Chronic Fatigue
A Functional Medicine Approach to Chronic Fatigue
Chronic fatigue Syndrome can severely affect day-to-day life. The condition is characterised by persistent fatigue and comes with many potential contributing factors. The fatigue is not specifically due to exertion and is not caused by other medical conditions. Unfortunately, people are often left going around the conventional health system without getting better.
The causes of chronic fatigue are incredibly diverse, from sleep issues, toxin exposures, hormonal imbalance, key nutrient deficiencies, gut issues, hidden infections, auto immune disease, psychological, genetic, and food intolerance.
Sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can see their symptoms appear gradually after a period of sustained physical or emotional stress, or they can appear very suddenly. It can seem like a bout of the flu that just won’t go away.
Chronic Fatigue Causes
Our Functional Medicine practitioners seek to address the main underlying causes of the symptoms of chronic fatigue so we can treat them effectively and get our patients back to an improved quality of life. We fully understand how this condition can affect activities at work, and with family and friends.
Considerations for our practitioners can include
→ Heavy Metal Toxcity
→ Neurotransmitter depletion
→ Hormone imbalance
→ Inflammation
→ Emotional distress
→ Gut infections
→ Environmental toxicity
→ Food sensitivities/allergies
We also take an in-depth look into the history of our patients to see whether other factors may be contributing to symptoms, so that we can piece together information that can help determine imbalances.
Common Symptoms
- Insomnia
- Chronic Fatigue
- Persistent Cough
- Sleep Disturbances
- Reoccurring Infections
- Congnitive Diffciulties
- Weight Gain
- Urefreshed sleep
- Muscle Weakness
- Depression
Chronic Fatigue Treatment
At the London Centre for Functional Medicine, our treatment protocols vary with each patient based on the core imbalances that are interfering with the body’s ability to function correctly. A typical approach to treating chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) can include identifying and addressing underlying factors in your lifestyle that can be contributing to the condition e.g. stress, poor sleep hygiene, and sedentary lifestyle.
One of the first places we start to investigate is the gut. Even if there are no gut symptoms, a person may be harbouring a chronic yeast, bacteria, virus or parasite infection that can be detected using PCR testing. Dysbiosis (more bad bacteria than good bacteria) can also be a contributory factor. Typically, depending on what we find, we will look to remove any pathogens, replace the nutrients and enzymes, repair the gut lining and repopulate the microbiome. Undiagnosed oral and chronic viral infections can also be a major factor that we look to investigate with reactivated viral infections a major consideration. Hormone health impacts everything that happens in your body. To overcome fatigue and achieve true health, you need your hormones appropriately balanced. We will look to test your hormone levels and if we discover any abnormalities we can readdress the balance through various protocols which have nutrition and lifestyle at their core.
If you have fatigue, some forms of exercise have shown to be helpful but exercise can also make things worse. The way to fix your fatigue therefore often involves a range of targeted physical, biochemical, nutritional, and psychological treatments.
Chronic Fatigue Approach
Optimal Nutrition and Absorption
Imbalances in our digestive system can contribute to absorption issues. If we are not absorbing correctly, it means we are not getting the fuel we need for cells to function and generate energy from food.
Supplement Support
Depending on test results, your practitioner can recommend some targeted supplements to help support the powerhouses of our cells, the mitochondria.
Testing
We work on the motto of testing rather than guessing. Our practitioners can recommend specific testing related to chronic fatigue, such as urinary hormone testing (Dutch test), a comprehensive microbiome and stool analysis along with any other testing that can help with our investigations.
Targeted Treatments
Our functional practitioners can recommend additional treatment or lifestyle interventions that can be extremely beneficial in overcoming chronic fatigue such as IV treatment or ozone therapy.
Our Client's Feedback
Cormac Whelan2023-03-26Rob has helped me through a gut health conditon that no other GP was able or willing to figure out. There was no guess work involved. He got to the root of my issues through knowledge, testing and investigation. I would highly recommend the London Centre for Functional MedicineRoger Hassan2023-03-26I can’t say enough good things about my experience at the London Centre for Functional Medicine. After 3 years of misdiagnosis and living with IBS I finally felt I was able to heal. I’m truly grateful to Rob for his expertise in SIBO. I have to keep things in check but I feel so much better. I would highly recommend them.G Monkee2023-03-22For those seeking an alternative viewpoint to their chronic conditions, I would recommend the London Centre for Functional Medicine to others. They were helpful and mindful of my financial restrictions. Thank you.Martin Beaumont2023-03-21Working with the London Centre for Functional Medicine team has been a great experience. I have had big improvements with digestion issues and now live pain free! Having the support of Rob was very useful when questions or issues arose during the program and was particularly impressed with not going overboard with the supplement regime. Highly recommended!Sean Hayden2023-02-20I'm currently going through treatment with Rob and just wanted to acknowledge the individualised and personalised care that has been provided. From when I started Rob has looked at my health issues without judgement and was able to help me in many areas that weren't optimal. Notably, Rob has helped me overcome gut issues and other niggling issues that I didn't were related but seemingly are. Rob is also great at explaining the body systems and related things which has been great. I can highly recommend the London Centre for Functional MedicineK Kelly2023-02-18"What I appreciate about Rob at the London Centre for Functional Medicine is that he seeks to educate rather than just give supplements and instructions. He makes you understand both the action needed to take as well the underlying physiological processes driving the underlying issues. Highly recommended."Aaron Robson2023-02-18If you're dealing with health challenges that conventional medicine hasn't resolved, I strongly suggest you visit the London Centre for Functional Medicine. They make a real effort to comprehend symptoms and worked with me to develop a plan for exploring treatment possibilities. Thanks to my practitioner, I now have answers to health questions that had eluded me for years, and I couldn't be more grateful. My practitioner (rob) uses a data-driven approach to identify the underlying cause. I've already recommended him to friends, and they have had success with his care as well.Tracy Thomas2023-02-12Rather than going to a GP when you are sick I entered the Functional Medicine journey before things got out of hand. It’s a route everyone should consider as it does prevent illness and can reverse it! I learned a lot about how my body works and how to become healthier. London CFM walked me through the things I needed to know by educating me about how the digestive system works and healing my SIBO. Thank you!Lindsay Jones2023-01-08I sought help from the London Centre for Functional Medicine for a problem I have had for most of my life, terrible digestive issues. Rob has worked with me to get back normal function of my digestive function. It has taken some time but the result have been great so far.T Webster2022-07-16I was originally referred to Mr Staunton by a nutritional therapist who felt that his particular expertise was required for my specific needs. After meeting him and explaining the situation, he conducted some lab tests which had to be shipped to Germany.. In the 3 months that I’ve been treated by Mr Staunton, I’ve seen a significant improvement in my symptoms and I’m feeling optimistic about my continued good health. I highly recommend the Clinic and working with Mr Staunton has been a very professional and pleasant experience. He’s extremely knowledgeable about both nutrition and how the body works.
Why Choose the London Centre for Functional Medicine?
Support
Once you reach out to us, the team will guide you through the collaborative process with a practitioner, We will gather the information we need to understand you better and help support and motivate you along your health journey.
Experience
We take the complex and try to make it simple. Many patients have gone to multiple doctors before they reach us. By taking a functional medicine approach, we can focus on the core imbalance and what needs to be addressed to improve your health picture.
Custom Approach
There is no one size fits approach as each patient is unique. Thus, no plan or protocol is the same. Everything about you including symptoms, lifestyle, diet, genetics and capacity to heal is different and will require a personalized approach.
london center for functional medicine