Lifestyle Modifications that May Help You Feel Better
The quality of your health depends upon many pieces that not only include the health of your bodily systems, but also include a healthy diet, exercise, and spirituality.

Diet. Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may center on developing general healthy diet guidelines, in addition to making some key adjustments in your relationship with food.

Dietary recommendations for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome include:

• Add ground flax meal to your diet, which contains omega-3 essential fatty acids and promotes digestive regularity.
• Add saturated fats to your diet such as extra virgin organic coconut oil.³
• Choose complex carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index such as brown rice, raw apples, and winter squash.
• Choose organic cage-free eggs.
• Eat green leafy vegetables.
• Eat foods that are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, such as wild-caught salmon, minimal-mercury albacore tuna, fish oil, avocado, and sprouted walnuts.⁴
• Add nutrient-dense and unprocessed foods such as sprouted nuts and seeds to your diet.
• Drink purified water throughout the day.

Foods to AVOID include:

• All simple or refined carbohydrates (sugar, white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, crackers, etc.) – Read more about good carbs and bad carbs.
• All foods containing refined sugar or synthetic sugar-substitutes such as aspartame, Splenda^®, etc.⁵ Choose a natural sweetener like Xylosweet instead.
• Alcoholic beverages in excess since they hinder the functioning of the immune and digestive systems
• Fermented foods such as cheese and wine
• Excessive caffeine intake – While moderate amounts of caffeine may be beneficial, excessive consumption can disrupt the body’s systems, causing insomnia and digestive irregularity (constipation or diarrhea). 
• Limit intake of fruits that have a high glycemic index such as apricots, raisins, banana, papaya, and mango.
• Fungi such as mushrooms
• Pickled foods
• Carbonated soft drinks that alter the blood pH level, making the body more acidic 
• Bottom crawlers such as oysters, clams, and lobster that may contain toxic levels of mercury
• Deep-sea fish such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish that may contain toxic levels of mercury.  Choose minimal-mercury albacore tuna instead.
• Farm-raised fish that contain PCBs and not enough omega-3 essential fatty acids, due to their land-based diets. Choose wild-caught salmon instead.
• Yeast and wheat products (breads, crackers, pasta, etc.) that contain gluten
• Sodium nitrite found in processed foods such as hot dogs, lunch meats, and bacon
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) found in many foods as a flavor enhancer
• Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) found in many processed foods, deep-fried food, fast food, and junk food – Read more about good fats and bad fats.

Exercise. Those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome will usually encounter a worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion. This may last anywhere from 12 to 48 hours and will require an extended recovery period. However, mild physical exercise may be helpful if it does not make you feel worse, since it can relieve stress and depression by stimulating many beneficial processes in the body.⁶ Try to start by exercising five minutes at a time and see how your body reacts to that. Then, if you do not experience worsened symptoms, increase the workout time (by a minute or two) slowly over time as you begin to get better or feel stronger.

Other tips for CFS sufferers

• If you have “silver” dental fillings, get an evaluation from a mercury-free dentist who specializes in the safe removal of mercury amalgam fillings. Mercury in the body damages immune cells, impairs the HPA-axis, and causes an array of symptoms which are strikingly similar to those of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.⁷ Find a mercury-free dentist in your area now!
• If you need help covering the costs of getting your "silver" fillings removed safely, the Jigsaw Health Foundation may be able to assist you. Read more about the Jigsaw Health Foundation.

Additional Information about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

1. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Overview
2. Common symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
3. Common causes of chronic fatigue syndrome
4. Help me choose a natural and alternative treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome
5. Conventional or prescription medications used in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome
6. Cited Sources and Additional Reading for chronic fatigue syndrome