Detoxification

Hello! :-)

Long time no post!!  It's all been rather busy and exciting last few months as I've been increasing my exercise and activity, along with increased work commitments, but it's most definitely been a 'good' busy!  It seems crazy that just 5 months ago I was doing 25 minute walks, and that now I'm jogging on a weekly basis, doing light weights once-twice a week, doing yoga a couple of times a week, and now working (not paid!) for a Charity.  

Today I want to talk about Detoxification, and I'd love some feedback from you guys as I have a question or two!  

Firstly, Detoxification can be vitally important for people recovering from M.E./CFS.  Chances are that a contributing factor to you getting ill in the first place was a heavy toxic burden on your body, which may be due to poor diet, living in a heavily polluted area, living near a farm where lots of dangerous chemicals and pesticides are used, or even having Mercury Amalgam Fillings!  All these things put a strain on the body, and need to be detoxed in some way or another to free up energy for the body to function optimally.   

After having some blood tests done it was found that I had a moderate blockage called Methyl-Benzoquinone.  From what I've been told, this can be found in exhaust fumes, paints, glues, air fresheners, tobacco...no wonder given I live in London!  I must say I've found this blockage quite hard to reduce and eliminate so far.  I've cleared my house of any potential blockages and I've also been on Detoxification supplements for around 6 months now.  I'm having the blockage re-tested next week, so I'm hoping it's gone down and perhaps even gone completely.  Although intuitively, I feel there is still some there.  I also use Epsom Salt baths to help the Detoxification process, although not too often as this can overwhelm the body.  I also exercise around 5-6 days per week, which is also supposed to help the process.   

I'm stuck in a tricky place you see. I need to keep building on my recovery by going out more, as getting back into normal life and work will help lubricate these last stages of the process. However, in London with all the pollutants and such, there's a chance my body is getting 're-blocked' as it were. Bloody London..! haha.  One potential solution, which is very likely to happen at some point anyway, is to move away from the Capital.  This isn't just for health reasons - it's also because London is completely unaffordable these days.  I've just had a mate rent a flat near me with his girlfriend, and he's paying £1800 a month minus bills -_- Crazy huh?

So I have 2 questions :

1) Where is nice to live that is affordable and not too far from London?

2) Has anyone tried/got a Far Infrared Sauna?  A friend mentioned this to me as useful for ongoing Detoxification, and Dr. Myhill raves about it too, so I'm tempted to potentially purchase one when I have the money.  They can set you back £189 (click here) but could be a worthy investment in the long-term I suppose. 

(I know it looks ridiculous, but hey, if it works!)


Adam

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M.E. Thought Patterns

Anyone who acknowledges the psychological aspect of M.E./CFS will be aware of the impact our thought patterns can have on our symptoms.  I'm sure you're all familiar with at least some of the following : 

• 'Will I ever recover...?'
• 'What's wrong with me...?'
• 'How long will it take me to get over this..?'
• 'Why me..?'
• 'What can help me improve...?' 
• 'Why do I feel so crap..?'
• 'Will they ever find a cure..?' (Excuse me for being dogmatic here, but in my opinion and from what all the latest research suggests, M.E./CFS is far too multi-faceted and complex for there to be a 'miracle cure.')

Having been treated at a great M.E. clinic in London, I've learnt some really useful tools to work with these thought patterns.  

These thoughts dominated my mind for so so long. In a way, it's a pretty normal response to a scary situation, right? it's understandable! We have all these unexplained symptoms..we're in pain..we unsure of why this is happening. Scary fearful thoughts are the brain's normal way of processing this, right? 

However....are they useful?  Are they helping us find a solution? Are they offering us a choice in the situation...or are they just keeping us stuck in limbo?

Interestingly, the latest research on Neurology has found that our thoughts have a massive impact on how we feel in our body.  I'll let this short clip explain : 

Interestingly, at around 0:44 secs the narrator mentions how when our body detects a potential threat (ie fear of symptoms, worry about the future etc), it releases adrenaline and cortisol into the body, putting it in a state of stress.  Imagine if we're doing this all the time..or even most of the time..or even some of the time..keeping ourselves in that 'wired' stress state. How can our bodies even begin to recover when it's constantly in a state of alarm?  Here you can see why the psychological impact of M.E. can have such a negative stressful impact on our bodies. 

Ever notice that your symptoms can intensify when you're worrying?      

I'm going to break these common thought patterns down into 4 segments to make it more digestible and easy to understand :  

1. FEAR OF SYMPTOMS ie continuously checking in with symptoms  -  probably the most common one of all.  Always checking for symptoms getting worse.  This fear kicks in that adrenaline/cortisol response  
2. MENTAL TENNIS ie should I stay in tonight or should I go out? Should I do yoga today or not? And it becomes problematic when you're going to and fro for minutes or even hours, rather than just making a decision based on what you feel your body can do  
3. CATASTROPHE THINKING ie going from feeling a bit rubbish to thinking 'I'm never going to recover' - when you start with one thought and this snowballs into something much bigger.  This again sets off that adrenaline/cortisol fear response
4. MIND-BLENDING - constantly pre-empting, planning, or replaying situations.  This type of feeling has a very speedy feeling to it

Do these sound familiar?

A massive way I've worked with this on myself is by becoming aware of the pattern, and just asking, "Is this useful to me?" or "Is this supporting me and taking me forward?"  Usually the answer is a big fat No! Then by identifying this, then asking, "What do I choose to do/think instead that would be more supportive right now?"

