Do you feel tired all the time? Even when you get sufficient sleep? Do you experience one or more of the following symptoms for at least six months?

• Impaired short-term memory of concentration, which significantly affects normal activities
  
  
• Sore throat
  
  
• Tender lymph nodes in the neck or underarms
  
  
• Muscle pain or pain in multiple joints with no joint swelling or redness
  
  
• New onset of headache
  
  
• Un-refreshing sleep
  
  
• General malaise following physical exertion that lasts more than 24 hours

You may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

The Centers for Disease Control officially recognized this condition, which is more common in women than men in 1988. The majority of people affected by CFS are in their thirties.

While the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome remains unknown, it is believed that certain factors are attributed to the development of the condition including: nutritional deficiencies, toxicity from the environment, stress, imbalance in certain hormones, lowered immune function, and bacterial, viral, or fungal infections.

Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome produce low amounts of cortisol and other adrenal hormones as a result exhausted adrenal glands. Some research also points to a high incidence of Candida yeast infection, leaky gut syndrome, food and environmental sensitivities and liver toxicity are evident in many people with CFS.

Chronic fatigue is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that it is only considered after other medical conditions have been ruled out.

There is currently no known medical treatment for CFS. And if there were, I’d want nothing to do with anyway. Instead I recommend a number of successful holistic treatments such as:

Making dietary changes to your lifestyle. Start with a detox and cleansing diet for one to three weeks. Foods such as wheat, dairy, corn, gluten-containing products (rye, oats, etc), sugar, and fermented foods are some of the most common food sensitivities and can worsen symptoms of CFS. When the cleansing diet is finished, slowly start introducing the excluded foods back into your diet in small increments. This will help you to identify which foods are the most aggravating.

All types of sugar, including milk products and fruit, should be avoided by any person being affected by CFS with candidiasis. Stay away from caffeine, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates such as white flour and white rice as well.

Participating in an exercise program including tai chi, swimming, yoga, and walking can be of great help as well. Research has shown that two-thirds of people with chronic fatigue syndrome benefit from exercise.

Some natural supplements and vitamins that can be quite beneficial include:

Probiotics – Beneficial bacteria can aid greatly in digestion improvement and reestablish a healthy microbial balance in the intestines. My recommendation is one to two capsules two to three times per day, taken on an empty stomach.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) – This potent antioxidant aids in metabolic reactions, including the process of forming the molecule the body uses for energy called adenosine triphosphate.

One study included 20 female patients with CFS. Of that group, 80 percent were deficient in CoQ10. Three months of CoQ10 supplementation with CoQ10 (100 mg/day) resulted in the exercise tolerance of the CFS patients more than doubling: 90 percent had reduction or disappearance of clinical symptoms, and 85 percent had decreased post-exercise fatigue (Judy W 1996).

In the University of Iowa study, CoQ10 emerged as the leading therapy for CFS, with 69 percent of patients saying it was helpful.

Essential fatty acids – These are the fatty acids that that the body cannot produce but are crucial for rebuilding and producing new cells. Essential fatty acids are also required for normal brain development.

In a case series of CFS patients, researchers observed a 90 percent improvement gain within three months among 66% of the patients when essential fatty acids were administered. (Gray JB et al 1994).

L-carnitine is known to bring energies levels up. Studies indicate that carnitine given as a supplement to CFS patients’ results in better functional capacity and a reduction of disease symptoms (Plioplys AV et al 1995; Plioplys AV et al 1997). I recommend taking 1000–2000 mg daily.

Magnesium is a key element in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. One study performed on patients with CFS with low magnesium levels reported improved energy levels and less pain after being treated with magnesium. (Cox IM et al 1991). I recommend taking 250 mg two to three times daily.