Constant Hunger

[TintedWaterfalls]

Would Hoodia or Saffron help at all?

[Wynton]

Hey, sorry I won't really be of any real help to you, but I can say that I certainly do have the EXACT same problem!! I'm a 19 year old guy and got CFS (or what I presume is CFS) 2 years ago, so we're both pretty young. Honestly, the hunger was one of the very first things I noticed, and was at first more annoying than the fatigue. I actually was trying to bodybuild at the time and was therefore in the business of counting my calories, and was very alarmed when my daily calories started going up to 4,000 - when I was trying to lose weight! (I'm not heavy, about 160, that's just how you do bodybuilding, keep gaining and losing). I would try to control my eating, only to get so hungry that, like you, I would find myself eating so much that my stomach hurt. Often this would happen in the middle of the night. I needed to carry food with me at all times lest I risk almost collapsing from hunger, or embarrass myself in front of friends by obsessing over finding something to eat in the middle of an activity.

For me, the biggest trigger seemed to be activity. I was very active, and after a soccer game or whatever I would eat for several hours straight and then go to bed. I've been less active (read: completely immobile) for about a year now due to the fatigue, and though I still eat more than most people while barely moving all day, I wouldn't consider my appetite a major problem anymore compared to the fatigue. However, it is very confusing to me that this occurred, in particular because hunger is not listed as a symptom of CFS (in any resource I've seen.) Sure, people complain of their appetite because fatigue and immobility make weight gain very easy. But to put more calories in your body than is humanly necessary and NOT gain weight... well, I really don't know what to say.

Though this I can say -- good luck!

[TintedWaterfalls]

Thank You for posting.

[TintedWaterfalls]

Anyone having any more advice?

[niaholt]

It maybe hypoglycemia....got to eat a loss less carbs as you are getting too much insulin, and it can make your adrenaline spike and keep you more anxious. Start my reducing carbs, look at diets on the net, eat a snack before bed at night, eat a small snack every 2-3 hrs and eat more protein fresh veges, less sweet fruit....google diets. I know from someone who did research into this that it does not show on ususal tests for CFS folk.

[prioris]

The first thing one must realize is that the food and water supply is intentionally and by designed contaminated by government with chemicals to make you addicted and unhealthy. It is also why most of the population gets fat. It is why diets will fail. Virtually all of those diet programs keep quiet about this especially on TV. The only program that talks about crap in food supply in any way is a program called - You Are What You Eat - a UK TV program. You will see how people who clean up their diet and exercise some can be trim and eat well at same time.

You basically have to go through process of cleansing your insides for a period of time. This will help find your baseline when contaminants removed so in order to correlate symptoms.

I did have severe food problems where I got sick eating almost anything. I even got sick on mostly protein diet. For two years, I drank spring water and ate fish, beans with only salt and butter permitted. I was on it for two years. I eventually was able to eat more closer to normally again. Of course, most people won't have to go that long. You have to use your own judgement in regards to time.

They put the most addictive chemicals in foods especially MSG. Just because it doesn't say MSG, it still may contain MSG. They allow MSG to be called by a lot of different names. You look them up yourself.

Step Zero
Read all the labels of everything you eat. If you don't understand something on label, there is a good chance it is not good for you.

You could try things like the Liver Flush, Kidney Flush etc. I'd also consider taking activated charcoal to clean intestine. Also things to clear out potential parasites. I would actually do this as preliminary.

Step one:
Get a gravity based berkey filter with fluoride filter also. Removing fluoride is important for health reasons.

Step two:
Avoid fast food. They put the most addictive chemicals in food.

Remove processed foods from diet completely. Make everything from raw ingredients. It's actually much cheaper and food taste better. It is cheaper to buy food in bulk from Sam's club. I would also buy those cheap cuisine recipe books they occasionally sell for $8 or so at book stores in discount section.

I tried juicing but my system just can't digest the juice well but I have no difficulty with anything else. So too much raw for me isn't good for me.

I used 1/2 tsp baking soda in water for a period of time that cured the heart burn.

Step 4)

Try supplements for "weight loss" that are healthy. I will give an example.

