EiR Blog

Posting the Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) Test results received from Diagnos-Techs, Inc. Note the images 4 and 5, which provide a great restoration plan approach to resolving the adrenal deficiencies found in the test. Hoping this may be helpful for folks out there that have seen similar results, but are unsure how to proceed.           ...

Intentionality in changing our buying and cleaning habits is vital for protecting our well-being. In order to be stronger and live longer, we must choose to create a healing habitat that effectively eliminates toxins in our bodies and reduces the source of toxins in our environment so that restoration of optimum health can occur.   These check-points will alert you to some of the ways to improve your health through behavioral changes:   1. Check in your sink and under it   Dishwashing liquid residue is left on dishes and eaten, use a non-toxic alternative such as Seventh Generation Free & Clear Laundry Liquid Clean your sponge; studies have shown that the degree of contamination of sponges of a hundred million to one billion microorganisms of any kind per sponge. Wash your sponge (put it in your dishwasher even). Toxic chemical arsenal under the sick! Yes, most of us are...

In Chronic Fatigue Syndrome there are many theories as to the cause. Some say it is the effects of heavy metal and chemical toxicity. Some say it is chronic infections, while others say it is the side-effects from vaccines and the use of suppressive medicines such as acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen, still others say it is dysregulated hormones or the effects of emotional trauma. It this author’s opinion everyone is correct in the same way as the proverbial three blind men describing an elephant from the head, tail, and the side are correct in each one’s description but only from his unique vantage point. However, in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome there is one common overriding finding…low body temperature! This article deals primarily with the very predictable problems seen in low body temperature and the profound importance of restoring and maintaining normal core body temperature. This is true not just in Chronic...

 I received an email update this week on the work of the European Society for ME (ESME) that I thought you may be interested in. ESME is a Think Tank of top scientists in fields relevant to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) where the latest research and knowledge on the illness can be discussed and efforts made to propogate this to the medical profession to improve care for patients. ESME was founded just last year and had its launch meeting on June 13th, in Stavanger, Norway. The launch was well covered by the mainstream media and the following are summaries of this coverage with links to full articles and videos.   ESME Press Summary 2009 SKY NEWS - UK In connection with ESME's Think Tank meeting in Norway, Sky News aired a story on the 13th of June with the heading, "Could a Cure for ME be Near?" In the piece,...

hi, i am new here. i have fibro and cfs since 2000. i live in a cold climate(very cold). does anyone have the experience of moving to a warm climate and it helps the fibro??...

  A little while ago a member posted in the forums about a subject which hasn't been addressed specifically on the site before - 'pathological detoxifiers'. I thought this subject deserved more attention as it can be a vital piece in the puzzle for those suffering from environmental illnesses including multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and Gulf War syndrome. To define what it means to be a pathological detoxifier first we need to understand the basics of how liver detoxification works:   Liver Detoxification The detoxification of toxins by the liver basically occurs in two phases. Substances the liver must detoxify can be exogenous (from outside of the body) such as alcohol, drugs, pollutants, or endogenous (from inside the body) such as hormones. Most toxins are fat-soluble which means they are easily absorbed and stored in the body (particularly fatty tissues, including the brain), but are difficult to...

I was delighted to learn this week of funding for research into the link between chronic fatigue syndrome, disturbed gut flora and leaky gut syndrome.   The CFIDS association of America launched their 'Accelerate CFS Research Initiative' - the largest chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) research initiative to date. After a sustained year long fundraising campaign the association allocated over $600,000 of an estimated $1 million kitty to six research groups in the US and Canada. This is fantastic news for anyone suffering from this life altering illness and their families. ME/CFS has for too long been shunned by both medical researchers and sources of funding including governments, charitable bodies, and pharmaceutical/biotech firms. This despite the fact that ME/CFS is estimated to affect around 2% of the population in countries including the US, Canada and UK. People including myself who have been affected by this highly debilitating illness suffer greatly and are provided...

As someone who became ill with chronic fatigue syndrome at the age of 11 I have spent my entire adolescence and adult life struggling with the condition. My personality is one that could be classed as predominantly type A and I like to "burn the candle at both ends" as the saying goes. After being diagnosed with ME/CFS and discovering there was no treatment or cure available this led me to ignore my illness and push even harder during my teens. I continued full-time at school, took part in physical education (P.E.) classes, played soccer with my friends after school and went to parties. For a while this seemed to work as I was very happy which obviously makes you feel better anyway. Inevitably however things began to go down hill in my late teens and my life eventually came to an abrupt halt after a two semesters of university. I was then virtually bedridden...

