Recently I’ve been having a hard time waking up in the morning and can’t seem to get enough sleep. Then, as the day goes on, I have fatigue and have a hard time finding motivation to get things done. What can I do to get more energy and stay alert besides caffeine?
Answered by Jacob Teitelbaum, MD is medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers and author of From Fatigued to Fantastic! and Beat Sugar Addiction NOW!
You’re not alone. Did you know that 31 percent of adults suffer with chronic fatigue? When accompanied by widespread achiness, “brain fog,” and severe insomnia, it has often progressed to what is called fibromyalgia.
Unfortunately, pushing sugar and caffeine to try to boost energy is like going to a loan shark, making the problem worse overall. The good news? It’s not hard to improve energy–even in severe cases such as fibromyalgia. You can do this with what we call the “SHINE Protocol”:
- Sleep. Take a mix of herbs as needed to get eight to nine hours of sleep at night. I prefer to start with the six herbs present in the “Revitalizing Sleep Formula” by Enzymatic Therapies.
- Hormonal deficiencies. Check for and treat thyroid deficiency (even if lab tests are “normal”. Irritability when hungry suggests adrenal fatigue as well.
- Infections. Treat for Candida if you have sinusitis or spastic colon.
- Nutritional support. The “Energy Revitalization System” vitamin powder (by Enzymatic Therapy), replaces over 35 supplement tablets with a single drink. In addition, I recommend a special nutrient called D-Ribose (a 5g scoop twice daily—Corvalen by Bioenergy) which in our recent study increased energy by an average of 61 percent after three weeks.
- Exercise as able, preferably out in the sunshine and fresh air. There is also a free Symptom Analysis program at Vitality101.com, and it can help to determine what is causing your fatigue (and even fibromyalgia). It can help to tailor a treatment program that will leave you feeling great!
Because of the similarities between symptoms of fibromyalgia and many other conditions, it’s important to not self-diagnose. Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms. They can work with you to get relief.
