My Journey Through Chronic Fatigue
My recovery from chronic fatigue has been a journey of learning what even the experts don't know about health.
Chronic fatigue meant that I was too tired to complete all normal daily activities like work a full time job. I could not sleep enough, had weak digestion, constipation, food allergies, chemical sensitivities, electrical sensitivities, weak muscles, and stressful reactions..
I was never "diagnosed" with chronic fatigue and did not need a diagnosis to tell me I was tired. What i needed was to identify the causes. .
If the doctor did not know what it was, then it must be your fault, was a common attitude in the 1990s when I first started seeking help. Doctors often acted like if there was not one clear cause then there was no cause which meant it was all in my head. I did find an understanding doctor once and shared this in a chronic fatigue support group and someone said, “Wow, a doctor who is actually a human being.” No one acted like that was an extreme statement. I have heard that many doctors have improved since then as chronic fatigue and other diseases driven by toxicity and other factors have accelerated dramatically in frequency-- especially in children.
Chronic fatigue meant that I was too tired to complete all normal daily activities like work a full time job. I could not sleep enough, had weak digestion, constipation, food allergies, chemical sensitivities, electrical sensitivities, weak muscles, and stressful reactions..
I was never "diagnosed" with chronic fatigue and did not need a diagnosis to tell me I was tired. What i needed was to identify the causes. .
If the doctor did not know what it was, then it must be your fault, was a common attitude in the 1990s when I first started seeking help. Doctors often acted like if there was not one clear cause then there was no cause which meant it was all in my head. I did find an understanding doctor once and shared this in a chronic fatigue support group and someone said, “Wow, a doctor who is actually a human being.” No one acted like that was an extreme statement. I have heard that many doctors have improved since then as chronic fatigue and other diseases driven by toxicity and other factors have accelerated dramatically in frequency-- especially in children.
My health history was an accumulation of many symptoms since childhood that were not yet disabling then but got worse later when it started interfere with life around age 31 and i crashed worst in the 1990s.. The reason it is called chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS, is that syndrome signifies numerous symptoms that vary by individual.
Alternative, natural and holistic practitioners usually understood a few of the causes but treatments mostly didn’t help much. Often I could not even tolerate supplements. No one had the big picture. I went around and around spending all kinds of money. There were not many success stories with chronic fatigue. There were support groups to meet in person but those were of limited value.
I used my Ph.D. training to do my own research.. I developed a unique understanding of the possible root causes of chronic fatigue. The 6 Root Causes are:
Alternative, natural and holistic practitioners usually understood a few of the causes but treatments mostly didn’t help much. Often I could not even tolerate supplements. No one had the big picture. I went around and around spending all kinds of money. There were not many success stories with chronic fatigue. There were support groups to meet in person but those were of limited value.
I used my Ph.D. training to do my own research.. I developed a unique understanding of the possible root causes of chronic fatigue. The 6 Root Causes are:
- nutritional deficiency
- toxicity
- infection
- physical misalignment from teeth toes
- emotional
- and a stressed brain, otherwise known as autonomic nervous system dysregulation, that related to both emotional and physical stresses.
Nutrition
Nutrition was the first thing that helped. I was able to increase my energy, gain weight, make my skin look much younger for my age, and get calmer: I had a lot more anxiety when I was skinny.
Low carbs gave me more stable energy. I also noticed allergies to some foods like pasteurized dairy and reducing that helped. I experimented with many diets and lost a lot of weight. I dabbled in raw veganism and that made me a lot weaker. At 5’9” I was 113 pounds and someone said in Spanish, “Look at that faggot dying of AIDS.” That was 1996.
I ended up on a primal diet that was a combination of things like paleo (low or no grains and starches), plus lots of other raw food like raw dairy. One thing that really helped was raw cream and butter. I was highly allergic to pasteurized dairy but thrived on raw. I gained weight and my skin looked great, years younger. I replaced most carbs with fat.
