Chronic fatigue syndrome is a tricky condition that can be life altering with no clear medical solution in sight.
The good news is that holistic nutrition is a great way to help reduce the symptoms that often accompany chronic fatigue syndrome.
It’s not uncommon for those studying for a diploma in holistic nutrition to begin their path into holistic nutrition after the medical establishment failed to address their health concerns.
If you’re dealing with chronic fatigue syndrome, you’re not alone.
But whether you’re considering a career in holistic nutrition or you’re already a holistic nutritionist looking to improve your knowledge with nutrition courses, an Edison Institute education can help prepare you with solutions for both yours and your clients’ chronic fatigue syndrome.
Now, let’s find out more.
What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition that is characterized by abnormal fatigue, general inflammation, and multi systemic neuropathology.
Typically, the fatigue following a hard or strenuous activity will resolve after a period of rest.
This sense of fatigue never goes away if you have chronic fatigue syndrome.
It is extreme exhaustion that often makes it very difficult to get out of bed.
Plus, chronic fatigue syndrome can be very difficult for medical doctors to diagnose because they will run tests that may determine your various levels are normal and arrive at the conclusion that your condition may be mental instead of physical.
This is almost never the case, however.
There are ways to address chronic fatigue syndrome with holistic nutrition.
Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The main symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is extreme fatigue after a physical or mental activity.
This fatigue can last for several days and even trigger a period of prolonged fatigue lasting months.
Other symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome can include:
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Cognitive difficulties
- Noise and smell sensitivity
- Digestive disturbances
- Depression
What Causes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
The exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is unclear.
It can be caused by infection, hormonal imbalance, and immune system problems.
Many people who have chronic fatigue syndrome will often identify that an intense infection, a vaccine or a dental procedure often happened prior to the beginning of their chronic fatigue syndrome.
As a result, if you’re interested in helping those who struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome, it’s a good idea to add live blood cell microscopy imaging training to your holistic nutrition training.
Who’s At Risk Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Just like there’s no clear cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, there’s no clear group of people directly at risk of chronic fatigue syndrome.
But, it seems to primarily affect adults from socially disadvantaged groups between twenty and forty years of age.
Using Holistic Nutrition As Treatment For Chronic Fatigue
Holistic nutrition is a great resource to help combat chronic fatigue.
Eating a chronic fatigue diet can help to manage the syndrome and boost your energy as much as possible.
Plus, addressing any nutrient deficiencies will help to reduce muscle pain.
It’ll involve some trial and error to discover what foods work best for your body, but it’s worth it to understand how food affects your body.
Now, let’s dive into some holistic nutrition strategies for chronic fatigue.
1. Eat An Anti Inflammatory Diet
Eating an anti-inflammatory diet can improve symptoms of fatigue.
This is especially true if you are currently eating a pro-inflammatory diet – like a diet high in sugar, which may be contributing to your chronic fatigue syndrome.
Some examples of a balanced, anti-inflammatory diet include:
- Grass fed/pasture raised proteins
- Polyphenol rich vegetables
- Omega‑3 fatty acid rich foods
Together, these foods might offer relief from fatigue symptoms.
2. Supplement With Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 is a common antioxidant dietary supplement that can relieve symptoms of chronic fatigue.
It has been shown to significantly reduce fatigue levels associated with chronic illnesses and is well tolerated by the body.
3. Supplement With Acetyl L‑Carnitine
L‑carnitine is an amino acid moves your fatty acids into your mitochondria, which is the place within your cells where energy is created.
Fatigue can sometimes be caused if you’re low in L‑carnitine, because then your body struggles to transport your fatty acids, which then inhibits your energy production.
L‑carnitine also removes lactic acid from your cells.
People with chronic fatigue syndrome often have a buildup of lactic acid in their cells, which L‑carnitine helps with.
It’s also worth noting that vegetarians have a higher risk of L‑carnitine deficiency, because they’re naturally found in animal proteins.
In these cases, supplementation is essential.
4. Supplement With Magnesium
Magnesium is a great supplement to take whether you have chronic fatigue or not.
It comes from leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, and some seafood.
Often, the levels of magnesium in your body are not enough to meet the demand of your body.
This happens because you probably get way more calcium than magnesium.
Magnesium is required for the absorption of Calcium otherwise calcium can end in soft tissue where you do not want it to go. Most people do have sufficient calcium, it is magnesium that is deficient.
Magnesium and calcium are opposites: magnesium helps your muscles to relax, while calcium helps your muscles to contract.
They’re both essential to the production of energy, so you have to make sure to get enough.
Bananas are a great source of magnesium
5. Supplement With B‑Complex Vitamins
Finally, a B‑complex vitamin is a great supplement to take if you have chronic fatigue syndrome.
It is especially important if you are also a vegetarian or vegan because those diets are typically low in vitamin B12.
In your B‑complex vitamin, if you have chronic fatigue syndrome, you’ll want to make sure that the vitamin B12 is in its methylated form: methylcobalamin.
This is the easiest form for your body to absorb.
It’s also worth noting that if you have chronic fatigue syndrome, there’s a good chance you also have decreased stomach acid, irritable bowel syndrome or another gut-related pathology.
This will significantly interrupt your absorption of the B12, it is more effective to get your vitamin B12 through a sublingual form that is absorbed in the tissues of the mouth.
Contact The Edison Institute Of Nutrition Today
There you have some holistic solutions to combating chronic fatigue syndrome.
There are a number of ways that diet and supplementation can help to reduce fatigue symptoms.
As a holistic nutritionist, you should be prepared to help clients who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome.
Here at The Edison Institute Of Nutrition, we’ll prepare you for everything you need to know about providing nutritional solutions for chronic fatigue syndrome, and a wide variety of other health conditions as well.
If you’re considering a career change, contact The Edison Institute Of Nutrition today — we’ll help you understand your options and empower you with the information you need to make the right decision for your life.
