How To Structure A Ketogenic Diet For Those With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
To overcome CFS, you need to get your nutrition dialed in. You need to be on a ketogenic diet. There is no way around this fact. But the way you get there does not have to be a struggle.
If your current diet is a standard Canadian/American/European diet, I recommend you start with our 30-day fatigue reset diet. Do this before you jump into the ketogenic diet. It will make your transition into ketosis so much easier.
If youre already following a whole food or paleo-ish diet, youre ready to embark on the road to ketosis. Read on to learn how.
Housebound Or Bedbound With Me/cfs
About 25% of people with ME/CFS are housebound or bedbound. Those who are housebound may be able to undertake minimal daily tasks for themselves, such as brushing teeth, cooking or using a computer for short periods of time, but they have to pace their activity and often use aids to help them . They are unable to leave the house, often because this requires more energy than they have available. When they do leave the house, they often need mobility aids such as a wheelchair or mobility scooter, or other assistance . Recovery from a trip out of the house can take days, or longer.
Some people are so severely unwell that they are bedbound some or all of the time. The most severely unwell may be unable to undertake even simple tasks, like eating or going to the toilet by themselves. They may require additional medical devices, such as feeding tubes, to help them get enough nutrition and fluids, and can be totally dependent on carers.
How Can Chronic Fatigue Be Prevented
Because a number of different viruses and bacterial infections have been identified as triggers for CFS, preventing the disease remains somewhat difficult. Keeping healthy by eating nutritious foods and taking regular exercise helps build a healthy immune system. Taking time out for adequate rest when a virus or bacterial infection hits makes sense and will increase a persons chance of full recovery sooner.
Researchers have found that CFS is associated with problems involving:
- The bodys ability to produce and transport energy
- The immune, neurological, and hormonal systems
- Viral or other infections
- Blood pressure, the circulatory, and cardiac systems
- Adequate digestion of food, and
- Biochemical abnormalities.
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Home Remedies And Lifestyle Changes
Making some lifestyle changes may help reduce your symptoms.
Limiting or eliminating your caffeine intake can help you sleep better and ease your insomnia. You should limit or avoid nicotine and alcohol too.
Try to avoid napping during the day if its hurting your ability to sleep at night.
Create a sleep routine. Go to bed at the same time every night and aim to wake up around the same time every day.
Vitamins As Treatment For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
All developed countries of the world has chronic fatigue syndrome. People force their selves beyond their limits. People work hard but may not care for their mental and physical health. If people take proper diet and food they can be healthy. Moreover, vitamins are a treatment for the chronic fatigue syndrome. Natural diet and healthy food would reduce the symptoms of the chronic fatigue syndrome.
Chronic tiredness is not a simple problem. The person may not be diagnosed with any disorder. But the patient face problems in doing day to day tasks. A person who eats healthy and natural diet for the chronic fatigue syndrome can improve the health in no time. Deficiency of nutrients cause basic health issues, such as muscle pain, headaches. This is a reason, doctors prescribe vitamins as treatment for the chronic fatigue syndrome.
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Putting It All Together
Ive been using Doctors Best High Absorption Magnesium for over a year and love the value for money offered in this supplement. It has shown to have beneficial effects on my tight muscles, my energy levels and improved sleep quality.
The price is great for a quality supplement and Doctors Best High Absorption Magnesium doesnt give me the nasty digestive side effects I experienced from other magnesium supplements. If for any reason I run out of this supplement, I really feel the difference not taking it has on my body. My muscles get tight and Im definitely not as chilled.
Please feel free to leave a comment or ask any questions you may have.
Are Supplements For Chronic Fatigue Safe
The main advantage of using supplements to treat chronic fatigue is that it is 100% safe. Many dietary supplements contain natural ingredients sourced from plant and animal products. However, people react differently to various supplements hence it is always a good idea to consult your doctor to rule out any negative side effects.
Possible side effects associated with supplements are minimal and usually subside after a few hours or days. Some of the most common side effects one may notice include:
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Diagnosis And Treatment For Me/cfs
Currently, there is no single test to diagnose ME/CFS. Doctors make a diagnosis by excluding all other illnesses that might be causing symptoms and following accepted diagnostic criteria. The persons results from routine medical tests will often be normal, but additional tests may show abnormalities.
Drug And Alternative Therapies
Specific chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms such as pain, depression, and poor sleep are treated.
Many different drugs and alternative therapies have been tried to relieve the chronic fatigue itself. Although many treatments, such as antidepressants and corticosteroids, seem to make a few people feel better, none are clearly effective for all. It can be hard for people and doctors to tell which treatments work because symptoms are different in different people and because symptoms may come and go on their own.
