Cancer survivor, nutritionist offers ways to fight fatigue through tasty tonics

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Many of us compensate with daily stresses by grabbing a quick fix such as caffeine.

"There's a reason why meditation has exploded in this country," said Elissa Goodman, author of "Cancer Hacks."

Goodman said while meditation and yoga are both great mind-body releases, there's also dietary ways to calm your system.

She and her husband were both diagnosed with cancer 20 years ago while raising two daughters. Goodman beat her lymphoma and went back to school for integrative holistic nutrition, as a way to help others "thrive" not just survive.

She says, ask yourself if this is happening to you:

"It's weight gain, it's tired all the time, being lethargic, mentally foggy," she said.

Her suggestion is to try natural beverages to heal the body.

In her book, she puts together some tasty combinations. One example is a green tea matcha smoothie in lieu of a latte: matcha, almond milk, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla stevia.

She's also a fan of collagen-boosting bone broth, spicing it up with parsley, cilantro, ginger and turmeric to fight inflammation - or try a tangy lemon ginger tonic to help heal your gut.

However, dietitian Ashley Koff says fatigue isn't a one-size-fits-all challenge.

"The answer to what you should do for your energy issues is really dependent on what kind of energy issues you're having," Koff said.

Sleeplessness, dehydration, lack of exercise and poor diet can all affect you.

"You are not what you eat, you are what your body digests and absorbs," Koff said.

The reason why smart nutrition experts tell you to include a good complex carbohydrate, healthy fat and protein in your meals is that they work together to help you fuel up for energy.

You don't need to overload any one of them or leave one out.