Seven mistakes that could worsen chronic fatigue

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 by: Cindy L.
Tags: chronic fatigue, health mistakes, holistic medicine

(NaturalNews) Sufferers of chronic fatigue often find themselves both frustrated and helpless. Many of them have tried explaining their condition to their doctors, but they are either not taken seriously or not given much useful advice on the cause(s) or effective treatment(s) of this ailment.

With little help coming from conventional doctors, some sufferers decide to take things into their own hands and start adopting some general healthy living tips in the hope of alleviating their condition. While they may encounter some improvements, the gains may be short-lived or limited.

These are the mistakes they may be making:

1. Not getting enough sleep

Research suggests that most adults require about 8 hours of sleep each night for physical and emotional well-being. But the average American gets only about 6.7 hours of sleep each night. This means that many Americans are chronically sleep-deprived. Consequently, their fatigue could simply be a signal from their bodies to get more sleep.

2. Feeding their hunger with refined sugars and flour

Consuming refined sugars and flour (in confectionery products, sweetened beverages, processed snacks, etc.) can cause wide fluctuations in one's blood-sugar levels. That is why, after a sugar high from consuming refined foods, many people suffer an energy crash. If they attempt to counter it by consuming more "energizing" sugary or floury foods, they actually create a vicious cycle, which worsens their chronic fatigue.

3. Trying to get away with poor nutrition

Many alternative health practitioners are recognizing nutritional deficiencies as one of the major causes of chronic fatigue. This is because the body is not provided with many essential nutrients, such as iron, magnesium, potassium and germanium, as well as vitamins B, C and D (amongst others), which it requires to produce energy. Sometimes, the body is loaded with substances that actually deplete its important nutrients (e.g., sugar metabolism depletes B vitamins). It is thus no wonder that the body simply does not function as it is supposed to.

4. Using coffee to perk themselves up

To counter fatigue caused by poor nutrition, chronic stress and lack of sleep, many people resort to downing loads of coffee every day, making matters worse. This is because coffee stimulates the already overworked adrenal glands to produce more adrenaline to perk the body up, leaving the body even more overworked. The root issues are not resolved, and a vicious cycle is established.

5. Thinking that their amalgam filling has nothing to do with their fatigue

According to experts like Edward Arana, D.D.S., President of the American Academy of Biological Dentistry, California, one of the problems that mercury amalgam fillings bring is chronic fatigue. This is because mercury poisoning is linked to conditions like inability to concentrate, confusion and depression, which are also symptoms of chronic fatigue.

6. Using antibiotics frequently to deal with common infections

The rampant use of antibiotics upsets the micro-floral balance found in the intestinal tract, leaving users more susceptible to systemic infections like candidiasis and parasite overgrowth. And such infections are found to be major contributors to chronic fatigue, as the immune system becomes exhausted from fighting infections that have gone out of control.

7. Thinking that there is one single cause for their fatigue

Medical researchers and doctors often look for the solution of chronic fatigue in a single place (e.g., treating a specific infection). Such efforts, however, often end in poor treatment outcomes.

On the other hand, when alternative health practitioners take a multidisciplinary approach and help patients address their specific health issues, they have better success in dealing with the problem. This means that, when it comes to chronic fatigue, there is no simple answer -- a holistic approach is a must.

Sources for this article include:

Trivieri, Jr., Larry, and Anderson, John W. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. 2nd ed. New York, USA: Celestial Arts, 2002. Print.

Larson, Joan Mathews, PhD. Depression-Free, Naturally: 7 Weeks to Eliminating Anxiety, Despair, Fatigue, and Anger from Your Life. NY, USA: Ballantine Books, 1999. Print.

Yeager, Selene, et al. The Doctors Book of Food Remedies. New York, NY: Rodale, 2007. Print.

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About the author:
Cindy L. has a keen interest in natural healing. She was previously trained in Psychology and is currently receiving training in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has written on depression (at HolisticDepressionHelp.com) as well as other ailments (at Insights On Health.com).

Her belief in holistic living extends beyond health - her passion for green living can be seen in her website at All Recycling Facts.com.

Follow her at Health on The-Journey-Of-Life.