Controlled clinical trials The Science of Medicine Doctors have been treating people for many thousands of years. The earliest written description of medical treatment is from ancient Egypt and is over 3,500 years old. Even before that, healers… read more , which compare the benefits of a drug to those of a placebo , are the best way to test therapies, and no drug therapy has been shown to be effective for the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome in controlled trials. A number of treatments directed at possible causes, including use of interferons, intravenous injections of immune globulin, and antiviral drugs, have been mostly disappointing and potentially dangerous. Dietary supplements, such as evening primrose oil, fish oil supplements, and high-dose vitamins, are commonly used, but their benefits remain unproved. Other alternative treatments have also been ineffective. Treatments that have no proven benefits are best avoided because they can have side effects.
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Chronic Fatigue: Top 8 Nutrient Deficiencies And Solutions
Do you often feel tired, worn out, drained or depleted? Have these symptoms persisted to the point that being fatigued is part of your life? Chronic fatigue is a common complaint of the people we coach at DrJockers.com.
Chronic fatigue can seriously affect a persons quality of life and wellbeing. It can negatively impact all aspects of their life including family life, social relationships, and work performance.
Fatigue can be a symptom of numerous health conditions such as hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, and anemia. It is often related to poor diet and lifestyle factors. Therefore, addressing poor dietary habits and lifestyle factors is a critical first step.
Data Sources And Searches
The databases PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Knowledge, and PsycINFO were systematically searched. Articles published between January 1st 1994 and 1990, for CFS and FMS respectively, and March 1st 2017 were included. We focused on the most recent diagnostic guidelines, namely the International Center of Disease Control diagnostic criteria for CFS that was established in 1994 , and the American College of Rheumatology criteria for FMS in 1990 . To retrieve relevant articles from PubMed, we formulated a search string that consisted of CFS, FMS, and synonyms, vitamins, minerals, micronutrients and synonyms, while excluding systematic reviews or animal studies. This search string was adapted according to the thesaurus of the databases EMBASE, Web of Knowledge, and PsycINFO. All included studies were screened for potential references that were not included in the first search. Duplicates were removed, as well as studies including pediatric participants. There were no language restrictions included non-English articles were translated by native speakers.
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How Energy Supplements Work
People often believe that energy supplements are a quick fix or a miracle cure for chronic fatigue. The truth is that they only provide your body with the tools it needs to function and feel its best.
Supplements are not a substitute for a healthy diet, lifestyle habits, and regular exercise. If youre serious about feeling better and ridding yourself of chronic fatigue once and for all, its important to focus on all aspects of your health.
While some may argue that there are no best energy supplements for chronic fatigue, the list above can get you started in your search for an effective supplement. Remember, not every product will work for everyone, so be sure to keep track of what works and what doesnt. And always do your research before buying something new.
What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor
- Take along a list of all the symptoms you are experiencing in case you forget some of them during your talk with the doctor or nurse.
- Talk about how much you can do at work or school and around the house.
- Ask if there are any financial supports or services you could apply for.
- Ask for help with pain, sleep and remaining active if these are problems for you.
- Ask about what you should be eating.
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Alternative Or Complementary Medicine
Since there is no standard treatment for CFS/ME, people often consider alternatives to traditional medicine or use non-traditional treatments to complement their other medications. Commonly used alternative and complementary treatments include:
- Mind-body treatments, like qigong, tai chi, and meditation
- Trigger point therapy, called myofascial release
- Chiropractic treatments
Complementary therapies have received mixed results when scientifically studied. Before beginning an alternative or complementary treatment, talk with your doctor to ensure that you arent trying something potentially dangerous.
Diagnosis Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Laboratory tests to exclude other causes of symptoms
At least one of the following manifestations is also required:
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Difficulty thinking
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Feeling of light-headedness or dizziness when standing up that is relieved by lying down
The frequency and severity of the symptoms should be assessed by a doctor. If people do not have these symptoms at least half of the time with moderate, substantial, or severe intensity, doctors reconsider the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome .
Criteria for diagnosis are important mainly because they help doctors communicate clearly with each other when they study a problem. However, when treating a specific individual, doctors focus more on that person’s symptoms rather than the criteria.
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Discussing Treatment Options With A Doctor
The medical community differs over the exact treatment courses for those living with CFS. Youll need to work closely with a healthcare team to determine which symptoms are impacting your quality of life the most.
You may start with treatment of these issues and progress to others in time. Many treatment options are available, ranging from over-the-counter drugs to alternative therapies.
The most effective treatment for CFS is the one thats catered to you and your specific symptoms. A doctor may suggest a variety of treatments depending on what youre experiencing and what your treatment goals are.
Best Foods To Reduce Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A balanced diet is themain source of energy that is much needed to a person who is already feeling weak and tired. Studies showed that eating small frequent meals assist CFS patients as it fuels them up throughout the day without over-indulging them.
