Change your lifestyle Most experts we have read believe that stress is an important contributor to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. If your job is stressful, you may need to find a new job - even it if pays less. After all, your health and well being should come before money if this is possible. On the other hand, money problems can be stressful, so you need to weigh the one against the other. Stress also comes from, and we hate to say this, marriages and relationships. If your marriage or your relationship with a significant other seems like one continuous battle, you may want to make a change in this as well. However, before you do, think how stressful a divorce or break-up might be. The good news here is that these tend to be short-term stresses vs. the stress of staying in a bad relationship. Try to rest as much as possible. If you can work and have an eight hour a day job, make sure you have as much quiet time as possible when you get home. Try lying down in a darkened room - maybe with some soft, gentle music playing or CDs of nature sounds. Some CFS patients have reported that meditating has helped them, so this is something you might want to try. Eat healthy Many CFS patients have found that by just following a healthy diet they find relief from some CFS symptoms. First, here are the things to avoid: Sugar and sweets, foods low in nutrients and high in sugar and fat, and eliminate all allergic foods. Next, make sure you are eating raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains and unroasted nuts and seeds. Fiber helps minimize constipation, which is sometimes a factor in fatigue. Fruits, oatmeal and oat bran are especially good for CFS sufferers. Try to drink eight to 10 glasses of pure water and vegetable or fruit juices daily to flush out toxins. Another good fatty acid that could help you with CFS is flaxseed oil. You might want to take two tablespoons a day, as well as a magnesium supplement of 400 milligrams. Get support If you live in a middle- to large-sized city, there almost certainly will be a CFS support group that can provide both information and mental support. To find a support group near you, go to http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/support/supus.htm. You can then click on your state and see if there are any nearby groups. A helpful and useful support group should include: Both newcomers and patients who have had CFS for longer periods of time to provide a balance of perspectives for the group. People with whom the CFS patient feels comfortable. Leaders who empathize, gently draw out shy members, and keep others from dominating, and who distill discussion into useful information. A history indicating the group is stable and meeting the needs of its members. Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) This therapy is often prescribed to help with illness and to develop behaviors and strategies that help alleviate symptoms. It has been successful in helping patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, and recent studies indicate that CBT can be useful in treating some CFS patients. CBT is frequently prescribed as part of therapeutic process; it help patients learn to manage activity levels, stress and symptoms. Optimally, CBT can help you better adapt to the impact of CFS and improve your level of function and quality of life. |
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