A leading nutritionist has revealed that more Australians than ever are feeling exhausted and their diet may be partly to blame.
Susie Burrell, from Sydney, He said “quick fixes” like coffee, alcohol and sugar could be doing more harm than good and it is recommended to opt for fresh foods such as tuna and salad or red meat and vegetables.
‘How many people do you know who have a coffee, some sushi rolls and then a microwave meal or takeaway? There is literally little to no fresh food all day long,” he told FEMAIL.
“Creating a space where you can order fresh food, know what to buy, or cook once a week so you have fresh things on hand immediately will improve those variables.”
Susie said burnout is different from general stress or clinical depression and occurs when people are so physically and psychologically exhausted that they begin to lack empathy for others or feel like their life has no purpose.
Sydney dietitian Susie Burrell (pictured) has revealed how her diet could lead to burnout
He said focusing on eating fresh, unprocessed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, red meat and foods rich in omega-3s, is the best starting point to combat burnout.
“When we feel better about our bodies, psychologically we are in a better position to deal with the stress and challenges that modern life imposes.”
WHAT EXACTLY IS BURNOUT?
Susie said more and more women are starting to burn out in life juggling work, mothering and family life. She said it can be described as a type of “psychological exhaustion.”
“Burnout has traditionally been talked about in terms of a work environment in which people are physically overworked and, in many cases, stressed, but psychological burnout is a different concept,” he said.
One of the main symptoms of burnout is a lack of empathy or “compassion fatigue.”
“You’re barely aware of the emotions of the people around you because you’re so exhausted and you don’t react like you normally would,” Susie explained.
‘Things that are normally emotional or bother you just don’t matter to you anymore. You don’t have natural empathic support.
Susie said more and more women are starting to burn out in life juggling work, mothering and family life. She said it can be described as a type of “psychological exhaustion.”
There is also a feeling of general exhaustion and a “lack of joy in life”, where nothing brings you pleasure or enjoyment like before.
“Your mood is affected, so you wake up and don’t have the energy to do the things you normally would, and you have a hard time getting through the day,” the dietician said.
‘If we consider it as an investment in energy; energy input and output. But when everything goes out and so little comes in over time, it’s not a cognitive mood issue, it’s a general level of fatigue.”
Susie said it’s important, especially for busy moms, to prioritize nourishing the body with nutrients that help it cope with the stress and challenges that come with daily life.
Another sign of burnout is the feeling that you’re not accomplishing anything or contributing anything meaningful, which Susie says is common in the workplace but also prominent for moms at home.
“They come home and feel like they’re not doing a good job as mothers, or they’re not going to work, or they feel like it’s irrelevant whether they’re (at work) or not,” she said.
Susie said burnout can be confused with stress or depression and said there is no quick and easy solution to overcoming it.
‘It’s not just about going on holiday or getting a massage, these are deeper issues that need to be resolved. “It’s not about taking medications and improving your mood, it’s not about neurotransmitter instability,” he said.
“It’s a physical cut, a psychological result of that level of exhaustion and emotional exhaustion.”
HOW CAN YOUR DIET CAUSE EXHAUSTION?
Susie said it’s important, especially for busy moms, to prioritize nourishing the body with beneficial nutrients to help it cope with the stress and challenges that come with everyday life.
‘We start the day and the focus is never on ourselves. We are worried about the children. “Pets leave the house and go to work, so we often forget to feed them first thing,” he said.
“The link between self-care and what we eat is so strong because you can imagine that many people forget that what we eat daily gives our body and even our mood the basic nutrients to function optimally.”
Susie said people are often faced with “quick fix” processed foods, such as coffee, alcohol and sugar, which are convenient but not necessarily healthy.
‘It’s like that quick kick all the time. “You just drink a coffee and ultimately that affects your hormones, and then you gain weight and then you feel even worse,” she said.
Susie said people often deal with burnout by consuming “quick fix” processed foods, such as coffee, alcohol and sugar, which are convenient but not necessarily healthy.
“It’s a short-term everyday hit, but it really undermines long-term gains.”
Susie said women are often deficient in key nutrients which can make them feel like they have run out of energy.
‘Twenty-five percent of women have low iron levels, very few people get enough Omega 3 fat. Physically, we start the day not feeling very well and exhausted, and our hormones are not right,’ she said.
“Then you’re at that level of exhaustion, where you have no joy, you leave the house angry at everyone, everyone bothers you, the people you love, your kids yelling at you all the time. You have nothing left.
HOW CAN YOU EAT FROM BURNOUT?
Susie said that for those feeling run down, improving their diet is a great start to regaining energy.
“It’s a three, six or 12-month rehabilitation process, but the first step is getting proper nutrition,” he said.
‘The first step for women is to look and say, ‘Okay, how can I nourish myself to get back in touch with myself?’ Because then, naturally, there will be more ability to see the positive, be more cheerful and recognize that you are not feeling well.”
Susie said a green juice is a great way to start the day and give your body the nutrients it needs.
“It’s not easy to make, but if you can buy one instead of a coffee, you’ll get huge benefits,” he said.
For affordable and healthy lunches, she suggests a can of tuna, salads and prepared meals from the supermarket.
Susie said that for those feeling run down, improving their diet is a great start to regaining energy. She recommends that women eat more red meat to combat low iron levels.
For affordable and healthy lunches, she suggests a can of tuna, salads and prepared meals from the supermarket.
‘The ready-made salads that can now be found in supermarkets are cost-effective and of good quality. Add a can of hot smoked tuna or salmon. It’s a 5-minute meal that’s amazing,” she said.
“Many of the fresh prepared foods in supermarkets that contain vegetables are also amazing.”
Susie said eating a hearty, healthy breakfast and lunch before 1:00 p.m. will also help curb those cravings for sugary, overprocessed snacks at 3:00 p.m.
He recommended fatty fish like salmon, as well as nuts and seeds to get a good dose of omega 3s.
‘Then, if you have the capacity, once a week to roast some vegetables, cook some pieces of salmon or chicken breast to have them there. On a basis, that will be a good starting point,” Susie said.
Susie recommended red meat, as women often have low iron levels, which makes them feel fatigued.
He suggested eating lean lamb chop with a prepared salad or a lean hamburger or sausage with grilled vegetables.
“You have to create a system around your lifestyle to make it easier, it’s not about adding more,” he said.
‘It’s about being more efficient with what you can handle. And we have to eat, but we can also make the best decisions we can.’
Susie organizes a unique event, From exhaustion to the best selfto help women cope with rebuilding after burnout.