You'll never get the most out of life if you're constantly feeling run down.  And one of the biggest causes of this is chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is the label given to a condition of prolonged sluggishness or when you constantly struggle to get through each day performing the simplest of physical tasks.

Doctors typically perform a blood test, usually to identify signs of nutritional deficiency or thyroid malfunction.  And 9 times out of 10, the recommended remedy is some type of synthetic medication which can cause dependency and unwanted side-effects.

So, how do you address the symptoms of chronic fatigue without reliance on invasive drugs that do little to correct the underlying problem?

The first thing to realise is that the signs of chronic fatigue syndrome don't usually show up by chance.  It is generally the result of lifestyle and environmental factors that take their toll over time. 

The good news however, is that with some adjustments to your daily habits and by embracing a more conscious approach to your self care routine, you can play a big role in turning the signs of chronic fatigue around.  Read on to discover our top self care tips to help knock out chronic fatigue syndrome before it take hold.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue can include a long list of problems such as:

• Constant tiredness and lack of energy
• Ongoing aches and pains
• Poor concentration and irritability
• Headaches
• Memory Loss
• Frequent anxiety and nervousness
• Food addictions
• Easy weight gain
• Blood pressure problems
• Digestive issues
• Regular symptoms of stress
• Susceptibility to sickness
• Irregular sleeping patterns.

These symptoms will show up differently for different people and not everyone will experience ALL of these signals as a sign of chronic fatigue. 

Ultimately, chronic fatigue is usually a function of internal chaos in the blood and the nervous system and pancreas not being able to perform their job, which of course, can all be traced back to dietary and lifestyle habits.

What causes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

The root cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is usually either, high levels of stress, a poor diet, a toxic environment, or not enough of exercise.

That means that the REAL problem is normally a lack of consciousness around what constitutes the healthy daily habits that will help to avoid such a debilitating condition.

Unfortunately, the health care community tends to offer only short term band-aid solutions, which is why to truly get on top of chronic fatigue, it is so important to make the lifestyle adjustments required to reclaim your health and to avoid the condition altogether. 

What are the primary causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Processed Foods and Allergens - around 80% of the foods you'll find on today's supermarket shelves are processed, preserved and chemically altered in some way.  That means they lack the nutrition your body needs and can even cause toxicity within the body if they become staples in your diet.  Common examples of these problematic foods include, canned and bottles foods that contain additives and preservatives, processed meats and dairy products, hydrogenated industrial seed oils such as margarine, safflower and canola, and everything from white bread to white flour, packaged breakfast cereals, frozen and takeaway foods.

Refined Sugars and Grains - processed and refined sugars and grains, as well as artificial sweeteners, are widely regarded as the biggest culprits of obesity and chronic fatigue. Whilst they may provide short term satisfaction and energy, these "fast" sugars cross the blood-brain-barrier quickly, causing blood sugar spikes, which can eventually wear out the pancreas and lead to chronic fatigue.

Over Eating - over eating or feeling constantly hungry, is usually a sign of malnourishment.  When your cells are starved of quality nutrition, more food will not energise you. In fact, eating more of the wrong type of food, will simply cause your body to lay down fat, place extra pressure on your digestive system and cause you to fell sluggish and run down both physically and emotionally.

Chronic Dehydration - your body and brain need water every single day to perform vital functions.  This is why constant hunger is usually a mask for thirst first.  The reality is that if you don't drink enough pure, clean water every day, you'll eventually experience mental fog, headaches and fatigue.  Rather than drink more water, too many people reach for substitute drinks like diet sodas, energy drinks and commercial caffeine, which ultimately hinders rather than helps the cycle of fatigue.  

Stress - work pressure, parenting, relationship problems and financial stress, can all take their toll on you physically and emotionally if you don't take time out to allow your body and mind to rest and re-set.  

Stagnant Air - if you're regularly breathing stale or stagnant air, you'll deprive your respiratory system of fresh oxygen which your body and brain need to thrive and stay alert. Additionally, stagnant air is a breeding environment for impurities to proliferate and infiltrate your blood stream.

Irregular schedule - a lack of routine or constant adjustment to your work schedule can upset your body clock and your ability to lock in healthy daily habits, which will eventually take its toll on your health.

Constipation - a digestive system that is not functioning efficiently transmits signals for help to the central nervous system, sapping energy and causing irritability and fatigue.

