If you are like hundreds of thousands of other Americans, chances are you have experienced Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or a similar variant at some point in your life. A definition of CFS was adopted in 1988 which restricted the diagnosis to those who could demonstrated at least 6 of the following 11 symptoms: mild fever or chills, sore throat, painful lymph nodes, muscular discomfort, prolonged fatigue, headaches, diffuse joint aches without swelling or redness, neuropsychological complaints (forgetfulness, excessive irritability, confusion, inability to concentrate, depression), sleep disturbance, general muscle weakness, and sudden onset of symptoms.

These symptoms are all too familiar to all of us working New Yorkers. The most common ailment that strikes my patients is lack of energy. The number of 30, 40, and 50-year olds suffering from fatigue is shocking. Why are people so tired nowadays? Some blame New York City’s fast-paced, aggressive, and highly demanding working lifestyle. As they say, New Yorkers live to work, as opposed to Europeans who work to live. The frustrating thing is that thousands of people complain about feeling drained all the time and do not fit the strict definition of CFS. These folks are often overlooked by mainstream physicals. However, their plight is very common and their questions are very similar:

  • Why do I feel sleepy all the time even though I have been getting plenty of sleep?
  • How do I get out of bed every day and feel rejuvenated, not “in the fog”?
  • How do I refrain from drinking over the counter energy drinks and yet manage to fight the daytime yawning and the feeling of listlessness?

Having gathered all the information I need from the Holistic Physical, I proceed to a customized treatment protocol for that particular patient. No matter how different patient profiles are, most patients with fatigue will instantly benefit from properly selected oral and intramuscular vitamin therapy, homeopathy, or herbal remedies – as a part of my holistic “prescription” addressing lifestyle and nutritional modifications.