By Stephen Eddey

If you’re feeling tired, cranky and just frankly overwhelmed by everyday life, then it may be time to look to your diet and lifestyle and make some small, but simple tweaks. Naturopath Stephen Eddey shares his advice…

Everyday life, with its demands from family, work, finances and the stress associated with these are taking their toll. Around 35% of Australians say that they’re stressed and tired all the time,[i] and that this pressure is having an effect on their overall health, happiness and wellbeing.

While experts agree that some stress is good for us,[ii] and can in fact, even motivate us to tick off that to-do list, it’s when stress is unrelenting or on the increase, that our health suffers.

And that’s all down to our mitochondria. Mitochondria are organelles which help turn the energy we get from food into energy that our body’s cells can use. Tiny in size, they carry out an enormous job, including powering our metabolic system, and helping to dispose of old, broken or dead cells from the body, which are no longer needed or are useful.[iii]

However, when your mitochondria are working hard to help your body deal with stress, it then has to deal with the side effects of doing so – the creation of free radicals. These free radicals can cause health problems, accelerate ageing, and ultimately, leave you feeling tired, exhausted and moody.

To help support your mitochondria health, a supplement, such as Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can be helpful. This is because CoQ10, like mitochondria, is found in every cell in the body.

A more easily usable form of CoQ10 is Ubiquinol, which may help to reverse any health problems caused by the free radicals caused by mitochondria function. It’s one of the most powerful antioxidants found naturally in the body and is essential for energy production.

Remember though that taking a supplement may not be enough. Avoid foods which can tax the mitochondria, such as processed foods, sugar and dairy, and cut down on the animal sources of protein a little. Instead, support your mitochondria with fresh (organic if possible) fruit and vegetables.

Even if you feel exhausted, try to fit in some exercise each day. A ten-minute stroll can do wonders for your stress levels, and will also assist your mitochondria in its role in dealing with stress.[iv] In turn, regular exercise will also help you sleep better, which, you guessed it, will help your mitochondria reduce feelings of exhaustion, mood swings and help you face the day with a smile.[v]

Speak to your GP or pharmacist about Ubiquinol and how it may support your lifestyle needs.

Why You’re Tired, Cranky & Overwhelmed

[i] https://www.psychology.org.au/news/media_releases/8Nov2015-pw/

[ii] http://news.berkeley.edu/2013/04/16/researchers-find-out-why-some-stress-is-good-for-you/

[iii] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10495-007-0756-2

[iv] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938416310666

[v] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/