We all feel groggy and rundown sometimes. Life can get busy and one doughnut turns into two, turns into three, into four… and all of a sudden we have some pretty bad routines in place. The first step is becoming aware of this, and then working towards re-adjusting to an optimal self. Here are 5 reasons and signs your body needs a reset. 

Unpleasant Body Odour

Morning breath and body odour after working out don’t smell great, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Consistent body odour can be a sign that something is off balance. This can range from the beginning of gum disease and tooth decay, or an indication for disease from another part of your body. 

Start by watching what foods you’re eating, if they are heavily spiced then you are more likely to suffer from unpleasant body odour. Take at least a month to eat a majority of whole foods, eliminating overly salty and sugary foods. Apple cider vinegar can also be great for bad morning breath by balancing out the pH levels in your body!

Cravings

Highly processed and sugary foods are fine as treats, but when eaten regularly,  it can throw our gut out of balance. An imbalance of hormones like leptin and serotonin can cause certain food cravings, as well as emotional instability and endorphin releases. 

Sometimes these incessant cravings are masks for dehydration. Start with drinking a large glass of water. Increase the amount of protein you have per meal to help curb cravings as well. 

If you find yourself really stressing out over something at the moment, make sure to be hyper-aware of your diet. Stress spikes our cortisol levels which can lead to cravings for sugary and processed goods; we sometimes call this “comfort eating.”

Moral of the story, chill out! May we suggest a retreat? Make use of those signs your body needs a reset.

Digestive Stress

A dysfunctioning gut is probably the most obvious indication we need to change some things up. It is also the most urgent as the majority of people cannot ignore the symptoms for too long. A few signs that indicate digestive stress include constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and gas. 

Causes of gut problems vary, but include lack of fibrous foods in our diet, too much stress, overconsumption of processed foods, and too much alcohol. 

If you’re also getting sick frequently, it’s time to think about your gut health. Over half of our immune system is housed in our gut, and an unbalanced mix of bacteria can lead to lowered immune response and higher rates of sickness. 

So let’s clean our guts up! Eliminate alcohol, start increasing whole foods in our diets, and make sure you are eating enough fibre. Both prebiotics and probiotics are important in balancing the bacteria and getting us back to optimal levels. 

Constant Fatigue

Ever woken up after a full night’s rest and felt just as tired? When you can’t seem to keep energised, it may be a sign of adrenal fatigue. 

Although adrenal fatigue is not considered to be a medical disease, there are many symptoms related to the malfunction of the adrenal glands. The adrenals sit just on top your kidneys and release many different hormones, including cortisol. 

If you’re experiencing a lack of energy, lightheadedness, and body aches it may be related to adrenal function. Take a minute to evaluate your lifestyle and what factors may be contributing to elevated stress.

If you notice that your energy levels are staying consistently low, it may be a sign of Addison’s disease. It’s important to ensure you’re doing everything you can to live a healthy lifestyle before going to see your doctor. Get enough sleep, eat healthy, stay hydrated, and learn to manage your stress!

Unclear Skin

I’m sure we have all experienced this one before; life starts to get a little crazy, due dates stack up and all of a sudden our face decides to add pimples to the list of things to work on. It’s not just acne though; other symptoms can be inflammation and rashes. 

Elevated cortisol levels (or stress) causes low blood flow to our faces, which can cause a variety of issues including discolouration and oily skin. Processed foods can cause tissue swelling and fluid retention, causing our skin to look puffy. 

Start treating these problems with a good face wash, lots of water, and (you guessed it) lowering your stress levels with good mindfulness practices. Meditation and breathing exercises can be a lot more beneficial than you may think!

Less Stress, Healthy Diet

You don’t need a fancy bundle of green juices to detox. Your body is incredibly efficient at taking care of toxins, in fact, it’s far better than any remedy you can find online. All that is necessary is taking care of yourself! 

Basically, we can track all these symptoms of a healthy reset to a couple of main causes: stress and gut health. Stress causes a multiplicity of problems within us, yet I’m sure we have all taken on much more of it than we care to admit. The more aware we can become of the symptoms related to stress, the better we can become at treating them. Learning to curb our stress levels will improve every aspect of our lives!

Our gut-brain and head-brain are directly connected. When we fuel our bodies with junky foods, we mentally slow down. The culture in our guts directly correlates to our mood and clarity. 

Next time you feel like you’re running at half capacity, immediately consider your diet and your stress levels! Optimising these two parts of your life can have drastic positive effects. 

Don’t ignore the signs your body needs a reset.