Natural health professionals have long seen people with energy complaints. Energy issues appear to be the number one complaint that even medical doctors hear [1]. Some people seem to think that everyone benefits from the same product for energy complaints, but that simply has not been my experience. Many causes, including various nutritional deficiencies have been postulated as potentially contributing to low energy [2-8].
One clinical trial I conducted involving 101 people with long-term energy complaints found that the average low energy person had 2.4 reflex factors that possibly contributed to low energy [9]–which suggests that some had only one factor, while most had multiple factors. It is important to note that Reflex Nutrition Assessment (RNA, a form of “muscle-testing”), which was used in this trial, is not a diagnostic tool. It should also be noted that reflexes are not medical conditions; they do not necessarily correlate with any medical condition, even if the names are the same or similar to a medical condition (many of the reflex names were developed last century based upon eastern and western views of energy systems and meridian patterns, by acupuncturists, chiropractors, nutritionists, and naturopaths, but not medical doctors).
I should mention here that one does not have to be a “muscle-testing” doctor or master RNA in order to benefit from the information here on energy concerns. Many of the specific types of energy complaints that I plan to discuss are independent of the need to muscle-test.
That being said, RNA itself is based on the holistic premise that each individual is unique. It is based on the premise that generalized nutritional recommendations not only do not meet the optimal nutritional needs of every person; there is no conceivable way that they could. RNA is also based on the belief that the human body is capable of recognizing some of its nutrient needs. It is presented as an interesting source of ancillary information for nutritional assessments. Many authorities considered as health experts do not believe that assessment techniques like RNA can have any value while other health practitioners utilize the technique
Reflex assessment revealed that some participants had problems with as many as five energy reflexes. The following table lists the frequency of subjects with issues for each reflex:
Table 1
Frequency by Reflex
Thyroid 57.4%
Adrenal 33.7%
Pancreas 29.7%
B Vitamin 24.8%
Heart 15.8%
Blood 10.9%
Umbilicus 8.9%
Collar Lymphatic 5.9%
Jaw Lymphatic 5.0%
Colon 5.0%
Lower Lymphatic 2.0%
With nutritional intervention, 88.12% of participants reported improved energy within 30 days. 99.01% reported improved energy within 60 days; this trial did not attempt to quantify the degree of improvement.
The high incidence of thyroid reflex involvement (57.4%) appears consistent with a medical study which found that 61% of people with long-term energy complaints ate little, if any, salt or highly salted foods [7]. Consumption of iodized salt is the main way that most Americans receive iodine [11]. The other way is to eat foods that naturally contain organic iodine such as sea vegetables [12]. The only known need for iodine in the human body is to nutritionally support the normal function of the thyroid gland [11].
Perhaps I should add that I had two other holistic studies related to energy concerns published. One showed that 30 out of 30 (100%) [13] had energy improvement and the other had 128 out of 130 (98.46%) [14] people reporting higher levels of energy based upon my recommendations. My recommendations were based upon the diets and history of those with specific energy complaints, normally combined with RNA or some other form of muscle-testing. And in our clinic, I still regularly see and help people with energy complaints.
There are dozens of different types of energy complaints that can respond to nutrition. This article will discuss the individual factors—and expect you to figure out combinations. And it will list the causes in alphabetical order, which is not generally the order of predominance in the general population.
• After meal low energy. These people may or may not have normal energy levels but tend to have less after eating certain, or even all, foods. I tend to recommend GB-Support and/or Digesti-Pan, or for vegans, Pro-Enzymes, to nutritionally support a healthy digestive system. Muscle testing professionals may wish to check the gall duct, stomach, pancreas and umbilicus reflexes, the first three of which are located below the ribs in a consecutive order from right to left, with the Umbilicus reflex located over the naval. If the Umbilicus reflex presents an issue, also consider the last section later here called Umbilicus reflex low energy.
• Athletic energy. These people may or may not have normal energy levels but tend to want more in order to maximize energy because of various goals that they may have. Science, of course, supports the view that nutrition and foods can be helpful here [15]. I often recommend Cardio-Power, Metabolic Thyro, Simply Adrenal, and/or Anxie-Tone to nutritionally support a healthy circulatory system. For vegans I tend to recommend Co-Q10 Cardio, Vegetarian Thyro, Vegetarian Adrenal, and/or Vegetarian Tryptophan. Muscle testing professionals may wish to check the heart, thyroid, adrenal, and mental fatigue reflexes, which are located in the center of the chest (heart reflex), middle of the throat (thyroid reflex), under either arm (adrenal reflex), and the right side of the head (mental fatigue reflex). Another way to check the Heart reflex is by having both arms outstretched in front with both hands together, while applying pressure to the wrists.
