Chronic fatigue syndrome: natural treatments that help

“I’m tired of saying that I’m tired, but it’s the reality.” This phrase reflects the main complaint of people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a situation that seriously affects the physical, mental and emotional health of those who suffer from it. Frequently, you must leave work due to the impossibility of performing daily tasks.

Changes in lifestyle, certain medicinal plants adaptogens such as Rhodiola, Functional Foods such as nutritional mushrooms and berries, and receive a therapeutic and psycho-emotional accompaniment customized can provide significant relief with improvement of the quality of life of the people who suffer this situation.

Chronic fatigue syndrome or just plain tiredness?

CFS cases are complex due to the variety of satellite manifestations that can converge with chronic fatigue, among them, hormonal imbalances, autoimmune conditions, hypersensitivity, difficult-to-manage pain such as fibromyalgia cases.

The first cases of chronic fatigue syndrome began to be diagnosed as postviral fatigue syndromes, with extreme physical and mental exhaustion, body pain, and fever. For this reason it was called PostViral Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (SFCPV) and also Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (MS), a name that caused confusion and fear because it coincided with Multiple Sclerosis and focused only on pain. Finally the most accepted name is SFC.

A case is considered to be CFS when fatigue lasts for more than six consecutive months, It is not a consequence of physical exercise and is not relieved by rest.

However, if after a few days of rest, such as on vacation, vitality and energy return to smiling on us, then, even if we have been feeling tired for a long time and we think that it is a chronic situation (because it is prolonged), it is not we probably have “chronic fatigue”.

Fatigue in the case of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has the characteristic that “it is not relieved by rest or by rest.” Those long-awaited vacations do not produce the desired effect and we find no objective or subjective reason to be so tired. Since the 1990s, CFS has affected women more than men globally.

As defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta (USA), we would be facing a CFS case when:

Fatigue lasts for more than six consecutive months, when it is not a consequence of physical activity and is not relieved by rest. Discomfort after physical exercise lasts more than 24 hours without variation.diseases have been ruled out or pre-existing conditions or similar symptoms. Four or more symptoms coincide, apart from fatigue, persistently or with relapses or exacerbations for six consecutive months.

Natural treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome

He natural and comprehensive therapeutic approach to chronic fatigue syndrome Its objectives are the modulation of the central control system and the normalization of organic and tissue functional fatigue through mainly adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, immune system modulating and revitalizing actions.

This comprehensive therapeutic approach to CFS involves two main points: the regulation of the causes and the functional axis of the central control system according to the theory The Liver Link (which is based on the application of the basic theory of Chinese medicine to conventional pathophysiology in order to search for causes, explanations and therapeutic guidelines mainly, but not only, for women’s health challenges) and personalized support for demonstrations.

There are different natural substances that can help, among which are natural adaptogens showing global action on the central control system as: Rhodiola rosea, Ganoderma lucidum, Astragalus membranaceus, Lentinula edodes or Poria cocos.

Functional foods like turmeric and ginger that offer analgesic actions in target tissues normally affected, such as the digestive and locomotor systems.

Within functional foods, it is worth noting the moduloinflammatory, desensitizing and fruit antioxidant such as: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, papaya that provide bioflavonoids, vitamins and minerals such as zinc, copper, magnesium clearly necessary for obtaining energy.

Nuts are an excellent nutritional and energy option, if there is no sensitivity towards them.

Intestinal flora care

The care of the intestinal flora and the rest of the biota of cavities and mucous membranes is key because in addition favors the lymphatic system, immune balanceand brain functions. For this, it is important to select quality foods, free of toxins, easily digestible, rich in nutrients and enzymes.

It is interesting to highlight this contribution from foods of plant origin and also the nutritional mushrooms and mushrooms such as Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) or oyster mushroom (Pleorotus sp.) that can be incorporated into the diet cooked with garlic and ginger to enhance their actions. Mushrooms and fungi offer a prebiotic, detoxifying and immunomodulatory action, as well as antioxidant micronutrients and enzyme catalysts such as catalases and peroxidases. Probiotics provided with fermented foods or probiotic strains facilitate synergy with prebiotics and thus care for underlying inflammation.

certain cases may require an enzymatic supply of digestive enzymes in complement mode which will help to avoid fermentation and acidification in the internal environment, to maintain the integrity of the intestinal wall and to facilitate the obtaining of energy, tissue repair and the creation of neurotransmitters and mediating coenzymatic substances.

Within the natural treatment we can also highlight the use of acupuncture that can promote agility in movement, sleep quality, biological resilience and normalization of global functions.

As the overall balance gradually recovers, the person with CFS perceives a greater sense of vitality and physical energy, their mood improves, and they begin to face life with more enthusiasm and less fatigue.

Manifestations of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

CFS can manifest itself in various ways, but they all have in common the intense fatigue, both physical and mental, that is not relieved by rest.

The variety of signs and symptoms in CFS is so peculiar that I often mention chronic fatigue and “its cut off manifestations.” For all these reasons, I also use the name Multiple Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (MCFS).

Some of the forms of CFS are quite complex because conditions that seem unconnected to us occur simultaneously. In fact the people affected tend to think they have different diseases at the same time and they have nothing to do with each other. In social media groups we read comments like this: “And now I’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease, now rheumatoid arthritis, now fibromyalgia, now depression, now I have allergies, and now Sjogren’s syndrome, and now autoimmune thyroiditis.”

People with CFS They may suffer hormonal problems such as thyroid disorders, alterations in cortisol, estrogen, progesterone and/or prolactin levels. Likewise, they may suffer from another series of conditions such as: endometriosis, fibrocystic mastopathy, polycystic ovaries, fibroids, dry mouth, eyes and/or skin, which is more difficult to treat than if there were no CFS.

The immune system is unbalanced can simultaneously lead to allergic or autoimmune hypersensitivity reactions: various allergies, chemical sensitivity, electromagnetic sensitivity, food intolerances, rheumatoid arthritis or autoimmune thyroiditis and weak immune system to defend against infections bacterial such as colibacillosis; persistent mycoses such as vaginal and/or intestinal candidiasis; Viral viruses such as those related to EBV, CMV, HHV, HCV, SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses that can become chronic, creating postviral syndromes with their reactivations.

In this context, it is common to also find:

AnxietyDepressionInsomniaConstipation or diarrheaPersistent pain such as fibromyalgiaMigrainesDifficult-to-manage diabetesMemory lossDecreased ability to concentrate and learn,Physical clumsiness and mental cloudiness…

The presence of CFS permeates these conditions that we name with a more complex characteristic: that is, a person can suffer from rheumatoid arthritis but if it occurs in a CFS context the situation is more complex.

It is not uncommon for people with CFS to have an impaired ability to perform their daily activities; some even have to leave their job and require help with regular tasks.