There are so many reasons why we feel constantly tired. It can be known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The cells in our bodies, which act as the powerhouse in our systems, aren’t supplying enough energy.

This could be caused by a thyroid problem, a stress issue that is draining us or it could be coming from the gut.

We will be looking at treating CFS through dieting and a change in lifestyle over the next two weeks, as well as the symptoms of CFS.

We are made up of lots of different types of cells (including heart, blood, muscle and nerve cells). They are all different due to the different jobs they must perform, which all require energy.

Our bodies are truly interesting. Mitochondria have the task of supplying energy to the cells. So when these fail, cells become slower, slowing down all bodily functions as a result. CFS could be a sign of mitochondrial failure affecting every cell in the body.

We are made up of lots of different types of cells, which are all different due to the different jobs they must perform, which all require energy

The pot that shares out energy usage in our bodies is vital to spreading out the way we use our energy. That pot of energy must be spent just to stay alive, on jobs like maintaining the heart, gut, brain, kidney and liver functions.

This consumes two thirds of our energy, which leaves one third to be spent on activities such as physical actions and higher mental functions. If you are suffering from CFS, the pot of energy is too small or too much energy is being spent on physical and mental activity.

What are the symptoms of CFS? It is so easy to attribute tiredness to other conditions, so here are some guidelines. The first three are the main symptoms. The remainder are common ones.

• Very poor stamina – you can carry out tasks but only for a short time before getting tired.

• Delayed fatigue – when you overdo things, symptoms continue to trouble you for 24 hours.

• Mental fatigue – poor short-term memory, difficulty in reading or watching TV and poor problem-solving, as well as the inability to deal with more than one task at a time.

• Malaise.

• Muscle pain – usually caused by poor antioxidant status.

• Muscle weakness – including eye muscles.

• Sleep disturbance – CFS sufferers tend to drop off to sleep late and wake up late, making them natural ‘owls’.

• Tendency to pick up recurrent infections.

• General hypersensitivity – to noise, light, touch, pain and smells.

• Drug/alcohol intolerance, especially to anti-depressants, beta-blockers, statins and blood pressure medications, reflecting poor detoxification pathways.

• Feeling ‘not with it’.

• Poor temperature control.

• Gut symptoms.

• Headaches.

• Mood swings.

• Joint pain – there may be tender trigger points in muscles and tendons, signs of inflammation such as tender, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and/or low-grade fever.

• Depression – may arise due to the energy giving ATP which is required for neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and acetylcholine, to work.

It helps to understand how the body get its energy. Mitochondria play a huge part in the process. However, fuel from food is sent to the mitochondria of each cell to recycle adenosine triphosphate.

This process continues to convert, ultimately to release energy into the cells. The body is a finely tuned functioning system, so when part of it starts to break down, we feel it in specific ways.

There are a number of conditions which result in tiredness. To identify which one is affecting you, it may be necessary to carry out various tests with the support of medical practitioners. These tests include the thyroid function test and the adrenal stress profile (this looks at how the adrenal gland functions and the likelihood of adrenal fatigue by measuring salivary levels of the adrenal hormone cortisol and DHEA over 24 hours).

In addition, there are tests for gut health, such as the gut fermentation test, which gives evidence of bacteria or yeast causing fermentation, the salivary test, which assesses low stomach acid, stool analysis, which determines the digestive ability and gut flora status, as well as other tests for chemical sensitivity and toxic stress.

The importance of fixing your gut is relevant to your overall health. Gut dysbiosis and poor digestion (where foods are fermented instead of digested) can cause problems. Fermentation produces wind and gas, usually accompanied by bloating and belching. It also produces toxic by-products such as alcohol, D-lactate and hydrogen sulphide, which inhibit the mitochondrial function.

It also allows an overgrowth of microbes in the upper gut that can trigger allergies. Many cases of arthritis are due to this imbalance.

Next week we will look at natural ways to fight tiredness, diets suited for a tired body and creating good fuel for mitochondria.

We will also look at supplements, resting and detoxing.

kathryn@maltanet.net

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.