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How Can Integrative Medicine Support Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a collection of symptoms dominated by ongoing fatigue which isn’t alleviated by resting - in other words chronic exhaustion. The condition is complex and can be debilitating.

You might feel foggy-headed, with your symptoms worsening after even mild activity. You may have memory and concentration issues, painful joints, sore throat, swollen glands, dizziness and sleeping problems. Symptoms usually fluctuate without any discernible pattern.

You might also see the term ME, short for myalgic encephalitis, being used interchangeably with CFS. ME has similar symptoms to CFS, but it’s accompanied by chronic inflammation.

Many people find the unpredictability of the condition incredibly frustrating, with chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis often taking many years.

Conventional Approach to CFS

There is no specific medical test to diagnose CFS. Traditionally, drugs like painkillers or antidepressants are prescribed to mask symptoms. However, these don’t address the root causes of the condition, and conventional medicine has yet to come up with answers to CFS.

What are the Root Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

There are many potential factors which may lie behind CFS, and these are unique to each person.

At its heart, a condition known as mitochondrial dysfunction is the physiological root of CFS. Every cell of your body needs energy to function, and the mitochondria are the tiny parts of your body’s cells responsible for making this energy. When mitochondria aren’t performing optimally, cells all around the body, in essence, slow down.

The condition often, but not always, follows a viral infection, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, herpes virus or the bacterium causing Lyme’s disease. It can also be triggered by environmental toxins such as pesticides, moulds, or heavy metals.

Does Gut Health Affect Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Gut health is a priority area in Functional Medicine. The bacteria within your gut microbiome form an incredibly complex ecosystem having a significant influence on your physical and mental health.

Beneficial species of bacteria release anti-inflammatory substances, while less favourable bacteria release chemicals provoking ongoing inflammation. An imbalance of bacteria, known as dysbiosis, can adversely affect your immune system, too. Many situations contribute to intestinal dysbiosis, including medications, diet, stress, and past infections.

If inflammation rumbles on unabated, it can further damage the mitochondria. Other chemicals released by unhealthy gut bacteria travel down the superhighway running from your gut to your brain, leading to brain fog.

Over time, unfavourable bacteria can damage your intestinal lining, which then loses its selectivity. When this happens, toxins destined for the outside world may pass through into your bloodstream, making extra work for your liver.

An unhealthy digestive lining tends to set the stage for food allergies and intolerances, plus it will become less efficient at absorbing nutrients from your food. Certain nutrients are incredibly important for energy production, including magnesium, B vitamins and iron. Testing for nutrient deficiencies in cases of CFS can therefore be useful.

Can Hormone Imbalances Contribute to CFS?

Hormones produced by your adrenal glands regulate sleep and your body’s response to stress, while thyroid hormones are responsible for energy production. They are overseen by your brain’s hypothalamus, which regulates your endocrine system. Imbalances in how these glands work together and produce their hormones is known as HPA axis dysfunction, and it’s often triggered by chronic stress.

Testing hormones over a 24-hour period can be useful to discover any patterns of imbalances.

German New Medicine for CFS

Richard Laker specialises in German New Medicine (GNM). This approach regards diseases as serving a specific purpose – nature’s repair process. GNM works on the basis that a disease is triggered by an unanticipated traumatic experience. This then sets in motion a Special Biological Program (SBP) instigated by the brain.

When these traumatic events, known as conflict shocks, are left unresolved, the body needs to subconsciously deal with them. This can lead to diseases and chronic ill health issues.

In the case of chronic fatigue, sufferers experience extreme loss of energy. This can be seen as nature’s way of preventing the person from going or continuing in the wrong direction. In fact, the onset of fatigue often physically stops the sufferer in their tracks. The shocking and isolating experience is feeling derailed. People may feel as though they have made the wrong decision or have been headed in the wrong direction, and have negative feelings provoked by declining health. Sometimes they might feel as though they’ve invested time and money in a particular therapy which appears to have had no positive results. These thoughts are usually subconscious.

CFS is closely related to the health of the adrenal glands. Long-term conflict in your life can lead to adrenal burnout. On the other hand, in cases of CFS seemingly occurring without any definable cause, GNM will seek to discover the event that has set this process in motion. By working to fully understand what has happened, the sufferer can start to move in the right direction again.

GNM offers a new understanding of physiology, helping to explain why diseases occur. This knowledge can help inform the actions needed to restore the body to its repair and healing mode. This approach is particularly useful to help understand why chronic fatigue sometimes persists even after addressing external factors like gut health or toxin exposure, or despite adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Integrative Medicine to Support Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Because there are potentially many factors behind ongoing fatigue, the starting point will be an in-depth consultation. Your initial consultation will highlight areas of concern, alongside specific therapies or approaches appropriate to your individual situation. After all, it’s only by getting to the root causes of your condition – whether connected with your mind, body or spirit - can they be put right.

Your therapist will recommend nutrients, foods and lifestyle strategies to support your body, especially your gut, adrenal glands, and liver.

Your initial consultation will also highlight appropriate functional tests to highlight specific issues. For example, a blood test can reveal any latent viruses lingering in your system, while other tests can discover how your mitochondria are performing or whether your hormones or microbiome are out of balance.

We will listen to you and take you seriously. Want to know more? Book a discovery call today.

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