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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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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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's All This Tapping About?

Wow, it's been over a year since my last post, so I thought I'd rev up the blog engine again! However, this time it will carry a more personal tone, exploring things that have helped me on 'My Journey' over the last 5 years of sub-normal health, the challenges I've faced, and the lessons I've learnt.

As those of you close to me know, I've been suffering from ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) since I contracted Glandular Fever late in 2009. The first 4 years were pretty hell-ish to be honest, with no noticeable improvement. To be fair, up until this point I refused to accept the illness and I was living in a constant state of stress about my symptoms, which ranged from extreme brain-fog and light sensitivity to sore, painful muscles and constant flu-like symptoms. If anything this simply perpetuated the illness. I had no idea what was happening to me and why it was happening...it was a scary place.  At points I have to be honest, I could get extremely depressed and was having thoughts about ending my situation. Anyone who has been through this condition will know what I mean.

Fortunately after almost 4 years, I came across the Optimum Health Clinic, based in London, who specialise in treating ME, and take an integrative, holistic approach (I had discovered that Western Medicine was pretty useless at treating this condition by this point!) I'm also seeing a Physiotherapist who specialises in the condition to help me build up my exercise and daily activities.

A year and 4 months later (now!) I'm exercising (walking) 5-6 days a week, I'm doing some work 5-6 days a week, studying for my NLP, Hypnotherapy, Life Coaching, & EFT qualifications, and I'm doing some volunteering for the clinic. I'm not fully recovered, and there's still a fair bit of work to do to get me there, but I'm feeling generally quite positive.

Ok that's that little bit done..now to explain the title of this blog post!

Tapping (otherwise known as EFT) is a form of counselling intervention that draws on various theories of alternative medicine including acupuncture, neuro-linguistic programming, energy medicine, and Thought Field Therapy (TFT).


From here


Skeptical? Sound a bit confusing? That's how I approached it initially...how can tapping on certain parts of your body whilst saying certain phrases release this anxiety I've been feeling for years?

It's certainly encouraged me to be more open-minded when trying new things or modalities. It's quite hard to explain how this works without showing you a video demo, so click below to identify how and where to tap :

I know it looks a little weird, but I dare you to give it a go and see if you notice any changes.  

This is a relatively new form of therapy which is pretty exciting.  The great thing about EFT is that you can use it on virtually anything - from fear, to stress, it's very flexible. It can even get results with pain. What I really like about this modality is that you can use it on yourself, whenever you need - you don't need someone there to guide you or walk you through the steps.  

The most useful resource I found on this is a book by Nick Ortner called The Tapping Solution. I got through this in 2 days..it was too good to put down.  There's also a film Nick Ortner made of the same name, which follows 10 individuals with various ailments (some severe) being taught EFT. Some of the results are simply astounding. I'll leave it up to you to find out what they were!

I've added in a tapping session here about anxiety, which you can have a go with if you wish : 

If you've got this far, thanks for reading, and if you have any comments, feel free to leave in the box below :-)

Adam