Q: Every few months I feel really low and exhausted for a few weeks. It eventually passes but I want to know what I can do to make it go away or prevent it happening again without resorting to antidepressants.

A:  There are a number of reasons why you may feel low periodically and this can include exhaustion – both physical and mental – lack of sunlight, nutritional deficiencies, blood sugar imbalances, hormone imbalances, an imbalance of bacteria in your bowel and lack of quality sleep. Depression is also a possibility so if none of the measures suggested below work I suggest you visit your doctor to discuss your condition.

 

To get to the bottom of this I suggest you start by evaluating your diet. Are you eating healthily? If you eat a lot of refined and processed food, chocolate, sweets and crisps this will make you feel low because it will make your blood sugar levels swing and you won’t have the nutrients you need to feel healthy and happy. If you drink alcohol I suggest you cut down immediately because alcohol is a well known depressant. It can also use up your B vitamins which are needed for good brain function. In addition to eating a healthy diet I suggest you take a good multivitamin mineral supplement, making sure it contains good levels of the B vitamins including folic acid.

 

It is also incredibly important that you make sure you cut down on saturated and transfats found in most animal products, which can trigger weight gain, poor concentration and fatigue and then increase your intake of foods rich in mood boosting omega 3 essential fats, such as oily fish, nuts and seeds. One component of omega 3, called DHA, is vital for helping to build neural pathways in your brain and for proper brain function so try to eat oily fish such as organic salmon two times a week and if you don’t eat fish use linseeds (flax).  For a while take a supplement of either fish oil or linseed oil at the same time as improving your intake from the diet.  (I use Omega 3 Plus in the clinic, which contains 500mg of DHA in two capsules as well as over 700mg of EPA – see the Resources Page.)

 

If you smoke, quit because smoking prevents healthy blood flow to your brain. A live, natural organic yogurt every day will help to prevent toxicity in your bowel and if you feel heavy and tired because of constipation be sure to eat enough wholegrains, fruit and vegetables to get things moving again. 

 

If the weather has an effect on you try not to stay indoors. Even if the sun isn’t out natural daylight is important for regulating your sleep patterns and for boosting your mood. You may also want to invest in a light box and have daily half hour sessions at home because the special light mimics the sun, encouraging feel good hormones.

 

And finally, aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Research has shown that exercise is one of the best ways to beat depression and boost mood and wellbeing.  Studies have shown that St John’s Wort can be help for mild to moderate depression and so may be worth trying but this herb must not be taken if you are also taking antidepressants and you would need to check if you are taking other medication as there are a number of contraindications with St John’s Wort.  (see a good strength St John’s Wort on the Resources Page.)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 1:40 am and is filed under Ask Marilyn, General Health, Tiredness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.