Taking minerals systematically was another break-through. I had to create my own system and it was satisfying to feel that I had created something unique that I think is better than anything else available.
There are many more things that mattered at different times, the important thing was my method of finding what I needed: I was able to select foods and supplements that are good for me by feeling the energy as I held it in my hand. Very few supplements ever passed the test. I learned what were the purest and most potent brands and what I needed. I once presented 10 supplements I was taking to a practitioner who tested supplements. All 10 were good for me and he was blown away, he said he has never seen that before. Usually people bring in bags of stuff and only 3 at most are actually good for them, often none at all.
Physics of Nutrition
I also discovered that nutrition is not just the chemistry of food but the physics of energy from nature: the sun and earth. Natural photons, electrons and magnetic fields are free energy that is absorbed without digestion.
The Magnetico bed pad helped sleep and energy. When I first got one i had no sleep schedule at all, it was totally chaotic, a few hours here and there. That was immediately corrected by the Magnetico.
In the winter I use a far infrared sauna to detoxify, energize and relax. I chose the lowest EMF sauna I could find, the Relax Sauna, which also has healing frequencies.. I sometimes do it briefly and get out before I sweat just to improve mood and energy or warm up.
In the summer I sun bathe to receive energy from light and make vitamin D. This is energizing.
Cold exposure is also a great way to accelerate healing, lose weight and get to sleep: cold baths, dressing light in the winter, and driving with the windows open in winter.
Nutrition also depended on addressing two other root causes of fatigue that weakened digestion: infection and toxicity.
Low carbs gave me more stable energy. I also noticed allergies to some foods like pasteurized dairy and reducing that helped. I experimented with many diets and lost a lot of weight. I dabbled in raw veganism and that made me a lot weaker. At 5’9” I was 113 pounds and someone said in Spanish, “Look at that faggot dying of AIDS.” That was 1996.
I ended up on a primal diet that was a combination of things like paleo (low or no grains and starches), plus lots of other raw food like raw dairy. One thing that really helped was raw cream and butter. I was highly allergic to pasteurized dairy but thrived on raw. I gained weight and my skin looked great, years younger. I replaced most carbs with fat.
Taking minerals systematically was another break-through. I had to create my own system and it was satisfying to feel that I had created something unique that I think is better than anything else available.
There are many more things that mattered at different times, the important thing was my method of finding what I needed: I was able to select foods and supplements that are good for me by feeling the energy as I held it in my hand. Very few supplements ever passed the test. I learned what were the purest and most potent brands and what I needed. I once presented 10 supplements I was taking to a practitioner who tested supplements. All 10 were good for me and he was blown away, he said he has never seen that before. Usually people bring in bags of stuff and only 3 at most are actually good for them, often none at all.
Physics of Nutrition
I also discovered that nutrition is not just the chemistry of food but the physics of energy from nature: the sun and earth. Natural photons, electrons and magnetic fields are free energy that is absorbed without digestion.
The Magnetico bed pad helped sleep and energy. When I first got one i had no sleep schedule at all, it was totally chaotic, a few hours here and there. That was immediately corrected by the Magnetico.
In the winter I use a far infrared sauna to detoxify, energize and relax. I chose the lowest EMF sauna I could find, the Relax Sauna, which also has healing frequencies.. I sometimes do it briefly and get out before I sweat just to improve mood and energy or warm up.
In the summer I sun bathe to receive energy from light and make vitamin D. This is energizing.
Cold exposure is also a great way to accelerate healing, lose weight and get to sleep: cold baths, dressing light in the winter, and driving with the windows open in winter.
Nutrition also depended on addressing two other root causes of fatigue that weakened digestion: infection and toxicity.
Infection
My digestive symptoms lead to a parasites stool test in 1997 that was positive for pathogenic bacteria, candida, and more. Herbs did not make a dent but then an antibiotic Tinnidizole seemed like it would cure me and my strength soared for a month before I relapsed. Back then we it was not known that bugs can adapt to antibiotics in about 3 weeks. Now it is understood to change antibiotics in less than 3 weeks and keep rotating.
