I got today a question about chronic fatigue and whether when we get them [i assume clients] off sugar for 2 weeks, does this include natural sugar from fruit or purely refined sugar?
Chronic Fatigue is a more complicated issue than it used to be. 20 years ago, even 10 years ago, getting someone off sugar addiction was enough. Nowadays, our environment has changed dramatically and so there is a little more to intervene than just sugar addiction, although the issue of sugar addiction still remains most significant.
So No. 1 is of course, stress. as in the answer i posted to Camneron’s question about energy, stress plays a major role in chronic fatigue as it depletes the adrenals, and then the thyroid… and then a host of other issues appear. A good documentary i recommended to see is the The Thyroid Secret which indirectly or even directly applies to chronic fatigue.
then No. 2 Sugar, sugar addiction, and gut health. To get someone off sugar addiction one has to be off sugar completely for 2-4 weeks depending on how bad is the addiction. No fruit, no honey, no soft drinks, and no artificial sweeteners (no soda). For how dangerous sodas is watch the documentary “Sweet Misery” i posted under the Videos Forum. No sugar added in anything (not even salad dressing). The body will throw a tantrum initially, craving sugar, therefore the sugar has to be replaced by healthy fats. Eating avocados, healthy nuts (check for allergy – many people cannot tolerate peanut butter for example), but almond butter, grass-fed source organic butter, avocado oil, olive oil, mac nuts, coconut oil, etc.
Clean Stevia extract, minimally processed in small amount (Stevia liquid not processed Stevia as in Truvia or other brand names, etc., is OK) – see my answer to Deb in Videos Forum. (https://adrianajames.com/forums/topic/the-truth-about-vaccines/)
Therefore, with the caveat that this should not be interpreted as medical advice since i am not an MD and i have no intention of offering any medical; advice and if someone has problems with Chronic fatigue they should visit their health care provider, i can only share what i found out and provide it as information only.
According to this article https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/07/20/chronic-fatigue-syndrome.aspx Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) can be debilitating, causing sufferers to experience unrelenting fatigue no matter how much rest they get. Other symptoms are related to pain and an inflammatory response throughout your body. The medical term for the condition is myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
So, there are immediately some labels applied on some set of symptoms. However, there are a bunch of symptoms of ME/CFS which can vary widely from one individual to the next and which include Overwhelming Exhaustion that worsens with physical or mental energy expenditure and does not get better with rest. Other symptoms may include Muscle pain, Palpitations, Fainting, Enlarged glands, Intermittent flu-like symptoms, Memory problems, Headaches, Difficulty sleeping, Difficulty concentrating, Irritable bowel-like symptoms, Food intolerance, Mood swings, Hypersensitivity to light and noise, Temperature control, Gastrointestinal problems and others.
These symptoms can be but do not have to be as a result of the “Chronic Fatigue”. This is why i keep saying that we need to learn HOW to think critically about issues affecting all of us. These are real symptoms and we cannot 1. just “take a magic pill”and get rid of them and 2. should not ignore.
That being said, every one of the above-mentioned symptoms can have other causes unrelated to Chronic fatigue, however they are all part of what people experience when they are labeled with chronic fatigue.
Then the question is what to do?
Here are some ideas coming off articles i read in time – aside from getting off sugar (according to Dr. Mercola less than 25 Grams of fructose/day). The following are from the previous article a liked to above, but are not unique to Dr. Mercola. I have foind them over and over, talking to Mds, especially Functional Medicine Doctors, Naturopathic Doctors, Homeopathic Doctors,etc. I quote Dr, Mercola here because it is very succinct and to the point. Also read the answer i gave Cameron above in relation to the energy in the body.
“Recent research links an alteration in your gut microbiome, resulting in loss of bacteria and waste products from your intestines, to an increased inflammatory response in the body. Neurological changes found in individuals with ME/CFS are also linked to inflammation, possibly the result of changes in your gut.
While improving the health of your intestinal walls and gut microbiome may not eliminate your symptoms, it will likely improve them. Practical changes to your nutritional plan may help heal the gaps in your intestinal membranes.
• Avoid gluten and wheat products: in the U.S., we’re told to increase our whole wheat consumption as a part of a balanced diet and to increase fiber. However, this may actually be damaging your gut health. Gliadins, a component of gluten, are a class of protein found in wheat and cereals. These proteins increase the permeability of your gut.17 Keep in mind that gluten can also be found in other grains, not just wheat.
Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) is a lectin, or plant protein found in high concentration in seed form. Bread wheat is a relatively new form of wheat that has a resilient and problematic form of WGA.18 It plays a key role in a toxic effect on your kidneys, and there is evidence it increases the damage to your intestinal membrane walls.
• Reduce your net carbs: the carbohydrate sugar, like grains, will upset the balance of microbes in your gut. Sugar is the food source for bacteria that can prompt damage to your intestinal walls, while fiber is the food source for bacteria that build your intestinal membranes.
Your net carbs are the total grams of carbohydrates you’ve eaten in a day, minus the grams of fiber you’ve eaten. The difference is your net carbs. Seek to reduce your net carbs to 50 grams per 1,000 calories of food eat each day.
