WELL BEING
Always fatigued
MOHINDER SINGH
|
What is chronic fatigue syndrome? How does one deal with it?
|
It is part of the cure to wish to be cured.
Seneca
"I AM doing everything right. I eat well. I sleep well. I exercise. I don't smoke or drink. Why am I tired al the time?" demands a friend of his doctor. He has every right to ask that question.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is the commonest urban malady. And it's more common in the age group 25 to 40 years — an otherwise healthy phase of life. Also the incidence is higher in women than in men. Around three-fourths of CFS patients are found to suffer from some sort of depression.
Puzzle to doctors
CFS poses a puzzle to doctors. It has no identified cause and no specific diagnostic tests. No genetic link has been established either.
If a feeling of fatigue persists over months accompanied by symptoms like dizziness, dry eyes, nausea, earache, chest pain, stomachache, chronic cough or weight loss, doctors usually look into a patient's medical history and undertake a detailed physical examination. They run a few standard tests to eliminate the presence of a specific ailment. In the absence of the same, they tend to treat CFS with mild medication and recommend behavioural changes. Patients are often advised not to overdose themselves with medicine; not to pop a pill for every ache and pain.
Causes
The cause of CFS could be any one of or a combination of these factors: Diet; Exercise; Depression; Environment; Sugar imbalance; Hormonal problems; Sleep and relaxation; Moulds, mites, allergies
In his book, Tired All the Time, Dr. Ronald L. Hoffman discusses these factors at length. But then he comes out with a few surprising findings about chronic fatigue, which fly in the face of conventional wisdom.
His first and most important finding is energy begets energy. Some people attack their day with an energy that seems to increase with each passing hour. They appear to be made of different stuff from the ordinary persons; but they're not. They're energised by their very activity. Physical activity oxygenates all parts of the body, including the brain.
According to Hoffman, once you've corrected any flaws in your lifestyle, diet or environment that may be contributing to your fatigue, then you'll find that energy begets energy.
His second finding is that life is not a steady downhill process. While a certain decline in vitality is a natural consequence of ageing, your energy quotient can be sustained at high levels well through middle age and into senior years.
His third observation was that efforts to conserve energy leave you more exhausted. Most people think resting a lot will cure their fatigue, yet it often makes it worse. Hoffman discovered that even when he was tired, sleep wasn't always the answer. One more secret: stimulants like caffeine may give you a short-term boost but in the long run they can deplete you.
Fatigue can also be contagious just like yawning. If you spend too much time with someone who is depressed and fatigued, you may find yourself overcome by a draining ennui. Hoffman cautions people who use sugar to counter the feeling of fatigue or depression. Sugar does indeed change the brain's chemistry and can impart a sense of momentary well-being. But it can lead to a kind of addiction.
Hoffman advises a switch to a diet of protein and carbohydrates that provide the body with slowly released and steady levels of sugar thus reducing the reliance on items rich in sugar.
Lastly Hoffman recommends some simpler measures: drink more water, practise breathing exercises and sleep well.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Magazine
