If communications break down, then the functions of our various systems — immune, adrenal and thyroid, nervous, cardiovascular, detoxification, and digestive — become disconnected and efficiency is lost. As the authors wrote in one recent study in the journal Viruses, “As our understanding grows, polymicrobial interactions move from the exception to the norm, and researchers must realize viruses and bacteria are no longer mutually exclusive disease-causing agents.”. Chronic stress is like never letting up on the accelerator — it drives energy systems too hard without allowing time for recovery. Don’t forget to keep a positive attitude as well. Fortunately, you do have choices — you can control what you eat and drink, what you put on your skin, and to a certain extent, the air you breathe. A disorder is a condition for which medical science does not recognize a known cause or cure; a disease has both a known cause and cure. The result is increased resistance to all types of stress, improved stamina, and more normal sleep at night (without daytime drowsiness). Thankfully, the inherent toxicity of herbs is so low that multiple herbs can be taken together for long periods of time (months and even years) without harm. In addition, most everyone with chronic Lyme disease is also found to have reactivation of EBV and a variety of other viruses. I experienced the full range of symptoms common to chronic fatigue syndrome. The biochemical substances present in herbs not only suppress stealth microbes embedded deeply in tissues, but they also keep potential disease-causing microbes in the gut microbiome in check. These substances selectively suppress potential pathogens, without harming friendly flora. Typically, stealth microbes don’t cause much fanfare upon entering the body (acute infection is mild), but chronic infection is common. Dr. Marchione and the doctors on the Bel Marra Health Editorial Team are compensated by Bel Marra Health for their work in creating content, consulting along with formulating and endorsing products. The resulting fallout is all of the symptoms common with CFS, fibromyalgia, and chronic Lyme. The guidelines are broken down into five steps that can be followed in sequence or done simultaneously, though I highly recommend making the first step your top priority. But the problem with the term "chronic fatigue" is that it's really only a description of how you feel—it doesn't explain why you are fatigued in the first place. At some point, you may find that you need to force yourself to relax. With these tips, you can have greater success in managing your chronic fatigue syndrome. Here’s an overview of the benefits of herbal therapy for recovering from chronic fatigue syndrome, plus recommendations for the specific herbs I’ve found to be most successful: Herbs provide broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. Another study, published in NMR in Biomedicine, found low levels of the antioxidant glutathione in the brains of patients with CFS. Regain your energy, vitality and health by tapping into the power of the Elimination Diet with this practical and effective nutrition course. Read his story ». Later, after a tick bite with a bull’s eye rash, I concluded that I had been suffering from chronic Lyme disease all along. Be on the lookout for a welcome email in your inbox! 2. Intensifying the frustration of finding an explanation, many doctors don’t even recognize the existence of any form of CFS. You can also learn about Dr. Rawls’ personal journey in overcoming Lyme disease and fibromyalgia in his popular blog post, My Chronic Lyme Journey. In the process, I’ve also come to the conclusion that all three of these illnesses — chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic Lyme — are variations of the same fundamental problem: Loss of energy that can be sourced to mitochondrial dysfunction and disrupted communications within the body.