Tag Archives: fatigue

Coping With Cancer Related Fatigue

Cancer — and cancer treatments — leave some people with a condition known as cancer related fatigue (CRF). Cancer related fatigue is different from everyday tiredness. The main symptom of cancer related fatigue is an overwhelming feeling of tiredness. Even the simplest activities (like shopping or eating) can be exhausting. Other symptoms that are common in people who are being treated for cancer whether or not they experience CRF include: Sleep difficulties. Stress. Loss of appetite. Low blood counts. So what can you do to pick up your energy levels? Here are some tips to help you cope with cancer … Continue reading →

A Special Needs Parenting Energy Crisis?

What is the greatest gift that you can personally give your child? Take a moment and think about your answer. It it LOVE? Love is a wonderful thing, but nope. I don’t think so. Love is not enough. We’ve all heard of parents who probably loved their kids very much, but lost them due to neglect or abuse. I don’t think we can always say that abusive parents don’t love their children. Even neglectful parents may love their kids. But they don’t have the tools, knowledge, or mental health to be good parents. So I ask again, what is the … Continue reading →

Getting Enough Sleep Should Be a Priority

Meeting the needs of children with medical problems or behavioral disorders can be exhausting. A child who must be checked and re-checked throughout the night, or one with sleep disturbances or night terrors can leave parents frustrated and overwhelmed. And if we’re not careful, we can become accustomed to getting very little rest and almost forget what a real night of recuperative sleep feels like. When we’re sleep-deprived, we’re more likely to feel like we’re incapable of handling everything we have to accomplish in a day. Problems seem so much bigger. We’re irritable without knowing exactly why. Sometimes sleep-deprivation makes … Continue reading →

O is for Over Training

I’ve posted warnings about over training before. I’ve made suggestions and recommended rest. I’ve said that over training is bad for you and can have negative side effects, but let’s talk about what over training is. Typically, if you are exercising beyond your ability to recover, then you’re overtraining. What does that mean? Someone who exercises 7 days a week at a high intensity, never giving their muscles the 24 to 48 hours they need to rest, recover and repair from the previous workout are overtraining. They are doing this because the constant stress on the muscles without repair can … Continue reading →

Hashimoto’s Disease

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease when I was ten years old. My mother’s first indication there might be an imbalance came when she noticed I was starting to put on a little weight. (Her actual words were, “Your arm is getting squishy.”) Because she herself has a thyroid condition, and thyroid conditions are hereditary, she took me in to get me diagnosed right away. A blood test later, it was confirmed that my thyroid levels were indeed low. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is the disease which most commonly causes hypothyroidism (low functioning thyroid.) It goes by many names: Hashimoto’s Disease, autoimmune … Continue reading →

Use Acupressure to Fight Fatigue

I don’t know about you, but I tend to hit a mid-afternoon slump every day. Around two or three o’clock in the afternoon, I start to feel very tired and out of energy. If I have the time, I’ll indulge in a little nap… but I don’t have time to nap every day! If you need to fight fatigue, try acupressure! In short, acupressure uses pressure (rather than needles, like acupuncture) to release natural painkillers called endorphins. It may also help block the transmission of pain signals through your nerves. Studies from the University of Michigan are now showing that … Continue reading →

Empty Bucket Syndrome: Six Ways to Get Replenished

My mother used to say, “You can’t give from an empty bucket.” I’m not exactly sure that’s true. I understand the principle behind the statement, but I belive that parents have the ability to somehow keep giving even after their “bucket” is woefully dry. It’s amazing how parents–and mothers especially–seem to always find the strength to keep going and giving, putting themselves last. Of course, you’re not going to be able to meet your child’s special needs if you’re physically, mentally, and emotionally bankrupt. So if you’re operating with “empty bucket syndrome,” I hope you’ll reevaluate. It’s time to start … Continue reading →

Too Tired to Exercise?

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Are you like most other Americans? Are you working longer hours? Are you sleeping less? Are you skipping meals? Are you a part of the 33% that suffer from chronic insomnia? If you are – then you are probably tired all the time and the very idea of hitting the treadmill, the elliptical, the gym, the aerobics or yoga class or worse – the weight training is something to be dreaded because if you are tired now – how the heck are you supposed to do the rest of it? Recharge Your Batteries Don’t get all caught up in the … Continue reading →

Top Ten Ways to Sabotage Your Workout (Part II)

Yesterday, we talked about the first five of the top ten ways we sabotage ourselves and our workout. Today, we are going to talk about the last five. 6. Avoid full range of motion exercises – If you don’t use the correct form including full range of motion, you will likely hurt yourself. Different motions work out different parts of the muscle. If you limit a curl to only one half of the biceps motion, you will weaken the overall muscle when you need to build the whole muscle. 7. Minimize Repetitions to Avoid Fatigue – The point of a … Continue reading →