Symptom: Fatigue

If you think your fatigue may be due to a medication you're taking, tell the doctor that, too. He or she may be able to substitute another drug, change the dosage or reschedule it to a different time of the day. With many drugs, however, fatigue is often only a factor when you first start taking them. Your body can adjust somewhat with time.

Your doctor may also want to do a physical examination and order blood tests to determine if anemia, thyroid disease, infectious mononucleosis, hepatitis or diabetes is your problem. If you're a woman of childbearing age, a pregnancy test may be in order. If a urinary tract infection is suspected, your doctor may suggest a urinalysis.

Treatment of the most common forms of anemia includes an iron-rich diet, iron tablets or injections of either iron or vitamin B12. If you suffer from an under-active thyroid, thyroid hormones probably will be prescribed, but if an over-active thyroid is what's troubling you, drugs, surgical removal of most of the gland or destruction with radioactive iodine may be in order.

Treatment for both infectious mononucleosis and hepatitis involves bed rest, increased fluids and a nutritious diet. If you suffer from diabetes mellitus, treatment includes diet, exercise and sometimes insulin or an oral medication.

Medical treatment, however, is not the answer if you suspect or are told by your doctor that your engine is starting to run out of gas because you're strung out and stressed. Rather, tension relievers and life-style changes are in order.

Try some tension-relieving exercises like rolling your head and shrugging your shoulders. taking a short walk or doing a few jumping jacks. And never sit for more than an hour and a half. Breaking up a day with bits and pieces of exercise can be just as important as getting a full-blown workout.

Exercise in itself is a great fatigue fighter. Doctor's say a daily 30-minute workout - a brisk walk, swim, jog, bicycle ride or other aerobic activity - will actually pep you up instead of wear you out. After you exercise. your heart will be more efficient. your blood will contain more energizing oxygen and your muscles will have a greater ability to use this oxygen. The end result will be more energy not just for exercise but for whatever you do.

Before starting on any exercise program. however. you should check with your doctor to make sure that the activity you've chosen is the best one for you. And if you feel dizzy, nauseated or breathless. stop exercising and do less the next day. If these symptoms continue, see your doctor. Your problem could be something more than just fatigue.

Some other exercises that people often don' t consider are yoga and meditation. Yoga doesn't magically give you energy, What it does is release the energy you have by releasing pent-up tension in the body. Tension is basically energy that's blocked. When you release it, you make the energy you have usable.

Meditation, too. can help you achieve the seemingly impossible: You can be perfectly relaxed and invigorated at the same time. Sitting quietly in a relaxed position, with your eyes closed, and repeating a simple word over and over again while shutting off distracting thoughts can reduce your body's response to stress.

And when you think of fatigue, do you think of how you eat? You should. This is the first of a number of lifestyle changes that you can make to give you more zip. For starters, you should begin each day with a good breakfast high in complex carbohydrates, then lighten up for lunch, especially if afternoon fatigue is your biggest problem.

Doctors and nutritionists suggest that most diets should be 55 percent or more carbohydrates, approximately 15 percent protein and less than 30 percent fat. Diets that are too high in fats can drag you down.

You should try to steer clear of the traditional pick-me-uppers-sweet stuff and coffee which can zip you up quick but have the potential to drop you like a rock. Better snacks are fruit, yogurt and crackers. And if you must drink coffee. At that time it doesn't interfere with your circadian rhythms and you might benefit from a slight pick-me-up. By the time it lets you down, you'll probably be ready for dinner anyway.

If you're watching your weight, you shouldn't cut out the complex carbohydrates - the breads, fruits and vegetables - but should cut back on the simple carbohydrates and fats. Avoid fad diets, since they may rob your energy and aren't usually effective for the long haul anyway.

Some find they can pep up with a shower. Hot, cold, lukewarm - it doesn't matter. It's the falling water that gives you a kick because it produces negative ions, molecules with an extra electron that can literally alter brain chemistry in the 30 percent of us who are ion sensitive.

If your sleep is thrown off course by shift work, you avoid the trap of drinking more coffee and smoking more cigarettes. That only makes things worse. Also, one study showed that workers are more efficient if their shifts aren't rotated too often-three-or four-week shifts are better than one-week shifts. And shift changes that move forward are best morning shift followed by evening and night since this conforms more easily to your biological clock. If you've traveled to a different time zone, don't sleep until ifs bedtime in your new environment, no matter how tired you are.

Finally, if you're trying to put zest back into your life. consider the age-old benefits of getting away from it all. There's nothing like a change of scenery to rejuvenate the soul and invigorate the body. And whether you're at home or at work try to seek out those people who are energetic and upbeat. "People who love, have fun and care give you good feelings about yourself and your energy levels". Find them and treasure them.

Accompanying Symptoms:

If your fatigue comes on after strenuous exercise, you may have what some call "the mineral blues," a deficiency of potassium and magnesium in muscle cells. Both minerals can be lost through sweat, and when stores drop below normal, even a mild deficiency can bring on fatigue. The condition should be confirmed by a doctor. Both potassium and magnesium are abundant in nuts and soybeans. You'll also find potassium plentiful in fruits and vegetables, and magnesium in grains.

If your fatigue is accompanied by fever, night sweats, swollen glands, weight loss or a loss of appetite, you could be suffering from a serious ailment such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS or Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer that affects the lymph nodes. You should see your doctor.

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