CHRONIC FATIGUE
posted 5th April 2022
Having vibrant energy is something many of us take for granted, until one day you suddenly become aware that you don’t quite feel the same anymore. Maybe it was years ago that you even remember that vital and powerful feeling of energy. When you wake up feeling lethargic every day, or even half-way through the day, it is a sign that there is something more going on in your body.
There are so many factors at this point to consider and they can vary from a simple food intolerance, (which is common), to adrenal exhaustion from chronic stress, dysfunctional mitochondria, mycotoxins, candida/dysbiosis/digestion/parasites in the gut, heavy metals, pesticides, toxic overload/environmental stressors, poor nutrition and severe vitamin/mineral deficiencies, low blood sugar, EMF’s, viruses such as Epstein Bar Virus.
A fatigue prone profile person who is an over-achiever is more likely to develop chronic fatigue syndrome. Juggling lots of responsibilities and pushing on even though tired to the point of burn-out. Working a twelve-hour day and then hitting the gym can be extreme. 80% of our immune system is in the gut so it impacts the gut, the thyroid, the adrenals and ultimately the mitochondria – our energy production.
Common symptoms of CFS/M.E. can include:
Feeling extremely tired all the time even after rest or sleep
Problems sleeping, such as waking up often during the night
Memory and concentration problems
Headaches
Muscle or joint pain
Long time to recover after physical exercise
Dizziness/Nausea
Sore throat/frequent colds
Heart palpitations
Depression
It can take years for some people to recover from chronic fatigue and some people say they never have recovered. Once the cause has been identified, there can be a plan of action to tackle these symptoms and once implemented, the beginning of recovery can take place. In most of the cases I have seen with people diagnosed with chronic fatigue/M.E. they will have had a virus beforehand, usually the ‘flu virus. This has not always been the case however.
One case I remember was a lady in her 20’s who was diagnosed with M.E. and no longer able to work. I suggested we tested her for candida as she had a very high-sugar/carbohydrate diet. Alarmingly her result came back as 150 on a reference range of (0-10), which encouraged her to make some dietary changes. She began to feel better quite quickly and her result was 15 on re-testing. She was offered a job abroad which she accepted as her vitality came back. So much happened for this girl but it was quite a simple solution in her case. Other cases I have seen have been similar where the cause has been allergenic foods. There can be some very complex cases which involve much more than the examples I have outlined. Once the cause has been identified and corrected then that essential energy we all need to have can return.
© Ann Shaw Clinic Of Nutritional Medicine 2025