Chronic Fatigue
By Ashlee Jane, NMD
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms, affecting up to 50% of Americans at some point during the year, and possibly more with our changing routines due to quarantine. While fatigue is common, the cure can sometimes be elusive since it can be caused by imbalance in almost any system.
Inflammation & Detox-
Many digestive issues contribute to chronic fatigue, and optimizing your digestive health is one of the best ways to free up some energy. The digestive system takes 40-60% of your daily energy supply when you're in good health, and in disease can demand even more. The liver and intestines are the primary organs of detoxification. Thus, slow detox often compounds fatigue. Eating foods you’re intolerant to not only causes digestive symptoms, but contributes to inflammation, increasing that daily energy demand again. While food intolerance testing can be super helpful, some digestive imbalances cause many false positives, so it’s important to work with a skilled provider for the best results, as food avoidance isn't really always the answer.
Kidney & Adrenal Stress-
Chronic metabolic and external stress cause harm to the adrenal glands and kidneys. Over time they gradually lose their ability to functional optimally, and often contribute significantly to CFS. The kidneys are especially susceptible to oxidative stress from high blood sugar, so keeping your insulin and glucose levels in optimal ranges is vital to their health. An over-active sympathetic nervous system, or the “fight or flight” nervous system, can prevent our bodies from efficient recovery when stressors are gone, keeping us from getting the most payoff when we do rest.
Insomnia & Sleep Apnea-
Poor sleep is an obvious cause of fatigue, but some people don’t know they’re sleeping poorly! Light sleep, frequent waking, or being depressed without knowing why can all indicate the need for sleep investigation. Common signs of sleep apnea include snoring, gasping for breath or breath holding in the night, dry mouth, and irritability.
Infections-
One or several of the above issues may be draining your energy, but if you’ve been addressing these causes for a few weeks or even months without seeing much improvement, it might be time to test for hidden infections. Unresolving infections can keep us from reaching our full resilient health, sometimes without showing obvious symptoms!
Naturopathic Medicine-
Naturopathic medicine is particularly well-suited for treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) due to the underlying philosophy of treating the root cause, which leads to integrative physiological thinking, putting together constellations of symptoms in complex ways, rather than treating based on a single and vague symptom. Naturopathic physicians often extend beyond the conventional algorithms of testing and treating, and our many natural therapies can focus on the underlying cause as well as improve your overall quality of life.
Find Help-
The best course of treatment for chronic fatigue is an individual approach based on your personal risk factors, exposures, and current health. If you’re ready to find answers to deal with your chronic fatigue once and for all, call MediKha at 208-391-5003 to set up a consultation to get your personal treatment plan.
