Many people are exhausted by the pace of modern life, and have found that sugar and caffeine can give them a quick energy boost. What they’ve likely missed is that these "energy loan sharks" can leave you even more tired than when you started.

Borrowing money from a loan shark is a bad idea, and so is getting your energy from energy loan sharks.

S.H.I.N.E. is an acronym I use to summarize five key health guidelines I recommend addressing when treating people for low energy levels. I develop this treatment approach after 30 years of clinical experience, and I have found that the approach is successful in the vast majority of patients.

S.H.I.N.E. stands for Sleep, Hormonal support, Infections, Nutritional Support and Exercise:

Sleep. Make time for 7 to 8 hours sleep a night. Begin by cutting those things out of your life that give you the least pleasure (the evening news, meetings and social gatherings you hate, etc). If you have trouble sleeping, herbal mixes can be very helpful.

Hormonal support. Consider the possibility of an underactive thyroid, even if your blood tests are normal.

Infections. Some people have chronic bladder, prostate, or other infections. Chronic sinusitis and spastic colon (which suggest a sugar addiction) are especially common and problematic.

Nutritional support. A simple morning energy drink using a good multi-vitamin and nutrient powder along with, ironically, a special healthy sugar called "ribose," can give outstanding nutritional support and turbo charge energy production. In fact, in a recently completed study, ribose (Corvalen) increased energy an average of 60 percent after just 3 weeks!

Exercise. Preferably out in the sunshine

For many, simply getting the simple nutritional support above and a 20 to 30 minute walk each day, along with a bit more sleep (aim for 8 hours, but get at least 7 hours) will make all the difference.

Those with the combination of both severe exhaustion and severe insomnia will usually have chronic fatigue syndrome, and will need to follow the S.H.I.N.E.