It may be as simple as choosing to have a nap rather than doing some work.  It may be deciding to go for a short walk rather than watch TV.  I found that letting my body guide me was the best way.

This way of stopping and reflecting has massively helped me health-wise, and enabled me to realise I have a choice in what thoughts I have!

Adam

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Mitochondrial Function and Blockages

As some of you will know, Mitochondrial Function (or should I say Dysfunction!) can be a source of several problems for ME/CFS sufferers, the most notable being a lack of available energy!!  Respected M.E./CFS specialist Dr. Myhill even says that it is the 'cental cause' in M.E./CFS.

I had my 3rd Mitochondrial Function test back this week, and the great thing is, now my Mitochondrial function is at the level of a normal healthy person! However, I do still get symptoms.  This underlines the fact that recovery from this condition is not just purely about sorting out nutritional imbalances.  It's also about addressing the psychological element, dealing with the underlying anxieties and stresses in our current environment, which are burdening our system.  I've already done a post on this which you can read here.  I'll do another one on 'Common M.E. Thought Patterns' soon.  It's also important to address the physical re-conditioning aspect when you are at the right stage of recovery. Chances are you haven't been hugely active for a while.  This is where the exercise comes in. I talk about this and the importance of it being done in a graded and considered way in another previous post - click here.

My aim in this post is to talk about potential blockages that stop your Mitcohondria from functioning properly.  I can only talk about my personal experience, as I'm not a Nutritionist or Doctor with vast experience about this, nor am I claiming to be.  I have a blockage of about 10% outside the normal healthy range in my system, which causes certain elements/substances to stick to my DNA, meaning my ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) isn't being recycled to it's optimum level.  Therefore my consistent access to energy is still suboptimal..to an extent.  I know this sounds really scientific and confusing..to be honest, I don't properly understand it either.


This, on top of the physical re-conditioning I still need to do and psychological work, is certainly contributing to the fact I'm still experiencing symptoms.  The blockage they found in me relates to petrol, vehicle exhausts, furniture waxes, air fresheners and Benzoates...basically any toxic cleaning materials haha!  Therefore I've taken responsibility to make my house as clean as humanly possible! I've decided to replace these toxic cleaning materials with home made alternatives :

Kitchen &  Bathroom Cleaner :

• 1 Spray Bottle
• 3 Tablespoons Vinegar
• Squeeze of 1/2 a lemon
• Water

Place in a large spray bottle and shake vigorously.

Homemade Dusting Spray : 

• 1 Spray Bottle 
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
• 30-40 drops essential oil, optional (clove, orange, lemon, etc)

Place in a large spray bottle and shake vigorously. Spray directly on furniture (being careful of overspray) and buff with a clean, dry cloth.

Plants : 

I read that plants literally eat up pollutants in your house, so I've now got a few in my room, living room and dining room.  It also makes the rooms look a bit nicer.

Baths : 

No more Radox bubble bath..just pure Epsom Salts

Avoiding Benzoates : 

I plan to do this by simply avoiding anything Benzoate related in preservatives ie Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate etc.


Avoiding Pollution : 

Well..this is pretty much impossible. Living in London, one of the busiest Cities in the world, and being under a flight path, means I'm always going to be in contact with pollution.  However, I've lived here my whole life, and I was pretty damn healthy for 21 years of it, so I'm sure I can survive a few more pollutants here and there! You become more resistant to pollutants as you get stronger anyway.


Let's clear as much of this blockage as possible!

P.S. If you are interested in getting your Mitochondrial function tested and getting support in normalising it, the best thing to do would be to get in contact with either Dr. Myhill's clinic here, or with the Nutrition Team at The Optimum Health Clinic here.

Adam

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Meditation - am I doing it right!?!

This was a question that dominated my mind on a daily basis for years..literally!  

Meditation - we all know it's good for us and the health benefits are quite clear. However, there's so many different types/modalities out there!! Which one is right, and more importantly, which one can help us!

For around 3 years I was constantly on the search for the 'right type' of meditation for me.  Which 'type' would aid me in improving my health? Which 'type' could lessen my symptoms? I tried so many things - Mindfulness, Hypnotherapy tracks, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mind Calm..the list goes on! I had varying success, but what I really struggled with was the visual side of things - 'Imagine yourself sunbathing on your favourite beach feeling perfectly healthy...'  More often than not, I failed at achieving this states, primarily because my body was usually screaming with symptoms and ill feelings.  This in turn, often ramped up my anxiety levels because I couldn't achieve the desired relaxed state. I just got more and more anxious about my symptoms and frustrated that I couldn't change them.  So in actual fact, I often left a meditative session more anxious than when I started...and then I got anxious about being anxious. VICIOUS CYCLE!! I'm sure many of you have felt the same - a very head driven buzzy wiredness. Sound familiar?

I eventually stumbled across a form of meditation that was just right.  No visualisation, no breathing in feelings of health and sunny beaches..just being where you are and letting yourself know that that is ok.  When I first discovered it, this was a massive realisation for me, and everything started calming down a lot, in particular my mind! It soon dawned on me that all this time I had been trying to do meditation perfectly, and it was those perfection patterns that were actually hindering my progress with meditation.  As one with a bit of an Achiever personality, I felt I 'had to get it right.' Ironically, it was this 'having to get it right,' that hindered my progress health wise and in meditation.  
It was this learning 'to be' and accepting where I was at in that moment when I noticed shifts happening.  It's interesting isn't it, how we spend so much time in our heads and so little time in our bodies.  No wonder we get so stressed, and oftentimes lose control of our health.          

