A Patient’s Struggle With Fatigue and Thrombocytosis
Recently, I saw a patient in the office who was complaining of fatigue associated with thrombocytosis, an abnormally high platelet count. She had gone to a hematologist who could not find a reason for the elevated platelet count. She did, however, have several markers suggesting chronic inflammation, including an elevated C-reactive protein level, which is most likely the cause of thrombocytosis.
Last month, the patient had been diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea and is currently doing well on her CPAP, but she was still complaining of fatigue. The patient is overweight and is bordering on obesity. She also believes that her weight issue is contributing to her fatigue and is trying to correct it, but therein lies the problem—though she doesn’t have a prolonged commute, she works sixty-plus hours a week, sometimes seven days a week.
How Overwork Makes Healthy Habits Difficult
It is very difficult to try and develop healthy habits such as exercising and eating healthy when you’re working more than a forty-hour workweek. The patient admitted she is struggling to accomplish everything that we would consider a healthy lifestyle while also getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night without sacrifices.
Unfortunately, for the patient, the sacrifice is eating. She told me that there are nights when dinner consists of nothing more than sweet potato fries, rationalizing that sweet potato fries are healthier than regular French fries.
The Role of Diet in Chronic Inflammation
Highly processed foods are among the most pro-inflammatory foods on the market today and are contributing to the unwellness epidemic that is plaguing the country. It is rampant, especially among single people or dual-income families, because the pressures of working and family obligations leave little time for cooking healthy meals or exercising.
Fast Food Culture and the Inflammation Epidemic
The U.S. food industry understands this dilemma and capitalizes on it, especially by promoting fast food restaurants. We all know these foods are unhealthy, but the convenience and taste make them tempting.
Why bother cooking when you can get a meal that tastes great but is not healthy? Besides, who has time to cook when you’re working sixty-plus hours a week or commuting two to three hours a day?
A Healthier Alternative: Meal Delivery Services
There is a healthy alternative that may work for many people. It may seem expensive, but in reality, it can be worth it in the long run. For many, especially single people, meal delivery services such as Factor or several other options can provide healthier choices.
There are both national and local companies that offer reasonably priced, nutritious meals—some with gluten-free and dairy-free options. For instance, twelve meals from Factor can cost under twelve dollars each. Compare that to the cost of eating at your favorite fast-food place, and consider the savings at the supermarket.
The Decline of Traditional Home-Cooked Meals
Sadly, the time of Ward and June Cleaver is fading due to the changing pressures of modern life. The rise of fast food has contributed heavily to the unhealthy society we live in today, and it needs to change.
A meal delivery service may not be for everyone, but for many, it could be a better answer. At least that was the suggestion I gave my patient.