So I abandoned that course of action and focused on other things and made progress. I eventually used herbs and antibiotics again in rotation. I learned that heavy metals are released when killing candida with herbs and had to absorb metals, I once created a healing crisis by overloading the kidneys with heavy metals coming out and felt back pain that was relieve quickly by taking more metal absorbing substances. Very few people talked about how to handle metal detox while killing infection.
I've also dealt with a moldy house and had to move..
The most important infection has been in my jaw bones where the wisdom teeth where extracted because the immune system cannot get at the infection. These are called cavitations and require surgery to remove. My first attempt at surgery was a disaster when I went into shock from an allergic reaction to the anesthetic. I felt like I was going to be paralyzed for life but then oxygen brought me back quickly and I was fine.
So I abandoned that course of action and focused on other things and made progress. I eventually used herbs and antibiotics again in rotation. I learned that heavy metals are released when killing candida with herbs and had to absorb metals, I once created a healing crisis by overloading the kidneys with heavy metals coming out and felt back pain that was relieve quickly by taking more metal absorbing substances. Very few people talked about how to handle metal detox while killing infection.
I've also dealt with a moldy house and had to move..
The most important infection has been in my jaw bones where the wisdom teeth where extracted because the immune system cannot get at the infection. These are called cavitations and require surgery to remove. My first attempt at surgery was a disaster when I went into shock from an allergic reaction to the anesthetic. I felt like I was going to be paralyzed for life but then oxygen brought me back quickly and I was fine.
Toxicity
I was diagnosed with mercury poisoning in 1997 by Robert Cathcart,MD,, in Los Altos, California, through a hair test. This was the first solid explanation for my fatigue and how my immune system got weak enough to allow parasitic infections. I had mercury dental fillings and had eaten a lot of canned tuna. My levels were extremely high. I got those removed the next year. While that stopped more mercury from vaporizing and entering my body through the lungs, the real problem was the mercury that had entered my body already. Detoxification has taken years to reduce my body burden using many methods, mostly with the combined effects of all foods that support my body's overall health and natural detoxification capabilities like raw milk and eggs.
There were many more toxic exposures, including arsenic, lead, and insect repellent I put on my skin as a child. I sprayed hydrogen peroxide on my skin with no particular intention and then smelled pesticides; I though the neighbors were spraying until I closed the windows and released it was from me.
Toxic exposures are everywhere, like chemtrails sprayed from airplanes routinely all over America, I intend on continue the detox process with foods and a few key supplements continuously for the rest of my life. Modern societies are suffering a toxic crisis with dramatically accelerating levels of diseases especially in children and hardly anyone has a clue of the magnitude of this.
There were many more toxic exposures, including arsenic, lead, and insect repellent I put on my skin as a child. I sprayed hydrogen peroxide on my skin with no particular intention and then smelled pesticides; I though the neighbors were spraying until I closed the windows and released it was from me.
Toxic exposures are everywhere, like chemtrails sprayed from airplanes routinely all over America, I intend on continue the detox process with foods and a few key supplements continuously for the rest of my life. Modern societies are suffering a toxic crisis with dramatically accelerating levels of diseases especially in children and hardly anyone has a clue of the magnitude of this.
Misalignment from Teeth to Toes
Teeth, Palate, Cranium
Perhaps the most interesting and little known cause of my fatigue was probably misalignment of teeth and bones. underdeveloped upper palate (teeth crowding) and short molars (overbite) leading to insomnia, stress, and bad posture contributing to pain. I explain these common problems more under the Orthodontics page of this website.
My first experience with an alternative orthodontics was a disaster. A well known dentist practicing orthodontics in Alameda, California made things worse by damaging my teeth. He accepted no responsibility and bragged about how many people tried to sue him unsuccessfully.
I learned to work on my palate, face, and cranium myself. With my tongue and fingers I can loosen my palate and cranium, This is very relaxing, It expands the breath effortlessly and balances the brain to a more relaxed state. This has helped sleep, breathing, posture and movement.