• B vitamin energy complaints. These people tend to have cyclical dips in their energy levels, but do not complain of regular dips in afternoon energy, only occasional dips. Obviously, I am only recommending 100% food B vitamins here. I have written papers on the dangers on synthetic B vitamins [16], as well as specifically on folic acid [17] which I do not feel is safe to recommend for simple energy complaints. I might recommend B Stress Complex or Food Vitamin B-6, B-12, & Folate, if additional food B vitamins may be helpful. Of course, I tend to put most of my clientele on the best multi that I know of, Food Vitamin-Mineral, which contains a spectrum of B vitamins, as well as other vitamins and minerals. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the B Vitamin reflex, which is located on the upper left side of the chest.
• Circadian reflex low energy. It is fairly common that people with energy complaints also have problems with the circadian reflex. There is normally not one-size that fits all, especially in this situation. Depending on how they muscle-test, I tend to recommend Restful-Mind Support, Calcium Complex, Cal-Mag Complex, Magnesium Complex, Anxie-Tone, Simply Hypothalamus, and/or Vegetarian Tryptophan to nutritionally support a healthy circadian system. For the same system, some women tend to sometimes benefit from Le Feminine Advantage, Simply Mammary, and/or Simply Ovary. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Circadian reflex, which is located on the left side of the head.
• Collar Lymphatic reflex low energy. These are often people with limited energy on good days and even less other days. If I confirm this through RNA, I tend to recommend Thymo-Immune; and Vira-Bac-Yst for vegans, and sometimes both for non-vegans in order to support a healthy lymphatic system. Muscle-testing professionals would want to check the Collar Lymphatic reflex, which is located just inside the collar bone. If the Collar reflex is involved, I almost always also consider recommending Zinc Complex.
• Colon reflex low energy. It is not that uncommon for people with energy complaints to also have problems with the Colon reflex. The Colon reflex is located on the lower left of the abdomen and is normally checked with the three middle fingers of one hand (if checked with one finger, then I tend to recommend Magnesium Complex and/or Detox-N-Cleanse). For the three finger check, I tend to recommend Para-Dysbio-Zyme, which is a vegan formula, to nutritionally support a healthy digestive system. People normally take it in between meals. It contains raw almonds, and raw nuts naturally contain enzyme inhibitors [20], which theoretically allow Para-Dysbio-Zyme to pass further into the digestion system. If it is taken with food, the body secretes more digestive fluids which tends to not allow Para-Dysbio-Zyme to go as far. When stubborn Colon reflex problems are encountered, I also will tend to add Probio-Zyme-Yst, Arginase Bladder, and/or Vira-Bac-Yst. Nutritional support for Colon reflexes sometimes cause temporary complaints of nausea and/or gurgling sounds.
• Constant energy complaints. There are many possible causes of having constant energy complaints. Many people like this have multiple factors that make them feel that way. Food iron is sometimes indicated here. One of the reasons that I like food iron is that it is not constipating like the “normal” iron-containing supplements that almost everyone else supplies. If that food iron is what I think is needed, I tend to recommend Hematic Formula. If this is the right product, people tend to notice energy improvements within a month. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Blood reflex, which is located on the middle of the chest.
• Jaw Lymphatic reflex low energy. These are often people with limited energy on good days and even less other days. Dairy can sometimes make the energy situation worse, though most people with this energy issue this do not see any direct connection. If I confirm this through RNA, I tend to recommend Thymo-Immune; and Vira-Bac-Yst for vegans, and sometimes both for non-vegans in order to support a healthy lymphatic system. Muscle-testing professionals would want to check the Jaw Lymphatic reflex, which is located just under the jaw bone. or the strep reflex, which is just inside the collar bone. If the strep reflex is involved, also consider recommending Zinc Complex.
• Low afternoon energy. These people tend to complain that their energy dips most in the afternoon. Some of them also tend to have other cyclical dips in their energy levels. Nutrition to support a healthy thyroid is sometimes indicated here. I tend to recommend products such as Metabolic Thyro, Simply Thyroid, or Vegetarian Thyro, and aging people sometimes prefer Migratrol. Nutritional support for the thyroid is normally best taken in the morning and/or lunch time. Thyroid nutritional support can keep some people awake if taken late in the day and can temporarily increase appetite. While I like bovine glandular-containing supplements, there are also various herbs and food nutrients that I like as well [18]. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Thyroid reflex, which is located on the throat. Supporting the thyroid nutritionally tends to take between a couple of weeks and three months for people to notice improvement.
