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I Was Tired ALL The Time: Here's Exactly What I Did To Regain My Energy

Angela Watson Robertson, MBA
Author:
November 02, 2017
Angela Watson Robertson, MBA
By Angela Watson Robertson, MBA
mbg Contributor
Angela Watson Robertson, MBA, CIHC, INHC, is a board-certified nutrition and health coach and well-known nutrition and wellness blogger. She has an MBA from The University of Phoenix and is a 500-hour Certified Hatha Yoga Teacher.
Photo by Cinemalist
November 02, 2017

Years ago, while working a demanding, high-stress sales job in financial services, I was exhausted all the time and my health began to spiral downhill. Not only did I wake up tired even after eight to 10 hours of sleep, I had daily panic attacks, skin rashes, digestive pain, and chronic depression. I’d learned mindfulness exercises and meditation in my yoga teacher training, but I just couldn't seem to get a handle on my health issues. Little did I know, I had a severe case of adrenal fatigue.

After months of trying every conventional method under the sun—like exercising more, eating well, and sleeping more (none of which helped)—I started to do my own research. I was determined to get myself well again. I knew I'd have to make some big changes and that I would need a team to help me. Soon, I began to work with a functional medicine osteopathic doctor (DO) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncturist. These doctors helped give me much-needed information, but it was my own research, experimentation, and trial and error that led me down the path of healing.

I learned how to eat well—for my unique body.

One of the first things I learned when I began to treat my health crisis was that I didn’t really know what it meant to "eat well" for my own body. At first I tried every health trend and fad diet I read about. I wasn’t trying to lose weight, just reduce the digestive cramping and pain and have more energy. What I found was that each diet had some pros and cons and following it 100 percent didn’t work for me.

After being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue, I had other medical and genetic tests performed and found out I had non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) so I cut gluten out of my diet right away and began to feel a bit better. Further tests showed that my body was experiencing cross-reactivity with other grains, including rice and corn, and so I stopped eating all grains as well. I immediately felt better and intuitively knew that grains were a big part of the issue.

In the end, after cutting out gluten, grains, dairy, and processed and refined sugar from my diet, my depression disappeared, my anxiety lessened, my energy came back, and most of the skin rashes and digestive issues I was experiencing were eliminated. I was thrilled! I knew I was on the right track.

Next, I needed to look at what foods and supplements I needed to add back into my diet to make sure I was getting all the nutrition I needed. Based on my research and lab tests, I added in vitamin D, a multivitamin, fish oil, digestive enzymes, and probiotics. I also discovered that I had a methylation issue and needed to supplement with folate and B12.

I discovered health is about more than superfoods and the right supplements.

Photo: Gabrielle Lutze

Finally, I focused my attention toward other areas of my life that were affecting my health—specifically my relationship, my job, and my attitude. At this point I was eating an all-organic, whole foods diet free of anything I was sensitive or allergic to, but I sensed I had more work to do to find balance. I was in a dead-end relationship that didn’t inspire me, my job felt unethical and unfulfilling, and based on past trauma in my life and poor coping habits from my childhood, I was filling my mind each day with negative self-talk and toxic thinking.

The bottom line: All the health food and supplements in the world couldn’t make up for the damaging self-talk that plagued me. So, I continued the journey by working with a therapist, hiring a health coach, and reading personal development books. Slowly but surely I started shifting my own thinking. When you change your thoughts, your entire world changes. After much internal work, I ended my unsatisfying relationship and entirely revamped my work and career. None of this happened overnight, but each day I saw positive results from creating a more authentic life for myself, and that gave me the motivation to keep going.

I learned the true meaning of living a healthy, empowered life.

Today, as a certified integrative nutrition health coach and life reinvention expert, I work with clients to teach them everything I know. I act as a guide for those on their own health and life transformation journey because I’ve been there and I know how important it is to have a team and a support network when you have big obstacles ahead of you. I’ve learned to empower myself in any situation—and I help my clients do the same.

If you’re on a journey of reinvention or battling unexplained fatigue and exhaustion, I encourage you to be your own empowered advocate and get help. I believe that fatigue, especially if it’s chronic, is one of the first messages from the body that something needs attention. It may have to do with your diet, exercise, relationships, work, or mental attitude, but regardless of the reason, you can reinvent your life and your health. There is hope!

Have adrenal fatigue? Here's how long it takes to heal, according to functional medicine doctors.

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