Pain in Back and Hips
I had lower back and hip pain and all the years of chiropractic did not do much but hurt my back more. That combined with some improper stretches made me have to use an inflatable cushion to sit without pain. One of the root causes of this was tailbone injury as a child that I did not even know about until it was seen on X rays.
Many other forms of bodywork had no lasting impact. Some force bones into place but do not address how the muscles move and contract to move bones out of place.
I got rid of the pain through my own method called Align Spine & Mind and Primal Movement.
I passively release muscles in my hips that in a way that is so relaxing I feel buzzed all over.
I then learned to stand and walk properly, which feels weird at first.
My stance feels more confident, energetic and fluid. My center of gravity is lower I feel more grounded and powerful. It helps balance my nervous system to feel more relaxed. I go barefoot when possible and proper shoes give me bouncy power in my walk.
Perhaps the most interesting and little known cause of my fatigue was probably misalignment of teeth and bones. underdeveloped upper palate (teeth crowding) and short molars (overbite) leading to insomnia, stress, and bad posture contributing to pain. I explain these common problems more under the Orthodontics page of this website.
My first experience with an alternative orthodontics was a disaster. A well known dentist practicing orthodontics in Alameda, California made things worse by damaging my teeth. He accepted no responsibility and bragged about how many people tried to sue him unsuccessfully.
I learned to work on my palate, face, and cranium myself. With my tongue and fingers I can loosen my palate and cranium, This is very relaxing, It expands the breath effortlessly and balances the brain to a more relaxed state. This has helped sleep, breathing, posture and movement.
Pain in Back and Hips
I had lower back and hip pain and all the years of chiropractic did not do much but hurt my back more. That combined with some improper stretches made me have to use an inflatable cushion to sit without pain. One of the root causes of this was tailbone injury as a child that I did not even know about until it was seen on X rays.
Many other forms of bodywork had no lasting impact. Some force bones into place but do not address how the muscles move and contract to move bones out of place.
I got rid of the pain through my own method called Align Spine & Mind and Primal Movement.
I passively release muscles in my hips that in a way that is so relaxing I feel buzzed all over.
I then learned to stand and walk properly, which feels weird at first.
My stance feels more confident, energetic and fluid. My center of gravity is lower I feel more grounded and powerful. It helps balance my nervous system to feel more relaxed. I go barefoot when possible and proper shoes give me bouncy power in my walk.
Emotional & Spiritual
The role of emotional issues in physical health is not always clear but there are some stories of people healing through emotional therapies.
Emotional issues drained my energy, lead to conflict and contributed to bad decisions in ways that I could not even see. I learned that i had trouble focusing on my needs consistently and intuitively to understand or resonate with things that were good for me. It was hard to be aware of this so it took a long time.
I addressed emotional issues on several levels,
- Structural alignment and primal movement to relax my nervous syte.
- Being present to connect with my feelings and with others.
- Understanding male-female dynamics and the toxic social culture--this is huge and I become an expert with an orginal attempt at the most comprehensive theory that is street smart, bed smart, spirituality smart.
- Prayer with comprehensive understanding, not a wish list of affiction relief.
I pursued many spiritual traditions, energy healers and techniques.
See The Best Method that you don't understand even if you think you do as you turn-off to certain words with your broken relevance filters.
Life Now
I enjoy an active, creative life, aware of so many more things than before.
Healthy Lifestyle
I will always have to eat carefully to avoid food allergies and toxins, and I have no problem with that because the results are so much better. I have learned freedom through discipline.
I will always continue detoxification since we are always exposed. At this point I still carry a little extra weight to handle my toxic load and have learned repeatedly that losing weight to look better is not worth it since energy declines. I know how to lose weight easily but I do not personally represent the fitness space in health coaching. Nevertheless, I know extremely effective minimal methods for strength training and endurance that are rarely understood that emphasis how to avoid over-training and injury.
