by Jean Erasmus

Created on: August 07, 2008

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - a poorly understood condition with symptoms ranging from fatigue, myalgia, flitting joint pain, cognitive dysfunction and sleep disturbances - at present, has no demonstrable cause/s, and are thus in a 'hypothesis' phase. But it can be approached using the superposition of symptoms in conjunction with taking a thorough history of the patient.

We know it is a chronic condition, thus whatever is causing it, is doing it bit by bit (whether internal, external or a combination in origin). It is an ongoing process - a bit like background noise - that is overlooked or missed, and could range from chronic intake of toxins, pathogens and/ or the hypersensitivity to these factors.

We know that it causes fatigue and cognitive dysfunction (particularly called 'brain fog'), that is suggestive of something interfering with the ATP cycle in generation and utilization of energy in the body; something that could suggest an interference with the endocrine system, particularly that of the glucose/ glucagon/ insulin triad. We also know that it causes muscle and joint pain, and thereby could assume the involvement of the immune system; thus a chronic inflammatory response to something, causing the constant sub-acute release of antibodies, ANF, interleukins etc.

Now, looking at the history of most patients, particularly their life styles and eating patterns, the following causative hypothesis springs to mind:

When regarding ourselves as primates (as we differ less than 5% from the chimpanzee in our genetic make-up), it could be argued that we as humans, eat the wrong foods. Monocotyledones (thus all grass species), are not easily digested in an unprocessed fashion, as we do not possess the four stomach system of most herbivores or grass eaters (such as cows). It makes thus no sense that humans should eat grass species such as corn/ maize, rice and especially wheat, which is a staple feed in present society. Primates' digestive tracts are simply not geared for 'grass'. It could be that the chronic intake of these grass species, could cause chronic inflammation in the digestive tracts, especially in certain individuals who are genetically predispositioned to it (think of wheat and gluten allergies). This chronic inflammation, alters the way in which the digestive system deals with other foods, not to mention its immune suppression. It is thus predisposed to fall victim to bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens, most notably chronic candidiasis (made worse by

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