The Hidden Factors That Quietly Shape How We Feel
There are many underlying factors that contribute to our health, well-being, mood, and energy, many of which we aren’t even conscious of, let alone exist.
Candida, toxic moulds, environmental toxins, Lyme disease, SIBO, and hidden stressors are just a few examples.
And that doesn’t even take into consideration deficiencies in key minerals, vitamins, compounds, and the vital building blocks we need to not only survive but thrive.
Many of us may have yeast overgrowths like Candida or something like Lyme disease, but without testing, we will never know. And the catch-22 situation is we don’t get tested because we aren’t even aware these things exist, and because our modern healthcare system isn’t set up to test for them.
Why Testing Is So Hard to Access (Especially in the UK)
It’s even difficult to get blood labs done when we go to our local GP, especially here in the UK, and we often have to consider going private or using at-home kits, which thankfully have become more available, like Healf Zone.
However, this still poses a challenge because interpreting results without medical intervention is a minefield for the best of us.
Not only that, but the type of test matters. While blood tests can pick up Candida, you need a different test for SIBO, and so on it goes.
Some, as I have done, turn to alternative health practitioners for answers. And, while modern science at the very least questions, if not castigates such practitioners, it doesn’t make their work any less viable, insightful, or able to get to the root causes.
Don’t get me wrong, questioning the efficacy of certain practices, methodologies, ideas, information, and experts, etc., especially within health, isn’t a bad thing. It could also be cast as very wise because there’s so much noise out there that trying to navigate it all is overwhelming, to say the least.
However, turning to alternative health practitioners, because of the setup of our current system, is, at least in my experience, often required to help get to the root cause of potential health issues that, on the surface, we don’t know exist yet feel the real effects of.
Candida: A Case Study in Hidden Root Causes
Take Candida, for example:
As stated, Candida is a yeast overgrowth found in the body, caused by a few different factors, including our overall diet and lifestyle, such as consuming too many ultra-processed foods, sugar, etc., but also exacerbated by stress and, overall, not taking care of ourselves.
How Candida Shows Up: Low Mood, Fatigue and Brain Fog
The manifestations of Candida can vary from person to person, from indigestion and gut issues to low mood, low energy, tiredness, and fatigue, to more subtle issues like itchy skin, redness, and acne, let alone brain fog and the inability to perform at our highest level, whether that’s physically or mentally.
And the most perplexing thing I’ve found is that on the surface, we could be doing everything right. We could be eating our fruits and vegetables, moving our bodies, and getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, but if we are exposed to Candida, Lyme disease, toxic moulds, etc., then no matter how many of these foundational good habits we do, nine times out of ten, we’re always going to be feeling that bit off; not as good as we could feel.
Which brings me onto an important point:
We don’t know how good we can feel until we feel that good.
We Don’t Know How Good We Can Feel Until We Feel That Good
And most of us have accepted how we feel right now, which, let’s be honest, most of the time isn’t that good.
Most of us have just accepted that tiredness, low mood, apathy, low motivation, some sort of pain or discomfort, and an overall feeling of not being great are just life. It’s just the way it is. We’ve not only accepted but now believe that narrative.
I call bullshit on this narrative. And believe that most, if not all, of us can feel better than we currently do right now, however we define that: more energetic, less tired, more content, less dysregulated, more clarity, less confusion, etc.
Look, don’t get me wrong. That doesn’t mean life becomes easy.
On the contrary, life is always going to have its ups and downs, difficulties, and challenges. That’s part of life and what it means to be human.
It doesn’t mean that we have to accept this low state of suffering, as I call it, where we are operationally functioning, aka we’re going about our daily lives, but are experiencing low mood, fatigue, apathy, and brain fog simultaneously.
These symptoms make everything more challenging to navigate, let alone making life less enjoyable, all while life can be hard enough on its own.
Sure, we’re operationally functioning, but to what level?
We’re not really being effective or productive, and are certainly not thriving.
This is what the hidden underlying factors, like Candida and exposure to toxic moulds, can do to us. And most of us have no clue whatsoever.
It’s rather sad when we think about it, and I can get pretty down about it because it highlights that we have less control than we think we do to a certain extent, and modern health continues to fail us with lifestyle interventions. It isn’t set up to help us in this way.
However, solutions are available, and there’s always something we can do. It requires us to be open and willing to try and explore different approaches to feeling better and being ourselves again.
When an Alternative Approach Makes Sense
This is where being open to working with an alternative health practitioner, like a medical herbalist, nutritional therapist, or acupuncturist, can be helpful.
And, just because modern science and the current healthcare system frown upon these methodologies and practices doesn’t mean they don’t have credibility.
