Chronic Fatigue Remedies NYC - Dr. Alicia Armitstead

Chronic fatigue is a syndrome that medical doctors give to patients who suffer from fatigue for at least three months that is not relieved with rest. It's a diagnosis that you don't want to get because there is nothing medical doctors can do, and they don't know why it happens. The best advice they can give you is to get used to it and learn how to live with the fatigue.

-Dr. Alicia Armitstead

Natural Remedies for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at the Healing Arts NYC Health and Wellness Center in Manhattan NY 10017 and Connecticut

What is Chronic Fatigue?

Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), is a complex and debilitating medical condition characterized by extreme fatigue or exhaustion that is not relieved by rest and is not caused by any underlying medical condition. It can significantly impact a person's ability to carry out everyday activities and can worsen with physical or mental exertion, referred to as post-exertional malaise.

In addition to severe fatigue, individuals with ME/CFS may experience other symptoms, such as cognitive difficulties (e.g., problems with memory and concentration), unrefreshing sleep, muscle and joint pain, headaches, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, and flu-like symptoms. The exact cause of ME/CFS is unknown, and there is currently no cure.

Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The causes of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are not entirely understood, and it is believed to be a complex condition with multiple contributing factors. Here are some potential causes and factors that have been associated with CFS:

1. Viral or bacterial infections: Some cases of CFS have been linked to prior viral or bacterial infections, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), or Lyme disease.

2. Immune system dysfunction: Abnormalities in the immune system, such as chronic inflammation or an overactive immune response, may contribute to the development of CFS.

3. Hormonal imbalances: Hormonal imbalances, such as those involving the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, have been observed in some individuals with CFS. This can affect energy levels and contribute to fatigue.

4. Genetic predisposition: CFS may have a genetic component, as some studies have found certain gene variations or mutations more common in individuals with the condition.

5. Psychological factors: Psychological stress, trauma, or emotional distress can play a role in triggering or exacerbating CFS symptoms. However, it is important to note that CFS is not solely a psychological or psychiatric condition.

6. Environmental factors: In some cases, exposure to certain environmental toxins, pollutants, or chemicals has been suggested as a possible cause of CFS.

7. Mitochondrial dysfunction: Some individuals with CFS have mitochondrial dysfunction. The mitochondria are responsible for producing energy within cells.

It's important to note that the exact cause of CFS can vary from person to person. A combination of these factors likely contributes to the development of the condition. Research is ongoing to understand CFS and its causes better.

Traditional Medical Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue is a syndrome that medical doctors give to patients who suffer from fatigue for at least three months that is not relieved with rest. It's a diagnosis that you don't want to get because there is nothing medical doctors can do, and they don't know why it happens. The best advice they can give you is to get used to it and learn how to live with the fatigue.

Hormone Imbalance

If your fatigue is due to hormone imbalance, it usually hits women in their 40s to late 50s and can be with or without changes in period cycles, hot flashes, or weight gain. If the fatigue hits with hormonal changes simultaneously, you know it's due to hormone imbalance. To help the hormones get back on track, we muscle test to give you a personalized diet to follow and food supplements to support. With the proper nutritional support, your energy returns, and hormonal symptoms are lessened.

Adrenal Glands

If your fatigue comes with a feeling of being burnt out, then it means the adrenal glands are involved. If stress is high, the adrenals produce adrenaline to keep up with it. However, the adrenals can only do this for a short period of time, so if the stress is chronic, the adrenals burn out, leaving you feeling exhausted. If the adrenals stay depleted, you too, will feel depleted.

This is called adrenal fatigue syndrome and is a reason for chronic fatigue. To help heal the adrenal glands, we will muscle test what foods to avoid that would bother the adrenal glands. Sugar is commonly taken out of the diet with adrenal fatigue. Consuming foods high in sugar causes a rapid rise and then fall in your blood sugar, which the adrenals respond to by releasing cortisol. Caffeine is also very common to take out of the diet while the adrenal glands rebuild. When we drink caffeine, the adrenal glands release adrenaline, making us more alert. It helps the adrenal glands eat small meals throughout the day to stabilize blood sugar levels.

When we muscle test supplements to support the adrenal glands Ashwagandha and Rhodiola are herbs that can help. B vitamins can also bring the adrenal glands back to life. To determine what specific B vitamin helps the most, we get the biofeedback from the adrenal glands to create a specific supplement protocol.

Cardiac Fatigue

Chronic fatigue could be due to a tired heart. The heart needs a lot of nutrition to be constantly pumping. It likes B12, iron and omega-3 fats. It does not like junk food, which obviously doesn't add nutritional value but also depletes the body of its vitamins and minerals to process the junk. The body doesn't recognize junk food as food and treats it like a toxin. This is why it strips the body of nutrition.

The heart could also be tired due to a tight pericardium. The pericardium is the sac that the heart sits in. The sac can get too tight around the heart and cause it to struggle. Other symptoms of a tight pericardium besides chronic fatigue are chest pain, trouble breathing, heart palpitations, or a fast heart rate. There is a way to adjust the heart to release the pericardium. Once released, I see pressure taken off the heart and the thyroid.

Thyroid Dysfunction

If the thyroid is affected, this can also add to chronic fatigue, for our thyroid is in charge of metabolism. With a good metabolism, we have good energy because our cells are using the food we eat to produce ATP. If the thyroid slows down, metabolism is slow, and so are we. To help the thyroid, we use muscle test supplements to get biofeedback from your body to build a supplement program specific to your body.

Besides supplements, adding seaweed or celery juice to your diet can help. Seaweed has iodine, which the thyroid needs to function. Celery juice is best taken on an empty stomach. It depends on the person, but most of my patients test for 8 ounces of celery juice a day for about three weeks. Celery juice can cleanse the thyroid of toxins and increase T3 production, a thyroid hormone.

Chronic Infections

Celery juice also helps fight infections, and chronic infections lead to chronic fatigue because all of your body's energy and nutrition go toward getting rid of the infection. If you feel like you are always getting sick, it may not be due to a new germ after a new germ but due to the chronic infection getting strong enough to cause symptoms. That's the trouble with chronic infections: you don't really know you have it. The infection is low-grade enough not to cause any symptoms that make you aware of it. Some of the most chronic infections include mold, Lyme, Epstein Barr, and post-Covid.

Fibromyalgia

Chronic fatigue syndrome is very similar to fibromyalgia, except the dominating symptom in chronic fatigue syndrome is fatigue, and in fibromyalgia, it is pain. The root cause is the same in either one of the five I just explained or a combination of them. Either way, we can help by addressing the root cause and supporting the body with the proper nutrition.