Why Am I So Tired?

You’re getting a good night’s rest, exercising regularly and being mindful about what you’re eating.

So what is the deal with this fatigue, and is it just fatigue, or chronic fatigue?

Low blood sugar from going too far with low-fat and counting calories or following an ‘unusual’ interpretation of a keto diet?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is more than just feeling tired all the time and it’s not remedied by simply getting more sleep.

It’s a medical condition of unknown cause, with fever, aching, and prolonged tiredness and depression, typically occurring after a viral infection (1).

Current research speculates there are varying possibilities that could cause or contribute and they include viruses, weakened immune system and hormonal imbalances.

If you, or your doctor suspects you have CFS, be prepared to hear that, “There is no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome” and that treatment focuses on symptom relief, including low doses of some antidepressants that also can help improve sleep and relieve pain (2).

Gentle exercise is often recommended as well as creating ideal sleeping conditions, but that’s typically where the conversation stops.

What you’re eating is unlikely to be addressed, even though it could be the single root cause of developing the presentation of CFS, and fatigue in general, in the first place.

Subsisting on a Standard American Diet (SAD) that relies heavily on grains, dairy, simple carbohydrates, sugars, and unhealthy oils can contribute to gut dysbiosis or “leaky gut” which can lead to autoimmune disorders and other ailments such as chronic fatigue, inflammatory bowel disease, rashes, diabetes, mental disorders, and other health related problems.

To add insult to injury, the modernized human being has typically had their fair share of gut damaging antibiotics and prescription drugs which only serve to further throw off the intricate balance in one’s digestive tract (3).

The end result is a gut, where 80% of our immunity lies (4), which is inflamed and unable to ward off toxins in all forms, that continues to grow weaker with continued consumption of the foods that were causing damage in the first place, being further expedited through the addition of medications, furthering the downward spiral.

However, if we stop the process by shifting our focus proactively to removing inflammatory foods and replacing them with nutrient dense foods that nourish and heal the gut in its entirety, we can subsequently reduce and eventually resolve symptoms by creating optimal gut health through food.

Bone broth in particular makes the top five list of must-haves in healing a leaky gut and addressing both fatigue and overall lethargy as well as chronic fatigue (5):

• The gelatin in bone broth protects and heals the mucosal lining of the digestive tract.
• The amino acid l-glutamine in bone broth is the main amino acid the gut uses to repair the intestinal lining.
• Broth contains chondroitin and glucosamine, which repair joints and reduce inflammation.
• Fish bone broth also offers an extra boost in that it provides iodine and thyroid-strengthening substances; many who are suffering from CFS are also dealing with auto immune issues, making thyroid support even more important.

While other significant factors may well be contributing to CFS such as mold or chronic Lyme, not having a solid, real food foundation in place as part of your path to healing is an incomplete protocol at best.

Food truly can be medicine; we simply need to leave the idea of healing overnight through a pill without regard for consequence that often results from a quick-fix in the long term.

Even if you’re not experiencing what you suspect are symptoms of CFS and instead are simply feeling tired all the time, consider what you’re eating.

Too many carbs (even fruit), not enough fat, no properly sourced animal protein, not enough veg and just not enough attention to what’s being consumed overall can all create a frequent sense of fatigue and lethargy, but the good news is that we can take matters into our own hands and begin the healing process from the cellular level.

Yet one more reason to get your broth on!

1 https://www.healthline.com/health/chronic-fatigue-syndrome
2 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20360510
3 https://thepaleodiet.com/paleo-foods-heal-leaky-gut/
4 https://www.amymyersmd.com/2015/02/4-steps-to-recover-from-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/
5 https://myersdetox.com/healing-power-bone-broth/