Chronic Fatigue & Lyme

Low energy is a quickly rising epidemic. A lot of people think of it as a symptom more than a cause. But low energy precedes disease. When we create an environment where our cells can’t create balance or maintain order, which is their main objective, we are setting the stage for cell dysfunction and dysfunction results in disease.

So what are the major players in low energy and chronic fatigue?

The adrenals.

We live in a world full of stress. This taxes the adrenal glands causing adrenal fatigue. Most of you probably thought about emotional stress when I said stress but there are lots of stressors that can cause cortisol to rise and tax the adrenals. Physical stress, chemical stress, and mental stress. How many of us sit at a desk, slumped over, all day or commute to work? There’s physical stress. We are all exposed to toxic chemicals despite how clean we eat and try to live.

There’s chemical stress. And then on top of all of that is the emotional stress of family illness, epidemics, politics. The sad truth is, most of us are exposed to all 3 of these stressors at any given time. This impacts our nervous system that coordinates all bodily functions and releases cortisol.

Cortisol is important for many functions. We are designed to have cortisol and release it when needed, but this relentless stress we’re exposed to releases cortisol constantly. Overtime we develop adrenal fatigue. In addition, when we are constantly releasing cortisol, we are also constantly putting glucose into the bloodstream. This means we are running on sugar, despite our diet. This, in turn, creates an inflammatory environment because running off of sugar causes a lot of free radicals. Now, if you are doing a low carb or ketogenic diet and think this doesn’t pertain to you, think again. If you don’t have any glucose stored for your body to put into the bloodstream it will actually pull from and catabolize your muscles to get it. Cortisol is a glucose-releasing hormone so the glucose has to come from somewhere.

So, if you are stressed and your body is producing cortisol and you are running on glucose, what else is happening?

You are driving insulin.

It’s the body’s response to the elevated glucose. Over time, after constantly being exposed to the insulin, the cells become insulin resistant and no longer hear the message the insulin is trying to give. Additionally, running on glucose causes inflammation and that inflammation further damages the cell receptors causing you to become hormone resistant to more than just the hormone insulin. Now, the outer membrane of the cell, called the cell membrane, has a cell receptor for each hormone and protein in the body. Each of these can be affected by this chronic inflammation leading to the cascade of events. That’s why people who are diabetic or have insulin resistance are also overweight.

They are leptin resistant too. And, many of them have low sex drive because they are resistant to the hormones testosterone, estrogen, and human growth hormone (HGH) as well.

To compound this already catastrophic issue, the inflammation on the cell also causes the nutrients you are eating to not get into the cell. This means you don’t have what our energy factories, known as mitochondria, need to make ATP (adenosine triphosphate). And, if you are low on ATP your cell doesn’t have the fuel it needs to give you energy. Welcome low energy and chronic fatigue.

So how can you support your system and gain more energy?

One thing that is helpful in this situation, supportive to the adrenals and calming to you, is vitamin B1. In the form of nutrition, like nutritional yeast, it is a great option to bring in. Now I know I am talking about low energy and fatigue which is a big reason why people don’t move, however moving will help with low energy and fatigue. You don’t have to run a marathon or lift heavy weights. You can garden, go for a walk, or even stretch to dissipate stress and support adrenal and cell health.

If you’re reading this because you have low energy, chronic fatigue, Lyme, or all the above, what does your sleep look like?

Poor sleep can result in elevated cortisol levels. The lowest amount of cortisol in the body is at night when we are sleeping. If you aren’t sleeping well or waking in the night, your adrenals could be overcompensating and firing in the night.

Working on your sleep hygiene can help in this realm. It is important to allow your circadian rhythm to balance. Melatonin is your sleep hormone. There are two types. One is produced in the pineal gland and the other is a deeper melatonin that is produced in your cells. If you do not get the restorative sleep you need to heal and repair, your cells will not produce the proper melatonin to sleep and reduce your cortisol. It is a vicious cycle. If you do not get out in the sun daily your pineal gland will not regulate, which we need to occur for our circadian rhythm, proper sleep, and to get to that deeper melatonin.

Have you heard of antioxidants?

These are compounds that reduce and prevent the effects of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is the oxidation or aging of cells. Well, that deeper melatonin produced in your cells has more antioxidant abilities than even glutathione which we’ve heard so much about and if sick, have been given a time or two. Plus, there’s a bonus. This form of oxidation fighting melatonin is free. You just have to sleep to tap into it.

Next, if you want to regain your energy, you must also address your diet. It’s important to focus on nutrient density, not just what you avoid. Vitamins like B, D, K2, and magnesium are needed for the Krebs cycle and creation of ATP. You can get these from a variety of anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense foods.

Now, if you truly want to upregulate cellular energy, you need to eliminate sugar, reduce your carbohydrate consumption, and up your intake of healthy fats in your diet. Just remember, not all fat is created equal. The fat you eat becomes part of the genetic makeup of your cell membrane. The membrane where your receptors are. If you eat a diet full of processed, hydrogenated oils, they will compromise your cell receptors and you will be unable to upregulate your ATP or cellular energy. Focus on things like avocados, olive oil, and fatty fish. You can do this using the Kleaner Keto program within the Hormones & Metabolism foundation of The Wellness Model™.

In addition, up your protein intake and make sure you have adequate stomach acid, called hydrochloric acid (HCL). HCL is needed for the breakdown of protein. Low stomach acid along with low protein intake has been directly related to low cellular energy and chronic fatigue. Aim for 30 grams of protein with at least 2 of your daily meals, working up slowly. There is a variety of protein sources from the land and sea you can choose from. Look for grass fed and wild caught, when possible.

Lastly, what medications are you currently taking?

One of the main side effects of many prescription medications is low energy.

This is because their synthetic ingredients are foreign and promote inflammation in the body and that inflammation contributes to cellular damage. Now, I’m not saying to stop your medications however, you can speak with your physician to determine if what you’re on could be contributing to your fatigue. Many health conditions, such as Lyme, contribute to low cellular energy and fatigue as well but again, if you suspect an underlying issue, you’ll want to loop in your physician for possible testing.

Increased energy doesn’t happen overnight but if you implement the strategies I mentioned, it will come in time. Focusing on cellular healing, by addressing the 4 foundations in The Wellness Model™, is the key to true lasting wellness.