The Fibromyalgia Epidemic: 5 Ways to Heal Chronic Fatigue and Pain

Do you feel exhausted, achy, with brain fog, and can’t sleep? This combination suggests that you have a severe energy crisis called fibromyalgia that caused you to trip a brain circuit breaker called the hypothalamus. Meanwhile, if your muscles do not have enough energy, they will get stuck in a shortened position and you’ll be in pain (think tight muscles after strenuous exercise).

Fibromyalgia and the Yoga Community

Interestingly, I find that fibromyalgia tends to be more common in populations that are spiritual or sensitive, such as people who do yoga. I suspect that this is because we are more empathic, leaving us more prone to take on other people’s stuff. As we evolve, the sensitivity of being on this cutting edge can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessings are obvious. The curse is that we are on the frontline of adapting to the modern world and its changes. Basically, we are the canaries in the coal mine.

Ready to Turn the Circuit Breaker and Get Well?

Our published placebo-controlled study on people with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia showed that over 90 percent of people improved an average of 90% with treatment (p<. vs. placebo>

In support of our work, an editorial in the Journal of the American Academy of Pain Management noted “the comprehensive and aggressive metabolic approach to treatment detailed in the Teitelbaum study…make this approach an excellent and powerfully effective part of the standard of practice for treatment of fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome.”

What is Causing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia?

This “Energy Crisis” can be caused by any of a number of stresses. These include infections, emotional and situational stresses (including childhood stresses and PTSD), autoimmune conditions (e.g. – lupus), hormonal deficiencies, or injuries. Being unable to say no to things that feel bad is an important trigger as well. Some of us yogis are in the process of learning to be “One with everything.” We forget that a critical part of this process is also learning to have clear boundaries. To be authentic, you need to say no to situations and requests that feel bad. Otherwise, you will become the target of every “energy vampire” in your vicinity.

S.H.I.N.E.- Five Ways to Approach Fatigue and Pain

These are the 5 key physical areas that need to be treated for your hypothalamic “circuit breaker” to turn back on, and for fatigue and pain to resolve:

1. Sleep. Because the hypothalamus controls sleep, most patients need a mix of natural and prescription sleep treatments. For you to get well and pain free it is critical that you take enough of the correct natural & prescription sleep treatments to get 8 to 9 hours sleep each night! I prefer to start with natural therapies. An excellent one is the ‘Revitalizing Sleep Formula’ by Enzymatic Therapies, which includes six helpful herbs and nutrients. Another synergistic mix is called Terrific ZZZZ. Then I add very low doses of Ambien, Desyrel, Flexeril, and Neurontin as needed.

2. Hormonal deficiencies. The hypothalamus is the main control center, via the pituitary, for most of the glands in the body. Most of the normal ranges for our blood tests were not developed in the context of hypothalamic suppression. Because of this (and for a number of other reasons), it is usually necessary to treat with natural thyroid, adrenal (e.g.-glandulars such as Adrenaplex), and bioidentical ovarian and testicular hormones — despite normal blood tests!

3. Infections. Many studies have shown immune system dysfunction in FMS/CFS, which can result in many infections. These include viral, Lyme, parasites and other bowel infections and, most importantly fungal/Candida infections. 

4. Nutritional supplementation. Widespread nutritional deficiencies are common. To replace 35 pills, use the Energy Revitalization System which contains 50 key nutrients in 1 good tasting drink. Add SHINE Ribose 5 gm (1 scoop) three times a day for 3 weeks, then twice a day to powerfully jumpstart your energy. In two of our published studies, ribose increased energy an average of 61%, while decreasing pain.

5. Exercise as able. Do not push to the point of crashing the next day. Start by walking as long as you comfortably can (even if that is only 2 minutes) to improve conditioning. After 10 weeks on SHINE treatment, which dramatically increases energy production, start to increase your walks by up to 1 minute more each few days as is comfortable. When you are up to an hour of walking a day, you can increase intensity.

You can get your health back!

Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the most frequently quoted integrative medical authorities in the world. He is the author of the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!, Pain Free, 1,2,3!, the Beat Sugar Addiction Now! series, Real Cause Real Cure, The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution, and the popular free Smart Phone app Cures A-Z. He is the lead author of 4 studies on effective treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and a study on effective treatment of autism using NAET. Dr. Teitelbaum appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and FoxNewsHealth. Learn more at Vitality101.com.

Resources:

1-The book “The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution.” For more detailed information, read “From Fatigued to Fantastic!”.

2-See www.Vitality101.com for a free 10 minute “Energy Analysis Program” quiz that will determine what is draining your energy and tailor a program to optimize it.

3- I also treat people worldwide, often by phone as needed. For information contact Sarah at appointments@endfatigue.com