Fighting Chronic Fatigue Naturally

There are many roads that lead to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and each person takes a different path. Unfortunately, CFS has become an ‘endpoint’ that you may arrive at after eliminating other conditions, with little light shed on how you actually got there.

This blog is a roadmap to help you understand how you might have arrived at this point and to give you options and hope for your next steps, because there are ways to address many of the causes of CFS naturally.

First off though, I must note that this is definitely an area I would recommend you see a qualified Naturopath. We can help you understand the individual causes of your specific CFS and work with you to develop an individual treatment plan to get you back on track.

What is Chronic Fatigue?

CFS is a complicated syndrome characterised by extreme tiredness for at least 6 months. It’s not just feeling sleepy, it’s a severe and often debilitating fatigue that can last for years. It is still not exactly clear what causes it and It is impossible to diagnose with laboratory tests, meaning that it is diagnosed by a process of elimination.

How do you get it?

Chronic fatigue is classified as a ‘syndrome’ because there are many causes and the symptoms are so diverse. Some of the ways you might arrive at CFS include:

• Viral infections – some viruses, including Epstein-Barr Virus and Lymes Disease, are thought to trigger CFS. These infections are usually stealth pathogens that you may not even realise you have.

• Chronic toxicity including environmental exposure to heavy metals and mould

• Immunity issues – the immune systems of people with CFS are often impaired

• Hormonal imbalances – people who have CFS sometimes also have abnormal blood levels of hormones produced in the hypothalamus, pituitary glands or adrenal glands.

• Energy production issues – most often due to the mitochondria (cell’s energy producing factories) not producing energy efficiently.

Symptoms

In addition to extreme fatigue, other symptoms of CFS include:

• Joint and muscle pain

• Poor concentration or memory loss

• Enlarged lymph nodes

• Headaches

• Chills or night sweats

• Digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

• Irritability, mood swings

• Anxiety and depression

Natural Remedies for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

For each of the roads that lead to CFS, there are different methods of treatment. From my experience, there is no magic pill. Instead, you need to work out the most likely cause of your chronic fatigue and develop an individual treatment plan to address these issues.

There are four main areas to look at when treating CFS:

• The Gut
  Naturopaths call the gut the ‘second brain’, as it has a huge impact on your overall health. One of the first steps to addressing your CFS, improving your energy and helping to make the overall picture much clearer is to address any underlying gut issues. These may include Leaky Gut, food intolerances or dysbiosis.

• Viruses
  As previously stated, stealth viruses can bring on CFS, so it’s important to make sure you treat these to clear up any underlying viruses that could contribute to your fatigue.

• Adrenal Fatigue
  Adrenal Fatigue and CFS are not the same, but adrenal function may play some role in chronic fatigue.

• Toxicity
  Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome can bring on chronic fatigue in response to biotoxins like mould.

Top tips for treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

No matter how you came to chronic fatigue, there are some steps you can take right now to help boost your energy levels because it takes energy to find the motivation to make the changes necessary to help you get back on the path to wellness.

• Eat whole foods – as close to nature as possible

• Cut out gluten, dairy and sugar – this will reduce the burden on your gut.

• Avoid stimulants – this will give your adrenal glands a break and allow you to come back to a normal energy level.

• Support yourself with natural supplements. We recommend:

  • Magnesium for energy production

  • B Vitamins for adrenal support

  • Vitamin C & Zinc for energy, adrenal support and immunity

  • Echinacea for treating underlying infection

If you are struggling with chronic fatigue and would like some guidance, book a free 15min phone chat with a qualified Naturopath. Click here to book now.

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