The truth is eating larger amounts can tire anyone sick or healthy because blood get directed away from the brain and limbs but to your stomach and intestines.
So how to adapt your nutrition routineto reduce your Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ?
Here are the 10 Healthy superfoods to add to your diet to beat CFS :
Contents
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Increase Your Energy With Vitamins Minerals And Enzymes
Vitamins are organic catalysts that help produce cellular energy. Minerals direct how that energy is used. And enzymes speed up the process of using it.
The B-complex vitamins are especially important for producing energy because they convert food into usable forms of ATP . But there are also several other vitamins and minerals you need to support the energy production process.
Boost your bodys ATP production with vitamins and minerals like B-6, B-1, folic acid , magnesium, folate , niacin , calcium, iron, copper, manganese each of which helps produce energy at the cellular level.
And there are other ingredients in many supplements, like enzymes and amino acids, that help boost ATP production as well.
Limit Your Caffeine Intake
Caffeine seems like a great way to improve your energy, but it comes with consequences. Caffeine can give you a false sense of energy and lead you to overdo it, according to Montoya. A little bit of caffeine may be fine for some people. Just be careful to not overexert yourself and make sure your intake doesnt impact your sleep.
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Key Points About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by profound tiredness.
- Symptoms often worsen with physical or mental activity.
- In addition to severe fatigue, symptoms include light sensitivity, headache, muscle and joint pain, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, and depression.
- Treatments may include medicines, exercise, supplements, and counseling.
Treatments For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Since researchers do not yet fully understand the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and people with the illness can experience a wide variety of symptoms, multiple treatments exist. Treatments are aimed at managing and reducing the severity of CFS/ME symptoms, rather than at curing the illness.
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What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome /myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Chronic fatigue syndrome , also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis , is a chronic , complex and disabling illness that causes extreme fatigue and other symptoms that cannot be explained by any other medical condition.
If you have ME/CFS, you are likely to feel very tired, very often, even if you have not been active. You may also have a host of other symptoms.
Doctors do not yet understand the cause of ME/CFS, and there is no simple cure. If you or your child has ME/CFS, your doctor can suggest treatments you may find helpful.
How Is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treated
There is no cure for ME/CFS. Treatment goals include managing symptoms and returning you to a higher quality of life. Some people arenât able to regain the level of health and function they had before their diagnosis.
First, your doctor works with you to determine which symptoms cause the most difficulty. Together, you will address those symptoms immediately.
Counseling is helpful for many people with ME/CFS. This type of treatment helps people better tolerate symptoms by changing thoughts and behaviors. Your doctor may prescribe medications, like antidepressants or sleep aids, if your symptoms are especially severe. These medications can relieve symptoms like unrestful sleep for some people living with ME/CFS.
Before prescribing sleep aids, however, your doctor may provide suggestions for improving sleep without drugs. For instance, he or she might suggest that you visit a sleep specialist. Other tips include:
- Develop a regular bedtime routineâgo to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
- Do not nap for more than 30 minutes total during the day.
- Use your bed and bedroom only for sleeping and sex. Take out all electronics.
- Avoid eating large meals before you go to bed also avoid alcohol and caffeine.
- Do your exercising at least 4 hours before you go to sleep.
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Food Intolerances And Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
CFS is linked to the immune system dysfunction, and this could explain why some sufferers believe certain foods worsen their symptoms.
The best way to identify whether a person is intolerant to a specific food or not, is to follow a food elimination or exclusion diet. The former involves removing suspected foods from the diet to see if symptoms improve, and the latter involves reverting to a very basic diet for a period of time before gradually reintroducing additional foods one at a time, to identify problem foods.
Elimination and exclusion diets could involve removing essential nutrients from the diet and so adequate supervision by a nutritional medicine specialist is recommended.
Another good place to start when indentifying food sensitivities is to keep a food diary of what you eat and when you experience the worsening of symptoms. This could help you to spot any patterns.
But Do Experiment With Your Diet
It is a good idea to try new foods and see what leads to improvements in your energy levels and which dont. Certain combinations of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats may work better for some and not others, making this process one that has to be done on an individual basis. There is no standard diet plan for chronic fatigue syndrome. Working with your doctor or a dietician can help get you on the right track
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Mental Health Support And Me/cfs
ME/CFS is not a psychological disorder. However, living with a chronic illness is challenging, especially one that involves missing out on normal life activities, and this may lead to mental health problems like anxiety or depression.
Speaking with a qualified mental health professional who understands the challenges of living with ME/CFS can be very helpful. They can help with things such as coping with changes to schooling, employment or social activities, and symptoms such as difficulty with sleep or pain. With the availability of Medicare rebates for telehealth, many mental health practitioners now offer remote consultations which makes healthcare more accessible for those who are housebound or bedbound with ME/CFS.