CFS: Books about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Its Effects, and Treatment Options

Fatigue patients who are having difficulty understanding their condition can often benefit from learning more about their ailment and its treatment. Fortunately, there are a number of great books out there that offer help for those suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.


cfs books

Chronic Fatigue patients often find themselves feeling isolated and helpless, especially when they believe that their symptoms are not taken as seriously as they should be. Fatigue can be such a mysterious ailment that many of these patients simply find themselves unable to understand why their body is suffering these effects, or what they can do to reverse the damage. For anyone who feels like he or she is fighting a solo battle against extreme chronic exhaustion, here are some books on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that can help.

The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution The Essential Guide to Overcoming Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia, Made Easy!

In 2013, Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum released his book, The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution the Essential Guide to Overcoming Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia, Made Easy! As the author of From Fatigued to Fantastic, Dr. Teitelbaum had already earned the attention of millions of people in America who were either suffering from fatigue or knew someone who endured fibromyalgia fatigue on a daily basis. With his new book, the author updated his treatment plan to include new scientific understanding, as well as many of the symptoms that medical science was struggling to address.

As someone who struggled with fatigue in his early years, Dr. Teitelbaum approaches the issue of chronic exhaustion with a level of personal experience that lends even greater weight to his innovative solutions. And while his earlier treatise was regarded by many as being too informative – many complained that it was so complete that they struggled to wade through its glut of information, this book is more workmanlike, more accessible, and thus more useful to his readers.

After beginning with an explanation about why modern life leads so many to live in a constant state of fatigue, the author proceeds to define Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and fibromyalgia. This can be in invaluable aid to anyone who has been struggling to obtain an accurate diagnosis for his or her condition. With those foundational issues addressed, he then moves on to the specifics of designing a treatment protocol.

Most self-help readers appreciate a good acronym for any program, and they won’t be disappointed here. The protocol recommended by the good doctor is based on the acronym SHINE. By addressing all five areas contained within that acronym – sleep, hormonal support, infections, nutrition, and exercise, patients can lay the foundation for a real recovery.

The rest of the book deals with issues related to pain management, handling the mental and emotional aspects of fatigue, weight loss, and how to obtain help from the medical community. It should also be mentioned that Teitelbaum includes a number of appendixes at the end of the book: advice on beginning the program, and a list of his ten recommended supplements, abstracts related to studies that utilized his method, a resource list of other books, and your very own worksheet based on the SHINE concept.

While there are many books on this topic floating around in the marketplace these days, there are a few that deserve special mention and a closer look. This book definitely falls into that category.

Available on Amazon at The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia, Made Easy!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Treatment Guide, 2nd Edition

This second edition of the classic Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a Treatment Guide is again written by Erica Verrillo, and expands upon the body of knowledge she first presented in that initial tome. Published a decade and a half after the first edition, this new book documents the many advancements made in the identification and treatment of this debilitating condition, all written from the unique perspective of someone who has suffered from CFS.

As most patients suffering from CFS know all too well, their condition is one of the most mysterious known to man. As a result of their exhaustion, many chronic fatigue sufferers often struggle to process complex information. Verrillo understands this fact all too well, and has apparently gone to great lengths to explain everything in terms that even a layperson can readily grasp. For that fact alone, the book has been widely praised by many fatigue sufferers.

This treatment guide is just that: a reference guide for anyone who wants to learn about the various aspects of treating this type of ongoing severe fatigue. It contains more than one hundred different types of treatment suggestions that range from vitamin and mineral supplementations to toxin cleansing and allergies. It also delves deeply into the nature of the condition, how it can be diagnosed, and its many symptoms. The attention given to explaining the various symptoms is particularly useful when you consider that most treatises on the subject reference the signs of fatigue without going into any kind of real detail.

Finally, this second edition also comes with a number of useful resources that include cost-saving prescription advice, nutritional supplements, websites to review for additional information, video links, and other books. She also lists relevant clinic and laboratory contact information, since that is often crucial information for anyone who is having difficulty obtaining a medical diagnosis. In short, this is the definitive encyclopedia of CFS knowledge that no fatigue patient’s library should be without!

Available on Amazon at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Treatment Guide, 2nd Edition

Healing Is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and Other Chronic Illnesses

Healing Is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and Other Chronic Illnesses is a book from Dr. Neil Nathan. The author has been a practicing physician for the better part of four decades now, and over the course of that time refocused his practice from conventional care to integrative medical care. His experience with patients who have, as he describes it, “fallen through the medical cracks” due to modern medicine’s focus on treating only a singular issue rather than addressing the patient’s whole being, led him to write his first book. That book, On Hope and Healing: for Those Who Have Fallen through the Medical Cracks was meant as a wake-up call to doctors and patients dealing with these types of often-undertreated ailments. This book moves beyond that clarion call to action and affirmatively addresses the medical concerns many patients have.