This type of 'Beingness' is one of just being present in the moment..separated from our thoughts, stress, and anxiety.  It sounds Spiritual almost, but it's really not.  It's just the process of being here, right now. A process of focusing on our breath, our arms, our legs, our muscles.  I usually do this 2/3 times a day, around 10 minutes each time and find it wonderfully powerful and rejuvenating.  On the other hand, Catastrophising thoughts, mental tennis, stress, are all pretty exhausting, and are certainly things we could do with less of, especially if you are on a recovery path.    

I came across a wonderful Meditation Teacher, Linda Hall, who has herself recovered from a Chronic Illness, M.E./CFS, after suffering from the condition for 8 years and making a full recovery. Her style is extremely soothing and therapeutic, and speaks to people at any level, no matter how healthy or ill you are.  

Here is a few of her short meditations (about 10 mins in length) Worth a go : 

Linda also has her own website, where she sells Meditation downloads that are specific for M.E.  I even did one of her telephone tutorial courses and it was great! All that and more are offered on her site : http://www.audiomeditation.co.uk/

Adam

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My story...so far!

I've been blogging now for almost 2 years and only today realised that I'd never actually shared my story with you wonderful people!

I find sharing one's story can be of real therapeutic value, not only to the writer, but also to readers who may well be in a similar situation.  It's a great way of getting your experience 'out there' as it were, and it's perhaps something that is a bit long overdue!

Ideally when recovered, I'd really like to publish a book of my experience through ME/CFS, my ups/my downs, how I found the answers, and how it changed me as a person, not just physically and mentally, but also spiritually and emotionally.  Maybe this blog post would be a good starting point...a practice run! I suppose I'm also writing this in the hope that it will encourage others to share their stories too. They can be so inspiring. So here goes..

Me about 2 months before getting ill with M.E./CFS. Flying off a rope-swing in Fiji, where I'd been working that summer. I was very physically active in my teenage years

As a young child and teenager I'd been pretty healthy.  Had the odd bouts of Tonsillitis and colds, but who doesn't at that age.  I was very active in the sporting arena, representing my school in Rugby and Cricket, whilst also playing men's football for a club in my area.  I had the highest stamina (or amongst the highest in my year!)  I won the 400m in my age group at sports day 3 years running (I don't write this to boast, just to emphasise how high my fitness levels were! :-) ) I pushed myself hard academically, getting A's at A Levels. I had very high standards for myself, and whatever I achieved, never seemed to be enough. I always had my eye on the next goal...the next challenge.  I suppose you could call me a very Type A personality - which is very common for people who have gone through this condition.  First year of uni flew by - drank a lot, made some great friends, had some great experiences, enjoyed my independence. It was probably the best year of my life.  I travelled to Fiji that summer (2009), and worked as a teacher over there.  It was great fun.  Once back in the UK, 2nd year was fast approaching, and I started thinking about what career might suit me best.

Then everything changed. I fell extremely ill with Gastro-enteritis. It was so bad that I could barely get out of bed (interestingly prior to this, I'd had an underlying cold for a few weeks.)  I was completely drained.  I improved somewhat, but then a week later I contracted Glandular Fever.  Double whammy.  I was so ill I couldn't even leave the house, or my room for a long time.  This period is still very hazy to me.  I think the trauma of all the unexplained symptoms, no energy, and constant dizziness has caused my conscious mind to block it out.  I kept thinking, 'What's wrong with me?' 'Why am I getting these symptoms?' 'What's happened to my energy?'  I was literally in the crash and burn phases of the illness.  In hindsight, I really should have really rested and just slept, but I just plowed on through - there was work to be done, therefore I had to do it.  The next 4 months were a mixture of unexplained painful symptoms, extreme levels of anxiety, a heavy workload, and 4 Red Bull a day.  In this first year of illness, I went through several relapses and just tried to push through everything, not realising that constantly pushing was making my symptoms worse.

Me on the far right about 2-3 months into illness...looking quite concerned! I was experiencing pretty severe symptoms at this time, always fearing I was going to collapse or get worse.

I just wanted to psychologically escape the fact that I was pretty severely ill at this point, and it did that by pushing myself like I used to.One constant problem above all else was recurrent Tonsillitis every two weeks - I could have set up my own pharmacy with the number of anti-biotics I'd been prescribed!  This first year was really tough. There was so much confusion and fear as to what was wrong with me and how I could change my situation.  I didn't realise at the time that the constant fear and anxiety about my situation was making things worse.  I somehow managed to play football still for my University team.  Even though I knew it wasn't supporting me, being active and sporty was part of my identity, and I didn't want to lose it! It was a massive struggle, I'd lost pace, and I could feel pretty awful for days after playing a game.  I remember one game where I only managed 10 minutes before I had to stop.  I was a classic 'push through the pain' case.  

I then came across meditation. This actually helped me somewhat, as it (unknown to me at the time) calmed my nervous system down. I also altered my diet to basically 'eat healthier,' without incurring upon myself any exclusions, such as gluten or sugar free.  My diet was still pretty bad, just not as bad as it was - Iceland microwave meals, KFC, and Pot Noodle).  I managed to get through Uni..just about.  However, I'd only really improved a very small amount, and was still very chronically ill.  Perhaps the biggest hinderance at this point was that I still wasn't listening to my body!