• Low mineral energy. People like this have low energy because their mineral levels are low. Food magnesium, calcium, chromium, iron, or zinc are most often indicated here. I tend to recommend Magnesium Complex, Calcium Complex, Cal-Mag Complex, Gluco-Sugar Balance (source of food chromium), Hematic Formula (source of food iron), Zinc Complex, and/or Vitamin Mineral (source of essential trace minerals. Sometimes, I will recommend the Vitamin-Mineral Shake, especially for people that prefer not to swallow tablets or capsules. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the calcium reflex, which is located on both sides of the throat to check for calcium and/or magnesium needs. Chromium needs can often be determined by the Pancreatic reflex, which is on the left middle side of the body just below the ribs. Iron needs can sometimes be determined by the blood reflex which is in the middle of the chest. Zinc needs can sometimes be checked with the Thymus reflex which is at the base of the collar bone or the Prostate reflex, which is located a few inches below the naval.
• Low morning energy. These people tend to complain that their energy is really low first thing in the morning. Some of them also tend to have other cyclical dips in their energy levels. Nutrition to support a healthy adrenal system is sometimes indicated here. I tend to recommend products such as High Stress Adrenal, Simply Adrenal, or Vegetarian Adrenal, and some people sometimes prefer Vegetarian Tyrosine. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Adrenal reflexes, which can be found under the arms or on the back.
• Low mental energy. These people complain that they have low mental energy. If I do not believe that the thyroid or adrenal glands need to be supported nutritionally (and they might, see Low afternoon energy and Low morning energy respectively), I tend to the try to nutritionally support healthy brain function. I most typically recommend Serious Brain Enhancer or Simply Brain, or Simply Hypothalamus, and Vegetarian Tryptophan for vegans. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Brain reflex, which is located on the upper right portion of the forehead.
• Low premenstrual energy. These are women who tend to have low energy complaints several days per month, normally before or around their menstrual cycle. Although mycotic infections can play a role [19], nutritional support for a healthy thyroid can be helpful. I most typically recommend Simply Thyroid for 4-9 days per month, and Vegetarian Thyro for vegans. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Thyroid reflex, which is located on the throat.
• Low sexual energy, female. These are women who once had a sex drive, but who now have diminished sex drive. For many women, nutrition to support a healthy thyroid will help enough here. Others need to take the same type of products that men with prostate reflex concerns take and/or herbal support is often indicated. I tend to recommend Libida-Life, Metabolic Thyro and if something else is needed, sometimes Prosta-Power. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Master Female Hormone reflex, which is located at the tip of the nose.
• Low sexual energy, male. These are men, who, like most men, show diminished sexual energy as they age. Nutrition to support a healthy prostate is sometimes indicated here. I tend to recommend Prosta-Power and Libida-Life, and less often, also Simply Orchic. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Prostate reflex, which is located a few inches below the naval.
• Lower Lymphatic reflex low energy. This is one of the stubborn types of low energy complaints as it accompanies concerns about the Lower Lymphatic reflex. Herbs such as wild oregano, olive leaf extract, and buckwheat leaf are often helpful. So, I tend to recommend Vira-Bac-Yst which contains all of them in order to nutritionally support a healthy immune system. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Lower Lymphatic reflex, which is located a half inch below the naval.
• Recurring low energy complaints. These are often people with limited energy on good days and even less other days. Dairy can sometimes make the energy situation worse, though most like this do not see any direct connection. If I confirm this through RNA, I tend to recommend Thymo-Immune, and Vira-Bac-Yst for vegans to nutritionally support a healthy thymus gland. And sometimes both for non-vegans. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the Jaw Lymphatic reflex, which is located just under the jaw bone.
• Severely low energy. There are some people who have severely low energy for no apparent reason. Sometimes, nutritional support for a healthy heart, healthy thyroid, healthy adrenals glands, or healthy blood might be tried. As I have already gone over nutritional support for the thyroid, blood, and adrenal glands, I will mention that nutrition to support a healthy heart includes Cardio-Power or Simply Cardio; and for vegetarians, Co-Q10 Cardio. I tend to recommend that the cardio-glandulars (Cardio-Power, Simply Cardio) not be taken late in the day as they can sometimes affect sleep. People sometimes notice energy improvements in days, while others take many weeks if the supplements are a match to the people’s needs. Muscle testing professionals may wish to check the heart reflex which is located in the center of the chest. Another way to check the heart reflex is by having both arms outstretched in front with both hands together, while applying pressure to the wrists.
• Thymus reflex low energy. If I confirm this through RNA, I tend to recommend Intracellular Cough and/or Thymo-Immune, and Vira-Bac-Yst for vegans to nutritionally support a healthy thymus gland, and the thymus is part of a healthy immune system. Muscle-testing professionals would want to check the Thymus reflex, which is located at the meeting of the collar bone.
• Toxic reflex low energy. These are often people with limited energy. If I confirm this through RNA, I tend to recommend vegan DeTox-N-Cleanse, vegan Aller-Lung-Support, and/or Liva-DeTox & Support to nutritionally support a healthy lymphatic system. Muscle-testing professionals would want to check the Toxic reflex which is located just above the breast on the left side (this can also be checked by having female clients touching this spot, and checking the reflex through her elbow). Sometimes the Lung reflex, which is located at the junction of the collar bone and right shoulder or the Bowel reflex, which is located to the left of center of the abdomen can also or instead be an issue for toxic low energy.
