Natural Cures for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a medical condition that causes extreme tiredness and alters a person’s ability to carry out everyday tasks. Often, the fatigue is not relieved by rest and is not caused by any other underlying medical conditions. Some studies suggest that genetic and biological factors may play a role in the cause of chronic fatigue – but CFS is not yet completely understood. Since chronic fatigue syndrome is an ambiguous disease it can be hard to manage, treat and cure. If you have been suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome there are several lifestyle changes you can make to alleviate the severity of your symptoms. Below we offer a few ways on how to naturally manage your chronic fatigue syndrome.

First, the symptoms

Before we give you some natural alternatives for treating your chronic fatigue syndrome, we will outline some of the most common symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome:

• General malaise and unwell feeling even after a night of restful sleep.
• Muscle, joint, and throat pain that does not seem to have been caused by an underlying sickness such as the flu or common cold.
• Overall physical exhaustion that is not relieved by rest.
• Increased sensitivity to light, sounds and pungent smells.
• Irritability, depression and significant decrease in quality of life.

If you have been experiencing any of these symptoms for a period of three months or longer you may be suffering with chronic fatigue syndrome. It is always best to check with your specialist before attempting to treat chronic fatigue on your own. After receiving a proper diagnosis, you can start to adjust your life accordingly.

Light exercise

It is a good idea if you are suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome to incorporate a moderate amount of light exercise into your daily routine. Light stretching, walking and low impact yoga are good choices. Refrain from any exercise that is too intense or will wear your body out to the point of over exhaustion. The goal is to strike a balance between being moderately active while staying sensitive to your medical condition. Start by doing 20 minutes of light stretching, or walking just three times a week.

Balanced diet

A balanced diet complete with complex carbs, lean proteins and lots of veggies is beneficial for everyone’s health. If you are suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, eating the right foods can play a vital role in keeping your energy levels to at least a manageable level. When you are fighting against fatigue it is important to stay away from refined sugar and carbs, which may give you an initial energy boost in the beginning but will cause you to crash quickly. It is a good idea to also avoid artificial sweeteners that contain aspartame. Aspartame can cause a reaction in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, often intensifying symptoms. If you want to adjust your diet in order to relieve symptoms of CFS, try to eat a low carb diet that consists of mostly organic greens and lean proteins.

People suffering from CFS often suffer from low amounts of sodium due to insufficient adrenal gland production, so it is a good idea to increase the amount of salt in your diet. Another important factor to take into account is to try and eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Eating smaller meals will help to keep your energy levels balanced and you will avoid the after meal slump that can occur after eating large amounts.

Join a support group

If you are suffering from CFS, try reaching out to a local support group in your neighbourhood. If you are working with a specialist or alternative practitioner to treat your CFS, ask them for recommendations. Support groups bring together people that are suffering from a common disease. It is often led by a therapist or an expert in the particular area of concern, and can be a great way to receive support on a personal level. Support groups are often free of charge so they can be incredibly beneficial for those who do not have the funds to seek out other forms of medical treatment. One of the greatest advantages of support groups is that you will realise that you are not alone in the fight against CFS. It will show you that many people are also suffering with chronic fatigue syndrome and will offer you the support and tools to manage it on a daily basis.