The book is broken up into sections, with Dr. Nathan first focusing on what he sees as the twelve most common health concerns. These include things such as food-related sensitivities, amino acid imbalances metal toxicity, and similar issues. After identifying those problems, he states his central premise regarding most types of chronic ailments, which is that most of those patients suffer from a combination of those twelve major issues. That naturally leads to his best treatment advice for resolving those issues, with the understanding that resolution of those core problems will provide relief for the patient at every level of health.

Subsequent sections include his strategy for pain relief, various alternative treatments, and a broader look at health and healing. The holistic emphasis at the end should come as no surprise to any reader, given the author’s work in integrative medicine. By the time he reaches that point, however, he has already laid the foundation needed to demonstrate the credibility of his assertions.

While this work is a little different than the usual fatigue and illness fare to which most readers are exposed, it remains a fascinating and useful tool for fatigue patients’ recovery.

Available on Amazon at Healing Is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and Other Chronic Illnesses

Diagnosing and treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Its Mitochondria, Not Hypochondria

Diagnosing and treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Its Mitochondria, Not Hypochondria is a book by Dr. Sarah Myhill, a physician who has devoted much of her life to understanding the causes for disease. She is a regular lecturer on the topic of chronic fatigue syndrome, providing invaluable work for the British Society for Ecological Medicine. She is also the author of Sustainable Medicine.

As the title suggests, much of this book focuses on the mitochondria – those amazing energy factories that exist within the cells of the human body. It is within those factories that raw nutrient materials are converted into the energy the body needs to perform at normal efficiency. Through her studies, Dr. Myhill has determined that there exists a linkage between mitochondrial function and the exhaustion experienced by those who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome. Her book works to explain that link in clear language that ordinary readers can easily digest.

In its pages, she clearly denounces any assertion that CFS is in any way psychological in nature, and instead lays out her case for the clearly identifiable physical causes that create this level of exhaustion. Her argument is compelling, logical, and – perhaps more important – useful for the reader. Unlike many treatises that make broad claims without evidence, Myhill is quite diligent about detailing the science behind every one of her conclusions.

She methodically outlines CFS, its symptoms, the methods for diagnosing it, and even tests that shouldn’t be done. She then explains how the mitochondria work, and how they can become dysfunctional over time. She then methodically addresses how each cause of mitochondrial malfunction can be addressed and outlines a detailed recovery plan designed to restore those energy factories to full health and vitality. She then closes with sections on toxicity, pain management, and prioritization of treatment.

If you’ve ever been told that your fatigue is “all in your head” then this book is your opportunity to refute that dismissive assertion. As Dr. Myhill notes, it’s not in your head; it’s in your cells!

Available on Amazon at Diagnosing and treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: its mitochondria, not hypochondria

Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial: The Mind-Body Connection

Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial: The Mind-Body Connection is a book written by Celeste Cooper, R.N. and Jeffrey Miller, PhD. Cooper’s experience with all three of the conditions referenced in the title provide her unique insight into the difficulties facing those patients, while Miller’s experience as a chronic pain psychologist make this collaboration one that most readers should find both interesting and enlightening.

While many books focus on broad actions that people can take to address these types of health concerns, Integrative Therapies has an approach that is somewhat different. Much of the book’s emphasis focuses on patient mindset – something that should come as no surprise given that one of the authors is a psychologist. There are many questions asked and answered throughout the book’s pages, from such simple questions about why you should actively participate in your own recovery effort to questions about the importance of spirituality.

The book is a manual of sorts as well. While it provides much discussion about these three ailments, it also provides worksheets and exercises designed to engage the reader in the active management of his or her own healthcare recovery effort. There are personal assessments throughout the book, as well as tops on dealing with everything from diet to exercise and mental focus. If you’re in the mood for a textbook-style treatise on these three debilitating conditions, this one deserves a look.

Available on Amazon at Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial: The Mind-Body Connection

Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Dr. Rodger Murphee, the author of Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is a professional physician who knows a thing or two about these conditions, having spent years treating many of the most difficult illnesses in his own private practice. With several medically-important books about topics such as fibromyalgia and heart disease to his credit, many of his past readers eagerly anticipated his advice and counsel on the subject of fatigue.

Currently in its fourth edition, this book is a voluminous work that details the scientific research and medical studies surrounding the treatment of these conditions. Where many books on these topics focus on coping strategies, this one is far more aggressive in nature. It seeks not to manage fatigue and pain, but to eliminate them entirely. To do that, much of its emphasis is on utilizing sound strategies involving vitamins, minerals, and the amino acids that form the building blocks for life itself.

