxious
difficulty exercising
forgetfulness
uninspired
depressed
fatigued
irritable
insomnia or trouble sleeping through the night
can linger for days, weeks, and even months

Dr. Roberta Lahita, MD, PhD, rheumatologist and chairperson of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and professor of medicine at Rutgers University in New Jersey says, “The biggest difference between dementia and brain fog is its impermanence”. It can come and go just like the fog.

Causes

There are various causes of brain fog including hormone imbalance, inflammation in the body, food toxins, allergens, toxic metals, stress, insomnia, cancer therapy, and a host of other possibilities.

Whatever your case, make an appointment with your doctor or healthcare professional to test your blood sugar, thyroid, and your lifestyle habits. Lifestyle habits can contribute greatly to brain fog, or on the other hand, can assist in effectively removing it. You can also learn more about brain fog here.

I’ve been able to measurably diminish brain fog by incorporating a number of herbs into my healthcare strategy.

Here are three herbs that have taken the “f” out of conFusion and put it into “Focus”.

Bacopa Monnieri – What you say? Is that your long lost Italian aunt Ava? No, but just as precious. God willing I will never ever be without this magic herb which has effectively assisted me in turning my upside down – around. Also known as Brahmi, this powerful herb is an adaptogen and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It’s known to combat stress and help memory. I take this daily and it has changed the quality of my life.
Gingko Biloba is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant plant extract. Research suggest it supports cognitive function, improved energy, improved memory, and positive mood. I also take this daily and attribute my improved mood and better cognition to taking it. No more staring at the same sentence in a book or on my computer for twenty minutes. Gingko Biloba keeps it movin’.
Ashwaganda – Thank you mother nature for this herb. Excellent for promoting clarity, reducing the side effects of stress, and promoting an overall “I can handle this ” attitude. If you’re overworked or anxious please consider taking this. It’s an adaptogen and works with the cortisol in the body to relieve stress and assists the adrenal glands in processing the stress hormone cortisol. It also protects the brain against cell deterioration and is fantastic for nervous exhaustion.

These are three key herbs I take that have made a significant difference in how my brain functions throughout the day. I’m noticeably more clear, more energetic, happier, and more accomplished since incorporating them into my daily life. Get an okay from your healthcare professional and give them a try.

Until next time,

Blessings…

3 Killer Resources to Help You Feel and Look Better

Everyday I’m in search of resourceful, reliable, and useful websites that offer the latest health news and information on alternative health. One thing I notice that stands out far too often is – there’s a lot of crap and misinformation out there.

Like damn!

If you’re ever online searching for ways to help you be healthier without having to take a shitload of prescriptions or do hours long exercise videos or classes, then I’m sure you’ve seen how much rubbish is online.

However, there are some nuggets of power packed informative websites out there and that would include these three websites I’m about to share with you now.

I turn to these to help me discover ways to live my best life in my own health journey as well as to find out some of the latest science-based information that I can bring to you.

These are chock full of useful and practical information I’m sure you’ll find interesting, eye-opening, inspiring.

http://kriscarr.com/ Kris Carr refers to herself as a cancer “thriver” instead of survivor because not only has she overcome the debilitating disease but has also learned how to thrive and more effectively embrace. She’s a huge advocate of living naturally and offers priceless information on everything from how to control food cravings to how to find the best food for your dog, plus a boatload of creative and healthy recipes to help us all do the same.
http://www.saragottfriedmd.com/ Another excellent website that focuses on natural alternatives to help us feel our best selves. Dr. Gottfried focuses on finding natural ways to balance our hormones which in turn can help us balance out everything else – including weight, mood, and energy, and sleep.
https://draxe.com/ Dr. Axe’s website offers science based information on everything from losing weight, to how to treat migraines with essential oils, to “cellulite slim-down” recipes to improving your immune system, to how to fight diabetes, to essential oils for arthritis. Not to mention a boatload of great recipes.

Okay my lovelies, swing on over to these fun, valuable, and insightful websites. I have no doubt you’ll find them refreshing, valuable, reliable, and insightful – perhaps even life changing.

Till next time, blessings!

Three Trouble-Free Smoothie Recipes to Help Improve Energy and Tackle Brain Fog

If you’re looking for a way to improve your energy (who isn’t), fight fatigue, and tackle brain fog then low calorie nutrient packed smoothies can be a surefire way to effectively do it.

I’m telling you, smoothies have literally changed my life people. So much so that on numerous occasions I’ve had to stop myself from kicking my own butt for not implementing them into my life sooner.

Smoothies with the right ingredients can not only help keep you full for a few hours but can help decrease your waistline, add much needed nutrition, boost energy, fight fatigue, stabilize blood sugar, and combat brain fog.

These three smoothie recipes contain ingredients such as beets to improve energy, avocado to boost mental clarity, blueberries to fight inflammation and add antioxidants, bananas for fiber and potassium, and protein powder to provide much needed amino acids, plus much more!

Brain Boosting Smoothie

1/2 avocado
1/2 banana
1/2 cup of blueberries ( I use frozen)
6 walnuts
1 scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder ( I use Plant Fusion)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of coconut milk or hemp milk

Add ingredients to a blender or Nutribullet and blend until smooth.

2. Blueberry Beet Smoothie

1/2 cup of unsweetened carrot juice
1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
1/2 cup of peeled or grated raw beet (sometimes I just peel and then slice)
1/2 cup of unsalted raw almonds
ice cubes
dash of ginger
1 TBS of raw honey (optional)
dash of ground ginger

Add ingredients to blender or Nutribullet and blend until smooth.

3. Banana Coconut Smoothie

1 cup of coconut or hemp milk
1 frozen banana (sometimes I use bananas that are not frozen; frozen makes it icy cold though)
1 scoop of vegan protein powder
2 TBS of unsweetened coconut

Add ingredients and blend until smooth.

All of these ingredients can be easily be found at your local grocery chain and for some ingredients even your local Target. I guarantee that if you try one or all of these on a consistent basis you will begin to see measurable results in increased energy less fatigue, better mental clarity and less brain fog.

Here’s to feeling more energized and more clear!