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Fatigue, Low Energy
930 Logan Street #101 & 102 Denver, Co 80203 720.284.1374
Licensed Acupuncturist and Practitioner of Chinese Medicine
John S. Aguilar Jr., L.Ac.
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Fatigue or low energy may be one of the most prevalent health complaints in modern society. In a healthy state, a person should wake in the morning rested, excited and optimistic about the day ahead of them. They should have enough energy to accomplish all their daily tasks, require no naps, slowly begin getting tired with sunset, and in need of sleep between nine and eleven at night. Regular deviation from this is deviation from health and thus 'treatable'. Where the above is not true for a person, there is something 'off' and should be addressed. It is basic health to have enough energy for the day. If you don't, the reason should be uncovered, addressed, and plentiful energy should then manifest. If, instead, this person seeks sources of quick energy boosts, eg. coffee, 'power' drinks, bars, or naps, etc., the underlying cause of low energy goes untreated and left to mature into full organic disease. There are many potential causes of fatigue. The three main sources of energy for the human being are: diet, breathing, and 'constitutional' or reserve strength. Where fatigue is present one of these three is likely imbalanced. (It is, of course, also possible that the demands being placed on the body, which result in the appearance of relatively insufficient energy, are simply to high.) Diet is addressed at length elsewhere on this site. Suffice to say, here, a healthy diet is absolutely fundamental for proper energy. Too often diet is ignored, and instead we rely on external supplements of some sort, eg. energy bars or shakes, vitamins or supplements, coffee, etc. In this case, lack of energy is a warning that health is suffering. Where we address this with superficial fixes that essentially turn off that warning we travel down a path leading to illness and disease. For more on diet click here. Other than diet, we get our daily energy requirements from the air we breathe in. Breathing is often overlooked as a source of illness as it occurs completely automatically, without our conscious thought. Unfortunately, when we rely solely on the instinctive nature of this action it slowly degrades. In our later years, many of us suffer from reduced physical lung capacity due to lack of proper breathing. The third source of energy is our reserve energy. Incorporating the adrenals, this reserve energy should only be used in 'emergencies'. As this reserve is essentially finite, being very difficult to replenish, we do not want to dip into it unless we need to. It is common in modern society to live under constant stress, forcing us to constantly dip into these reserves. This is similar to driving your car always with the RPM needle in the red zone. Unfortunately, we acclimate to this stress, eventually considering it 'normal', thus living on reserves. When these reserves hit a critical low point, we experience deep fatigue. Proper diet offers limited assistance, as does proper breathing. This type of fatigue is persistent, recalcitrant to simple, quick fixes, and, when left untreated, leads to organic disease. No matter the source or type of fatigue, Chinese medicine can be of tremendous therapeutic value. Our diagnostics can reveal what systems are resulting in low energy, and our treatments can regulate and strengthen these systems to increase energy. For example, if it is discovered that the digestive system is weak, underperforming in its duty of absorbing and distributing nourishment, acupuncture and herbal medicine can strengthen the organs to improve their functioning. Additionally, where poor diet or lifestyle is at the root, Chinese medicine has the experience to guide you to healthier ways of living. Depending on the severity of the fatigue and the amount of time you have been suffering with it, Chinese medicine may take anywhere from six weeks to six months to reestablish health and proper energy. If your fatigue is severe and accompanied by other signs or symptoms that seriously degrade your quality of life, it is vital to seek professional care soon, as there may be a significant illness at the root. For more information: Acupuncture Chinese Herbal Medicine Chinese Medical Modalities What Chinese Medicine Can Treat
All contents Copyright John Aguilar, Jr. 2008