Ask The Herbalist: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
By Chris Lewis, MH, CMT
Q. What is chronic fatigue syndrome and how can it be addressed naturally?
A. 1) Chronic Fatigue is usually the result of a Candida Albicans overgrowth, so this imbalance must be addressed first. The first thing you need to do is start starving the candida, so avoid ALL sugar and alcohol, that means ALL, even the good sugars like fresh fruit. They must ALL be eliminated or you won’t get results. (NOTE: after the candida balance is restored, you should definitely add back into your diet the good sugars like fresh fruit, raw honey, etc., but not until the problem is fixed!) Go to a diet that consists entirely of pre-soaked low heated (under 130º) grains and raw vegetables.
Then take some herbs like black walnut hulls, pau d’ arco, garlic, echinacea, etc. to get rid of the overgrowth. Also take probiotic supplements and fermented foods (things containing an abundance of beneficial bacteria or “friendly flora.”) This helps balance out the candida. My favorites are rejuvilac, sauerkraut, and apple cider vinegar (Some books advise against using these things for candida, but they are exactly what you need, so don’t be afraid of them.) I do not suggest colloidal silver as it destroys all your friendly flora along with the candida, making the problem worse in the long run.
2) Exercise – Chronic fatigue can definitely be brought on by a lack of exercise. This is basically another application of the “use-it-or-lose-it” law of nature. The more energy you use, the more you will have. This is because when you move your body (i.e., exercise) you are speeding up your metabolic rate which causes your body to actually produce more energy. You also tone and strengthen your heart, lungs, adrenal glands, and other organs and increase your intake of oxygen! WOW! What a powerful combination!
3) Sometimes fatigue can be due to Addison’s Disease, which just means weak adrenal glands. To correct it, follow as close as you can to the mucusless diet, do some basic cleansing procedures (information available here), and take at least 2-3 cups per day of decoction of licorice root and infusion of mullein leaves. Or if you prefer, you can make up a formula like: 5 parts licorice root, 4 parts alfalfa herb, 3 parts mullein leaf, 1 part ginger root, and 1 part lobelia herb. You can use this as a powder in capsules (2 capsules 3 times a day), in a tincture or glycerite (2 dropperfuls 3 times a day). Or you could make a tea of the above herbs by soaking them overnight in distilled water (one heaping teaspoon of herbs per cup of water) and then simmering them on low heat for 30-60 minutes. Then strain and drink.
4) You knew this was coming – Cleanse and Nourish – you can’t get well if your body is not getting what it needs or if it is clogged up with toxic sludge. Here are a few basic things you can do right now to START cleansing your body and getting rid of the things that are in you making you sick right now.
Complete detailed step-by-step instructions for cleaning out all the parasites, parasite eggs, disease germs, old fecal matter, the gum you swallowed when you were five, and everything else that is stuck in your colon and poisoning you right now are in my book “The Foundational Cleansing and Nourishing Program.” This wonderfully useful book also reveals how to clean stones, fat, cholesterol, and toxic buildup out of your liver and get your kidneys working like they did when you were 16!
Nourishing is especially important for fatigue because when your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs, you don’t have energy. You don’t build energy from anything but food, real live food.
5) Minimize or eliminate meat and other animal products. They have no lasting health benefits whatsoever and the most they do is clog up your system, rob your energy supply (digestion takes 2/3 of all your energy and these “foods” take far longer to digest than any plant food).
6) Boost your circulation with herbs like cayenne pepper (any hot pepper), black pepper (Always use these raw! Don’t cook them.), ginger, cloves, cinnamon, prickly ash, nutmeg, mustard, peppermint, spearmint, etc. You can consume all the greatest foods and get your body cleaned out, but if the nutrients don’t get to the starving cells all over your body, you won’t have energy. These herbs will get them there. Use them on your food, take them in extracts or capsules, make tea out of them, or whatever you want to do, and have them every day.
7) Avoid refined sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants; though they may give you a temporary boost, they will, in the long run, weaken your body and cause you to need more and more of them for that temporary fix. So stay away from them and build natural, long lasting energy that won’t let you down!
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Chris Lewis, MH Wellness Gardens
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To discover how to make the preparations mentioned in this article, read my free E-book – you can get it when you sign up for this free herbal e-mail course. If you are interested in more information on natural healing programs for this or other conditions, take a look at my herbal Phone Tutorials. (See important disclosures)
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