Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section 1.10.32.
The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form, accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.
There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alteration in some form, by injected humour, or randomised words which don’t look even slightly believable. If you are going to use a passage of Lorem Ipsum, you need to be sure there isn’t anything embarrassing hidden in the middle of text. All the Lorem Ipsum generators on the Internet tend to repeat predefined chunks as necessary, making this the first true generator on the Internet. It uses a dictionary of over 200 Latin words, combined with a handful of model sentence
Viral infections can range from the common cold to HIV and hepatitis. But in the case of viral infections that impact your long-term health, I am not necessarily talking about acute viral infections like the flu (influenza virus) – although it could be the case as everyone’s biochemistry is unique. What I am speaking about are certain chronic viral infections that are long standing and take up residence in your body.
The viral infections that I see most are actually part of the same family: The herpes family. When most people hear the word herpes they think of the sexually transmitted disease (STD) or cold sores. There are actually eight identified members of the human herpes virus family so far, though many in the integrative health world consider there to be more varieties. This is also the group of viruses that cause chickenpox and shingles! Herpes is one rough family.
The four members of the herpes family that I see being an underlying trigger with seemingly unrelated health problems are:
EBV is one of the biggest contributors and the one I see the most in my clinic. In fact, a small-scale study (1) published in the medical journal PLoS One explored the link between antibodies against Epstein-Barr and chronic fatigue syndrome. Another 2015 Polish study (2) looked at the ability of EBV to “hide” in the thyroid and, once reactivated, stimulate the immune system to attack the thyroid, triggering autoimmune thyroid problems or Hashimoto’s disease, which is another common cause of fatigue. For a complete deep dive into EBV, read my article here.
Almost all of us have one or more of these viruses in our bodies, so the variable is not IF we have it, but will it be triggered and when? The name herpes comes from the Greek word ‘herpein’ or ‘to creep’ and that’s exactly what these viral infections do. They can stay dormant for years until an opportunity to strike occurs. A stressful time in your life, leaky gut syndrome, candida overgrowth, adrenal fatigue, or Lyme disease can all be the perfect time for the sleeping, latent viral infection to rise up, reactivate, and wreak havoc throughout your body.
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Since the symptoms of viral infections can mimic so many other health problems, researchers are still learning exactly how these infections can impact your health. However, these are some of the main health problems that have been clinically linked to underlying viral infections.
Depression and other brain health problems are on the rise worldwide. Multiple studies (3) including one in 2023 found an association (4) between mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder and suicide rates with CMV, although we still don’t understand exactly the mechanism of how it does so. Similar studies have linked Epstein-Barr virus (5) with forms of anxiety such as panic attacks and attachment disorders. The virus is also implicated in Lyme disease.
Epstein-Barr is the cause of “Mono” (mononucleosis) which causes extreme exhaustion, but it doesn’t stop there. Up to 2.5 million Americans (6) have Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). These viruses have also been implicated (7) in this debilitating condition.
The most common cause of low thyroid dysfunction in the west is autoimmune reactivity against the thyroid – specifically Hashimoto’s disease or autoimmune thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s is also the most common autoimmune disease in the world. One 2015 study hypothesized (8) that latent EBV hides in the thyroid tissue, and once reactivated, stimulates the immune system to attack the thyroid. As a result, Epstein-Barr virus and thyroid are closely linked.
To read more about how to overcome thyroid problems, click here
A Journal of Clinical Rheumatology study (9) found that CMV was a possible trigger for Lupus.
A study (10) out of the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology actually found that the higher the level of HHV-6 and CMV that was found in an individual, the higher the severity of Inflammatory Bowel Disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
This neurological autoimmune disease affects 2.5 million people worldwide, and millions more have unexplained neurological autoimmune reactivity. EBV is clearly seen in the medical literature as a potential trigger to MS. In fact, according to the Journal of Infectious Diseases, a shingles outbreak can nearly quadruple the risk (11) of MS!
Another neurological autoimmune disease is Guillain-Barré syndrome. A 2021 study (12) published in the Iran Journal Of Child Neurology found that CMV is one of the most prominent viral triggers for GBS. Underlying Herpes zoster (shingles) can also be the culprit for other cases of unexplained nerve pain (neuropathy).
