“I need another cup of coffee” fatigue is very different from chronic fatigue. It is a crippling illness that can affect every aspect of your life.
The impact of diet on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has not been the subject of any significant research to date. However, Jose Montoya, MD, professor of medicine and specialist at Stanford’s chronic fatigue clinic, said that diet appears to influence chronic fatigue.
“CFS can potentially be influenced by diet, but we know very little about what might work specifically for everyone,” Montoya said. “We know that for some, certain foods make symptoms worse or better and that people should pay attention to these.”
While more research is still needed, there are many things you can do to increase energy and ensure you eat a healthy, balanced diet. Here are 12 diet tricks to try.
1. Eliminate inflammatory foods:
Montoya suggests attempting an anti-inflammatory diet or including anti-inflammatory foods like fish and olive oil because inflammation seems to have a part in chronic fatigue. He tries to limit inflammatory foods like sugar, fried foods and processed meats.
2. Stay hydrated:
Even though increasing your water intake won’t make chronic fatigue go away, it’s still crucial. Dehydration is known to worsen fatigue. It’s critical to stay hydrated if you want to maintain or improve your health.
3. Keep a food and symptom diary:
Keep a food journal to identify foods that enhance or exacerbate symptoms. It’s also helpful to have a record of how you feel on a day-to-day basis to share with your doctor. Track how you feel and what you’ve eaten each day to find any patterns. Because 35 to 90 percent of people with chronic fatigue experience symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome, it’s important to pay close attention to any stomach discomfort or discomfort.
4. Don’t cut everything:
It’s tempting to cut out everything you can when faced with a disease as nebulous and unrelenting as chronic fatigue, but there’s no evidence that a highly restrictive diet improves symptoms. Talk to your doctor before eliminating any foods from your diet to avoid overloading your body and eliminating important nutrients. Try an elimination diet only if your doctor and dietitian think it’s right for you.
5. But do experiment with your diet:
Some foods can make you feel better or worse. For example, some of Montoya’s patients noticed improvements after eliminating gluten or carbohydrate-rich foods from their diet, while others saw no effects. Since there is no standard diet for CFS, it may be worth experimenting with your diet to find the one that makes you feel best.
It’s best to work with your dietitian or doctor to tailor a meal plan to your particular needs. You can begin independently by observing your emotional response to different foods.
“With chronic fatigue, it’s important to listen to your body and see how it feels,” said Leah Groppo, RD, CDE at Stanford Health Care. This is especially important if you think certain foods might aggravate your symptoms or if you plan to make changes to your diet.
Groppo suggests experimenting with minor adjustments, such as increasing the amount of veggies served at dinner every night. She continues to follow it for a full month before deciding whether the change has improved your symptoms or not. You’ll also be more likely to maintain healthier habits in the long run if you introduce them slowly.
6. Limit your caffeine intake:
Although caffeine seems like a fantastic way to increase energy, there are drawbacks. Caffeine, in Montoya’s opinion, can deceive you into overindulging in its effects. For some, a small amount of caffeine might be acceptable. Just watch out that you don’t overdo it and that your consumption doesn’t interfere with your ability to sleep.
7. Try smaller, more frequent meals:
Many chronic fatigue sufferers frequently report not being hungry or feeling too exhausted to eat. Groppo suggests experimenting with smaller meals more frequently or including tiny snacks in between each meal if you’re losing weight or finding it difficult to eat enough throughout the day. Eating more often can sustain a high level of energy. It might also be easier to tolerate smaller portions.
8. Pay attention to sugar:
Sugar may also temporarily boost your energy, but the subsequent crash can increase your tiredness. Instead of reaching for foods with refined sugar, Groppo suggests eating naturally sweet foods with a little protein to help level blood sugar and energy levels. Berries with plain, unsweetened yogurt are a great option.
9. Go all in on veggies:
Load up on non-starchy vegetables. To reap the special nutrients and health benefits of each color of vegetable, try including them throughout your diet. Red vegetables, for example, are rich in phytonutrients that act as antioxidants and help reduce inflammation. Crucial vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, C, and B6 are found in yellow vegetables.
10. Avoid heavily processed foods:
Foods that have undergone extensive processing usually have lower nutrient contents than whole foods. To meet your body’s needs, it’s critical to eat an abundance of plant-based foods, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
Don’t know what to eat? Groppo recommends sticking to foods that are “as close as possible to how Mother Nature made them.” For example, choose corn pop instead of corn flakes or brown rice instead of pasta.
11. Top it all off with healthy fats:
A sprinkle of nuts, a few slices of avocado, a couple of ounces of trout—it can be easy to add healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids throughout the day. In addition to being beneficial for heart and brain health, healthy fats can also help lower inflammation.
12. Plan and prepare meals when you can:
One of the best ways to ensure a nutritious diet is to plan your meals and prepare your food in advance. On the days when you have the most energy, plan what you’ll eat for the rest of the week and prep basic ingredients or cook meals all the way through. Your meals will all be ready. You won’t have to worry about what you’ll eat on any given day. Even better: ask someone to help you so you can get more done without burning out.
The Bottom line:
We’ve been told time and time again that what you eat affects how you feel. This is no less true for chronic fatigue. While there are no specific diets for chronic fatigue, a balanced, healthy diet can be a key part of your treatment plan. Just be sure to always talk to your doctor and dietitian before making any major changes to your diet or adding supplements.