It is quite obvious that the process of ageing cannot be stalled in its tracks. Ageing and gradual decay of any living organism is a fundamental law of nature. And nature brooks no exception to the rule. However, having said that, rejuvenating oneself is possible, if one only knew how to bring that about, says Dilanvaz Shroff.

You may not exactly be able to grow any younger, but you can certainly get stronger and healthier by the day–if you can figure out what’s keeping you from functioning at your full potential.

If one were to only observe plants–by altering their habitat or growing conditions, a plant could be revitalized with dramatic results. Gardeners are known to have turned a miserly–looking rose bush that produced only a few flowers into a vigorous, thriving plant. How? By cutting away the old, dead stems and allowing new stems to spring up. For that matter, any living being CAN be transformed with care and maintenance. It is possible to regain a lot of your old energy and drive. But, you can’t get your energy back until you know what’s depleting it. Here are the most common physical symptoms of fatigue:

The circles under your eyes are so dark they look like shiners! Lugging the packages up the stairs seems as tough as scaling Mount Everest. And your Friday night fantasy isn’t dinner and dancing, but reclining on your sofa or slumping into bed. If that is the case, you ARE definitely exhausted! If you just came home after having jogged and feel worn out, fine. That’s the kind of fatigue that simple rest and relaxation will help you get rid of. Similarly, if you’re pregnant and toting around extra kilos, you will understandably feel tired.

But if you suffer from fatigue that comes from who–knows–where and won’t go away either, don’t panic. You are not alone. Weariness is the most frequent health complaint heard from women. Fatigue is the body’s alarm system, telling you that something IS wrong. But what exactly is it? Here is why you probably feel rundown, with suggestions on how you could revive your sagging body and spirit.

The Physical Factors
About 25 to 30 per cent fatigue caused by women is caused by specific illnesses ranging from minor urinary tract infections and back ache to serious ones like multiple sclerosis. Other diseases or conditions with fatigue as a major symptom include anemia, pre–menstrual stress (PMS), heart disease, thyroid problems, diabetes, etc.

Any chronic disease may sap your energy as a symptom. Yet, fatigue probably doesn’t indicate a serious condition by itself, unless other symptoms crop up in addition to it that are related to some underlying disease.

If you’ve been suffering from anemia, for example, you will not only feel tired but probably also dizzy, nauseated and suffer from frequent or sometimes even chronic headache. An iron–rich diet will put you back on the path to good health.

Ironically, sometimes exhaustion doesn’t result from illness, but from your efforts to get well. Many drugs–including pain killers, antibiotics, birth control pills, diuretics etc–list fatigue as a possible side–effect.

Even if some medication you’ve been taking causes you weariness, don’t stop taking the drug without first consulting your doctor. He/she may be able to suggest a different drug that could treat your ailment without sapping your energy too much.