EP.309/ Foods to eat to beat endo fatigue
Chronic fatigue is one of the biggest complaints of clients and students when they come to see me. But endo isn’t solely responsible for fatigue, there are usually a number of culprits, that can be associated with endo or are worsened by endo.
If you’d like to learn more about the causes of fatigue in the endo community, I’ve linked to a podcast episode on this subject, but today, I want to talk about foods to eat to help you battle this symptom.
Now, for most people, there will be other areas of their lives and health that need to be addressed to significantly reduce or fully resolve this problem, but increasing your intake of the following foods, or ensuring you’re getting enough, can make a noticeable difference.
So, let’s get to it!
Protein
Proteins do not deliver energy in the same way carbohydrates do. Carbs release glucose, which is our body’s primary and preferred source of fuel. Instead, the immediate effect we get from eating protein is brain stimulation.
The amino acids, which is what proteins breakdown into, are precursors to neurotransmitters, meaning they help to make our neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are involved in brain function, mood, energy, etc. and include serotonin, dopamine and adrenaline to name a few.
When we eat protein, several neurotransmitters are boosted that can increase our sense of feeling awake, focused and alert, including:
Dopamine, which helps with motivation, focus, and alertness.
Epinephrine and norepinephrine (two you may know of as commonly as adrenaline), which are our bodies stress neurotransmitters for good reason - they increase heart rate and blood flow to muscles, providing us with oxygen and nutrients, which can enhance physical performance and energy levels.
Glutamate, which plays a key role in cognitive function, learning, and memory.
In fact, protein is so powerful for cognitive function, that it was found to be more stimulating for brain function than sugar. A study from 2011 discovered that the brain cells which promote energy and feelings of alertness are more stimulated by protein than they are those carbs we love to reach for when we’re tired (but don’t worry, I’m not demonising carbs, we’re get to them!).
High sources of bioavailable (meaning easy for the body to digest and use) protein include pasture-raised organic eggs, fish and shellfish and lean, organic meats such as red meat and poultry. Plant-based sources of protein tend to be a little lower, though not always, and for some, can be harder to absorb, but again, that’s not the case for everyone - so see what your body responds to personally and notice how you feel after each! Plant based sources include organic tempeh or tofu, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils. Whole grains do also contain some protein, but they are much more a carbohydrate source than they are a protein source, so if you’re aiming to get your protein from whole grains, I would combine with something else like beans, to boost levels.
If you do eat meat and fish, the ideal scenario is that we eat a combination of both plant based proteins and animal based proteins. Animal proteins can fit into an anti-inflammatory diet, even for endo, when they are consumed in moderation, with a higher ratio of plant foods and plant proteins - essentially, we want veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds, beans, etc. to be the stars of the show, with animal products being the supporting act. If you want to understand how to eat meat for endo (as I know some of you are worried about those studies on red meat), have a listen to my episode with Katie Edmonds from Heal Endo. My Nutrition for Endo Masterclass and courses also dive into this topic in depth and talks about serving sizes, how many times a week, how to cook meat to keep it anti-inflammatory and much more.
However, if you prefer to be fully plant-based for whatever reason and you do struggle with fatigue, ensure you’re getting mix of protein sources across the day, which will ensure a range of amino acids as well as higher levels. Whilst you’re trying to improve your fatigue levels, you may also want to add in a good quality protein shake.
Magnesium
Next up on the list is magnesium. Magnesium is a nutrient that is essential for energy production and literally hundreds of processes in the body, so when it’s low, we’re going to know about it. Unfortunately, low magnesium is common, and it can be the result of prolonged periods of stress, which of course can occur when we’re living with endometriosis.
Sources of magnesium include cacao, fish, avocaods, nuts, especially peanut, almond and Brazill nuts; seeds, especially flaxseed, though chia and pumpkin are also great sources; beans, especially edamame and chickpeas, dark leafy greens like spinach, and finally whole grains, particularly quinoa, though oats are also a good source.
Iron
Iron is a mineral that helps to produce haemoglobin. Hemoglobin takes all the oxygen you’re breathing in and delivers it to your cells via your red blood cells. Oxygen is required by cells to create energy from food, and without sufficient levels, we simply cannot make enough fuel.