How aggressive is the approach? Well, by the sixth chapter, Dr. Murphee is actively addressing his strategy for completely reversing all of the symptoms causing your pain and fatigue. No stone is left unturned as he rolls over ground that encompasses everything from quality sleep to liver toxicity and weakened adrenals. The book also includes information on nutrients, symptom profiles that you can use to diagnose your ailment, and useful help for understanding various diagnostic tests.

At more than 500 pages, it’s a major work and one that deserves more than a quick scan. If you’re looking for a comprehensive exposition on these illnesses that also contains valuable insight into ways for overcoming your health problems, this book is one you should definitely consider.

Available on Amazon at Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial: The Mind-Body Connection

Discover Hope: 34 Steps to Find Hope and To Cope with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia

Discover Hope: 34 Steps to Find Hope and To Cope with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia, by Dan Neuffer, is yet another book written in an attempt to aid those who suffer from these dire conditions. Neuffer’s experience is that of someone who has endured these ailments himself, and overcome them. The advice he offers is thus based directly on his own bout with fatigue, and his successful recovery.

In Discover Hope, Neuffer presents his 34 steps that are designed to help patients learn to cope with the worries and feelings of hopelessness that fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome can engender. There is much in the book about stress and its impact on your health and attitude, as well as coaching solutions to assist you in overcoming negative emotions and thoughts. If this sounds like an inspirational book rather than one based on clinical strategies for overcoming a disease, that’s because that is exactly what it is.

There are many books detailing the nature of these conditions and strategies for getting healthy. There are all too few that deal with preparing yourself to actually implement those strategies. This book falls into the latter camp. It is primarily about mental attitude and prioritization – those things you need to master to overcome the type of depression and hopelessness that can lead you to just wallow in your illness rather than taking the steps needed to resolve the problem.

Neuffer understands that mental acuity and determination are essential to sustaining the type of effort required to recover from these dread illnesses. His book goes a long way toward addressing those fundamental issues in a way that can help any patient be better prepared for the battles ahead.

Available on Amazon at Discover Hope : 34 Steps To Find Hope and To Cope with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia



CFS Unravelled - One Man's Search for the Cause of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Discovery Essential for You to Recover

CFS Unravelled - One man's search for the Cause of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Discovery Essential for You To Recover is another book by Dan Neuffer, author of Discover Hope: 34 Steps To Find Hope and To Cope with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia. In this book, the author chronicles his own path to recovery from fatigue, while presenting the things he learned about recovery in hopes that others might benefit from his experience.

While his underlying call to action – treat the source of the problem, not its symptoms – is not exactly original (it is, after all, the foundation of most non-conventional healing methodologies), it is a phrase that serves as a focal point for all of his arguments. Neuffer’s premise is that the source of these problems can be found in a disruption of the Autonomic Nervous System, and that only by addressing that disruption can patients hope to enjoy real relief and recovery.

In its more than 300 pages, this book covers many of the most common symptoms associated with these illnesses, and then offers advice for addressing them in a holistic manner designed to treat their cause rather than the symptoms themselves. The author is very clear about which symptoms he says should actually be ignored, and which should be prioritized to effectuate the fastest possible recovery. Again, this is a different approach, and could be useful for anyone who is looking for an alternative outlook on fatigue and its causes.

Available on Amazon at CFS Unravelled - One man's search for the Cause of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Discovery Essential for You To Recover

Beating Chronic Fatigue: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Complete Recovery

Beating Chronic Fatigue: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Complete Recovery is a work by chronic fatigue syndrome sufferer and clinical psychologist Dr. Kristina Downing-Orr. As someone who found herself unable to obtain a proper medical diagnosis, she understands the need for many patients to learn how to manage their own recovery efforts. As a result, her book is a carefully-crafted guide to doing just that.

In the pages of Beating Chronic Fatigue, the reader will learn of Dr. Downing-Orr’s own experiences with the illness and recovery, and discover more than they ever thought they would know about the nature of chronic fatigue syndrome. The author, in a very deliberative manner, examines the actual root causes of this fatigue, its symptoms, and how to properly diagnose it.

With those fundamentals taken care of, she then proceeds to outline her strategic plan for patient self-treatment. There is information about addressing every aspect of the fatigue, including the mental and emotional difficulties. Stress management, exercise, and lifestyle changes are all dealt with as well. The emphasis is on actually ridding yourself of this exhaustion, rather than learning to live with it!

If you’ve struggled to get a doctor to identify your ailment and find yourself in need of some advice on how to nurse yourself back to full health, this is the book that can help you do it.

Available on Amazon at Beating Chronic Fatigue: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Complete Recovery




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