Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is one of several names given to a poorly understood, variably debilitating disorder of uncertain causation. CFS is thought, based on a 1999 study, to affect approximately 4 per 1,000 adults in the United States.[1] For unknown reasons, CFS occurs more often in women than men, and in people in their 40s and 50s.[2][3] The illness is estimated to be less prevalent among children and adolescents, but studies are contradictory as to the degree.

Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome shares symptoms with many other disorders. Fatigue, for instance, is found in hundreds of illnesses, and 10% to 25% of all patients who visit general practitioners complain of prolonged fatigue. The nature of the symptoms, however, can help clinicians differentiate CFS from other illnesses.

Unlike flu symptoms, which usually go away in a few days or weeks, chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms either hang on or come and go frequently for more than six months. Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms include:

Headache

Tender lymph nodes

Fatigue and weakness

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Causes

The cause of CFS is unknown, but the condition may be related to infection with effects on the immune system. Several viruses have been studied as possible causes of CFS, but no cause-and-effect relationship has been discovered. Some evidence indicates that the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae (which causes pneumonia and other illnesses) may be a cause of CFS in some cases.

The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome may be an inflammation of the pathways of the nervous system as a response to an autoimmune process, but with nothing measurable in the blood as in other autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Chronic fatigue syndrome may also occur when a viral illness is complicated by a dysfunctional immune system. Some people with CFS may have a low blood pressure disorder that triggers the fainting reflex.

Can it be prevented?

Since it’s not known what causes CFS, it’s difficult to prevent. There’s no evidence to support the view that CFS is a contagious disease and there’s no precise identified cause.

It’s believed that a person’s genes may make them more susceptible, and that viral infection, stress, depression, or a major life event (for example bereavement, job loss) may act as triggers for CFS to develop in susceptible individuals.

How is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome treated?

The principles of management for CFS are outlined below:

Planned, gradual return to physical activity – A mutually agreed and supervised programme of gradually increasing activity.

Identification and treatment of maintaining factors – Address dysfunctional beliefs and behaviours and treat mood and sleep disorders.

Prescription Medications

There are currently no FDA-approved prescription medications for use in treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There are, however, a number of medications that are used to treat the various symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Many are recommended for effects that may be unrelated to their primary use.

How can I help myself?

Keep a daily diary to identify times when you have the most energy. Plan your activities for these times.

Keep up some level of activity and exercise, within your abilities. Your doctor can help you plan an exercise program to maintain your strength at whatever level is possible.

Exercise can help your body and mind.

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Fatigue for some is the mid afternoon energy slump and for others is a chronic problem so much so that it affects their lives and of those around them. Children generally have more energy than they can utilize. As we age, our energy levels decline, however, good food and habits can help in maintaining high energy levels. Fatigue is basically a symptom that signifies a hindrance in our bodyâ??s ability to produce energy.

Causes of Fatigue

Fatigue can be evaluated through various questions:

Are you slowing down?

Do you have too much work to do in very little time?

Are you getting enough amount of sleep?

Are you getting enough exercise?

How are you dietary habits?

Bad dietary habits which include refined and processed foods can cause fatigue and build toxicity in the blood leading to decreased energy levels and lower oxygen being transported at the cellular level. This overburdening of cells can decrease energy and produce fatigue.

Eating foods which have high amount of sugar can lead to depletion of Vitamin B, exhaustion of thyroid glands, pancreas and the adrenal glands. Eating high amount of sugar leads to high amount of insulin in the blood, which lowers sugar levels in the blood to abnormally low levels and thus causing depletion of energy, fatigue and in worse cases, hypoglycemia.

Iron deficiency or anemia is also a cause of fatigue in women and children. Anemia can also be caused from lower levels of Vitamin B12. 20% of Americans over the age of 60, have a condition that their stomach does not produce enough HcL which is an acid that separates Vitamin B12 from proteins. This leads to problems like fatigue. Other major causes of fatigue involve dysfunctional thyroid and adrenal glands, liver problems, substance abuse, intake of too much alcohol, smoking, polluted environment and allergies, particularly food allergies.

Changing Dietary and Lifestyle Habits

Protein which is easily absorbed is the first step towards combating fatigue, as it will help stabilize sugar levels in the blood. Protein shakes for breakfast can be extremely helpful. Vegetables and protein foods for lunch, and whole grain foods with vegetables for dinner will provide well rounded nutrition and energy.

