By Tess Lambert, APRN, CMO
There are many potential reasons why this may happen. We are all different, and when there are changes in our energy levels, our drive, and our ambition, a whole or “holistic” look at our overall health can help us determine why.
One of the reasons can be depression. Over 17 million people suffer from depression and depression comes in many forms and varying degrees. The primary type of depression is major depressive disorder and is characterized by meeting at least 5 of 9 criteria, including decreased feelings of positive regard, decreased daily function, loss of motivation, energy, and focus, changes in appetite and sleep, and at its worst, a feeling of helplessness or hopelessness that may lead to thoughts of wanting to die. If you experience these symptoms, please seek help.
Other reasons may include hormonal imbalances. Hormones are chemical messengers in our body which travel through our blood stream to all our organs. Hormones coordinate and regulate most functions of the body. There are many types. The thyroid, located in our neck, is considered the master gland of the body. It is responsible for, or assists, in regulating many of our bodies’ processes, including temperature, metabolism, heart rate, and muscle contraction. It is important in regulating our weight and our sleep. If the hormones associated with the thyroid are either deficient or over-produced, it greatly affects your get up and go.
Another important set of hormones are the sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. An imbalance in any of these-and both men and women have each of these, just in different quantities-the get up and go heads south in a hurry.
Another hormone is cortisol which is an important factor in managing stress. Cortisol levels change throughout the day, but if it is more elevated than it should be, it can cause tremendous anxiety, and then when it crashes, the opposite occurs, and energy and mood are severely affected.
Vitamin and mineral imbalances can lead to loss of get up and go. In Florida, we have less concern about vitamin D because we get so much sun. In the northern states, an estimated 75% of the people have insufficient levels of vitamin D. B12 is another. If B12 is low, energy is lost. It can lead to all kinds of additional changes in the body. Some people have pernicious anemia, which is loss of red blood cells and hemoglobin due to B12 deficiency. These cells are responsible for carrying oxygen around the body, so a deficiency leads to low oxygen and therefore fatigue, while increasing anxiety. Other vitamins and minerals include biotin, zinc, and folate.
A special note about supplements: There is a big kick these days to use supplements. That is not always in our best interest. Supplements may benefit one symptom, but often cause imbalances in something else. So, before we just take something, we need to know whether we really need it!
Other issues include chronic illnesses, such as allergies, high blood pressure, diabetes. These processes can make you tired, AND the medications that treat these conditions can make you tired. Concerns with inflammatory markers and auto-immune symptoms can affect our get up and go.
How about sleep? How well we sleep matters, not just quantity, but quality! Sleep apnea is a big factor too.
When it comes to keeping your get up and go, the whole person matters. Like putting puzzle pieces together in a puzzle frame, all the pieces need to be looked at and put in the right spot to make a complete picture.
Hope & Harmony Holistic Health, Inc.
We believe that “everybody deserves Hope & Harmony in their lives.” We are committed to working with individuals to help them live the healthiest life possible. We use a team approach to holistic and functional medicine to help you meet your healthcare goals.
At Hope and Harmony Holistic Health, our core values are reflected by how. . .
• We treat every person as an individual with inherent worth and dignity.
• We provide holistic treatment choices rather than using medications as the first or only options.
• We prioritize the optimum quality of life for each and every client.
• We help every person achieve optimum health by becoming the best they can be in body, heart, spirit, and mind.
• We provide a safe space in a warm and welcoming environment.
• We, as providers, work collaboratively with each other and the client, to reach optimum health as defined by the client.
Because every person deserves to be the healthiest version of themselves, our purpose at Hope & Harmony Holistic Health is to help our patients discover what that means for them as individuals, and to make a plan for how to achieve their health goals. We are committed to working with each person to reduce dependence on medications by living the healthiest life possible as defined by each individual.
Each of us at Hope & Harmony Holistic Health has struggled through mental and physical challenges that left us frustrated and hopeless at times — until we discovered the healing and nurturing strategies that are part of holistic health care. Now it’s time for us to give back to the community by helping everyone who comes to us to discover, or to rediscover, the hope that comes with living a healthy life that allows our bodies, minds, and emotions to live in harmony every day.
Hope & Harmony Holistic Health, Inc., is a safe and welcoming practice no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey.
If you are in need of counseling, mental and physical health care, you deserve to have whole-patient care customized just for you. Contact Hope & Harmony Holistic Health Today at 941-979-2952 or visit www.hopeandharmonyhealth.com.