“You’re just a busy mom,” the doctor told me after reading aloud my test results that showed no signs of any medical condition that would account for my chronic fatigue: no anemia, no hyperthyroidism, no urinary tract infection or heart issues–all possible causes of extreme exhaustion.

“Try to give yourself a break,” he recommended. “Take time to exercise every day, and make sure you get enough sleep.”

But I did exercise, and I was getting enough sleep.

It wasn’t until I went to see a nutritionist, on the advice of a friend, that I got the wake up call that I needed. The nutritionist had me keep a food diary for a week, where I wrote down everything that I ate and drank each day. The results were eye-opening.

My breakfast consisted of a double soy mocha (I am lactose intolerant), followed by a muffin or piece of fruit at mid-morning. My lunch was a sandwich on a baguette with tuna salad or turkey. My dinner consisted of 2 glasses of wine, lots of pasta (I was always starving by dinner time), bread with butter, and some type of meat or fish. I’d make a green salad but wouldn’t eat much of it. After dinner I craved something sweet- soy ice cream and a handful of M&Ms usually did the trick.

“Of course you feel dull and drowsy most of the day,” my nutritionist told me. “You are living on carbs, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.”

Read Full Article: Tired All the Time? It Could Be What You’re Eating