Being the typical Type A personality that I was, I decided to look for full-time work..even though I clearly wasn't well enough!  I managed to get through University, but in all honesty, my course required only a few contact hours a week, and a few essays a term.  It almost tricked me into thinking I was better than I actually was.  I got a rude awakening when I went into working life!  I decided to give advertising a shot, as it was something that genuinely interested me and judging by the series 'Mad Men,' looked like it involved lots of client lunches and Scotch.  I worked for a couple of great companies, but I really struggled through, often in extreme physical pain, and feeling intense brain fog, amongst a high level of anxiety and stress about my symptoms.  As my symptoms worsened, my job responsibilities increased.  Unknown to me at the time, by trying to fight my symptoms and resist them, I was simply causing them to intensify and worsen - it was a vicious cycle.  During this period I tried all sorts to cure me of this malady - Acupuncture, Bodywork, Osteopathy, The Lightning Process - you name it I tried it! None seemed to have a positive impact..

I simply couldn't work anymore. Even getting out of bed was a massive challenge, and a painful one.  I had to stop and work on improving my health.  As many of you Type A's will understand, this was a massively hard decision, as by giving up the ability to work and achieve, we are essentially giving up much of our identity and how we define ourselves in that moment.  Unfortunately during my notice period, my employer decided to lump about 6 months work upon my shoulders.  This made me even worse physically, and I actually recall a week before my last day, going to the nearest pub after work and sinking about 4 pints (and feeling even worse!) That was a real low point for me..

I took a month off to relax and re-evaluate.   This was where my turnaround began.  Up to this point I had 3 and a half years of no improvement, and worsening of symptoms.  I was lucky enough to come across The Optimum Health Clinic in North London, through a YouTube video I think.  I initially signed up for their Practitioner Training, as I wanted to work in the field of Therapy, and ideally with people looking to improve their health.  I soon found that this clinic was really at the forefront of M.E. research, and I could see that they offered some fantastic treatment (NLP, EFT, Hypnotherapy, Coaching.)  I soon signed up as a patient, having seen the numerous recovery stories.  I started working with one of their Nutritionists.  This was when I first noticed a change.  My gut had been an absolute state for around 4 years, but once I got on the nutritional plan, within a few months that seemed to sort itself out.  I was found to have Mitochondrial Dysfunction, so we treated that too.  At this point, I also learnt that I needed to slow down, pace myself more, and listen to my body.  This I have found is vital in improving your symptoms and condition.  I also had a few sessions with one of the Psychology Practitioners, and was taught tools to help calm my system down. This took out a lot of the anxiety that I'd been feeling around symptoms etc.  Progress was slow, but at least it was progress.  It got me up to around the 75% mark.  However, something was still missing, as I was still falling into 'Booming and Busting' patterns.  I was referred to an exercise physiotherapist in October 2014 who specialised in CFS.  When I first started working with her I could only manage 8 minutes walking a day without my symptoms getting a fair bit worse.  4 or so months later, I'm up to 26 minutes a day (without my symptoms worsening), plus 1-2 hours work per day, and Yoga 2-3 times per week.  Tangible progress.  I still have a fair way to go on this, as once I get to 30 mins per day, I gently and incrementally increase the intensity, until I'm jogging everyday and doing some resistance training without a worsening of symptoms.  To reinforce my belief systems, I also regularly read and listen to recovery stories (and they are plentiful these days :-) ) They offer such great wisdom and advice.  I also consistently use the tools I've been taught at The Optimum Health Clinic to help reduce anxiety levels around symptoms etc.

I suppose I wrote this to highlight that change is possible, even when it can seem impossible at times.  The number of times I had tried something new with no success, and went home beating myself up about it were innumerable.  I've had some pretty dark nights of the soul in the last few years, but things are now looking much more positive and structured.  I think I found things that work for me because I kept on believing and never gave up.  Belief is a powerful thing, and it's up to us to harness the positive aspects of belief.

Hope you enjoyed reading.



Adam
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Graded Exercise - good or evil?

There is a lot of scepticism around Graded Exercise in the ME/CFS world, perhaps understandably. In the early days (the late 90s and the 00s) Graded Exercise was prescribed by the NHS to ME/CFS sufferers, along with CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), with the intention of helping lessen the symptoms of sufferers and improve their quality of life.  Of course, as most of us know (through your own experience or stories you've heard!).. prescription isn't generally very successful.  It's my job to therefore identify why it isn't successful, and how it can be successful, even getting people fully recovered.

From what I've learnt at the clinic where I'm studying, along with several of the latest most in-depth studies and books out there, the reason Graded Exercise is generally unsuccessful is because it is not applied stage specifically, and it also requires for us to have other things in place first before this can be of benefit to us.  Have no idea what I mean? Good, let me explain!

