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Category Archive Chronic Fatigue

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Best Foods to Eat for Healing ME/CFS

Nutrition is a powerful allie when recovering from ME/CFS. A question I get asked a lot as a Nutritionist is “What should I eat?” In this article I will explain the best foods to eat for healing ME/CFS.

Firstly, let me tell you what I ate when I was ill with my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

My Story

Step 1: Junk Food

When I was a university student living away from home and first became ill with ME/CFS I used to eat a diet of junk food such as:

  • Microwave ready meal lasagne.
  • Pasta in creamy sauce
  • Beef burgers
  • Microwave ready meal salmon and broccoli in creamy sauce.
  • Microwave chips and fish fingers.
  • Pop tarts
  • Sugary Cereal
  • Pizza
  • Prawn mayonnaise sandwiches
  • Baked potato with tuna mayonnaise
  • Chocolate bars

By eating all these junk foods in excess I destroyed my health.

I now know that when you microwave meals it denatures the structure of the food so it is not the same food that went into the microwave!

Step 2: Gluten-Free in Recovery

After a positive Coeliac IgA blood test result from my Doctor in May 2009 I removed wheat from my diet and cooked things such as:

  • Rainbow trout with wild rice, steamed broccoli and carrots.
  • Sea bass with gluten-free pasta and steamed vegetables in a creamy sauce.
  • Sausages, wild rice and steamed vegetables.
  • Gluten-free pasta in tomato sauce.
  • Steamed egg ramekin.
  • Gluten-free sandwiches
  • Rice pudding
  • Oat porridge with blueberries
  • Spaghetti Bolognese with gluten-free pasta
  • Oat flapjacks
  • Gluten-free pasta bake
  • Fish pie
  • Homemade pork burgers
  • Lamb shanks

These are the foods that I was eating during my recovery from 2010-2011. then helped me to regain my health.

Based on what I have learnt in my 3 year nutrition course, the best foods to eat for healing ME/CFS are:

  • Rainbow trout – high in CoQ10, a nutrient which helps to get energy into cells. It is also high in protein and vitamin D to boost the immune system.
  • Walnuts – also high in omega 3 and good fats.
  • Free-range eggs – a good source of protein and vitamin D to boost the immune system.
  • Blueberries – an antioxidant to protect your body from free-radical damage while it is fighting off viruses and Candida.
  • Broccoli – a good source of CoQ10, vitamin C and it supports the sulphation detoxification pathway in your liver.

Photo by <a href=”https://unsplash.com/@sebastiancoman?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText”>Sebastian Coman Photography</a> on <a href=”https://unsplash.com/s/photos/trout?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText”>Unsplash</a>

If you would like to find out more about diet for healing ME/CFS, book your free 15 minute fatigue breakthrough call.

How to Kill Recurrent Candida

When you have recurrent Candida it can be very difficult to get rid of! You may have tried multiple courses of antibiotics which work for a short time and then the Candida comes back with avengence! Below I explain how to kill recurrent Candida.

You may have horrible symptoms including:

  • Yellow vaginal discharge
  • Constant fatigue
  • Brain fog
  • Need to go to bed at 7pm.
  • Unable to get out of the house and socialise with friends due to exhaustion.
  • Thick white coating on your tongue.

So what can you do?

Well you need to treat the root cause of the problem which is poor diet. Your diet may be high in sugary, processed foods which are feeding the Candida.

How to Kill Recurrent Candida

Step 1

Remove refined sugar from your diet and replace it with low sugar fruits such as apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries and kiwis. When you stop feeding the Candida it will start to starve and die off. You may have sugar cravings for a few days during the die off period. Check out my post on anti-candida diet for ideas on what foods to eat to kill Candida.

Step 2

You need to boost your immune system to help your body to fight off the Candida. Eat more zinc rich foods such as fish and seafood to power your immune system. Also eating foods high in vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant, protects the body during the die off period when Candida release harmful toxins. You can eat more oranges, spinach and tomatoes to get your dose of vitamin C.

Step 3

Drink at least 2 litres of filtered water daily to help flush out toxins during the die off period. It also helps you to stay hydrated so your body can function more efficiently.

Step 4

Eat natural anti-fungals including raw garlic, onion and coconut oil. These work gently to kill off the Candida without destroying all the good bacteria in your gut.

If you want more tips on how to kill candida, download my free guide here.