Other good habits include cleansing the digestive system; cleaning liver, which can be done through milk thistle; drinking lots of water and fresh vegetable juices particularly tomato juice â?? it helps stimulate function of the liver; eliminating stimulating foods and drinks like sugar and coffee â?? this will help avoid fooling the system into believing it is well nourished; eliminating foods that produce allergies â?? a two week cleansing diet can help; like chocolate, corn, soy and eggs; losing excess weight; quitting smoking; eating organic and clean foods which have not been sprayed with pesticides; getting enough amount of sleep â?? it helps repair and regenerate the body systems, produce hormones and remove waste; working out to get more oxygen in the system and avoiding high fat foods â?? vegetable oils are better than oils  that have trans-fat like hydrogenated oils.

Supplements to Combat Fatigue

Vitamin B Complex is very important for energy and eliminating fatigue. It helps convert food into fuel for the body. Vitamin B-5 helps more during stress as well. Vitamin E and iron deficiency can add to fatigue as red blood cells lose the ability to transport oxygen around the system. However, iron supplements should only be taken if iron deficiency has been confirmed through a blood test, as fatigue may also be a result of excess iron in the body. Minerals like potassium and magnesium are also important to combat fatigue. Foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains have high amount of both magnesium and potassium. High amount of stress can quickly lead to a depletion of Zinc in the body while low intake of essential fatty acids can lead to a poorly nourished body. Both are very important in overcoming fatigue as zinc can help stabilize sugar levels while the right amount of essential fatty acids will help nourish the central nervous system. Flaxseed oil, L- Carnitine and COQ10 are all helpful for fatigue.

Flaxseed oil is a source of fatty acids, like GLA (gamma linoleic acid) which helps produce energy (ATP) in the body. L-Carnitine is the transporter of fatty acids to our cells which burn the acids for energy, and COQ10 helps in conversion of sugar and starch into energy or ATP. As we age, our bodies produce lesser COQ10 and thus supplements can help in this case. Super greens like spirulina and chlorella are a major source of minerals and amino acids used for producing energy.

Beating Fatigue with Water

Our bodies need to be constantly hydrated so that our cells get the vital nutrients from water. However, there is a dilemma. If we knew the amount of impurities allowed by FDA into distilled, mineral and bottled water, none of us would go near it. Therefore, ionized water is highly recommended. This water is negatively charged and much more hydrating than normal distilled or mineral water. The nature of this water is alkaline, meaning that it also helps neutralize the excess acidity in our bodies that causes fatigue in the first place. A good water ionizer should be selected for our alkaline water needs.

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Fibromyalgia is a painful, complex and perplexing medical condition. It is a complex disease in which both genetics and environmental causes play a role.Fibromyalgia is characterized by muscle pain, fatigue, lack of energy, poor sleep, headaches, impaired memory or concentration, dizziness, bowel complaints, anxiety and depression.  Fibromyalgia is more prevalent in women of childbearing age. The worst part about fibromyalgia is the pain is not localized to specific joints.

Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Fibromyalgia

There are many people who suffer from the symptoms of chronic fatigue fibromyalgia but because it is not a well known disease many of these people do not realize that they have it. When the symptoms of chronic fatigue fibromyalgia first appear they are usually little more than a minor annoyance that may come and go for several years before they intensify. When these symptoms become unbearable those who suffer them are forced to miss work, family events and seek relief with frequent visits to their doctor.  

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome share many common features in addition to pain and fatigue there may be symptoms of trouble sleeping or sleep disturbances, recurrent on going depression, morning stiffness, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, painful menstrual periods, numbness or tingling of the extremities, restless legs syndrome, temperature sensitivity, light sensitivity, cognitive and memory problems (sometimes referred to as “fibro fog”), lassitude and post exertional fatigue or a variety of other symptoms.  

Seeking relief from the symptoms of chronic fatigue fibromyalgia can be frustrating. Relocating to a warmer climate or finding a job that does not require lots of energy are two ways in which one can reduce the symptoms of this condition. Reducing stress in daily life is one of the best ways to alleviate the symptoms as well. Another known way to deal with the symptoms of chronic fatigue fibromyalgia is eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.  

