A balanced diet is the main source of energy that is much needed to a person who is already feeling weak and tired. Studies showed that eating small frequent meals assist CFS patients as it fuels them up throughout the day without over-indulging them.
The truth is eating larger amounts can tire anyone sick or healthy because blood get directed away from the brain and limbs but to your stomach and intestines.
So how to adapt your nutrition routine to reduce your Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ?
Here are the 10 Healthy superfoods to add to your diet to beat CFS :
1. Kale
Because of its high water content, this vegetable will sure keep the patients hydrated. This plant is packed with micronutrients particularly vitamin C, K and A.
2. Coconut Milk
These are rich in electrolytes, nutrients and minerals and are good in treating fatigue. Consuming a good amounts of coconut milk will sure replenish the patient’s energy. This amazing food does not only prevent diarrhea, it has a hydrating effects and thus maintaining a decent volumes of blood and giving you a healthy heart.
Without complex digestive processes, coconut milk energizes your brain thereby boosting the mood and curb tiredness. Coconut milk is one the best immune system boosters out there which prevents ill-health.
3. Flaxseed
These are known to improve chronic fatigue. Flaxseed are a good addition as they are rich in fibers which is very beneficial for weight management by preventing constipation and also making you feel fuller for longer. Consuming a good amount of these will sure keep your glucose level on the norm. They are rich in lignans.
The antioxidants on the lignans improves digestion and also give your colon a good health. Apart from assisting with CFS, flaxseed is known to reduce the rate of colon cancer. Also, the levels of pro-inflammatory agents are reduced by the omega 3 fatty acids found on the flaxseed.
There are many types of foods rich in flaxseed i.e. crackers, waffles, oatmeal, etc.
4. Animal Protein
The amino acids in the animal protein build and regenerate new muscles which is important for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome who tend to have feeble and painful muscles.
Blood sugar is stabilized by the animal protein thereby preventing high blood sugar problem which is associated with tiredness. Animal proteins are good at improving food absorption thereby preventing any IBS and washing off of essential nutrients.
However, patients should eat animal protein in moderation as yield other health problems like arthritis, obesity, etc. the good sources of animal protein are; meat, chicken, fatty fish, eggs and milk.
=> Wants to know more about protein foods ? Here is the complete list of healthy protein foods !
5. Almond Milk
This is one of the foods with low glycemic index which does not spike the glucose level. Almond milk is rich in fiber which means eating a lot of this milk will improve your digestive systems and absorption.
Most people are lactose intolerant, and as such, using almond milk will help them because this milk does not have any lactose.
6. Sweet Potatoes
This vegetable will help boost your energy levels because of the simple sugars in them without increasing your sugar levels. These can make a very good dessert to supplement to your healthy diet. They are also high in fibers. Sweet potatoes can be prepared in so many ways. Like; baked, blended, steamed, or grilled.
7. Cacao
These have high amounts of magnesium, the micronutrient known to treat fatigue. Digestive enzymes, are found in cacao and high amount of fibers. It is said that the stress hormone cortisol is reduced by cacao.
The gut microbe’s activity as well your body’s metabolism is improved by eating cacao. Other functions include :
- anti-inflammation
- anti-oxidant
- risk of stroke is significantly reduced
- enhance blood clotting and blood circulation
- mood boosters
8. Blueberries
- prevents constipation because of its richness in fibers.
- Rich in other micronutrients; vitamins, sodium, copper, and acids
- gastric juices stimulation yielding a good digestion
- . rich in antioxidants like; Anthocyanin,
- Adequate production of collagen for skin, arteries and blood vessels walls.
9. Quinoa
- Has similar effects like most foods here; fiber, amino acids, etc.
- Can be eaten by people who are gluten intolerance because it has no gluten.
10. Chia Seeds
- High water in the chia seeds hydrates body cells.
- Higher protein amounts than any other plant
- Higher amount of healthy fats eg, omega-3 fatty acids.
Food to avoid with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
It is important that patient with chronic fatigue syndrome watch what they eat, literally. Because although certain foods are generally healthy, they have a way to worsen your symptoms and make the condition even worse for you.
Caffeine
This is one of the well-known stimulant that could keep people without chronic fatigue syndrome awake. Thus, a patient with a compromised sleep patterns should not be consuming this at all.
Sugary foods
Sugary foods are a no-no for everyone who aspire to lead a healthy life. Although sugar can give one a quick energy fix, sky-rocketing your glucose level BUT the fix does not last. Thus people with CFS should avoid sugary foods to prevent crashing as for them that is a reality that is detrimental to their well-being.
Sugar uses a lot of nutrients because it need to be processed by your body. Also, inflammation is promoted by the use of sugar which is what CFS patients avoid. Thus, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome should avoid adding sugar in their food and stick to sweet food like fruits and some sweet vegetables.
Fried foods
Frying food releases free radicals on the food which causes inflammation in the body after consuming them. Replace fried food with broiled or baked food. Also, form dietary habits of roasting, steaming or baking your food when you cook at home. Food to stay away from are your doughnuts, chips, or any other deep fried foods
White rice and pasta
These are like sugary foods because the building blocks of starches or carbohydrates are sugars which has a tendency of spiking your sugar levels temporarily just to crush it in a short while. Moreover, there is less fiber in white rice and pasta which means consuming a lot of these will surely affect your digestive system.
Thus, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome must aim for wholegrain foods high in fiber which have a lower glycemic index to steadily increase their sugar level giving the body enough sugar at a time for longer.
Hydrogenated Oils
These oils are used in most food we use on a daily basis like margarine, cake mixes, heavily processed foods, and the list goes on and on. Patients need to learn to read the nutritional labels when buying groceries so they can avoid buying food with hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated oils promote inflammation that’s why they should NOT be eaten by CFS patients.
A few tips to share would be to; learn to make cakes from scratch rather than using cake mix, go for dark chocolate which has a lot of cacao, instead of candy bars.
Supplements are beneficial
Patients will have to be cautious when taking nutritional supplements as taking them in excess can be harmful. Thus, your doctor should help advice which supplement to take according to the symptoms :
- multi vitamins
- magnesium
- essential fatty acids omega-3s (e.g Omega XL)
- carnitine
- coenzyme Q10
They could help improve the quality of life by controlling the symptoms as long as patients stick to the recommended daily amount
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What foods should I avoid with chronic fatigue syndrome?
Any stimulants, such as caffeine (found in coffee), theophylline and theobromine (found in tea), added sugar, fried foods and saturated fatty oils, white rice, pasta and hydrogenated oils.
How do you beat chronic fatigue naturally?
For starters, you would need to pay attention to sugar. This will help not only with your dieting but will also aid in your battle against chronic fatigue syndrome. Other ways include incorporating anti-inflammatory diet, staying well hydrated, limiting caffeine intake and reducing the amount of food taken at one time while increasing the frequency of the meals.
What food gives immediate energy?
Water is the simplest and best choice of food (or drink) to give you energy, but there are a couple more choices, such as natural energy drinks, bananas, sweet potatoes, Greek yogurt, apples and spinach, just to name a few.
Conclusion
Chronic fatigue Syndrome is a global problem and it is a good thing that the world is responding to it by offering patients with many treatment options.
The FDA is well-invested to a point where they are giving patients the platform to speak up in order to inform policy makers and identify research gaps while helping to better the lives of the affected patients.
However, the research must continue until an appropriate treatment is discovered so we don’t ONLY have to treat the symptoms but rather deal with the root cause of this global problem. As it stands, patients have many options to choose from in order to manage the condition until an appropriate treatment is found and that is a sign that management to this condition is getting better with time.