Contact Me

You can go ahead and book your free 15 minute fatigue breakthrough call! Or you can contact me using the contact form below.

Photo by Daniela on Unsplash

How to Heal Leaky Gut

When you have leaky gut syndrome, holes appear in the gut and large molecules of food can leak into the blood stream. This can cause an immune reaction to the molecules of foods in the blood causing chronic fatigue. Below I will explain how to heal leaky gut.

People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) often have systemic candida. Candida Albicans is a yeast infection most commonly present in the gut. Candida grows roots through the gut wall reaching into the blood stream to suck up nutrients. When the candida grows roots this causes holes in the gut wall leading to leaky gut syndrome. Also when you eat difficult to digest foods such as wheat, the gluten can scratch the gut lining causing further damage.

If you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) then check out my post on tips for recovering from ME/CFS.

How to Heal Leaky Gut

  1. Remove food intolerances – The first step to healing leaky gut syndrome is to remove any food intolerances by going on an elimination diet. When you have leaky gut, large molecules of foods can leak through the gut wall into the blood stream. When this occurs, your immune system thinks that the food is a foreign invader and attacks it. If you remove the foods that your body is sensitive to, the immune system stops reacting to the foods and you have more energy to heal your gut. Therefore eliminate any foods you suspect you are intolerant to. Many people have food intolerances to cow’s milk and gluten found in wheat, barley, rye and rolled oats.
  2. Kill the candida infection – Secondly you need to eradicate the candida infection using natural anti-fungal herbs such as oregano oil. It is best to avoid taking prescribed antibiotics for this condition as it wipes out all of your bacteria, good and bad. This leaves space for the candida infection to spread throughout your gut.
  3. Heal the gut lining – The third step would be eat more foods such as bone broth which contain glutamine which heals the holes in the gut. Also I recommend taking an omega 3 supplement which strengthens the cell walls so they hold their shape firmly.
  4. Repopulate the gut with good bacteria – Finally you would need to take a probiotic to repopulate your gut with good bacteria. You can eat more fermented foods such as water kefir which is a natural probiotic.

When you undertake this gut healing protocol, it can take 3-6 months to fully heal the gut.

Leaky Energy

One other thing to mention is that people often have a leaky energy as well as a leaky gut. The mind, body, spirit and energy are all linked so if your gut is leaky, then so are all the other areas of your life!

Where else in your life is your energy being drained? Are there energy vampires in your family or at work who drain your energy? Does your mind focus on negative things that cause you stress and drain your energy? Do you waste your money and time on pointless things that do not nourish your energy? It is worth asking yourself these questions and taking action to remove these drains from your life.

Finally if you would like more information on how to heal leaky gut in chronic fatigue, contact Kate and book a free 15 minute fatigue breakthrough call!

Photo by Alicia Petresc on Unsplash

Tips for Recovering from ME/CFS

Around 250,000 people in Britain are recognised as having M.E or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Many more are undiagnosed. I suffered with severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 3 years. It was after visiting a Nutritionist and following her plan for a few months that I began to get my energy back. After a year I was fully recovered and back working again. Below you can read my tips for recovering from ME/CFS.

Common Symptoms

  • Chronic, debilitating fatigue
  • Muscle pains
  • Headaches
  • Poor concentration
  • Low blood pressure
  • Insomnia
  • Sensitivity to light and noise
  • Constipation

Causes of Chronic Fatigue

  • Stress
  • Viral infections e.g. Glandular Fever or Cytomegalovirus.
  • Unprocessed emotional trauma
  • Exposure to a lot of electrical equipment (EMR)
  • Have running water under your home (Geopathic stress)
  • Polio vaccination
  • Low blood sugar level
  • Heavy metal toxicity
  • Liver congestion
  • Food intolerances
  • Candida overgrowth
  • Parasites
  • Adrenal fatigue
  • Deficiencies of minerals e.g. magnesium

Tips for Recovering from ME/CFS

Foods to Avoid

  • Avoid any foods and drinks containing caffeine, sugar and alcohol, all of which lower the immune function, weaken the adrenal system and cause imbalance with blood sugar levels.
  • Most mass produced, tinned foods and takeaways are lacking in magnesium. Most M.E patients have low levels if this vital mineral.
  • Avoid energy drinks such as Red Bull which contain caffeine which will only serve to weaken you in the long term.
  • If you find yourself constantly craving foods such as wheat, sugar and snacks, are bloated, have an urgency to urinate, suffer mood swings and are always tired, you may well have Candida overgrowth. Follow the anti-candida diet.
  • Almost everyone with chronic fatigue will have multiple food intolerances, the most common being to wheat and cow’s milk.

