How many of you have said "I am tired" today? Everyone experiences fatigue but did you know that severe chronic fatigue can actually be an illness?
In October 1985, 8 children went on a sledding trip together and within weeks, all of them fell ill. Their symptoms resembled those of the flu but they lasted for weeks, months, and even years. This mysterious illness that rendered the children unable to get out of bed spread throughout the village and eventually affected 214 people within a 30-mile radius.
The number of Americans estimated to have this illness, which is clinically named Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is 1 to 4 million. And because of CFS, annual productivity lost to the U.S. economy is estimated to be about $9.1 billion.
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So, the next time your friend tells you that he/she feels tired, make an effort to ask him/her how long this has been going on and perhaps inform of them of the existence of CFS.