If you are exhausted all the time, this is not a motivation problem.

If your body feels heavy, foggy, inflamed, or stuck in survival mode, this is not a character flaw.

And if you have been told your labs look “normal” while you struggle just to get through the day, you are not alone.

In this episode of Never Been Sicker, I sit down with Dr. Evan Hirsch to unpack why so many people are depleted right now and why rest alone is not enough to fix it.

After overcoming his own five-year battle with chronic fatigue, Dr. Hirsch developed a clinically tested framework that has helped thousands of people worldwide regain their energy and return to the lives they love.

The core message of this conversation is simple, but powerful:

You are not lazy.

Your system is overloaded.

And until we understand what is overloading it, recovery stays out of reach.

Who You’re Listening To: Dr. Evan Hirsch

Dr. Evan Hirsch is an international expert in Long COVID and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), known for helping people recover their energy by addressing true root causes rather than chasing symptoms.

His work sits at the intersection of environmental medicine, chronic fatigue and Long COVID recovery, detoxification and immune resilience, nervous system regulation, and root-cause, systems-based healing.

In short:

He helps people understand why their body is depleted and how to reduce the total load keeping them stuck.

Why Chronic Fatigue and Long COVID Are So Often Misunderstood

Many people dealing with chronic fatigue or Long COVID feel dismissed.

They are told to push through. To exercise more. To manage stress better. To wait it out.

Is any of this sounding familiar?

But Dr. Hirsch explains that these conditions are rarely caused by a single issue. They are the result of multiple layers of stressors hitting the body at once, overwhelming its ability to adapt, detoxify, and recover.

This is where his framework, known as The Toxic Five, becomes so helpful.

Not as a diagnosis.

Not as a label.

But as a roadmap.

The Toxic Five: What’s Actually Overloading the Body

According to Dr. Hirsch, most people with chronic fatigue or Long COVID are dealing with a combination of five major contributors.

1. Heavy Metals

Exposure to metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic is far more common than most people realize. These can come from dental materials, contaminated food, larger fish, or even exposure before birth.

Over time, heavy metals interfere with mitochondrial function, hormone signaling, and nervous system regulation.

2. Chemicals

Plastics, pesticides, household cleaners, and personal care products add to the body’s chemical burden. Microplastics and PFAS are now found in water, food, and even human tissue.

These exposures quietly tax detox pathways and immune resilience.

3. Mold

Water-damaged buildings remain one of the most overlooked contributors to chronic illness. Mold exposure can drive fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, and inflammation, especially in sensitive individuals.

If the environment is not addressed, the body cannot stabilize.

4. Infections

COVID-19 is not the only infection that matters. Dr. Hirsch explains that Lyme disease, viral reactivations, bacterial overgrowth, and yeast infections often coexist, compounding fatigue and nervous system stress.

Treating one layer without addressing the others keeps people stuck.

5. Nervous System Dysfunction

This is the piece many people miss.

Chronic stress, trauma, illness, and long-term inflammation can keep the nervous system locked in survival mode. Even when the original threat has passed, the body may remain stuck in fight-or-flight.

Healing requires helping the nervous system feel safe again.

Detox Is About Capacity, Not Just Testing

One of the most grounding parts of this conversation is how Dr. Hirsch reframes detoxification.

Testing for toxins can be inconsistent and incomplete. Numbers vary. People get stuck chasing labs instead of progress.

Instead, he focuses on supporting the body’s ability to detox.

That means using targeted nutrients, herbs, minerals, and lifestyle strategies that strengthen detox pathways and reduce total load over time.

Not forcing detox.

Not overwhelming the system.

Supporting it.

This shift alone can make recovery feel safer and more sustainable.

The Overlooked Link Between Toxins and Mental Health

Fatigue does not exist in isolation.

Dr. Hirsch shares that many people experience anxiety, depression, or emotional instability not because they are broken, but because their nervous system and immune system are under constant strain.

Research shows a significant rise in new mental health diagnoses following COVID infection. That matters.

Addressing environmental load, infections, and nervous system regulation can ease both physical and emotional symptoms, often without defaulting to medication as the only solution.

Your Symptoms Are Not Failures. They Are Signals

One of the most important reframes in this episode is this: Your symptoms are not signs of weakness.

They are signs of overload.

The body slows you down when it cannot safely speed back up.

Healing is not about pushing harder. It is about reducing the load, restoring capacity, and supporting systems in the right order.

That is what the Toxic Five framework offers.

Why You’ll Want to Listen to This Episode

If you have ever wondered:

Why rest does not restore your energy
Why Long COVID symptoms linger
Why fatigue feels both physical and emotional
Why stress tolerance has disappeared
Why normal labs do not reflect how bad you feel

This episode helps connect the dots.

Clear explanations.

Compassionate insight.

A framework that replaces shame with understanding.

And a path forward that does not require forcing your body past its limits.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Free Gift

Fix Your Fatigue by Dr. Evan Hirsch

A guide to understanding the real root causes of fatigue and how to address them systematically.

👉 https://www.energymdmethod.com/freebook

Online Masterclass

Discover the four-step system Dr. Hirsch used to overcome chronic fatigue and help thousands of others recover their energy.

👉 https://www.energymdmethod.com/masterclass-registration

A Final Note

If you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or stuck in recovery, hear this clearly:

You are not lazy.

You are not broken.

You are overloaded.

And with the right framework, the right support, and the right order of operations, healing becomes possible.

Listen to Episode #110 of Never Been Sicker now.

Because your body is not failing you. It is communicating.

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Meet Today’s Guest: Dr. Evan Hirsch

Dr. Evan Hirsch is an international expert in Long COVID and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Through his EnergyMD Method, bestselling book, podcast, and virtual programs, he has helped people across the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand regain their energy and quality of life.

When he is not supporting clients, he enjoys music, movement, learning languages, and traveling with his family.