Lack of exercise - Energy creates energy, which means the less you do physically, the more tired and prone to fatigue you'll become.  This is why some form of moderate daily exercise needs to be a daily priority to break the vicious cycle of fatigue.

8 Self Care Tips To Help Knock Out Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

1. Do A Clay Colon Cleanse - one of the major causes of sluggishness, irritability and chronic fatigue is a poor functioning digestive system, which is the most important system of the body.  One of the best ways to reset your digestive tract is to support the release of stored metabolic waste with a natural clay and fibre colon cleanse.  Our signature colon cleanse product, Cleanse Me can help this process, which consists of Food-Grade Bentonite Clay, Ground Flax Seeds, Psyllium Husk, Dried Apple, Cinnamon and Ginger. 

2. Do A Multi-Day Juice Fast - A juice fast will give your digestive system a chance to reset and heal, whilst flooding your cells with vital nutrients.  When it comes to juice fasting or cleansing, we recommend consuming cold-pressed juice because it is a method that retains the nutrient rich enzymes, unlike high speed centrifugal juicing methods which oxidise the juice.  Use locally sourced, seasonal produce when preparing your juice and experiment with green juices made from ingredients like Spinach, Kale, Celery, Cucumber, Apple and Lime, as well as other blends such as the ancient CABALA recipe (Carrot, Apple, Beetroot & Lemon).

3. Walk 30-45 minutes Per Day - walking is one of the most important foundational exercises you can do for your health and energy. We recommend walking first thing in the morning and outdoors whenever you can. This allows you to breathe fresh air, to stimulate your senses and feel-good emotions and helps to support a healthy metabolism.

4. Drink 2 litres Of Water Per Day - your body and brain are comprised of around 70% water, which is similar to the earth's water composition.  In other words, the human body is a MICRO-cosm of the MACRO-cosm.  As a minimum, you should replenish the weight of your brain every single day, which is approximately equal to about two litres of water.  If you're suffering from fatigue or other health problems, it's wise to kick this up around 1 litre per 22 kilos of your body weight. Your body needs water to perform vital functions including to flush out toxins and keep you energised which is a key to avoiding chronic fatigue.

5. Boost Your Natural Salt Intake - Salt is the electrolyte of your cells, so it's  key to include pure, unrefined nature-made salts like Celtic Sea Salt and Himalayan Salt in your diet on a regular basis. Salt is also an effective digestive aid and it ionises into calcium within the body, meaning it helps to build strong bones and joints.  

6. Eat More Whole Food - When your diet is rich in fresh, locally sourced, seasonal fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains, you will go a long way to keeping your body nourished, functioning optimally and to avoid fatigue.  Eat a raw green salad every single day drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs.  Add a green smoothie or cold pressed juice to your morning routine.  Prepare vegetable broths and soups. Steam and bake veggies and make stir fries.  Snack on raw almonds, macadamias, dried fruit and/or Pulse Raw Food to in between meals to help keep your blood sugar stable. 

7. Eat Fermented Foods - One of the most important aspects for healing chronic fatigue, is to ensure a healthy gut microbiome.  This means the "good" bacteria in your gut must be well nourished to ward off the bad bacteria, that can lead to the formation of sickness and fatigue.  Your gut is the critical nerve and energy centre of your body that regulates key functions.  This is why it's vital to include probiotic-rich, fermented foods in your diet to regularly to build a strong immune system and for robust energy and health.  Easily accessible fermented foods include, raw organic dairy or coconut yogurt, kefir, olives, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, tempeh, miso and kumbucha.

8. Eat Good Fats - Your gut health, skin, nerves, immunity and digestive system, are all dependant on a healthy supply of good fats to function at their best.  Good fats are those that have not been chemically altered and won't cause chaos in the body.  These include, extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, macadamia oil, walnut oil, raw nuts, avocados and Coconut Oil for baking and frying.  If you are going to eat animal products, be sure to choose pasture raised (free-range) and hormone-free meat, poultry and eggs and only wild caught seafood. 

The Main Takeaway

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a sign of disruptive processes that are taking place in the body that can sometimes be traced back to diet and lifestyle factors.

The problem with commonly prescribed synthetic medication, is that it often leads to dependency, can create side-effects and ultimately does little to address the true cause of ongoing fatigue.

Instead, if you want to take a more conscious approach to avoiding and managing chronic fatigue, the self care tips and suggestions shared here can help you knock out the disruptive effects of this condition.

Tolman Self Care.