Many autistic people and those with ADHD experience eating in ways that don’t fit typical expectations. What’s sometimes seen as “picky eating” often reflects genuine sensory or cognitive differences that can make food challenging. It is important as clinicians working with people with these condtions’s, that we have an understanding about this. In this blog, our Associate Specialist Dietician & Nutrition Consultant shares her thoughts on this area.

Our Managing Director shares what she is observing in the case load with fatigue whom we support and asks,

• Why do some individuals experience fatigue more severely or persistently than others?

• Are there identifiable underlying mechanisms?

• What functional and psychosocial challenges arise from chronic fatigue?

• How can targeted interventions best support those affected?

Here at Vitality360, we have been witnessing an emerging trend with a significant percentage of our client group who come to us as experts in fatigue and pain management are reporting suspected or diagnosed ADHD/Autism. People with ADHD and autism often report significant fatigue, a profound mental and physical exhaustion that isn’t just being “lazy” or tired. This fatigue usually comes from a combination of biological, cognitive, and environmental factors rather than any single cause.

In this blog, we look at key reasons this happens, focusing on shared characteristics as well as those unique to ADHD or autism.

Dafydd, our guest blogger, writes about his personal experience of fatigue associated with Visual Impairment (VI)

He provides insight into why fatigue is prevalent in this population and shares some strategies which help him do the things he wants to do.

Does an anti-inflammatory diet help Long Covid symptoms? What are the signs of malnutrition? Is the gut microbe important? What about histamine intolerance?

Interesting questions to consider for those suffering with fatigue symptoms following a Covid infection as our Specialist Dietician and Nutrition Consultant, considers five years on, what we know about long covid/Post Covid Fatigue Syndrome and diet?

Does the very thought of planning a holiday leave you feeling exhausted? The idea of a long journey and sleeping in a different bed is enough to raise your anxiety levels before you even consider the expectations of yourself or others regarding what you will do whilst on holiday. Isn’t it supposed to be pleasurable or, at the very least, somewhat relaxing?

In this article, Katherine Sewell, employed by Vitality360 in an HR role, shares her personal experience of returning to and sustaining work with long-term pain and fatigue symptoms. Vitality360 is a rehabilitation provider working to support people with persistent pain or fatigue to return to and/or sustain work. With her HR expertise alongside her lived experience of a chronic health condition, Katherine looks at some of the ways that HR departments/OH Providers/Employers can support people in a similar situation - including the use of activity management diaries, how to empower people considering capability vs capacity, and how to enable employees and employers to explore some of the issues collaboratively, utilising back to work planning.

As someone who has had ME/CFS for twenty years and counting, my heart skips an excited beat when my social media feeds alert me to a new intervention that claims it will help ease my symptoms or even lead to a full recovery like the one below! Are they worth investing in?

Here we offer our thoughts on various gadgets of this type.

When planning a conference, or in fact any of our training, I always consider how people with fatigue can access it. I hope that the fact that the conference is online will in itself make it more accessible. We have deliberately scheduled regular breaks throughout the day to rest, move and get some refreshments, and asked all our speakers to stick to their allotted time slot. However we are aware that some participants will not manage a full day therefore we are recording every session and will make these available to participants for 2 months afterwards. That hopefully means that they can be viewed at a pace that suits you.

Burnout is a serious issue that can have a significant impact on your personal and professional life. By taking steps to manage stress and prioritise your well-being, you can prevent burnout and live a healthier, happier life.

Recent studies demonstrate that workplace stress continues to rise and is at record levels, which means that employee burnout with symptoms of fatigue and pain is also on the increase. Here one of our team shares her experience and what signs to look out for.

Data reveals that a majority of employees are seeking out hybrid and remote working as employers are encouraged to offer ‘as much flexibility and choice as possible’. Here, one of our team writes about how working remotely and flexibly is bringing benefits to her in being able to sustain work.

“Tired and wired” - The role of rest in fatigue management

Rest - definitions and challenges when resting with fatiguing health conditions, including exploring what rest means to the individual and how that may have changed with illness. Ways of working with challenges to resting, such as managing a wound up nervous system, pain, as well as finding the time and appropriate techniques to be able to rest.

Data reveals majority of employees are seeking out hybrid and remote working as employers are encouraged to offer ‘as much flexibility and choice as possible’. Here, one of our team writes about how working remotely and flexibly is bringing benefits to her in being able to sustain work.

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Though it’s most often caused by problems at work, it can also appear in other areas of life, such as parenting, caretaking, or romantic relationships. Here Katherine writes about her journey from a state of burnout…

I found myself discussing Christmas with a client last week who is already planning for her inevitable setback in January – is this unavoidable? How can you enjoy Christmas but minimise the impact?

In this blog our specialist fatigue clinician talks to three team members with pain and fatigue about how it is to have an invisible disability & the challenges this presents in relationships, how this can create misunderstandings socially and in the workplace.

Our Executive Manager and Specialist Clinician reflects on what basis is it possible to maintain to be an expert in something given our emphasis on our role as an expert persistent pain and fatigue rehabilitation provider.

Does the very thought of planning a holiday leave you feeling exhausted? The thought of a long journey and sleeping in a different bed is enough to raise your anxiety levels before you even consider the expectations of yourself or others regarding what you will actually do whilst on holiday. Isn’t it supposed to be pleasurable or at the very least somewhat relaxing?

It’s unlikely that we’ll pass through life feeling little or no stress at all.  (Although many of us can recall a friend or family member who’s “so laid back (s)he’s almost horizontal”!)  Stress is linked to the ‘fight flight’ response; a primitive, normal and natural response that keeps us safe from any perceived threat.