Treatments Of Chronic Fatigue Fibromyalgia

Simply put, chronic fatigue syndrome is the condition wherein a person suffers from prolonged fatigue that cannot be associated to a definite cause. Hearing you have chronic fatigue fibromyalgia is not the best news you could hope for, but there are treatments to help and other therapies that can help give you some peace from the pain and discomfort of this disorder. I hope that once the medical community reaches more of a consensus as to what exactly fibromyalgia is, they may in turn come up with more accurate diagnostics for it and eventually better treatments as well.

While the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is not known, herbal remedies are becoming more and more popular as an effective form of alternative therapy. Nutritional supplements that may help are Vitamin B6 (in the form of pyridoxine hydrocholoride) to reduce platelet stickiness, Vitamin E (400 to 800 IU) daily for some days before and after flying, and Pinokinase, a compound made from fermented extracts of pine bark and soybeans that has shown to be very effective in preventing clots.

The one factor that remains the same is the idea that anyone who suffers from chronic fatigue fibromyalgia will have to make lifestyle changes if they are to effectively deal with the disorder. Exercise and massage can be an effective way to loosen muscles and decrease soreness.

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Some people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) may find their condition frustrating and difficult to deal with. This condition varies with each person. While some may be able to maintain an active life others may suffer from debilitating symptoms. We will try to offer some useful advice for coping with CFS in this article.

The best thing to do to cope with CFS is to have an open mind. You may try several treatments and therapies before any improvement begins. By keeping an open mind while using these treatments and therapies you will allow yourself a chance for improvement.

Have a good communication and rapport with your physician and other care givers. Be completely honest about your symptoms and discuss any feelings of frustration with your physician. This is another essential part of managing this condition.

Many who suffer from CFS have feelings of guilt, anger and frustration. If these feelings are not dealt with properly they can make the physical symptoms worse. Your doctor can help with the physical side of your condition but you should seek professional counseling for the mental side. It can actually help improve the physical symptoms.

By treating your CFS condition both physically and mentally you are giving yourself the best change for an improved quality of life.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Hailey Harris

Chronic fatigue sufferers see amazing results using vitamins and supplements for Chronic fatigue. Why is this? Well, there are many reasons why vitamins and supplements work well for Chronic fatigue. Let’s take a closer look at vitamins and supplements and see why they work and why they’re important.

There’s a secret out there in the medical community that can help your Chronic fatigue symptoms get better. Many studies have been done to show that vitamins and supplements and help you alleviate the severity of your symptoms and create an environment optimal for your body to heal. This is why they work. This type of approach is necessary in individuals who want to eliminate Chronic fatigue from their lives and maintain wellness. It allows you to achieve a natural balance that your body craves at a cellular level to get better.

So, we’ve established the fact that vitamins and supplements are important but let’s take a look at the theory about why they are important.

Vitamins and supplements allow Chronic fatigue sufferers to avoid popping quick fix pills that don’t work to alleviate the problem. All the quick fix pills just mask the pain with a band aid type approach. They attempt to cover up the symptoms but don’t work at targeting the problem that is causing the symptoms. Using vitamins and supplements in a comprehensive program addresses the real problems of the body and address them and create the optimal chance for healing. So you can get rid of the many different Chronic fatigue bandaids or medicines and begin to realize real healing that works at the problem.

You can find a lot of the vitamins you need in good foods. Sometimes, however, your diet does not give your body enough of what you need. That’s why it’s important to be educated on what vitamins and supplements are good for Chronic fatigue sufferers and what’s the best way to get these into your system. Education on this is priceless.

There are many vitamins and supplements out there on the market. It is important for Chronic fatigue sufferers to know which ones work well for Fibrombyalgia and which do not. Also, it’s important to know which ones work well for your specific health concerns and which may not. The benefits of taking vitamins and supplements for Chronic fatigue include: less joint and muscle pain, less fatigue, more energy, improved ability to relax, fewer headaches, and more.

With a combination of vitamins and supplements with some lifestyle changes, you can get better. True wellness is correct health for the person affected and can be realized through this approach. It is not a band aid cover it up approach. It is true healing. For many years other cultures have used vitamins and supplements as an effective approach to diseases and conditions. Western medicine has seen a recent resurgence in these techniques because they work, and it works for Chronic fatigue sufferers as well.

There is hope and life after the fatigue.

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Chronic Fatigue No More-Find out more about this little known protein!
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Chronic fatigue, or myalgic encephalomyelitis, is a special and difficult type of ailment that is characterized by prolonged weariness that is not directly linked to any other serous medical condition.