In fact, in my experience, these methods and working with such practitioners have often given me the most hope, helping to reclaim our sense of agency and showing that there is something that we can always do.
The Cost of Investing in Your Health
Secondly, beyond being open to exploring these practices, something which many of us aren’t, is the cost involved and having the money to invest in ourselves.
I won’t lie, the costs are a big challenge and hurdle for many of us.
Let me put it this way: it’s not cheap.
And, I can see why, from a cost perspective alone, this would put many off.
All I’d say is that there is always a cost to pay. Everything has a cost, whether that’s financial, with our time, with our health, or even relationally.
Everything has a cost. Everything has a payoff.
The question we have to ask ourselves is:
What cost are we willing to pay for the life we want to live?
If we’re experiencing chronic brain fog but can’t justify the price of, let’s say, going to a nutritional therapist who could identify whether we have Candida or not, or if the foods we’re eating are contributing to our symptoms, chronic brain fog is the cost we’re going to have to pay.
As I’ve learned the hard way, that’s just how life works. Sorry.
Getting to the Root Cause, Not Just the Symptoms
Bringing this around back full circle:
There are many underlying factors that contribute to our overall health, well-being, mood, and energy. Many of which we are unaware of and don’t even know exist.
They manifest in how we feel and how we show up in the world.
It’s the low mood, fatigue, constant tiredness, pain and discomfort, and brain fog that, no matter how much caffeine we drink, stimulants we take, or healthy habits we abide by, will never help us feel as good as we can feel.
Because, at the end of the day, none of these is getting to the root cause of the issue and tackling the pathogens that, if you think about it, are attacking the organism we are.
Let me put it this way:
We can do all the good stuff, but without getting rid of the bad stuff, we’re never going to feel as good as we can feel and reach true health.
That doesn’t mean it’s not possible. It does mean an alternative approach is often required, due to the setup of modern health and society.
The question is: How open are you to exploring these alternative methods, and what are the costs you’re willing to pay?
These aren’t easy questions, but necessary ones if we want to feel better and start to feel as good as we can feel, which we won’t know until we feel that good, and that’s the dichotomy for us all.
Key Takeaways on The Hidden Causes of Fatigue
- Unseen Health Factors: Your energy and mood are often shaped by hidden issues you may not be aware of, such as Candida, toxic moulds, environmental toxins, and nutrient deficiencies.
- Testing Challenges: Getting diagnosed can be difficult, particularly within the UK’s healthcare system. This often means you need to consider private testing or alternative practitioners to find answers.
- Candida as an Example: A yeast overgrowth like Candida can cause persistent fatigue, brain fog, and low mood, even if you maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine.
- Redefining Your ‘Normal’: Many of us have accepted feeling tired and unwell as a normal state of being, but it’s possible to feel significantly better by addressing the true root causes of your symptoms.
- The Role of Alternative Health: Practitioners like nutritional therapists or medical herbalists can offer valuable insights and solutions that conventional medicine might overlook.
- Investing in Your Well-being: While seeking alternative health support has a financial cost, you must weigh it against the ongoing cost of living with chronic symptoms like brain fog and fatigue.
- Address the Root Cause: Simply managing symptoms isn’t enough. To truly feel your best, you need to identify and eliminate underlying problems, not just layer good habits on top of them.
FAQs for The Hidden Causes of Fatigue, Brain Fog and Low Energy
What are some hidden causes of low energy and brain fog?
Beyond the usual suspects, your fatigue could stem from underlying issues like Candida (a yeast overgrowth), exposure to toxic moulds, environmental toxins, Lyme disease, SIBO, or even deficiencies in key vitamins and minerals.
Why is it so hard to get tested for these conditions?
Conventional healthcare systems, especially in the UK, are not always set up to test for these less common root causes. This often leads people to seek private testing or consult with alternative health practitioners for a more thorough investigation.
Can I still feel tired even if I live a healthy lifestyle?
Yes. If you have an underlying issue like Candida or mould exposure, healthy habits like a good diet, exercise, and sleep may not be enough to resolve your symptoms. You must address the root cause to truly feel better.
What is Candida and how does it make you feel?
Candida is a type of yeast that can overgrow in your body. This overgrowth can lead to a variety of symptoms, including indigestion, gut problems, low mood, persistent fatigue, brain fog, and even skin issues like acne or itchiness.
Is it worth paying for an alternative health practitioner?
According to the article, investing in your health by working with a practitioner like a nutritional therapist can be essential for identifying and treating root causes that are missed by standard healthcare. The cost should be weighed against the cost of continuing to live with debilitating symptoms.
