Are You Dealing With Chronic Fatigue?

According to the Solve ME/CFS Initiative (SMCI), about 1 million Americans suffer from CFS, and the syndrome disproportionally strikes more women than men. The Institute of Medicine estimates the prevalence of CFS may be as high as 2.5 million, with 84 to 91 percent of them being undiagnosed.

Symptoms characteristic of CFS include the following. As you would expect, these symptoms correlate with many other diseases and conditions, making a correct diagnosis notoriously difficult to obtain. Since there's no known cure for CFS, all treatments are currently directed at relieving these symptoms.

• Extreme fatigue and weakness, difficulty maintaining upright posture, dizziness, balance problems, and fainting
• Post-exertional malaise, lasting 24 hours or longer
• Muscle and joint aches and pains
•  Sore throat, swollen glands, and periodic fevers and chills
• Chronic headaches
•  Brain fog, cognitive dysfunction, and/or lack of concentration
•  Insomnia, and/or unrefreshing sleep, night sweats
• Irritability, depression, and mood swings 

Chronic fatigue syndrome is undoubtedly a challenging condition, but there is hope. A number of different lifestyle changes have been shown to increase your chances of recovery, including the ones covered in this article:

·       Exercising according to your ability, with a focus on increasing the amount of exercise you can handle. Research shows that a combination of aerobic activity and strength training can improve pain and fatigue symptoms. Gentle exercise such as yoga can also be an excellent part of your exercise program – and yoga benefits the mind as well as the body.

·       Supplementing with nutrients important for cellular energy synthesis, such as ubiquinol and D-ribose, as well as supplying your body with the basic vitamins and minerals through a healthy diet.

·       Eating foods rich in glutathione precursors, and foods high in sulfur and/or selenium to encourage glutathione production. The American Healthcare Foundation presents a valuable summary of the benefits of glutathione in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. Its primary value is its ability to promote healthy immune system function. And, while it has nothing to do with the generation of cellular energy per se, it helps eliminate toxins that can disrupt cellular energy synthesis. Its antioxidant capacity also helps prevent or reduce the pain response.

These are just a few steps that may help in the battle of fighting chronic fatigue. However, many other factors need to be considered such as blood sugar management, thyroid function and the state of your adrenals. Proper evaluation of these systems are necessary to understand the full picture of what is actually driving the chronic fatigue. If you would like to have an assessment and understand what state your body is in so that you can get the proper help, please give our office a call for a complimentary consultation with one of our doctors.

In Health, 
Dr. Brad Niewierowski 

 

Source:  Energy Boosting Strategies That May Help Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Mercola.com  November 13, 2015