ARE YOU TIRED OUT? (there is help).
Do you tank in the afternoon? Or can’t remember the last time you bounced out of bed? Many of us walk through life feeling perpetually fatigued and tired. Low functioning energy can even cause other symptoms like—back pain and headaches.
If you can’t remember the last time you woke up feeling well rested, check out the reasons why below and most importantly get your hopes up, there is help!
we got you.
Sometimes it’s just one main root factor needing treatment to get energy going. Some patients have seen positive results within the first week of treatment! At times, there are a few things going on for a patient, and that’s okay.
Treating low energy symptoms is one of Hope Clinic’s sweet spots. We treat it daily.
You want the energy for the things most important to you. That’s the good stuff in life— we want that for you too.
How functional medicine understands energy
As a functional medicine practitioner, the first thing Dr. Brad looks at with a new patient is their energy levels. The body’s ability to heal itself greatly depends on the energy systems; in both adults and kids.
Depending on his findings, Dr. Brad will recommend a treatment plan to get you going again. A patient’s treatment may be based on what Dr. Brad provides, or it may include referrals to get you the results you need.
The good news is Dr. Brad understands what other health options are out there (and in-house!) to get you the help you need.
During a first appointment, Dr. Brad will check, AND RECOMMEND TREATMENT FOR (THERE IS HOPE!) FOR:
* Your thyroid — Your thyroid is in charge of your metabolic rate. It can affect everything from weight gain, menstrual cycles, mood and to how well you sleep at night. Yes, it takes energy to fall asleep and stay asleep!
Unfortunately, the Medical route and traditional lab testing can’t measure all aspects of thyroid function—so the need for support can get overlooked. At Hope Clinic we use alternative testing procedures with proper examination and questioning which can catch thyroid issues that won’t show up in labs. If you have thyroid lab results, bring along to your appointment and Dr. Brad will consider the findings along with his additional testing to get you going.
* Your liver — We all rely on the liver for energy throughout the day. When you go about your daily tasks it’s the liver supplying most of your energy.
How do you feel from 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon? That is a time when the liver takes a break from its job— especially if your blood sugar is fluctuating. This means the body’s adrenals need to kick in. Unfortunately, if your adrenals are already overworked and can’t boost you along, then you might be pretty tanked at this time of day. This may look like fatigue, irritability, scattered thinking or a desperate need for a nap..
* Your adrenal system — Ok, Minnesotans, with our climate the health of your adrenal system is particularly at risk for needing support. The adrenals get supported by the kidney system—and here’s the deal with your kidneys: your kidneys really do not enjoy being cold. During the cold months, the adrenals are taxed more easily— like how a car slows down (and might need to warm up, or even a jump) our adrenal energy can tend to putter along.
Feeling stressed and overwhelmed? The adrenals aren’t cut out to handle prolonged periods of stress throughout the day; they are meant to deal with stress in short spurts. If you experience consistent ongoing stress, there’s a good chance your adrenals are worn down.
* Your emotional energy — While often overlooked—your emotional energy plays the most important role in your overall energy levels.
What is emotional energy? This is measured by your capacity to handle not only what is required of you (the to-do list) but also your thoughts, feelings, and your minds internal processes.
Think about this – how are you handling daily stressors? Do you struggle with ongoing worry, anxiety and racing thoughts? Do you fall into times of feeling hopeless about your current circumstances? Or the future? We often hear patients are feeling both wired and tired. This can feel distracting and discouraging. Don’t be discouraged—there are options to help with calming and energy both.
We’ve had great results supporting any underlying nutrient deficiencies in the calming and energy systems and then considering classical homeopathy, homeopathy can be a fit to address all of these energy systems at once. Sue, our Classical Homeopath is well skilled and experienced at treating patients at a constitutional level, for how homeopathy works read here. (insert link to sue)
The body needs several senses of calm throughout the day, this eases organ workload on the body.If the emotional energy system is having a bit more difficulty coming around, we will often match that patient with mental and emotional support to fit their specific needs at that time.
* Your exercise and activity— Let’s get you moving and grooving. Being active might feel like a stretch right now, and that’s okay. Once your energy systems are working more effectively, we can look at your activity levels. And in order to keep energy systems working properly, exercise is a must.
We are strategic about what type of exercise is the best fit for each patient’s condition and lifestyle. For those that need to get back into exercise or are suffering with muscle weakness or overcoming an injury - a doctor of physical therapy can be a good place to start. There are optionsHealthy living means having energy
One mistake we often see people make is they think they ought to have limitless physical and emotional energy. But this simply isn’t true. While this can look different for every individual, it’s important to take time to figure out what works best for you. If you have children, it’s particularly important to help them find what works best for them as well.
WHAT’S A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF ENERGY?
One mistake we often see people make is they think they ought to have limitless physical and emotional energy. We tend to ask a lot of ourselves thinking we can go! Go! Go!
While each person’s daily amount of energy required (and what they can comfortably pull off) can look different —it’s important to take time to figure out what works best for you. And to be okay with that. J
Pay attention to how you are running your engine. Ask yourself, what could I delegate? How much am I responsible for? What’s reasonable to ask of myself? Am I taking breaks?
If you have children, it’s particularly important to not only get the support you need — but to help your kids know how to ration out their day-to-day energy. If you are noticing symptoms of an off mood, headaches, or fatigue; kids too may need a boost or support for their energy systems.
what our patients have to say
“I’ve gotten my life back! After college, I was in a slump and not able to move on to my next chapter in life. Now I can!”
“I honestly didn’t realize how tired I was until I wasn’t. I am so grateful I heard about this place.” a mid-thirties dad
“I can sleep now. I was desperate and running on fumes. I was needing to pick and choose what I could do in a day, and at times that was nothing but rest. Other MDs I had seen had diagnosed me with chronic fatigue, but that was that. Dr. Brad figured out I needed support for my liver and my thyroid. These are things the MD could not check or support. I felt better after taking supplements from Dr. Brad and herbs with Wells. Since I had been tired for so long, Dr. Brad referred me to a therapist as well. I didn’t even realize how depressed I was and the shame I was feeling. My family has seen a difference in me, I am so grateful.” early 40s female
Want to get started under Dr. Brad’s care? Join us for our next Hope Class.