1) ...it's really important for us to address the stress side of the illness.  (Worth reading my post on MECFS and the role of Emotions for in depth detail!)  This condition is extremely stressful for the sufferer, understandably of course!  Questions such as 'why me?' 'why am I getting all these unexplained symptoms?' 'will I ever recover?'  Even though this is a natural response, it actually puts our already weakened bodies (nervous/immune/hormonal/endocrinal systems) on high alert all the time, and doesn't give our body a chance to start recovering and healing.  I was taught at the clinic that we are in either a healing state (allowing yourself to get good quality rest and relaxation), or a stress state (worrying thoughts, anxiety, fear, the world is not safe etc.)  The stress state keeps us in a sort of perpetual loop of Fight-or-Flight, and doesn't give our bodies the time to start recovering, because it's always stuck in stress.  There are several tools you can adopt to calm this stress response down and start healing.  It is beyond the scope of this post to explain each, but I'm happy to list a few ME/CFS specific places which specialise in teaching you these tools.  Please comment below if you'd like me to send you links.  Once you address these, you're likely to start seeing some changes in how you feel.  This is a big reason why Graded Exercise doesn't get the best results often.  If we're constantly in the stress/anxiety state about symptoms etc. our body can't heal properly because we're in a stress state rather than a healing state.  These kind of leaves our bodies stuck in limbo, unable to push to the next level exercise wise, and when we try to, our body often isn't ready and crashes!

2) ...sorting out the nutritional aspect. THIS IS SO SO IMPORTANT! The physical and cognitive stress of ME/CFS on the body usually leaves us deficient in the vital nutrients we need to make our own energy.  I'm not going to go into depth here as I'm not qualified in this field.  However, it's absolutely worth seeking professional help here from a nutritionist who specialises in the field of ME/CFS, in order to imbalance out any imbalances i.e. mitochondrial dysfunction etc.  I tried to do my own nutritional work and didn't get anywhere for ages! Finding the right person made a massive difference, and meant I didn't need to stress about doing my own research on what would support my recovery nutritionally.

3)...stage specificity.  It seems that a majority of people for whom Graded Exercise didn't work weren't in the appropriate stage of recovery for it to have a positive effect.  Most of those when diagnosed are really pretty ill.  Graded Exercise is the last thing they need. They really need to rest and let their body recover a bit first.  Graded Exercise is only usually effective in the latter stages of recovery (perhaps 70% - 100% fully recovered), as this is the point where you can push your body a bit in a sustainable way.  It is also important to note here that remaining calm and grounded even in the last 30% of recovery is massively beneficial!  Remaining calm whilst doing your exercise is really important.  Listening to chillout music, or just being present to your surroundings really helped me in this respect.  Anything below the 70% mark and rest/calming your system down is the most sustainable option.

4)...it needs to be graded at the pace your body feels comfortable at.  This is again, extremely important.  If you try and fight your body, it will just fight back.  Take this really slowly.  With my Phsyio, I only increase my exercise in small 20% increments every few weeks or so.  I make sure I've stabilised at a certain level for at least a week before even considering moving up to the next level.

5) ...simplify your life for now and pace yourself whilst grading your exercise. NOTE - this doesn't mean traditional pacing. This means pacing your days, so that you are listening to your body and giving it rest when it needs rest, rather than running around like a headless chicken! This will really give your body the permission it needs to rest, recover, and strengthen enough to move up to the next level of exercise.

6) ...get the help of a qualified specialist, who specialises in M.E/CFS.  Graded Exercise can be an art, which can often require a supervisor :)    

 By following these principles, I've found Graded Exercise very beneficial, having been doing it for around 4/5 months.  I feel stronger, I'm more in control, and I'm moving up to jogging on a daily basis soon. Whoop!!


Adam
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Epsom Salts : Granny was Right!

"I'm really old-fashioned. An Epsom Salt bath, that genuinely better than any massage." Emilia Clarke

I remember a couple of years ago (although in hindsight it feels like a lifetime ago!), when a Consultant Rheumatologist I was seeing at the time recommended Epsom Salt baths to me.  I was pretty chronically ill at this point. My condition was deteriorating further.  I was forced to give up my job in Advertising, I was completely financially broke, and had no prospects of how or when I would get well.  All I knew at that point was that I was in pretty big trouble and there wasn't a magic pill that would make this daily hell go away.  I was desperate to find answers to turn my situation around.  I tried some pretty 'out there' things, but I hadn't really found anything that gave me much relief from this chronic pain and all these symptoms that had become my life at that point.  

I'd already put up with the Consultant's weekly Magnesium injections, which felt like lead being pumped into my muscles, and I was literally doing anything I could to get better. (I didn't care how loopy people thought I was, I'd try anything)

The Magnesium injections made no difference unfortunately (and they weren't cheap at £125 a pop!), but the Epsom Salts did..slowly..

When I went to the Pharmacy next door to purchase my first tub, the lady at the till said, "Are you buying that for your Nan..? This stuff is for muscle sores and pain Son..."  If only she knew I felt like 108 inside at that time! (Anyone who has had M.E. or has it will get what I mean)

So..I started trying these Epsom Salts.  First off I followed the instructions on the box, scooping a whole kilo in my boiling hot bath, and soaked for 20 minutes. BIG MISTAKE!! I had a massive detox reaction, with a huge flare up of symptoms, and was back in bed for a few days.  It taught me two things :

1) That this stuff was powerful

2) That it was to be respected!!

People going through M.E./CFS, especially in the earlier stages, can be very prone to chemical sensitivities.  Those of you who have been on supplements, will have ~I'm sure experienced nasty die off symptoms when introducing something new too quickly or in too large a dose.  This is what I suspect happened when I had that first Epsom Salts bath, and it taught me a valuable lesson - start small and build up slowly.  Remember, the tortoise always wins the race. And I'd say take this approach with your health more generally - if you're suffering from chronic illness or not.  

