Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been met with some hesitation in the past due to its lack of “substantial evidence” that the patients were actually feeling the symptoms they reported to their physicians. Recently fibromyalgia, another related syndrome, has gained more recognition by doctors, while CFS has lagged behind. The symptoms vary and are often similar to just normal “tiredness,” doctors have found few solutions to help patients, other than antidepressants and sleeping pills.
Dr. Mady Hornig, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and her colleagues at the Chronic Fatigue Initiative, are strong believers that CFS is a real physical condition that patients are suffering from. According to healthline.com. The researchers found that there are changes that happen in a person’s immune system that could lead to the disorder.
Related Blog: Chronic Pain and Depression
Due to the findings in their studies, there is a probable high correlation between chronic pain and chronic fatigue syndrome. Chronic pain correlates with autoimmune disorders, which can be caused by inflammation. Inflammation is at the root of many conditions including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and, psoriasis.
What causes inflammation in the body? There are many likely sources, including the foods we eat. Tons of foods on supermarket shelves are chock full of processed ingredients that cause inflammation. The main inflammatory triggers are sugars and saturated fats. Additional foods that can cause inflammation are refined carbohydrates (white breads and the Hawaii favorite- white rice), MSG or Mono-sodium glutamate (extremely common in Asian food dishes for flavor- or deli meats and salad dressings), gluten and casein (found in most dairy and wheat), and alcohol. The best way to have the best diet for your pain and fatigue is by cutting out these foods that can cause inflammation. Sticking to a diet that reduces inflammation, plus optimizing your BMI (body mass index) and body weight, can help improve symptoms and daily functioning.
Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Loss of memory or concentration
- Sore Throat
- Extreme exhaustion lasting more than 24 hours after exercise
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Unexplained muscle pain
If your diet is filled with the listed inflammation-causing ingredients, try to cut them back in order to fight your chronic pain or chronic fatigue. Make sure to talk to our OSR Medical Department here in Kailua if you experience chronic fatigue symptoms, and/or concentration difficulties – along with your chronic pain.
Read more about their studies here!
