Not feeling up to par? I can relate. Today I’m sharing the 5 things I did (and you can too) to bring back optimal health
I went from a state of constant exhaustion to energized and you can too!
Last year was REALLY tough for me physically. I literally had NO energy. I mean NONE! I barely had the strength to lift my arms and no, I’m not exaggerating.
The blood work done at my annual physical showed all levels were normal, (this was the second year in a row my results showed everything was “normal”) yet I was constantly exhausted. The doctor had no idea why I was so tired all the time, but suggested some B12 for energy. While that’s great, it didn’t solve the question of WHY? What was the root cause of this exhaustion?
Why Am I So Tired And Have No Energy?
If you’re tired of asking yourself this question perhaps it’s time you did some more digging. It’s 2023 and we do what we know when the “experts” don’t have an answer and that is Google it. I began researching all the symptoms I had and what the potential causes were. To be honest it was overwhelming and frustrating! I went down all sorts of rabbit holes to no avail.
Then out of the blue, my friend told me she was going to switch up her diet. Zingo!! Then it hit me, what if the reason I am sick is from something I’m eating??
We tend to forget our bodies are machines and they need to be properly fueled for optimal usage and longevity. I took a closer look at my diet. What was I eating on a daily basis? At first glance, the caloric intake was fine for my age, height, and frame. But then, I thought back to what I heard my friend say she was trying. She had discovered a category of foods that are “healthy” but could have an adverse effect on some people. Those foods were “nightshades.” I decided to take a closer look and see if I was consuming any in my daily diet.
What Is a Nightshade?
What Foods Are In The Nightshade Category?
Nightshades are a group of plants that contain alkaloids. They include vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers of all kinds. This particular type of plant can cause a reaction in people that are allergic. Typically, the allergic reaction to nightshades will be evident in one or more of the following symptoms, itchy skin, rashes, congestion issues, and digestion problems. As someone who is allergic to dust, I certainly did not need anything else causing congestion, but that is exactly what happened. By eating grilled peppers and tomatoes and white potatoes I was actually worsening my condition!
Here Is A List Of The Most Common Nightshades
Eggplants, Goji berries, Peppers (colored and hot, sweet or chili peppers), potatoes (sweet potatoes are not a part of the nightshade family of plants), tomatoes.
Here’s the kicker though, even foods or spices with nightshades in them can be problematic for you. When cutting these foods out of your diet to determine which ones are affecting you, you may want to consider spices and condiments as well.
Some spices that contain Nightshades include Cayenne pepper, Chili Pepper Flakes, Ketchup, and BBQ sauces as they have a tomato base. Chili powder, Asian spices with red or hot pepper flakes. Curry powder and Paprika. There are most likely more, but these are the most common Nightshade spices.
How I Felt When I Consumed Foods In The Nightshade Category
Nightshade foods were causing major congestion issues, think stuffy head, not snotty nose. The immense amount of congestion I was experiencing led to difficulty breathing and “brain fog.” I literally felt there were days where I couldn’t clear my head and felt completely out of it not being able to think straight and being completely exhausted on top of it.
Pathway To A Better, Healthier Life
Here is what I did. I decided to immediately cut out all Nightshades from my diet, spices, and condiments included. Immediately I went from sudden episodes of extreme fatigue to healthy and energetic in less than 2 weeks! I continued with this new diet regimen and have felt amazing!
I love tomatoes and missed them terribly. I decided to have a “cheat meal” that included tomatoes and boy did I pay for it the next day and a half. Again I immediately had no energy, foggy thoughts, and such for a day and a half! Once was enough for me, I decided I’m NOT going back to that. If you are looking for answers I am hoping that the things shared here today will be of help to you.
Here Are 5 Things I Did That Had An
Immediate Effect On My Health
In my search for answers here is what I discovered and things you should look into.
- Take a hard look at how your body is reacting to what you are feeding it. It’s important to know that food allergies. Won’t always show up as a rash, a swollen throat, or enlarged glands. When you eat something and it gives you gas or a bloated stomach that feels stretched and distended you are allergic to it. In my case, I was eating a group of foods from the nightshade category as I stated earlier, i.e. tomatoes, potatoes, and colored peppers. They were a large part of my diet and once I took them out I felt COMPLETELY different. My energy returned and I felt awake. The “brain fog” I was experiencing was fully gone as well!
- Get full panel allergy tests. It turns out I have a LOT of allergies to different types of pollen throughout the year.
- Ask your doctor about alternative therapies. I began taking a different type of OTC med to help with that when I felt a flare-up. This also made a HUGE difference in clearing up the “brain fog” and the feeling of being over-tired.
- Toss out any toxic personal care products you may be using. Many of our personal care items actually have toxic ingredients that are banned in other countries! I took a closer look at the personal care products I was using and took out ones with names I wasn’t able to pronounce i.e. man-made chemical toxins that can build up in your system causing cancer and autoimmune diseases. I switched to products that are as “all-natural” as possible. (i.e. I stopped using aerosol dry shampoo which has highly flammable butane in it and switched to all-natural powder dry shampoo instead.) Do your own research and do what’s right for you remembering that your skin is the largest organ in your body and contains pores that not only aid in lowering your body heat through sweat but can also allow things in, including chemicals from products we use.
- Drink ½ your weight in water daily. Think “flush your system.” Water not only cleans out your body but gives your cells the nourishment they need to respond restoratively and function properly. Water also boosts hydration to your face.
Press your doctor for answers and do your own research. Just because one doctor doesn’t have an answer doesn’t mean another one won’t. For 3 years my doctor did not know the cause of my exhaustion. I refused to live that way and sought additional help. Remember, this is YOUR body and you owe it to yourself to treat it well. See a specialist if need be.
In my research, I found Dr. Josh Axe, DMN, DC, CNS of co-founder of Ancient Nutrition to be a great resource. I’m including a link to one of the articles I referenced (here)
Your journey may look different. My hope and prayer is that you discover optimal health soon and live there. I am all about getting the most out of life and making the most of every single day we are given. Little did I know that a few simple changes would have such a profound effect on my overall health.
How have you really been feeling lately? Perhaps it’s time to make some changes.
Wishing you all the best my friends,
xoxo,
Karen
PS If you’d like to be healthy overall, don’t forget that self-confidence has a big part to play. Check out my The Confident Woman’s Toolkit (here)
And be sure to follow along (here) at MyConfidentStyle for all things body, mind, and spirit!
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