The “cocktail” that restores 100% of lost energy

Amber Salisbury battled debilitating tiredness for years until she discovered that the very thing she was relying on for energy was dragging her down

What I need is sleep, not a celebration,” Amber Salisbury said to herself as she stared at the empty suitcase on her bed. “For our anniversary, my husband, Andrew, had made plans to re-create our first date in Miami,” Amber shares. “But I felt so tired that I couldn’t bring myself to pack my bag for a single night away. I told Andrew that I just couldn’t muster the energy to go. It was sad, but I knew…I need to rest, even if it means letting myself and Andrew down.

Stressed and tired

“In my 40s, my health plummeted. I felt off—almost ill with debilitating fatigue. Although I went to bed around 8 PM, every morning I would wake up exhausted, like I hadn’t slept at all. As a result, I struggled to accomplish my normal activities, including taking care of my highenergy toddler.

“At the time, I was caring for my father, who was really sick in the intensive care unit, and I’d been drinking a lot of hospital waitingroom coffee to get through the days. Caffeine became my crutch…soon I was up to three cups, then four, then five.

“My life became about constantly conserving my energy. Whenever I was faced with an activity, like playing with my daughter or going to a party, I would ask myself, Do I have enough energy to do this? Or will it make me so tired that I’m forced to miss something else later?

“After my dad passed, my energy kept plummeting. Plus, I noticed other symptoms—brain fog, headaches. Worried something was really wrong, I knew it was my turn to become the patient.

“One doctor dismissed my concerns as normal stress and grief and suggested I ‘just ride it out.’ Another quipped, ‘You’re getting older. Your energy reserves aren’t what they used to be.’ I got scared when yet another doctor wanted to test me for everything. Tests revealed nothing conclusive, and as the months dragged on, I feared I would never regain my active life. I believe everyone has gifts to share with the world, so it felt so painful to not have the energy to share mine.

“Seeing me so tired was hard on Andrew, who worried I was too dependent on caffeine. We actually had spats about my coffee drinking—he was convinced it was making things worse. In those moments, I would glare at my