You don't need to climb Everest in a day..if you do you'll just burn yourself out and have to start over again.  If we take it one step at a time, and acknowledge the steps we are taking, no matter how slowly, we can acknowledge we are making progress.

Researchers and physicians suggest these health benefits from proper magnesium and sulfate levels, as listed on the web site of the Epsom Salt Industry Council:

• Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.

• Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.

• Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.

• Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.

• Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.

• Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.

• Improved oxygen use.

• Improved absorption of nutrients.

• Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.

• Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.

 (And if you're well enough to drink any alcohol, it's also great for a hangover!)

My General Guidelines for those Recovering from M.E./CFS (or other chronic illness)

1)  Fill up the bath with warm hot water (you don't want it overly hot as this is likely to  exhaust you)

2) Add in just half a teaspoon. (Don't worry, you can work to up to 2-3 cupfuls over time) I would urge caution when increasing the Epsom Salt load dramatically, as your body is likely to be sensitive to changes in this fatigued state.  

3) Soak in the bath for 12 minutes. (I generally found longer than this and more severe symptoms would start showing themselves again) I wouldn't bathe more than twice a week with Epsom Salts, as too much of one thing can become a burden on the system. 


CAUTION - if you have negative reactions ie hyperactivity or irritability, decrease the amount you put you use. 
                 -  your body may feel a bit heavy the next day. That's good, it shows the sulfate has entered your muscles and softened a lot of tension being held there.
                 - if you feel a bath is too much for you right now, just start by adding Epsom Salts to hot water in a tub and just soak your feet in it.
                 - if you are pretty knackered before having a bath, give it a miss on that occasion, you don't want to make you body more tired than it already is.
                


Where to Buy

Amazon have a wide range of stockists, although the best quality I've found at a reasonable price is http://www.justasoap.co.uk. 



Hoping you're as well as you can be, wherever you are :-)


Adam x



   

My Approach to Emotions and M.E./CFS

This is an issue very close to my heart, given I'm planning on working in this field once fully qualified.  I know that this may seem like a bit of a controversial topic...how can emotions affect my CFS? This isn't all mental..I'm in physical pain, I'm tired, I have brain fog all the time..what the hell does emotions have to do with all this??

Firstly, I absolutely agree that M.E/CFS is a physical illness, I have blood tests to prove it! However, I feel that focusing on purely the physical side really limits our scope in relation to recovery.  Think about it..if this condition was purely physical, all we'd need to do was rest and our body would be able to fully recover itself.  Also, if it was purely physical, GET (Graded Exercise Therapy) on its own would cure everyone.  However, this rarely seems to be the case.  Don't get me wrong, rest and graded exercise (at the right stage of recovery!) can be really supportive in overall recovery, but on their own, don't generally get us well.  

I'm an advocate of a more integrative approach to health.  Having listened to, read about, and seen so many recovery stories, I've noticed one common thread that runs through virtually all of them - they integrated their approach to getting fully well, harnessing not just the physical side, but also the mental side.  

It's absolutely normal to experience strong emotions when we are ill.  We can lose much of our independence, our friends, our jobs....in effect, much of our livelihood.  The constant worrying about this, and most prominently our symptoms, can exhaust us and really vamp up our nervous system (anyone familiar with that Tired but Wired feeling?)  

Tired but Wired

Often the most painful thing can be resisting these emotions and thoughts, because resisting them can often be more scary than just accepting them and honouring them.  In addition to this, the resistance of these emotions can also be a drain on our already limited energy sources, which in effect can compound us to more symptoms, more panic, and more exhaustion.  

I'm not going to go into too much depth about what has helped me on my healing journey on the emotional side, as that is beyond the scope of this post and something I could talk about for weeks...literally!! What I will do is talk you through a few things that have helped free up some energy for me by working with my emotions and thoughts.  By the way, this isn't mainstream, it's considered 'alternative' by Western Medicine, but for every 95 out of a hundred recoveries, their approach has been alternative.  

1)  STOP RESISTING SYMPTOMS - by resisting symptoms we're using a hell of a lot of energy. Often more energy than going for a walk.  Think about a time you've been lying in bed for days and are feeling no better than when you first got under the covers.  Chances are that you're running loads of anxiety patterns about when you'll get better, whether you'll be able to see your friend tomorrow, why you aren't improving etc.  This is really stressful on your system, and is what someone I know refers to as 'horizontal stress!' 

I must say I needed help with this - by going to see a specialised M.E./CFS Psychology Practitioner.  They helped me identify what patterns I was running about my symptoms, and gave me tools to change them.  Much calmed down since then!  Click here for the clinic I visited. 

2.1) DEEP BREATHING TECHNIQUES - this may sound really simple, but it's really quite effective.  It won't make your symptoms go away, but it will really help you tune in more accurately to your body's messages. Accept these messages as useful feedback and try and heed them, you're body won't give you false information, it doesn't have an ego!

If I've learnt anything from going through this process, it's the importance of listening to the body and following what the body wants rather than what the mind wants! Deep breathing massively helps with this.  Click here for a useful breathing handout. 

NOTE : Deep breathing may also cause emotions to arise.  That's ok, just allow them to just be there, they're not trying to hurt you. Avoid resisting them, as this will drain your energy.

2.2) YOGA & MEDITATION - we get our benefit from Yoga through gentle stretching of the muscles, but mostly importantly, the deep-breathing we attain whilst doing it. The same applies for meditation.  This is vitally important, as deep-breathing oxygenises our cells, helps detox the body, and nourishes the soul (for any Spiritual readers out there!)