Here is why I put the phrase in quotes. My metabolism stopped working all of a sudden some years back. Even exercise wouldn't help it. I tried a supplement called CLA. I an 6' 2" and weighed 220 pounds. I used the supplement and weight 260 pounds but it has added mostly muscle mass so I look very trim with hardly any effort. I did not diet. I talked to my nephew who is Amish and he was very knowledgeable about it. He said CLA comes from wild grass fed cattle so it was essentially a part of the american diet for over hundred years. Most cattle are not fed that way hence CLA has been depleted in the diet.

I know it seems like a lot to do but ultimately you need to figure out how what goes in your body and how it effects you. Whether it's weight or health or whatever. This is establishing a baseline for yourself.

Can you eat contaminants and toxic food. Eventually but you can eat them in moderation and with awareness. You will be able to tell which foods are addictive. Foods you find addictive, I would try doing homemade. Many times the homemade won't be addictive and cause hunger cravings.

Diets which rely on people to rely on will power to curtail eating habits are doomed to failure. You have to get to the root cause.

Some people will say I am allergic to so and so food but being allergic is a very vague cause unless it is severe. You need to dig deeper. So don't just think you need to give up things you like.

I would definitely clean up your water supply. You may even realize that clean water has a real refreshing taste.

p.s.
i remember going down the hypoglycemia route when i was very young. i increased the protein and lessened to carbs. result was that i became allergic to both protein and carbs.

[CurtCat]

Hi TintedWaterfalls!

I´ve got exactly the same problem as you do. When I wake up I am hungry and shaky until I eat something. Compared to my "before CFS-Life" I eat a lot for breakfast. But just a few hours later I am again hungry and dizzy from hunger and have to shovel food into my body for lunch. This goes on all day, all week, all the time...

But I´ve lost about 20 pounds since January 2010 and continue eating whilst not getting any more fat. I was astonished by that because before CFS I had to exercise daily and hard to even keep my weight. Now it seems like the food is just burned up very fast in my body.

Personally I´ve decided not to worry about that. I guess my body needs the food and as long as I don´t get fat it´s no problem really. I am trying to enjoy my meals as there is not much else left in my live to enjoy due to CFS.

My personal tip to you: Do what you feel like. Your body might tell you something and just listen to it! Don´t try to force you to NOT eat and don´t experiement with low carb diet or something like that. I tried low carb and it just ate away my energy. If you feel like you need a big fat juicy burger then go and get it - as long as you don´t get fat. I don´t know much about CFS but for me it feels like my body is in a constant battle and in times of war it may need more fuel! Period!

Keep your head up and hang in there!

[wintersun]

When I had CFS I was starving all the time, and ate 6 large meals a day. I was a size 6. I went on a low carb diet and it made me very ill. I also took tons of vitamins and supplements and they made me really ill. I think it's normal with CFS to be very hungry because your body is all speeded up and there is alot of nervous energy. I don't know what to suggest apart from what I used to get better, which was the Gupta programme. Since doing it I am no longer starving and have put on weight for the first time in years. Also, I'd be very careful with supplements as they can overload an already very delicate system. Personally, I'd eat what my body wanted because it is craving it for a reason. I hope you find some help in this forum.

[NewWorldAntidote]

Yes, I have this all the time. Constant hunger it is very annoying, so is eating all day. I have connected it to acid reflux and CFS. My guess is that acid reflux is caused by CFS and our bodies inability to regulate stomach acid properly thus causing increased hunger. Not to mention that CFS sufferers are already hypoglycemic and have problems regulating blood sugar. This will also cause intense hunger. I have found that drinking aloe juice and watching what supplements I take helps regulate it. Most of the multivitamins and vitamin c, b, etc. are actually acid. Like adsorbate acid (vitamin c) thus causing an increase in acid in your stomach and making you more hungry. Fish oil is acidic also. Several supplements are so be cautious. As a CFS sufferer your body is more inclined to becoming acidic rather than alkaline. We have electrolyte imbalances that fail to keep us in the alkaline range. You may not experience the symptoms of acid reflux, but you stomach may be too acid, making you hungry. Long story short. Acidic stomach and blood sugar swings = intense hunger. Try to minimize your sugar intake, including fruit. Stick with high protein, natural fats (nuts Almonds are great), and vegetables.