Experts assert that it is a viral disease, because most of the reported cases occur after the patient has just gotten from a bout of other viral diseases, like cough, colds and influenza.

A patient suffering from chronic fatigue may experience the difficult symptoms of the disease for a few days. At its worst, chronic fatigue can last up to several weeks, especially it the illness is not appropriately treated.

Experts and researchers have established the usual symptoms that will indicate it’s onset among patients. These symptoms include: weight loss, tingling sensations, shortness of breath, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, night sweats, nausea, morning stiffness, jaw pain, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, diarrhea, chronic cough, alcohol intolerance, abdominal pain and bloating.

The patient is also expected to experience sleep disturbance, headaches, sore throat, inability to concentrate, enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits and neck, muscle soreness and great exhaustion following a regular exercise.

Chronic fatigue is divided into two types based on symptoms. The Sudded Onset type occurs abruptly and resembles a usual viral attack, similar to the symptoms of flu and other infection.

Gradual Onset manifests symptoms on a gradual pacing. Thus, patients acquiring this type of the disease don’t easily realize that they are already suffering from the viral ailment.

To know more about chronic fatigue requires knowledge about its origin. Among the usual causes pinpointed for the onset of chronic fatigue are: hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, low blood pressure, allergies, virus infection, dysfunction of the body’s immune system and iron deficiency anemia.

Hormonal changes in the adrenal glands, pituitary and hypothalamus are also cited for the onset of this disease.

Cure

There are numerous cures for chronic fatigue syndrome, but is advised that patients must consult their doctor before taking in any medication. Among the most common category of medications to treat it, anti-depressants are the most popular.

That is because anti-depressants surely help patients relax more even with their feeling of restlessness due to the onset of the viral disease.

However, there are also many forms of diet that can effectively help curtail the disease.

To start with, a patient can take a water cure diet. This form of diet is the simplest and can be easily executed as long as the patient is disciplined enough and determined.

The water cure diet would see that the patient must take water that is equivalent to half of the body’s weight. For example, the body weighs 150 lbs. The patient must then take ounces of water daily that is equivalent to 75 lbs.

It is also recommended that the patient take in at least a quarter of salt for about every quart of water that he drinks. The salt can also be used in food.

There is no restrictions in food intake, but the water cure diet restricts patients from drinking alcoholic and caffeinated beverages because they are diuretics.

Recommended food to include in diets

No special diets other than water cure is recommended for chronic fatigue patients. However, the patients are advised to avoid food groups that are considered toxic to the body.

These food group includes aspartame (a synthetic form of sugar), refined oils, food additives, chlorinated water, margarine and hydrogenated fats, junk foods, alcoholic and softdrinks and chocolates.

Instead, experts advise patients to include the following in their food intake: organic food, sea vegetables, olive oil, lemonade, maple syrup, seaweeds, vegetable juices, unrefined sea salt, and foods that are rich in essential fatty acids.

Knowledge of how the food replenishes the body will greatly help a patient understand more about the usual food and substances that are recommended to help the body cope up and recover from fatigue.

Sticking to the normal, healthy lifestyle would surely boost the function of the body’s immune system, making it more resistant to the future onset of the disease.

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www.fatigue-extreme.com Conseil sur la fatigue extreme. Solution pour combattre la grande fatigue, causes de fatigue extreme et vaincre la sensation de fatigue chronique. Comment avoir plus d’énergie.
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Experts say that fatigue is not just a physical experience â?? it is also psychological. It is defined as a state that usually follows a period of mental or physical activity (or both). When you experience fatigue, you have a hard time working efficiently, if at all. You also feel weary and irritable.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a far more severe condition than regular fatigue. Its symptoms can include intense pain, weakness of muscles, deterioration of brain function, disturbances in the digestive system, depression, hypersensitivity, and more. In the worse cases, people with chronic fatigue syndrome can suffer from various cardiac and respiratory troubles. Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome usually have very little stamina to handle life’s challenges.

Chronic fatigue syndrome has many various symptoms, and they should be identified early in order to find a remedy that works for you. People with chronic fatigue syndrome usually experience overpowering mental and physical exhaustion that cannot be relieved by rest or sleep. When a person shows these symptoms for six months or more, then he or she is diagnosed as having chronic fatigue syndrome.