Researchers have also looked (13) at the viral connection with yet another autoimmune-inflammatory neurological disease, Alzheimer’s, and found that there was an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease with CMV.
If you suspect you have an underlying viral infection here are my top tips to reboot your immune system and start the healing process:
I suggest getting a full viral screen to see if you have these or other unexplained health problems. Labs are able to tell if there is an active or past infection.
Methylation is a process that acts like a big biochemical superhighway, and facilitating a healthy immune system is one of its major functions. Studies have shown that EBV messes up methylation, (14) so those of us who have genetic changes such as MTHFR mutations and other methylation impairments can’t necessarily handle as much dysfunction in this area as someone whose methylation is normally unimpaired.
Support methylation with activated B vitamin supplements and foods rich in B vitamins such as green leafy vegetables, onions, garlic, and grass-fed beef and liver.
Research shows that the healthy fats (15) EPA and DHA from fish oil decrease the chances of EBV being reactivated.
A 2016 study found (16) that vitamin D was able to bring down Epstein-Barr antibodies in patients with the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis. Make sure to have your vitamin D levels tested to determine dosage, and shoot for the optimal range of 60 to 80.
This root herb is used in traditional Chinese medicine (17) to fight off viral infections.
You can’t talk about the immune system without covering the area where the majority of your immune system resides: your microbiome. A study published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine found (18) an increase in symptoms of fatigue and depression coinciding with an increase in bacterial endotoxins found in leaky gut syndrome.
I recommend having labs done to evaluate your gut health in the context of chronic fatigue. Endotoxins will raise immune labs, such as white blood cell count and inflammatory proteins such as C-reactive protein and IL-6.
Chronic exposure to mold (19) and mercury (20) and other toxins have been linked to chronic fatigue. To fight off their effects, bring more detoxing foods into your daily diet. Garlic, cilantro, parsley, spirulina, and sage are some of my favorites. You can use them in smoothies, on salads, or to flavor your meals. Try rotating these foods throughout your week for comprehensive detox support.
Emotional suppression, psychological stress, (21) and a lack of sleep are all linked in the medical literature to a reactivation of EBV. Start and end your day with mindfulness meditations – apps such as Headspace and Calm are great tools to try.
An amino acid called theanine (22) has also been shown to improve sleep and helps you to feel rested and rejuvenated when you wake up. Low-caffeine teas like white tea or decaf green tea are great food sources for this sleepy-time medicine. I have a cup every night.
Low levels of iron, magnesium, (23), B12, and folate can all contribute to fatigue and weaken your immune system. Get labs to check your nutrient levels. If you don’t already, focus on eating a clean diet with a wide variety of nutrient-dense whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, organic meats, and healthy fats.
The extract from the olive leaf has demonstrated (24) powerful antiviral and antibacterial capabilities, even in the case of COVID-19.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that this adaptogenic herb can increase (25) helpful immune cells and has next-level immunomodulatory effects. And since cortisol spikes (26) have been shown to also trigger a reactivation of EBV, ashwagandha is great because it has a balancing effect on this main stress hormone.
An exciting study published in Medical Science Monitor found (27) that higher levels of vitamin C produced lower levels of EBV in people with mono and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Try to say larrea tridentata three times fast! This traditional Native American medicine is the ancient antiviral medicine (28) of the desert.
Navigating viral chronic fatigue can be overwhelming. Finding a qualified functional medicine practitioner to put the pieces of your health journey together can be invaluable to your health and well-being. You may need to try several different approaches before you find what works for you, but in my telehealth functional medicine clinic, my team and I work together to make make this happen more quickly and efficiently, as we look at your health case in its entirety to find holistic, long-term solutions rather than simply trying to put a bandaid over your symptoms.
If you are struggling with unrelenting symptoms like fatigue and brain fog that you think are related to underlying viral infections, schedule a telehealth consultation today to learn more about how we can help you with functional medicine.
As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.
For thousands of years humans have been using plants, mushrooms and other natural substances to enhance their body & mind.
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There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alteration in some form, by injected humour, or randomised words which don’t look even slightly believable.There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available
For thousands of years humans have been using plants, mushrooms and other natural substances to enhance their body & mind.
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