How can I improve my energy levels?

[elsaandanna]

I’m so tired! I’m pushing 60 and a full time childminderIm on hrt patches with a testosterone gel
I’ve just had blood tests and everything is fine, cholesterol a bit high, blood pressure getting high. But these are high ends of normal
Im fat by a few stone but not huge.
I thought the tests might throw some light on why
I’m tired a lot of the time
All I can think is that I don’t do any formal exercises
My Fitbit says I do around 9k steps
I’m working from 7am to 5 or 6 pm
My sleep is ok apart from a night time wee
i get 7 hours occasionally 8
I could happily go to sleep now at 2.30 pm

Good Diet
Plenty Water
Exercise
Sleep
Fresh air

Childminding is very tiring work - I used to be one.

For you take vitamins? A multi vitamin might help along with trying to eat a healthy diet with a good proportion of fruit and veg.

Loosing a bit of the extra weight would also likely help but I do know that's easier said than done.

A few stone overweight can make a huge difference to energy levels. It's hard, but if you could shift that, it would be helpful.

Also, do you drink a lot of caffeine? I've recently switched to decaf tea, and stopped drinking caffeinated fizzy drinks, and I no longer feel the need for an afternoon nap.

Diet in general matters a lot. Less processed food, more fruit and veg, protein and fibre.

Having no energy sucks, so I hope you can improve it x

Limit processed food, refined sugar, caffeine and try and get a different form of exercise in.

Not sure exactly what fat by a few stone means, but look at it that your body is constantly carrying an unnecessary bag of shopping. Once you get rid of the bag, you feel a lot lighter.

I drink water, eat well
although lunches are tricky as I’m on my feet
its a grabbed sandwich or toast
Therexis no time for a mindful salad
fresh air every day
I do have Pepsi Max in the middle of the day to keep me awake!

I could lose 2 stones
maybe 3
I am so time poor to weigh and measure

I second the good diet. Sugar stripped me of my energy. I don’t touch it now and I feel so healthy but of course I still get tired just not half as much.

Eat fresh ginger, chop it up and cook in meals, also add garlic and cloves to meals, there is a viral thing about just now that is VERY persistent and debilitating and a lot of people are carrying it around, coughing,sneezing etc.

What blood tests did you have?

@sodoffbeforemycupofcoff can you tell me what you stopped eating please? I eat a carb heavy diet so I suppose that could count as sugar?

@ShouldIStaySelfIsolatedi had test for diabetes, anaemia, vitamins etc. it was very comprehensive.

Did they check your ferritin as well as your haemoglobin?

@ShouldIStaySelfIsolatedYes it was almost too high as I’d been taking iron supplements as I was concerned my tiredness was anaemia.

Being too high can be a marker for inflammation. Did they investigate any causes eg endo?

No, GP just said get some more sleep and exercise. But I’m too tired to exercise. I suppose I should try but that means less sleep…

Pepsi max is highly caffeinated isn't it? Also high sugar?

Sugar in large doses like this will cause a sugar spike followed by crash which will cause hunger and fatigue.

Caffeine is often used to 'wake' you up but doesn't actually increase your alertness over the span of the day, you will be stealing from Peter to pay Paul, plus it may be disturbing your sleep so you aren't getting quality skeep. If you can switch to a caffeine free version and avoid caffeinated coffee you might see a difference.

Secondarily. I have found a regular intense exercise has massively helped my tiredness as I have grown fitter. I do two hours of Taekwando a week and 2 hours of brisk cycling (to get to training) and I must say the difference in how I feel has been immense. Muscle mass has increased, fitness etc.

Start small and make a few changes that are sustainable instead of going gung ho which can be overwhelming.

I would start by taking an iron supplement, vitamin b 12 and magnesium. And try to make sure you’re getting enough sleep.

You could try switching some of your carbs to better alternatives - wholemeal bread, brown rice, porridge in the morning, and try and add more protein wherever possible.

Also try and have healthy snacks handy so you don’t reach for the crap when you’re hungry - some nuts, cheese, a banana, some slices of ham or hardboiled eggs, or a few squares of dark chocolate etc.

Also try to cut down your pepsi with a view to cutting it out entirely overtime. Maybe just drink half the can for a while, or fill a glass full of ice and pour over a small amount but not the whole thing.

Once you start to feel a bit more energised then I would look into some exercise, but food habits are more important in the short term.

Pepsi Max is sugar free, but has artificial sweeteners

@elsaandanna , put your results into an AI search... when I did that, my 'normal' (according to the NHS) results were actually lower than the optimum for symptoms control. As an example, my ferritin is just within the normal range of 30, but the optimum for a woman my age according to most sources is 70+

I mean, I think being 60 and a childminder and 2-3 stone overweight with high ish cholesterol and blood pressure probably explains it. I think realistically you need a lifestyle change if you can afford it, a less stressful, tiring job, to lose weight and improve your heart health. If you drink alcohol, stop that too or only very occasionally.

I think we often want a quick fix - ah, it’s my iron! - instead of accepting we actually just need to get healthier.

I don’t drink any alcohol, or tea or coffee. Pepsi Max is sugar free but I usually have the caffeine version.
I only eat wholemeal bread and brown rice but I eat white pasta. Toast and butter or cheese salad sandwiches are my go to for lunch. I don’t eat meat or fish so,I suppose my protein could be low. I eat a lot of cheese. Carbs are probably too high, portions probably too big. I have cereals with nuts and banana with milk for breakfast when I have chance. I’ve got worse since peri menopause/ menopause.