• Increase your fiber intake: the fiber you eat from whole foods is the nutrient source for bacteria in your gut that help maintain and build the membrane cells in your intestinal walls. This helps to seal the “gaps” between the cells and reduces any leakage of waste products and bacteria into your blood stream. Focus on eating whole food vegetables, nuts and seeds, such as:
Chia seeds, Almonds, Beans (if one tolerates them well), Berries, Cauliflowers, Green beans, Peas, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Onions, Sweet potatoes, Psyllium husk, Flax seeds, (Red but not only) Beets, Parsnips, Turnips
• Eat fermented foods: although the idea of eating “fermented” foods may sound distasteful, you might be surprised by the list of tasty delicacies produced through this ancient preparation and preservation technique. By breaking down carbohydrates and proteins using bacteria, foods become functional, delicious and a source of natural probiotics to feed your gut.
Olives (careful with the vinegar in olives), pickles, grass-fed cheese (if one tolerates milk products), homemade yogurt and sauerkraut are just a few of the foods you may not have considered. Kefir, Kombucha (unsweetened) are also good for remaking the intestinal flora.
A good quality probiotic supplemet can:
• Produce lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and other compounds naturally antagonistic to undesirable microorganisms and yeast†
• Interfere with binding of undesirable microorganisms to the intestinal mucosa†
• Compete with undesirable microorganisms for nutrients
• Produce short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) that nourish the colon†
• Support innate and acquired immune defense mechanisms†
• Promote healthy inflammatory response†
• Improve immunological gut barrier function†
• Synthesize vitamin K and B vitamins
Sugar consumption destroys all these beneficial bacteria in the gut, and produce antagonistic results compared to what should be a healthy gut.
there is far more to say about this issue, and i know the question i received was not even this complex, but i feel like i would be cheating you if i did not give you my best thoughts and tell you at least a little of how to think when you have clients presenting you with issues like this one.
Therefore, below i will provide of you a bunch of links. If you really want to know. you will start your own research, and thus learn how to think correctly about hour and your clients health, chronic fatigue and energy issues.
In conclusion, there is a direct relationship between the sugar intake, the gut health, inflammation and Chronic Fatigue. As i mentioned in my answer to Deb in another post, in the old Hawaii, there was a saying that enlightenment begins in the gut. In translation the gut health is majorly responsible for the level of energy (opposite of fatigue) we experience. I would venture to say that all people on the planet today have gut problems because of the environment in which we live. Of course, as i am not an MD, this remains only an opinion.
A high quality probiotic supplement can also help.
Keep in mind that a high quality probiotic must contain a high dosage of different strands of beneficial bacteria as:
Lactobacillus rhamnosus 6.0 billion CFU *
Bifidobacterium bifidum 5.0 billion CFU *
Lactobacillus acidophilus 3.0 billion CFU *
Lactobacillus casei 2.5 billion CFU *
Lactobacillus plantarum 2.0 billion CFU *
Lactobacillus salivarius 2.0 billion CFU *
Bifidobacterium longum 1.0 billion CFU *
Streptococcus thermophilus 1.0 billion CFU *
Lactobacillus bulgaricus 1.0 billion CFU *
Lactobacillus paracasei 0.5 billion CFU *
Bifidobacterium lactis 0.5 billion CFU *
Bifidobacterium breve 0.5 billion CFU *
The above example and the amount of CFU is provided as an example only. Keep in mind that i am not selling any probiotic, nor am i advertising any particular brand. For your information CFU stands for “colony forming units” that you need and that depends on a number of things.
For general good health, most experts recommend between 6 to 10 billion cfu each day.
For a specific minor health problem a dose of around 20 to 30 billion is often used.
For a major health problem you need to be guided by your personal health professional.
As you begin your research and understanding on how to think about these issues, it is important that you don’t freak out. Many of the symptoms presented to us are things that we encounter ourselves and are temporary or due to other transitory factors. That doe not mean we are sick. These are common symptoms, however if we are wise and take precautionary measures we can protect our good health and energy levels.
I would advise you to read and research the following articles. There are just a few of the hundreds of articles and studies i read during the last 10-15 years. But you need to begin somewhere. I provide them only as information not as an endorsement of their respective authors. I am also not necessarily recommending or endorsing the products mentioned in the articles, as to say that one product is beneficial to everyone would be a grave mistake. Everyone is different. I am of the opinion that you need to become so informed and knowledgeable of your own body responses, that you are your main doctor. Therefore the more you know and understand, the more you can do for your own health and for others you are trying to help. I will post more links and useful videos on this topic under the Videos Forum.
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/primer-chronic-fatigue-syndrome
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/05/most-common-cause-of-fatigue-that-is-missed-or-misdiagnosed-by-doctors.aspx
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/millions-globally-could-be-suffering-vaccine-induced-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cau
https://www.naturalnews.com/042356_chronic_fatigue_syndrome_ayurvedic_medicine_herbal_treatments.html
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/12/22/dr-holick-vitamin-d-benefits.aspx
It can get even worse in time if this sugar issue is not attended to:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/02/22/link-between-sugar-and-alzheimers.aspx?utm_source=prnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20180222Z1_UCM&et_cid=DM187795&et_rid=221306647
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/05/10/chronic-fatigue-parkinsons-linked-to-gut-microbiome.aspx