Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a disease characterized by pervasive, chronic, and incapacitating fatigue. The syndrome is diagnosed in women twice as often as in men. Chronic fatigue syndrome is not well understood or easily treated. You may continue to have the symptoms for months or years. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is most likely triggered by an infectious or flu-like illness, whereas a number of Fibromyalgia cases are triggered by minor injury or trauma. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is characterized biochemically by elevated levels of RNaseL (an anti-viral enzyme), whereas Fibromyalgia is unique in having excess Substance P (which triggers pain in nerves) in the bodily fluids.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a very real illness, affecting over one million people in America alone. If left untreated, the condition can wreak havoc on a person, literally destroying a career, marriage, and self. Chronic fatigue syndrome is more common in females than males and it affects all racial and ethnic groups. CFS usually strikes people between the ages of 20 and 40, but it also occurs in teens. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is most commonly seen after a viral illness from which the patient does not recover. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is most commonly seen after chronic exposure to low levels of chemicals.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and may be made worse by physical or mental activity. People with chronic fatigue syndrome usually function at substantially lower levels of activity.
CFS patients also are victim to frequent infections, which suppress the hypothalamus and lead to a decrease in the functioning of all glands and their hormones, triggering sleep dysfunction because the body confuses day and night cycles. Therefore, people with CFS have trouble staying in a deep, restorative sleep. CFS is not due to a single cause. As outlined above, the fullest understanding of CFS at the present time involves using a multi dimensional approach, in which due attention is given to both physical and psychological factors, and to their interaction. CFS is a progressive immune disorder which affects all body organs and ecosystems. Thus, in addition to the three major symptoms of fatigue, muscle pain, and brain fog, most persons with severe CFS suffer from almost all of the following symptoms: (1) abdominal bloating, flatulence, and cramps (caused by battered the bowel ecology); (2) digestive and absorptive problems (caused by damaged the gastric ecology); (3) dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating, and weakness (due to oxidative stress on the blood ecology caused by used by sugar-insulin-adrenaline roller coasters); (4) dry mouth, thirst and a sense of “toxicity” (caused by excessive detox stress on the liver ecology); (5) cold hands and feet, weight gain, and loss of hair (due to a sluggish thyroid); (6) chronic stress, irritability, and anxiety (due to relentless stress on the adrenal gland); (7) hypoglycemic symptoms (due to the instability of the pancreas); (8) PMS, menstrual irregularities, lack of sex drive, and premature menopause (due to imbalance of sex hormones); (9) heart palpitations, low blood pressure, dizziness on sudden change of posture (due to oxidative stress on the cardiovascular system); (10) severe problems of mood, memory, and mentation problems (due to disruptions of neurotransmitters); and (11) air or oxygen hunger due to sluggish oxygen transport and utilization).