Causes of Fatigue

1. Usually the muscles fatigue when the workout or the exercise is new to the body muscles. As the muscles and the body is not used to the new exercise the body muscles gets stressed.

2. When your lungs are in desperate need of oxygen after the workout but they are not supplied with enough oxygen the muscles start to fatigue.

3. If your skin has continuously sweated and you did not have enough intake of water or any liquid the muscles and the body starts to fatigue.

4. At times the muscles also fatigue if they reach their physical limit of the workout, which means that the muscles get exhausted due to the workout and the exercise which in turn causes the muscles to fatigue.

5. Muscle fatigue can also be caused because of calcium flow inside the muscle cells. At times tiny leaks of calcium in the muscle cells, which weakens the muscle contraction also causes the fatigue. The calcium that is leaked from the muscle cells stimulates an enzyme that directly attacks the muscle fibers and this damage of muscle fibers cause the fatigue.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

No single cause of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been found so the exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is unknown, healthcare practitioner will try to rule out other conditions that cause fatigue such as food allergies, viral infections and adrenal gland dysfunction. The symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are at least 6 month of disabling chronic fatigue which symptoms may include difficulty sleeping, lack of concentration, joint and muscle pain, mild fever, swollen lymph nodes and short term memory loss.

Changing the diet may help with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), avoid salt, sugar, stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, alcohol and eat little and often carbohydrates and fruit. Some individuals suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) found that exercise helped. This exercise has to be gradual and in very small amounts, one study found that an exercise of 30 minutes consisting of 3 minutes walking and 3 minutes resting was beneficial.

Treatment

Antibiotics and antifungal products. The same antibiotics used to remedy lyme disease and mycoplasma virus are sometimes prescribed to patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. The same is the case for antifungal drugs that are primarily used to treat yeast and fungus infections â?? they can be used, together with a low-carbohydrate diet, to treat chronic fatigue syndrome in some patients.

Food supplements. Food supplements or â??immune enhancersâ?? may help the chronic fatigue syndrome patient rebuild stamina. They are also used to cure viral infections that may be causing the fatigue in the first place.

Hormones. Doctors prescribe hormones for chronic fatigue syndrome patients who fall within a hormonally imbalanced category. They can be given steroids and thyroid hormones.

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The mystery behind Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), which affects some one in 100 Australians and millions of people worldwide, may finally be on the verge of being solved. Australian scientists believe the syndrome may actually be infection driven.

Complementary and alternative therapies may play an important role in the management of CFS, by helping to alleviate symptoms, and strengthen overall vitality. The most consistent finding with patients of CFS is decreased activity and number of natural killer cells6, immune cells that are involved in fight glandular fever and other viral infections.

Other immune cells can also be low in numbers.4,7 The natural approach to the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome involves a gentle process to help re-build the immune system. Herbs like Siberian and Korean ginseng, Green Oats, Gotu Kola and Damiana have a long history of use for low energy and debility.

They have a tonifying effect and can help restore energy levels and improve mental alertness. Korean Ginseng is particularly useful for enhancing stamina, endurance and assists in convalescence after illness.

Fish oil for a Tired Brain

A recent study showed improvement in cerebral and clinical symptoms on supplementation of omega-3 essential fatty acids over a 12-week period in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Studies involving essential fatty acids in patients with post-viral fatigue syndrome also showed great improvement in symptoms. Essential fatty acids help the body resist viral infections and have been shown as immune modulators in chronic fatigue syndrome.

REFERENCES

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Chronic fatigue syndrome: clinical practice guidelines. MJA 2002; 176:S17-S56. (Accessed 13 June 2005)

Mattson Porth C and Kunert MP. Pathophysiology: concepts of altered health states 6th ed. Sydney: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002:238, 239, 240

Murray MT and Pizzorno JE. Encyclopedia of natural medicine 2nd ed. Great Britain: Little, Brown, 1998:359, 360, 367

Tomas L. Chronic fatigue syndrome. J Comp Med 2005;4(3):12-22

Carruthers BM et al. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: clinical working case definition, diagnostic and treatment protocols. J Chron Fatig Synd 2003;11(1):11-13, 26

SOURCES 
Chronic fatigue is brain ‘hit and run’, smh.com.au. March 2, 2006.

Brain injury may cause chronic fatigue, abc.net.au, News in Science, Health and Medical, March 2, 2006.

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