Have you ever wondered why there are so many diagnosed cases of things like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia then there were 20 years ago? It seems as if every time I turn around someone I know has one of these illnesses that have fatigue as a component (among a hodgepodge of other vague symptoms). Why are their bodies revolting against them and how come there seems to be no cure? What causes these syndromes and illnesses anyway?
New animal research shows a connection between the brain and the immune system. Using mice as subjects, scientists found that immune cells made their way into the brain after various body organs became inflamed (keep in mind that the skin is an organ). This means that inflammation that starts one place could migrate it’s way to the brain causing fatigue, lack of desire to socialize, depression etc. Interestingly enough, when the researchers blocked the migration of immune cells into the brain, they found that the mice no longer exhibited those classical symptoms of fatigue indicating that the root cause could be inflammation elsewhere in the body.
What does this mean for you? Excess inflammation may lead to fatigue. Therefore, it is important to eat an anti-inflammatory diet loaded with fatty fish and produce (berries in particular) while avoiding some of those foods that cause inflammation including a diet rich in omega 6s (at the expense of omega 3s), fried foods, man made trans fats, and a high sugar diet.