Foods to Eat

  • Essential fats are vital for people with M.E since they support the endocrine system, boost immunity and help to balance blood sugar. Therefore eat more pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts and oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring.
  • It is vital that you eat good-quality protein such as organic meat, chicken, fresh fish, beans or lentils at least twice a day. Protein boosts the immune system and helps to balance blood sugar for longer periods.
  • Eat plenty of wholegrain cereals, leafy green vegetables such as cabbage, kale, spring greens, pak choy, broccoli, and brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, curries, black strap molasses and beans which are all rich in magnesium.
  • Replace wheat with amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, brown rice, oats and wheat free bread.
  • Drink at least 2 litres of filtered water daily to help detoxify your system.

Lifestyle Tips

  • Do some gentle exercise such a pilates stretches to gradually tone the muscles and help to drain the lymph system which is often overloaded.
  • Learn to relax. Meditation is a great way to give the body and brain a complete rest. Try listening to relaxing music such as sounds of nature.
  • Have a massage to drain the lymph system and soothe aching muscles.
  • Look into ozone therapy to oxygenate the body.
  • Many people have been cured of M.E by energy healers.
  • If you symptoms persist, try having your house dowsed for electrical and geopathic stress. To find a dowser contact The British Dowsing Society.
  • Visit a counsellor as many people discover that their ME/CFS was triggered by an emotional trauma and speaking about it helps you to process it.

Recommended Testing

  • I would recommend hair mineral analysis testing for ME/CFS. This test can show you if you have adrenal fatigue, thyroid problems, blood sugar imbalances and the levels of toxic metals in your body. It can also show you the levels of minerals such as magnesium, calcium and zinc in your cells.
  • Also I would recommend doing a food intolerance blood test to check for sensitivities to wheat, cow’s milk and other foods. Alternatively you can find a practitioner who uses a bio-feedback machine to test for food intolerances as well as for the presence of viruses and Candida.

Furthermore if you would like to learn more nutrition tips for recovering from ME/CFS, contact Kate and book your free 15 minute fatigue breakthrough call!

Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash

Nutrition for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Having experienced myself what it is like to go through Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), I know how important nutrition is for recovering health. I have gained a wealth of knowledge on my nutrition course to support CFS. Below I have listed my nutrition for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome tips:

Magnesium

If you have CFS you may have aches and pains in your muscles after minor exertion. When you take magnesium it can help to relieve muscular pains and it is know as nature’s tranquilliser. Good sources of magnesium include dark green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate and nuts and seeds.

Filtered water

People with CFS often have a lot of toxins in their body. Drinking at least 2 litres of filtered water every day helps to flush out the toxins and keep you hydrated. Having a water filter clears the water of toxic chemicals, as well as chlorine and fluoride which can harm the thyroid gland.

Protein

The average adult needs to eat 2-3 portions of protein per day or their weight in kilos x 0.8. If you are ill with CFS you need to eat an extra portion of protein to support you body building immune cells and for tissue repair. People with CFS need to eat an amount of protein in grams equal to their weight in kilos x 1. For example 50kg x 1 = 50g of protein per day. Good sources of protein include meat, chicken, fish, eggs and tofu.

Zinc

Often people with CFS have multiple viruses and infections that the body is constantly trying to fight off. This can deplete the immune system of the vital nutrient zinc. When you take zinc it boosts the immune system. Good sources of zinc include fish, seafood and pumpkin seeds.

Vitamin C

People with CFS often are inflammatory and have lots of free radical damage from their immune cells constantly fighting infections. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to mop up free radicals and prevent cell damage.

Omega 3

You need omega 3 fatty acids for brain health and concentration, skin health and tight cell membranes. You can find omega 3 in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, walnuts, hemp powder, flaxseed and chia seeds. Often people with CFS are deficient in omega 3 so it may be worth increasing it in the diet and taking a supplement to see if you feel better.

If you would like to find out more about how to use nutrition to support CFS/ME recovery, please contact me to book your free 15 minute fatigue breakthrough call.

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