Introduction

Chronic Fatigue is a debilitating condition, which is commonly seen clinically and affects the lives of many Australians every year. However, due to the nature of the illness, there is no clear diagnosis for this condition. Thus, it is often left undiagnosed and mistreated by the conventional medicine.

What is chronic fatigue?

Chronic Fatigue is difficult to define yet its symptoms are prominent. As its name suggests, it is the debilitating TIREDNESS , which affects the lifestyle of the sufferer. Other common symptoms include non-specific muscular aches, emotional fluctuations such as mood swings, stress and depression, digestive problems and allergies. Sufferers may also have a recent history of colds and flu as well as persistent infections.

Causes of Chronic Fatigue

The actual cause of chronic fatigue has not been identified. However, there are many triggering factors for CF. These include:
Post viral latency
Stress, anxiety and depression
Chemical intoxication
Accumulated physical and mental exhaustion

Chronic Fatigue & the Immune System

In the clinical practise, chronic fatigue sufferers often have the following signs and symptoms including stress, anxiety, poor digestion, poor physical stamina and fatigue, poor sleep as well as a weakened immune system with other health condition such as allergies.

Acupuncture & Chinese herbal medicine for Chronic Fatigue

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine treat chronic fatigue through the following mechanisms:
Reducing the level of harmful hormones in the body which often suppress the normal immune response. 
Restoring the balance of hormonal profile in the body 
Reducing the stress and anxiety of the body and mind
Regulating the distorted immune functions
Activating the immune system
Boosting energy by promoting quality rest and sleep
Inducing deep relaxation
Promoting detoxification of the body
Improving both physical amd emotional wellbeing

Chronic Fatigue & Diet

The establishment of a balanced diet is important for recovering from CF. 
A balanced diet may consist of:
A wide range of animal and plant protein with a low fat content. Replace the fatty meat with seafood, fish and eggs. 
Eating trimmed red meat or animal liver occasionally as a source of iron 
Avoiding deep fried, greasy, take-away, fast and spicy foods. 
Increasing the intake of a wide range of fresh vegetable and fruit
Increasing the intake of complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, potatoes etc.
Modifying cooking methods. Avoid deep-frying and use boiling and stir-frying instead. Avoid overcooking fresh vegetables.
Processing food with olive oil or vegetable oil instead of butter
Avoiding take away food, fast food, canned food and over-processed food. 
Avoiding caffeine and excessive sugary foods

Chronic Fatigue & Lifestyle

It is important for sufferers from CF to re-establish a regular lifestyle by:
Regulating your circadian rhythm, eg. avoid overnight work or night shifts
Reducing your mental stress level
Undertaking moderate, regular daily exercise
Avoiding excessive physical exhaustion
Establishing a balance between mental and physical tasks

References

Longman concise medical dictionary, 1994

Chinese-English Manual of Common-Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ou Ming, 1995

Lark, Susan, Chronic Fatigue, self help book, 1995, Celestial Arts
Feiden, Karyn, Hope and Help for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 1990, Prentice Hall Press
Vayda, William, Chronic Fatigue, the silent epidemic, 1991, Simon & Schuster, Australia