Dancing
Several years ago i was in club Zen in Mountain View California. and two guys less than half my age said I was the best dancer in the club. College students in Berkeley, California have actually watched and complimented me when I did my wild man dance to a Led Zeppelin cover band. I plan to shoot a video of me doing my Shiva dance..
Writing
My brain works better than ever as I can read and comprehend things much faster. My writing quality has increased. I can write fast and often get something good in one draft in one sitting. I used to have to rewrite and edit more extensively, it was stop and go, and the result was not as good. In my 3 areas of expertise that include health, I believe I have written some of the best things on the subject, according to feedback. I seek to tame complexity for the biggest picture possible in all my subjects. I am synthesizer who looks for the edges of subjects where there is little known information, the edges where things come together.
Romance
I have had more energy for dating and relationships. My journey has taught me awareness of my body, which is a key to being present to connect with others. I am very sensitive and enjoy this now, being able to feel joy so deeply with a woman, and knowing soon who to avoid. I experience levels of sweet soulful connection sometimes instantly when meeting a woman in ways that I never knew existed and that I cannot explain to people who have not done similar work. I surrender to my heart and all bodily sensations including fears in the mix that just pass when I don't resist. I easily talk to women in public I want to meet. I have written much about this and connection between men and women and bringing back the natural masculine and feminine. I sometimes coach in relationship issues when working with health clients.
My sex drive remains high due to my diet, That's a lot of vital energy that drives creativity, too, as long as I don't spend it too often. :-)
Healthy Lifestyle
I will always have to eat carefully to avoid food allergies and toxins, and I have no problem with that because the results are so much better. I have learned freedom through discipline.
I will always continue detoxification since we are always exposed. At this point I still carry a little extra weight to handle my toxic load and have learned repeatedly that losing weight to look better is not worth it since energy declines. I know how to lose weight easily but I do not personally represent the fitness space in health coaching. Nevertheless, I know extremely effective minimal methods for strength training and endurance that are rarely understood that emphasis how to avoid over-training and injury.
Dancing
Several years ago i was in club Zen in Mountain View California. and two guys less than half my age said I was the best dancer in the club. College students in Berkeley, California have actually watched and complimented me when I did my wild man dance to a Led Zeppelin cover band. I plan to shoot a video of me doing my Shiva dance..
Writing
My brain works better than ever as I can read and comprehend things much faster. My writing quality has increased. I can write fast and often get something good in one draft in one sitting. I used to have to rewrite and edit more extensively, it was stop and go, and the result was not as good. In my 3 areas of expertise that include health, I believe I have written some of the best things on the subject, according to feedback. I seek to tame complexity for the biggest picture possible in all my subjects. I am synthesizer who looks for the edges of subjects where there is little known information, the edges where things come together.
Romance
I have had more energy for dating and relationships. My journey has taught me awareness of my body, which is a key to being present to connect with others. I am very sensitive and enjoy this now, being able to feel joy so deeply with a woman, and knowing soon who to avoid. I experience levels of sweet soulful connection sometimes instantly when meeting a woman in ways that I never knew existed and that I cannot explain to people who have not done similar work. I surrender to my heart and all bodily sensations including fears in the mix that just pass when I don't resist. I easily talk to women in public I want to meet. I have written much about this and connection between men and women and bringing back the natural masculine and feminine. I sometimes coach in relationship issues when working with health clients.
My sex drive remains high due to my diet, That's a lot of vital energy that drives creativity, too, as long as I don't spend it too often. :-)
Find out what you get in a
Free Assessment
See how I support you fully in
Health Coaching Steps
Paul Hess, Ph.D.
Hess.PaulC@gmail.com FACEBOOK
I work over Facebook video or phone from Michigan, USA
Free Assessment
See how I support you fully in
Health Coaching Steps
Paul Hess, Ph.D.
Hess.PaulC@gmail.com FACEBOOK
I work over Facebook video or phone from Michigan, USA