3) REACHING OUT AND RECEIVING SUPPORT - this can be anything from talking about your feelings with a friend or family member.  What I found more effective was seeking the help of a therapist (ideally one who specialises in treating M.E/CFS sufferers.)  Yes, I've seen a therapist, and there's nothing wrong with that!! I needed help where I was at, and that help gave me new perspectives on things, along with helping me process some undigested childhood traumas, which once processed, took me another step forward on my recovery process.  

I avoided taking the CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) route.  I instead chose to trust my intuition, and find someone who specialised in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Hypnotherapy, and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique.) This really helped me identify and work with some of my deeper underlying patterns which were keeping me in this constant fear, fight-or-flight mode.  Emotional Freedom Technique was particularly powerful, especially with pain, and is now commonly used with Fibromyalgia patients.  These modalities have inspired and helped me so much, that I'm now actively qualifying in all of them.  You generally feel energised after a session, and it's something you can do on yourself whenever you need! I would recommend EFT to anyone with M.E./CFS (and trust me, I've tried a lot of other stuff!) but I'd encourage you to explore how you feel about this intuitively.  Trust your gut instinct!

4) COACHING - being our own best coach, supporting ourselves whenever we need to. This is so important, especially when we're experiencing sadness, anxiety, or any related emotions.  It keeps us motivated on our path to health and wellness, and has a wonderfully grounding quality to it.  Ask yourself, "How would I treat a 3 year old child?" Hopefully with love and care! Maybe it's time we treated ourselves like this..we're usually so hard on ourselves! You're going through a really tough time right now, it's time to cut yourself some slack!

5) GET INSPIRED! - a great way to lighten your emotional load is by reading inspiring stories by those who have faced adversity and come through the other side.  There are now A LOT of published CFS recovery stories out there! I used these to fuel my belief in recovery, as well as to gain valuable info on how to recover.  There are loads of cancer recovery stories out there too, which follow similar patterns.  Reading these made me feel a hell of a lot better about my situation at that particular time! One I would recommend is written by a now friend of mine, Alex Howard, which can be purchased on Amazon here. A hugely inspiring and deeply personal account of his 7 year journey from M.E. to full recovery.  

I really hope anyone reading this finds it helpful and not too contentious!! It's just a description of the things I've used on the cognitive side which have hugely supported my physical wellbeing.  Simply put, I wouldn't have got to this point without using these tools :-)


Adam
x

@cantfailwithkale

What is Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Can it Aid the Way I Deal with Stress?

“You cannot solve a problem with the same level of mind that created it.” Albert Einstein. 

I think it's true that a short burst of stress or pressure can help us rise to an immediate challenge.  Many thousands of years ago, when our ancestors were Cavemen, and needed to chase down a Wooly Mammoth, this fight-or-flight response was an incredibly useful evolutionary trait to have in our toolbox.  However, that's what the Fight-or-Flight response was designed for...a short burst of Adrenaline and Cortisol that would get us somewhere in a very short space of time.  

However, in today's world this Fight-or-Flight response seems to be turned on all the time, causing us various symptoms, including anger and anxiety, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, breathlessness and chest pains. People who are under prolonged stress are at greater risk of health problems like high blood pressure and heart attacks.  It's no coincidence that most heart attacks occur at 9AM on Monday morning!

Something has to be found to stop this, or at least lessen it..! As far as a natural, safe alternative is concerned, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction does a pretty good job. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) offers an integrative approach by utilising techniques such as meditation, gentle yoga and mind-body exercises to help people cope with stress. The mind is known to be a factor in stress and stress-related disorders, and meditation has been shown to positively effect a range of autonomic physiological processes, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing overall arousal and emotional reactivity.  

It is a way of connecting in to the body and becoming present with your current experience, by lying on one's back and focusing one's attention on various regions of the body, starting with the toes and moving up slowly to the top of the head. By taking your focus away from your thoughts, and towards your body, your attention is taken away from the thinking processes which are currently causing you distress.  It simply starts with just coming back to your breath.  This is the fastest, quickest way to become present. 

In Layman's terms, it is simply, "Moment-to-moment, non judgemental awareness [of yourself." Jon Kabat-Zinn.  A way of tuning in..a way of moving from your Headmind to your Bodymind (I explain more about this in another Post!) and just the simple act of observation of what is happening.  It can be extremely peaceful and nourishing.  

Even though I'm at the stage in my health where I don't really need to practice Mindfulness anymore, I still do on a daily basis, because it helps keep me grounded, whilst also keeping things in perspective, and reducing overwhelm which can be triggered by 'over-stress.'  

A Bit too Spiritual For Me?  

MBSR is in fact not Spiritual at all.  Although its roots are grounded in spiritual practice, the program is in fact secular, and should be approached as so. 

'Mindfulness-based approaches have been the subject of increasing research interest: 52 papers were published in 2003, rising to 477 by 2012.[1] Nearly 100 randomized controlled trials had published by early 2014.' Hurley, Dan (January 14, 2014). "Breathing In vs. Spacing Out" . New York Times Magazine. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

For Sufferers of Chronic Pain?

