For the body to function optimally, proper digestion is essential. Two factors are particularly important in this regard:
- The stomach must produce enough digestive juices (stomach acid) to break down food.
- The intestines must be able to properly absorb all the necessary nutrients.
More than half of patients with chronic fatigue have digestive problems. These problems can have various causes:
– An imbalance in the gut flora ( an excess of bad bacteria and a shortage of good bacteria). A stool test can reveal the extent of the deficiency in good bacteria. You can address an imbalance in the gut flora by eating plenty of fiber (a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, fruits, avocados, and whole-grain products) and by taking probiotics and prebiotics (as food for the gut bacteria) as supplements.
– An intolerance to certain foods. Food intolerances are one of the main causes of fatigue. The most common food intolerance is to gluten (wheat, rye, and barley are particularly high in gluten), but many people also react poorly to dairy products, sugar, alcohol, and coffee. If you suspect you have an intolerance to a certain type of food, it’s wise to eliminate it from your diet for two months and see if your symptoms improve (going longer than two months is pointless; if you don’t notice a difference after that time, nothing will change even if you continue for longer). If you find that certain foods are indeed a problem, you’ll notice an improvement fairly quickly: you’ll experience less gas, fewer cramps, less bloating, and your bowel movements will return to normal. After four to six months, you can try reintroducing these foods in limited amounts into your daily diet, but if you notice that the symptoms return, I recommend permanently eliminating the foods you’re intolerant to from your diet.
– Increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) is very often the underlying cause of fatigue. Increased intestinal permeability is a condition in which the intestinal wall is “leaky,” allowing various substances to pass from the intestine into the bloodstream. These unwanted substances strain the liver, causing muscle pain and fatigue. A healthy intestinal wall absorbs only the nutrients you need; a leaky gut impairs their absorption. Increased intestinal permeability is caused by a food intolerance (often a gluten intolerance), an unhealthy diet high in sugars, or the use of antibiotics in combination with anti-inflammatory drugs. You can treat it by making significant changes to your diet: avoiding foods you’re intolerant to, taking probiotics, and strengthening your intestinal lining by taking a supplement containing the amino acid glutamine and additional digestive enzymes.
– Parasites, such as Candida albicans ( a yeast), can contribute to fatigue. You can detect them through blood and stool tests. You can eliminate them by taking the medication nystatin. A stool test can also help identify any digestive issues. If there are specific digestive issues, you can stimulate digestion by taking additional digestive enzymes and strengthen the intestinal mucosa by taking extra glutamine, just as you would with increased intestinal permeability.
– Many people with fatigue issues have a poorly functioning liver. This may already be the result of taking excessive amounts of medication for the various symptoms that can accompany fatigue. Indirectly, the conventional medications that doctors prescribe for fatigue and fibromyalgia can prevent your body from detoxifying properly. There are foods that significantly improve liver function and stimulate detoxification (broccoli, artichoke). A number of specific supplements have the same properties (lipoic acid, silymarin).