| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a debilitating | | | | against viruses. Faced with a virus, it may not |
| syndrome that affects between 900,000 and 2 | | | | recognize the virus as an enemy or may even |
| million Americans. Unfortunately, about 80 percent | | | | overreact. CFS has been linked to an immune |
| have never received the formal diagnosis for all | | | | system weakened by a virus. |
| the unfortunate multiple unexplained symptoms. | | | | Sleep is very important to ones health and also |
| To be diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, | | | | helps to strengthen the immune system when |
| you need to have fatigue for at least six months. | | | | you have gotten a good quality and quantity of |
| There has been a lot of research on the possible | | | | sleep. However, lack of sleep is due to stress, an |
| causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but there | | | | overworked immune system and not time for |
| are no definite answers. There are a variety of | | | | rest. |
| reasons for why some endure CFS and others do | | | | Critical body functions from breathing and |
| not. | | | | regulating your heartbeat to keeping your |
| Family history is a major cause. If another family | | | | temperature at the right amount is controlled by |
| member has it, it is more that you will get it. A | | | | your autonomic nervous system. However, there |
| genetic link is not definite as it has shown that | | | | are people who cannot stay in an upright position |
| some people with CFS in their family history live | | | | for more than a few minutes without getting |
| their whole lives without getting CFS. | | | | dizzy. These people who develop CFS have an |
| Stress plays a huge role in CFS. Mental or | | | | issue with their autonomic nervous system; it is |
| emotional stressors may be dealt with normally | | | | called orthostatic instability. Some doctors feel |
| by people who do not have CFS. However, | | | | that orthostatic instability is a condition in and of |
| people who are more prone to CFS possibly have | | | | itself whereas others feel that it is a symptom of |
| issues with the physical mechanism that | | | | CFS. |
| generates a proper stress response, causing | | | | An ongoing infection such as the flu can cause the |
| them to unable to react effectively to stressors, | | | | onset of CFS. When the flu or some other illness |
| mental or physical. | | | | lingers on for longer than two weeks, it makes |
| Viral infections can affect the immune system | | | | the person feel worse and worse and by the |
| dramatically despite the powerful antibodies and | | | | time they see the doctor, the bug may be gone |
| natural killer cells that your body tries to defend | | | | but in place could be CFS. |