Fatigue

How do you support people with fatigue at Collective Health Center?

All of us have experienced fatigue in some way or the other. While most of us may just brush it off to not getting enough sleep or working an overnight shift, fatigue is so much more than “feeling tired.” As my patients well know, our body does not act a certain way for no reason – it is always communicating with us about what is going on internally. My job as your naturopathic doctor is to hone in on those internal communications and be able to figure out how to heal your body from the inside out based on what it’s specific, unique needs are.

Oftentimes, patients understand that their lifestyle and family health history may contribute to their fatigue and other symptoms, but they want to find a provider who is able to understand that and provide tangible solutions for them to get back on track – that is where I come in. While the solution can often be something obvious or common like changing nutrition, exercising more, etc., providers need to make sure that they understand that the patients know their lifestyle and history and are looking for something more. Most conventional medicines provide those easy general plans (eating better, exercising more, etc.) but naturopathic doctors will work with you to create personalized plans that fit into your lifestyle and take in your family health history to make sure you are doing what you need to on your terms.

My approach with all medical issues is a holistic one where I look at my patient as a whole rather than just their symptoms. This approach helps both myself and my patients to understand what exactly is going on with their bodies to be able to know how to help it. With fatigue, I see a lot of hidden causes such as food sensitivities, allergies, hormonal imbalances, chronic viral issues, and environmental toxins. My naturopathic and holistic approach intentionally dive deeper into these hidden causes to find ways to positively impact my patients’ health.

One major focus that I approach with patients experiencing fatigue is sleep hygiene. Many of my patients are not aware of the power they have to improve their overall health through simply just sleeping. By improving your sleep – making a point to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day and aiming for 8 hours of sleep per night – can normalize your circadian rhythm leading to less fatigue, tiredness, and groggy feelings. I offer my patients appropriate referrals for sleep studies and sleep apnea treatments. While Continue Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines have been a game changer for many of my patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea, there are other options to improve airflow without the use of a CPAP machine. Every person is different, some may love those machines and some may be unable to tolerate them. I always take the time to educate my patients on all the options available to them that they may not have been aware of. It takes a village to help with fatigue and there is an amazing network of referral partners available to support my patients on their health and wellness journey.

As I said before, often fatigue isn’t simply “feeling tired” and caused by a lack of sleep, although proper sleep is key. Some other ways I help support patients with fatigue is through supporting their internal system – honing in on those internal communications to see how each patient’s specific body needs help and in what way. A lot of times, our nutrition can be a huge factor into fatigue, one specific thing that it directly impacts is our hormonal balance. By supporting lifestyle optimizations such as exercise and working to establish a nutritional plan, we are supporting those internal systems that are so important for optimizing our overall health and energy.

With nutrition, it is so much more than just eating more veggies, although that’s essential, it's focusing on what nutrition works for you as a person and your health. By learning what your specific body needs and the right diet, targeted supplementation, and exploring the reasoning behind any deficiencies in your body, we are able to replenish those depleted nutrients and move forward with an informed approach to your individual needs.

In addition to your diet and exercise, replenishing your mind also is a great factor to conquering chronic fatigue. Herbal adaptogens are especially suited for supporting those with chronic stress fatigue. I also advise patients on helpful meditation and mindfulness practices and refer to counseling when appropriate.

Interested in learning about honing in on your body’s internal communications to counter your fatigue symptoms? Contact me today and let’s get started on a customized plan to help you feel energized and healthier! 

Common cases of fatigue that I work with in my practice (in alpha order):

• Allergies
• Autoimmune disease
• Chronic viral issues (ie chronic mono/ Epstein-Barr Virus)
• Environmental toxins (ie mold, heavy metals, aromatic hydrocarbons, etc)
• Hypothyroidism
• Insomnia
• Inadequate movement/ exercise
• Female hormone imbalances
• Food sensitivities
• Male hormone imbalances
• Trauma (in conjunction with trauma informed counselors) 
• Unsupportive lifestyle
• Unsupportive/ inadequate nutrition