How One Woman Reclaimed Her Life from CFS – Another S.H.I.N.E. Success Story (Published in First for Women)
I'm always deeply moved when I hear from someone who has turned their life around after struggling with debilitating fatigue, chronic pain, and symptoms that once made simple daily tasks feel insurmountable. Today, I want to share the inspiring story of Heather Anderson, recently featured in First for Women, who overcame Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) — and credits her recovery to following the very protocol I’ve spent my life developing: S.H.I.N.E.®.
Heather, like so many others with CFS and POTS, faced an uphill battle. After her second child was born, her energy plummeted and strange symptoms took over. She couldn’t sit or stand without her heart rate soaring. Her body felt weak, and her brain fog made thinking clearly almost impossible. Doctors offered little help, and like many patients with CFS or POTS, she was told it was "just stress" or, sadly, brushed off entirely as though she was nuts.
But Heather didn't give up. She began doing her own research and stumbled upon my book, From Fatigued to Fantastic!, where she first encountered my S.H.I.N.E. Protocol.
Heather began implementing each piece of the S.H.I.N.E. puzzle. She made changes to improve her sleep quality, started addressing underlying hormonal imbalances, supported her immune system, and adjusted her nutrition to fuel her healing. She made another significant breakthrough when she discovered PEA — the natural "superhero molecule" that I've been recommending for helping reduce pain and inflammation in people with CFS and fibromyalgia.
She added a PEA supplement to her routine, and the results were remarkable. The brain fog started to lift. Her energy improved. Her ability to stand and move without feeling faint returned. She described it as a "light switch" moment — the start of a true and lasting recovery.
What I find most heartening about Heather's story is that it reinforces what I saw every day in my patients: When we treat the root causes instead of just chasing symptoms, people can and do get better.
CFS and POTS are not death sentences. They're not signs that your life is over or that you’ll never feel well again. With the right information, tools, and guidance — like the S.H.I.N.E. Protocol offers — recovery is not just possible, it’s happening.
Heather's journey is proof of that. I encourage you to read her full story as featured in First for Women. It’s an uplifting reminder that healing is within reach for everyone.

Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. His newest book (June 10, 2024) is You Can Heal From Long COVID. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.