Chronic Fatigue

Depressed & anxious? Volunteering reduces symptoms

Depression and anxiety are hitting all-time highs these days, sending millions of Americans in search of relief. While many avenues reduce or eliminate symptoms, particularly functional medicine protocols that reduce chronic inflammation, one must still tend to the health of the psyche. One powerful but overlooked relief from depression and anxiety is to spend time …

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What kind of brain inflammation do you have?

If you have a chronic health or autoimmune condition, chances are you also suffer from brain inflammation. Brain inflammation causes symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, lack of motivation, and depression. We all have some degree of brain inflammation, but it can range from barely perceptible to debilitating depending on how advanced it is. What …

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New lab test in the works for chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome — more correctly called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) — is one of the more frustrating chronic illnesses because most doctors don’t believe it exists or that it’s a psychiatric issue. Despite symptoms that completely debilitate its victims, ME/CFS is often the butt of jokes or medical ridicule because there is no …

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Exercise and autoimmune disease: A balancing act

Although autoimmune disease symptoms can vary depending on the tissue the immune system is attacking, most people with autoimmunity struggle with bouts of fatigue, energy “crashes,” brain fog, inflammation, and pain. These symptoms can throw a frustrating wrench in your exercise habit. Or if these reoccurring symptoms have prevented you from starting an exercise routine, …

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Autoimmune diseases considered epidemic today

Although few doctors know how to successfully manage autoimmune disease — a condition in which the immune system attacks the body — researchers say it has become a modern epidemic, affecting more people than heart disease and cancer combined. Conventional medicine also argues autoimmune disease has mysterious origins and is primarily genetic, but again research …

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Breast Implant Sickness?

After assurance from breast implant makers that concerns about silicone leaks were a thing of the past, more than 10 million women worldwide have received silicone breast implants in the past decade. However, a growing body of research — supported by increased symptom reporting by women —links silicone breast implants to autoimmune disorders and a …

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Six lifelong habits found among the happiest people

In functional medicine we look at diet and lifestyle strategies to prevent or reverse disease, calm inflammation, and slow the aging process. However, other overlooked but extremely important aspects to your health are your general happiness, well-being, and attitude. Science shows happiness and positivity are correlated with better health. If you are not naturally happy, …

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Entrepreneurs face added health challenges

Entrepreneurs face countless problems with money, partners, employees, failure, and never-ending uncertainty. The physical, mental, and emotional consequences can take their toll. According to researchers, people who own their own businesses tend to be passionate people in the best and worst ways and are more prone to: Hopelessness Depression Despair Sense of worthlessness Loss of …

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Green Tea – Miracle or Myth?

  Green tea – miracle or myth? As more and more people are opting for a healthier lifestyle today, beverages like protein shakes and detox drinks are gaining popularity. One of such considered to-be-healthy drinks is green tea. However, rather than being a new scientific discovery, green tea has been in use since the ancient …

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Anemia may be making your autoimmune disease worse.

When people are working to manage an autoimmune or chronic condition, they typically focus on an anti-inflammatory diet and protocol. However, one often overlooked dealbreaker to getting better is anemia. Anemia as is a deal breaker to recovery because it means your cells are not getting enough oxygen. Without oxygen, recovery and repair can’t happen. …

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Can’t sleep? What is my circadian rhythm?

The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to researchers for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms that control circadian rhythm, our biological “clock.” This sleep-wake cycle helps us move between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals, and regulates important functions such as: Behavior Sleep Mood Immunity Brain function Hormone levels Metabolism Although we’ve …

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Do you have to be concerned with thyroid nutrition?

Let’s review some thyroid physiology before we get into nutrition. Learning how the thyroid works will help you understand how to take care of it. The hypothalamus is a portion of your brain that has sensors that can detect what is happening in the blood. The endocrine system is a group of organs that release …

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Is your Thyroid Hormone being Converted to the active form?

Before we start understanding conversion, let’s take a look at the physiology of how the thyroid gland works. When your body senses that your thyroid hormone level is low, the hypothalamus tells the pituitary gland in the brain to produce TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). TSH tells the thyroid gland to start producing more thyroid hormones. …

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Eating yourself sick: Insulin resistance and disease

The road to chronic disease — from arthritis to heart disease — is paved with sugar and refined carbohydrates. It’s a freeway that leads straight to insulin resistance syndrome, given the right conditions, most notably being overweight and inactive. The devastating chain of events that leads to chronic disease goes like this: Carbs and sugar …

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Could you be developing an autoimmune disease?

You could be developing an autoimmune disease, one of the most common diseases today, and are not aware of it. This is because autoimmune diseases sometimes start off as “silent” autoimmunity. This means your immune system is attacking tissue in your body but the damage isn’t bad enough to cause symptoms yet. Autoimmune disease is …

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