Book Review – “From Fatigued to Fantastic”

I’ve been trying to read From Fatigued to Fantastic for months.  I’ve heard wonderful things about it, and the author, Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.,  a board certified internist and leading researcher in the field of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.  Read many articles on his web site endfatigue.com.   I finally got the chance to finish reading it this weekend, enjoying some great weather here in AZ!

His treatment plan is customized for each person by having you answer questions at the end of each chapter and marking off recommendations in an appendix, and also stresses that you should be working with your Dr. in choosing the right treatment path.  If you don’t have a Dr. that is willing to treat your fibro, you need a new Dr.!  There are suggestions in the book for that as well.

The recommended treatment options center around the S.H.I.N.E. protocol.  Sleep, Hormones, Infections, Nutrition, and Exercise.  His claim (based on over 30 years working with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue patients) is that by following this protocol, it will alleviate the symptoms associated with severe fatigue and body pain.

    SLEEP: Get adequate sleep, preferably eight to nine hours a night. Sleep replenishes the body's energy and heals its muscles. Inadequate sleep will leave you exhausted and in pain.

    HORMONES: Get tested for hormone deficiency and treated if needed. Hormone deficiencies can contribute to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

    INFECTIONS: Get treatment when symptoms of infections occur. The lack of restorative sleep in CFS/FM leads to dysfunctional immune systems. Underlying viral, bacterial, bowel, sinus and yeast infections are common and can be a contributing cause or result of CFS/FM.

    NUTRITON: To maintain normal health and optimal energy levels you need to be sure you body is getting a proper balance of nutrition, particularly as nutritional deficiencies can result from CFS/FM. Vitamin B-12, magnesium, Acetyl L-Carnitine, glutathione, as well as your basic A, B, C and D vitamins are especially vulnerable to depletion from this.

    EXERCISE: Exercise as able. After 10 weeks on the 4 steps above, you will be able to slowly increase your exercise-without being wiped out the next day!

Each chapter goes into detail in each of these areas and is backed by scientific studies and the latest research.  I learned A LOT about the body reading this book.  I am very motivated to try and focus on each of these areas with my Dr., in order, and try to improve my life even more!

You can “like” Dr. T's facebook page and ask questions directly to him, as well as connect with others following his recommendations, and keep updated on the most current information.

I bought this as an actual book, not on my Kindle this time and I’m glad I did.  It made taking the quizzes easier.  You can find it on his web site endfatigue.com or look for it on Amazon if you prefer used, or Kindle edition.

I HIGHLY recommend you read this book if you have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue.  It is extremely educational and great to have on your shelf for reference whenever a symptom of these conditions is bothering you.  And the best part is the custom treatment plan that will get you moving in the direction to better health!