Treatment and management of GS.

Diet and supplements:

What could make us feel worse:

Fatty foods – digestive problems seem common in GS and some people find fatty foods put a lot of stress on their digestive system.

Sugary foods and refined carbohydrates – these mess with the bodies energy levels, and if you’re suffering with fatigue then these won’t help balance your energy. Plus sugar can impair your liver’s ability to detoxify.

Other suspects include – fluoride, peppermint, vanilla, menthol and the B vitamin niacin (on its own, but ok with other B vitamins)

Artificial sweeteners – can cause an increase in the ‘brain-fog’ experience.

What could help:

Broccoli, walnuts, blueberries, avocadoes, cabbage, cauliflower, eggs – a combination of natural sulphur compounds and those containing glutathione (the most powerful internal antioxident and liver protector) will aid the breakdown of toxins and chemicals.

Supplements of glycine, glutamic acid and cysteine also produce glutathione and thus aid the detoxification in the phase 2 pathways.

Taurine plays a major role in good liver function via detoxification.

Turmeric has been shown to increase the glutathione and glucuronyl transferease enzymes important for detoxification.

Milk Thistle is used by many people with GS, and has been used for hundreds of years as a herbal remedy for liver disorders and depression (which medicinal herbalists often link).

Carrots and beetroot are fantastic detox aids.

Methionine, an amino acid, activates the phase 2 pathways.

Dandelion tea can stimulate liver function.

Royal Jelly is taken by some people with GS, who have found it beneficial for their energy levels.
 

Lifestyle:

Sleep – get it if you can.  At least 8 hours a day is recommended by some to put you back on your feet if you’re really feeling the symptoms.  Lack of sleep stresses the liver functions and over time can produce GS symptoms.  A nap after lunch can help preserve energy levels for the evening, if you find the end of the day a struggle.

Anxiety, stress and depression – a complex area.  Anecdotally people have suffered socio-phobia and anxiety attacks after experiencing GS symptoms. The reverse is also true, and psychological stress and unhappiness can have a physical response in stressing the liver function and cause GS symptoms.  There are also many mental health issues raised by having to deal with a potentially new lifestyle in order to manage your GS symptoms.  You should always seek help from your doctor if you are suffering from depression.  There are many ways of managing unhappiness, anxiety and stress, and many organisations giving better advice than there is space for here - check out the directory of links.  Meditation, cognitative behavioural therapy, yoga, and other forms of dealing with your frame of mind could be worth trying.

Work, rest and play – to sum up, get the balance right for you as you are right now.  Don’t feel like you’re ‘giving in’ or a ‘failure’ for taking sensible decisions to change your lifestyle so that you can feel less ill.  The less ill you feel the better you can live.  But find your balance – it may take years, and it may change with your circumstances.

Maybe a part time job is right so you can spend more time resting and have more energy for a social life, which is good for your mental health.  Maybe your job is all you can do during the day, and socialising in the evening is a write-off – instead you could have lunch with friends, and see them during the day at weekends instead.  Maybe you can’t run a mile right now, but you could walk half a mile today, and a mile in 6 months. Sometimes you’ll be forced to pack in more than you can handle, and you’ll feel ill for a while.  But that’s ok too.  Just get the balance to where you’re happy with it, and don’t forget that looking after your mental health is as important as your physical health. In fact the two are inextricably linked.