Iron deficiency is a worldwide problem, and it’s particularly prevalent in the endo community or with people who have heavy periods. If you’d like to learn more about why that is, and what your iron levels should be and how to get tested, I’ve linked to my episode on the subject.
Iron comes in two forms. Haem iron and non-haem iron. Haem iron comes from animal sources and is more bioaviable, meaning it is easier for the body to use and absorb. Sources include beef, venison, oysters, salmon, dark turkey meat and tuna steak.
Non-haem iron comes from plant sources and is more difficult to absorb and must be converted into a usable form, additionally, plant foods can come with certain iron inhibitors, that make the process harder, such as phytic acid. Then good news is that there are ways around that. Eating plant based sources of iron with vitamin C foods like peppers, broccoli, citrus fruits, etc.; at least 30 minutes away from tea and coffee. (because tannins inhibit absorption) and if possible, soaking beans and lentils or much easier, just buying canned options (try and go for BPA free cans if you can afford to do so), which are basically presoaked, makes it easier to absorb this form of iron. Plant based sources of iron include tofu, spinach, tahini, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans to name a few.
Vit C
Whilst most of us associate vitamin C to immune function support, it also plays a major role in energy production. Vitamin C helps to create l-carnitine, which is an amino acid that takes healthy fats and transforms them into usable energy. It is also important, as you now know, for helping us to better absorb iron.
Vitamin C can be found in fruits and vegetables, particularly peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, broccoli, leafy greens and citrus fruits. Vitamin C is heat sensitive, meaning it degrades in heat, so it’s helpful to have some of these foods raw to ensure we’re getting enough.
B vitamins
There are so many b vitamins that are absolutely crucial to energy production, that I could do an entire episode on this. They are involved in various systems that support our energy. B12, B6 and folate for example, all work with iron to deliver oxygen throughout the body, which is why you can also suffer with anaemia from low B12, folate or B6 levels. Additionally, the b vitamins play major role in metabolism of food into energy.
B vitamins are found in lots foods, ranging from leafy greens, wholegrains, eggs, beans, nuts and seeds, meat, fish and dairy. However, it’s worth noting that you can only get B12 from animal sources, so if you do not eat meat, eggs, dairy or fish, it’s important to supplement or eat foods fortified with B12, like nutritional yeast.
COQ10
Lastly, let’s talk about CoQ10. CoQ10 is an antioxidant that supports energy production in our cells, by being involved in a process that creates ATP, the main fuel source cells. It is found in meat, especially organ meat, nuts and seeds, beans and fatty fish.
Carbs
Carbohydrates break down in the gut into glucose, where it is absorbed, and delivered to our cells to be turned into energy. Glucose is our main form of fuel, so when we don’t have enough, we’re going to know about it.
However, not all carbs are created equal. Refined and sugary carbs, like processed flours that make foods such as pasta, pizza, and bread, and sugars such as white sugar, honey and maple syrup, deliver lots and lots of glucose, very quickly. This results in most of it being stored away because we have too much, which then triggers an energy dip. Instead, slow release carbs break down slowly, resulting in a steady release of glucose that provides us with fuel for hours.
Some of the best forms of slow release carbs are vegetables, beans and pulses, high fibre fruits, cooked and cooled grains and potatoes (cooling these creates resistance starch, which takes longer to break down) and uncooked oats. If you want to learn more about this, I’ve linked to an episode on how to eat carbs for blood sugar stability in my show notes.
Show notes
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/root-causes-brain-fog-fatigue-endometriosis?rq=fatigue
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019700/
Magnesium
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Magnesium is a cofactor in,, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis.
Vit C
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6940487/
CoQ10
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178961/
B vitamins
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/low-b12-and-endo]
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/low-folate-endo
Iron
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endo-iron-deficiency
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793309/
Protein
https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/3pm-slump-why-a-sugar-rush-may-not-be-the-answer#
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/red-meat-endo-katie-edmonds?rq=katie
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/nutrition-for-endo-foundations-masterclass
Carbs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22099463/
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/endo-carbs-blood-sugar?rq=carbs
Free resources:
This podcast!
Ways to work with me:
This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast digital cookbook
Masterclasses in endo nutrition, surgery prep and recovery and pain relief
Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course
One to one coaching info and application
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Produced by Chris Robson