Herbal and Nutritional Remedies for Chronic Fatigue
Did you know that fatigue, including chronic fatigue, is the first noticeable symptom in over 300,000 different illnesses? It is the number one experience our bodies have too much going on. It's also the base for many auto-immune disorders, illnesses, and cancers. That said, what remedies for chronic fatigue will actually work?
Some fatigue comes from spreading ourselves too thin, but that is only one fraction of the issues at hand. Stress plays a large role in our health. Stressors can be physical, emotional, psychological, environmental, infectious…or any combination of these!
Did you know that your adrenal glands respond to EVERY kind of stress the same way, no matter the source? Fatigue is the body’s way of letting us know that something isn’t right. We just need to listen! But that is easier said than done…
And for my caffeine lovers? Caffeine is the worst thing you can consume when you are chronically fatigued. But not to worry, there are plenty of natural remedies for chronic fatigue to replace your daily coffee, or to just give you more energy and better health overall!
Lifestyles Stressors that Can Affect the Adrenals
It’s good to know what factors in our life can affect our adrenals and lead to chronic fatigue. Here are some of the most common.
- Poor food choices
- Lack of sleep
- Mental stressors like trauma, perfectionism, work-life balance, and other things that are emotionally and mentally taxing
Once you’re aware of these stressors on your body, you can work on reducing them. Lifestyle changes are one of the most important places to start when dealing with chronic fatigue, chronic illness, or any adrenal issue.
Herbal Remedies for Chronic Fatigue
When simple lifestyle changes aren’t enough, herbal remedies can also help with chronic fatigue. Here are several herbs that help to nourish the adrenals in an adaptogenic way.
Ashwagandha
This popular herb is known for its ability to both strengthen and calm the nervous system. This, in turn, helps the adrenal glands stay balanced. Ashwagandha favorably changes the stress response and reduces inflammation in the body. It’s also been known to enhance the body system’s scavenging of free radicals–to protect your health in many ways.
Take caution with ashwagandha if you are pregnant or taking barbiturates. Talk to a doctor, ND, herbalist, or another relevant practitioner before use.
Eleuthero
Formerly known as Siberian ginseng (although it is not Siberian or a true ginseng), Eleutherococus senticosus has an amazing way of supporting and rejuvenating adrenal function! It can increase resistance to stress and counteract mental fatigue while simultaneously calming anxiousness, improving sleep, and diminishing fatigue.
With all of this, keep in mind that fatigue doesn’t simply “go away” by turning to an herb for help. We must make changes in other parts of our lives and lift the stress directly wherever possible. Good nutrition and herbs can then have a much better, and stronger, effect on the body and help us truly heal.
Help Chronic Fatigue with These Foods and Nutrients
Both ashwagandha and eleuthero are go-to herbal remedies for chronic fatigue. But, that’s not all that can help! There are several amazing foods you can add into your diet too. This is not a full list–as a healthy diet is a well-rounded one–but these are my top two suggestions.
Sprouts
These little greens are filled with exceptionally high-quality concentrated nutrients. They can provide the body with all kinds of essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and are a great source of antioxidants (once again, helping to reduce free radicals). They are easy to grow, even in a windowsill. With grocery bills on the rise, they’re a wonderfully economical solution to incorporating healthy foods into your diet.
Fiber
Fiber not only helps the bowels, but it can also strengthen our adrenal glands! As our adrenals begin to heal, our body’s responses become more reliable. This helps the liver become more efficient and begin to detoxify faster. Look for high-fiber foods to start incorporating into your diet, like beans, berries, whole grains, and dried fruits.
R2R Herbal Remedies for Chronic Fatigue
Root 2 Route Botanicals has a wide array of products that serve as great natural remedies for chronic fatigue. These are affordable and organic solutions to help you improve your health.
Gut and Adrenal Support Powder: This powder can be mixed daily into your favorite smoothie, yogurt, juice, or even water for some extra adrenal support to help combat fatigue. Get some here!
Eleuthero Tincture: This tincture helps support normal adrenal responses, giving more physical and cognitive stamina, and everyday energy and endurance. Try it here.
Ashwagandha Tincture: This calming Ayurvedic herb is traditionally used to promote a balanced response to stress, and helps increase energy and vitality. Get it here.
Adaptogen Tonic: This amazing blend of herbs help conserve energy and increase the ability to cope with stress–whether physical, mental or emotional. Try it now here.
Stress Buster: This blend of adaptogenic herbs helps to relax and restore, as well as balance the stress our bodies go through everyday. Get it here!
*For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. (Because why would we want to do that?)