When I was first diagnosed, I was in a lot of physical joint and muscle pain...every single day. It was relentless.  The only thing I found which gave me some relief from my symptoms at the time was doing some Mindfulness-Based Stress Relief, usually for around 20 minutes a day.  I suppose you could say it was my first window to recovery.  It was then that I started exploring nutrition and psychology, which is where the majority of my recovery lay.  Mindfulness or Meditation is not a cure, but it certainly helps soften pain, and acts as a good lubricant to make change a possibility in your life.  

On a final note, for Fibro sufferers..."MBSR might be beneficial for people with fibromyalgia: there is no evidence of long-term benefit but low-quality evidence of a small short-term benefit." Lauche R, Cramer H, Dobos G, Langhorst J, Schmidt S (December 2013). "A systematic review and meta-analysis of mindfulness-based stress reduction for the fibromyalgia syndrome". J Psychosom Res (Systematic review) 75 (6): 500–10

So...could this benefit me?

A good place to start is by assessing your own stress levels and how your managing them.  If you click on the link, you'll be taken to the BeMindful stress test.  

Additionally, if you're a bit of a bookworm, this could be the most useful book you ever buy!  

Mindfulness : Are We Doing it Right?

In just a few decades, Mindfulness Meditation has gone from being a specialist element of Buddhist teaching to the must have app for celebs, and corporate businesses use it to boost productivity and to reduce staff stress levels.  It's even prescribed on the NHS now for health purposes.  So why has this become so popular in such a relatively short space of time?  There's so so much to say about this, of which I will delve into in later posts.  In this edition, I'm simply going to explore how it is being received and used in Western Culture.  Let's explore this...

[I'd like you to just become aware of your breath and allow it to become deeper, counting up to 3 on the inhale, and 3 on the exhale...notice any sensations in your body...feel the support of the ground beneath you...and just give yourself some time to notice the sounds around you...notice the room around you.] 

This is effectively coming into the Present, and this is the essence of Mindfulness Meditation.  It's really about awareness! Being aware of yourself.  It's likely you'll feel more grounded and calm in this moment.  A brief release from the stress of our everyday life.  When was the last time you actually did this?  Do you think you could benefit from doing this more often.  

I know what you're thinking...

1. I'm too busy for this.  What if I miss a deadline?
2. What if I become boring?  What if I become too relaxed?
3. How can I slow down my mind? Even if during these periods of Mindfulness, my mind becomes quieter and I feel more clarity, what about when I'm finished.  My mind speeds up again and I'm back where I started!
4. What if I become obsessed with it, give up all my belongings, and move to Thailand to become a Buddhist monk? (YES I'VE REALLY BEEN ASKED THIS!)

These are all really valid questions!  When I first started learning about Mindfulness, these were questions I was constantly asking myself.  I had this constant battle (known in Psychology as 'Mental Tennis') in my mind about how this could work for me.  My mind ran so fast, how could I slow it down safely without losing something important?

However, in my scenario, with the condition I was going through, Mindfulness Meditation was the only thing that could lessen my symptoms initially. I'm still not sure exactly how...but studies have shown that it calms down the nervous system and the stress response, and as a result, it probably released the anxiety and fear I was feeling about my relentless symptoms that had become my world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

The most important thing I learnt was to not be scared of what was happening in my body, and that it was an ally in healing, not an enemy!  On hearing the body's messages,  it was simply trying to give me useful feedback i.e. you've overdone it today, you need to rest and take it easy this afternoon.

Anyway, I digress! Let me come back to the 4 questions above, in particular Q3.  This seems to be the most common problem associated with Mindfulness Meditation.  This seems to be the way it is taught in many large Corporate Businesses like Google, Starcom MediaVest (I know this one from experience!), and the big City banks.  They use the format of getting employees to sit down on a mat for 20 minutes at lunchtime once a week, focus on their breath, observe their thoughts, and just become aware of themselves in the room. Great!!

HOWEVER! This doesn't really address the core issue here...these employees are still being burdened with ever increasing workloads that are often beyond their capabilities, and are being subjected to 12-14 hour days.  If we're being honest, the old 9-5 working day paradigm simply doesn't exist anymore!  Therefore, what I'm advocating here, is not just being Mindful for those 20 minute sessions here and there, but being more mindful in life in general on a daily basis.  This is the REAL essence of Mindfulness 

This doesn't mean you need to sit and meditate all day every day.  By all means, have a daily connection practice of meditation for 10-20 minutes per day (perhaps just closing your eyes on the train to work), but how about going through your day simply....

• being mindful of what is happening in your environment
• being mindful of your thoughts but not attaching yourself to them
• being mindful of your reactions or emotions around other people (you're likely to notice different emotional feedback from different people)
• being mindful of your breath, your body, and its stillness (this is the best and easiest way to become Present)

That's all it takes! It's not easy at first, and takes practice, but it's likely that you'll find you have more energy freed up in your body, more clarity, and more detachment from intense situations.  The best thing is that anyone can learn this, it's the act of simply tuning into your body and your breathing.  At it's very core, it's an extremely calming, relieving, and satisfying feeling to experience!

Below is a short Mindfulness taster, led by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, is Professor of Medicine Emeritus and creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.  It's quite amazing how simple, yet powerful this modality is!

An additional resource for us secular folk is by P Mark Williams, Professor of Psychiatry at Oxford University. Click here

Mindfulness isn't for everyone, and it certainly takes discipline, but I suppose the question to ask is : what have you got to lose?

Now breath deeply and relax my friends, because this particular journey through Mindfulness has come to an end :-)