Tomorrow is the longest day of the year and the official start of summer in the northern hemisphere (Sorry Aus/NZ etc!). Here in the UK the longer days mean that at least there is more chance of there being periods of clear skies while it is still light! So I thought this would be a good time to discuss sunshine and vitamin D in relation to chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) as there seems to be some disagreement over  how vitamin D metabolism is affected in patients and whether extra, either from sunlight or supplements, is needed. From a personal perspective, as part of my illness I suffer from seasonal affective disorder (S.A.D.) which is also known as winter depression. For a number of years I would become suicidally depressed during the winter months and then my mood would lift substantially from late March. After a few years of this it became...

 Back in November of last year I reported on the efforts of the Fair Name Campaign which has the aim of promoting a name which truly represents the medical and patient reality of the illness currently known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the United States and elsewhere. The majority of patients, as well as some in the medical community (doctors, researchers etc), have felt that the name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) trivializes what is a very serious and disabling illness. Not only that but it is medically inaccurate and does nothing to confer the fact that it is an organic illness. This has understandably contributed to much of the public, and to the chagrin of sufferers doctors as well, dismissing the condition as "all in the head". The weight of evidence conclusively demonstrates that CFS is not a psychological illness. Patients, backed by knowledgeable doctors and researchers, have now decided that the...

Many of you will have seen the news this week on this site and elsewhere that seven subtypes of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have been catergorized based on new genetic research. This is fascinating stuff. Not only does it give us a deeper understanding of what is going on in ME/CFS and offer the hope of diagnostic tests and treatments in the not too distant future, but it also puts another (rather large!) nail in the coffin of the idea that the disease is psychological in origin. Let's face it, this idea should have been buried years ago but its proponents (mainly psychiatrists) are a stubburn lot! ME/CFS has always been a highly puzzling illness for researchers because despite obvious commonalities between patients, chronic fatigue being the obvious one, there are also many differences. These can be grouped into different areas of investigation: Illness Onset A proportion of patients can trace...

As a chronic fatigue syndrome sufferer I have come to realise just how pivotal healthy thyroid and adrenal gland function are to recovery. If your thyroid or adrenal function is below par effectively treating these issues can make a huge difference to how you feel and your ability to function.   The Thyroid  Research has demonstrated that the function of the thyroid and its hormones in those of us with chronic fatigue syndrome and other chronic illnesses can be adversely affected by a variety of factors and through a variety of different mechanisms. Unfortunately, routine medical examinations and blood tests are woefully inadequate when it comes to detecting thyroid problems. Standard thyroid blood tests typically only look at levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4). T4 is actually the inactive form of thyroid hormone which has little affect on the cells. The active form known as T3 is rarely...

The story of a contestant on the hit show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? grabbed my attention this week. It's an amazing story that just shows how quickly things can change in life which is something those of us dealing with ME/CFS and other chronic illnesses always need to keep in mind!

Thirty-three year old Marie Chesterfield from Brighton, England suffers from myalgic encephalomyelitis

New research to be published in the April issue of the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics relating to dietary intervention in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome had me very frustrated this week. The research was supposedly an attempt to determine if an anti-Candida diet is beneficial in those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The researchers note that Candida has been linked to CFS in many books and anecdotal reports but little scientific evidence exists for such a link. I couldn't agree more, good quality research that really gets to the bottom of this issue is required, unfortunately the research in question here does nothing to further scientific knowledge and to my mind is of very little value.

As a chronic fatigue sufferer who has gone through the process of applying for disability benefits I can say without a shadow of a doubt.....the assessment procedures are not set up for conditions such as CFS. I'm sure most CFS patients out there will have come to the same conclusion.

Here in the UK (and I'm sure it's similar in other countries) to apply for any benefits based on you being sick or disabled you must first complete the

The antiviral drug Ampligen has supposedly been the big breakthrough in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) treatment for 20 years. The long wait for patients looks set to continue and the reason ironically seems to be that clinical trial data submitted by Hemispherx Biopharma Inc., the drugs maker, is too old and doesn't meet new criteria.

Hemispherx submitted a New Drug Application (