• Umbilicus reflex low energy. This is a stubborn type of low energy complaint and it accompanies concerns about the umbilicus reflex. Sometimes avoiding wheat, gluten, alcohol, sweets, and/or refined carbohydrates is indicated. I tend to recommend vegetarian Probio-Zyme-Yst and frequently vegan Vira-Bac-Yst to nutritionally support a healthy digestive system, as well to sometimes support healthy skin. Sometimes, for the same reasons, I will also recommend GB-Support, Thymo-Immune, Arginase Bladder, and/or Digesti-Pan, or for vegans, Pro-Enzymes. Muscle-testing professionals may wish to check the umbilicus reflex, which is located at the belly button.
If you master and understand what I hope to have taught you, you should be able to help the overwhelming majority of people who come to your office with energy complaints.
For years I have been teaching naturally inclined health professionals how to use food nutrition to help people with energy complaints [20]. I even have been consulted by athletes and professionals involved with the International Olympics. But your clients do not have to be star athletes to benefit from nutrition. There are many types of energy complaints, for which food nutrition should be considered as a first line of support for human energy systems.
Some of the papers the related video referenced can be found at www.healthresearch.com and all of the products that I mentioned can be found at www.doctorsresearch.com (non-USA based professionals may wish to go to www.foodresearch.info for suppliers in their area).
Those interested in learning even more may wish to get our book Serious Nutrition: Incorporating Clinically Effective Nutrition Into Your Practice, which is available at www.doctorsresearch.com or www.healthresearch.com.
Those interested in muscle-testing, may wish to get our chart on Reflex Nutrition Assessement, which is available by calling 1-805-489-7185
REFERENCES
[1] Kroenke, Kurt. Interviewing the patient with chronic fatigue syndrome. Infectious Disease News: 2, Oct 1991
[2] Demitrack, Mark. Chronic fatigue syndrome: A disease of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis? Annals of Medicine 26: 1-3, 1994
[3] Defreitas, E. et al. Evidence of retrovirus in patients with chronic fatigue immunity deficiency syndrome. CFIDS Chronicle: 1, Sep 1990
[4] Galland, Leo. Giardia lamblia infection as a cause of chronic fatigue. Journal of Nutritional Medicine 1: 27-30, 1990
[5] Lathan, Robert. Chronic fatigue? Consider hypothyroidism. The Physician and Sports Medicine 19 (10): 67-70, Oct 1991
[6] Lapp, Charles and Cheney, R. Chronic fatigue syndrome: Self care manual, February 1991. The CFIDS Chronicle Physician’s Forum 1 (1): 14-17, Mar 1991
[7] Bou-Holaigah, Issam. The relationship between neurally mediated hypotension and the chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of the American Medical Association 274 (12): 961-967, Sept 1995
[8] Williams, David. Chronic fatigue syndrome: The search for a cookbook solution instead of eliminating a true problem? Alternatives for the Health Conscious Individual 6 (6): 41-46, December 1995
[9] Thiel, Robert. Chronic fatigue assessment and intervention: the result of 101 cases. Townsend Letter for Doctors, 1997;172:91-92
[11] Clugston, Graeme A. and Hetzel, Basil S. Iodine: 252-263. In: Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 8th ed. Phil.: Lea & Flebinger, 1993
[12] Jensen, Bernard. The Chemistry of Man, Vol II. Escondido: Bernard Jensen, 1983
[13] Thiel, Robert. Natural interventions for people with fibromyalgia. Townsend Letter for Doctors, 2000;208:66-67
[14] Thiel, Robert. Nutritional interventions for the thyroid. ANMA Monitor, 2000;4(1):6-14
[15] Bonci LJ. Eating for Performance: Bringing Science to the Training Table. Clin Sports Med. 2011 Jul;30(3):661-670
[16] Thiel, Robert. Natural vitamins may be superior to synthetic ones. Medical Hypotheses, 2000; 55(6):461-469
[17] Thiel, Robert. Folic Acid is Hazardous to Your Health. What About Food Folate? The Original Internist, 2010 Jun; 17(2):88-90
[18] Thiel Robert and Fowkes Stephen W. Down syndrome and thyroid dysfunction: Should nutritional support be the first-line treatment? Medical Hypotheses, 2007; 69:809-815
[19] Thiel Robert. Systemic mycoses: An overview for modern natural health professionals. The Original Internist. 2010 Sep; Vol. 17, (3):119-128
[20] Howell E. Enzyme Nutrition. Avery Publishing, Wayne (NJ), 1985
[21] Thiel Robert. Food nutrients for 35 forms of energy complaints. Presentation at the Health Freedom Expo, Los Angeles, CA, February 25, 2005
