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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Nutribullet - worth its weight in gold?

'What on earth is a Nutribullet?' That was the first question that came into my head when this fairly recent contraption was mentioned and recommended to me by a friend. The name itself makes it sound like it contains a round of live ammo.  


After being told about it, I checked out the adverts on Youtube, and to be honest, they were all really Americanised with quotes like, "You got all that from one orange???" and so on... Furthermore, the way it did what it did seemed too good to be true, and perhaps even staged. Oh wait, I haven't explained what this Nutribullet gadget is yet. Here goes....

'The NutriBullet is effectively a very powerful blender. It completely breaks down your food, liquefying and mixing together all the essential nutrition. It literally pulverises fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, giving you all the nutrition.'

Sounds cool huh? But wait, there's a catch...most retailers price this product at £99.99, which let's be honest, is expensive for a blender.  However, given that Christmas was round the corner at the time of me discovering this, and the fact my juicer was on it's last legs/dead, I put it on the Christmas/Birthday wish-list. That's what I like about Christmas..if you don't like it, at least you didn't lose money over it, and if you can get your mitts on the receipt, you can swap it for something else! Anyway, I digress..

Once I got it home, I wasn't really sure how I'd fit what I'd normally juice into this fairly small blender on steroids.  So instead I just used about half the amount of fruit and veg I'd normally use (recipes at the bottom of this page).  

Taken From Here

I must say I was really impressed by the flavour and texture. It's a fair amount denser than a juice, but it has the huge advantage of keeping all the nutritional value, along with loads of fibre, which you don't get with a juice.  There was also a noticeable change in my energy levels and strength, which was a wee added bonus.  In addition to this, it's much easier to clean than any smoothie maker or juicer I've ever come across. Takes about 30 seconds. Simples...

There's no doubt it's the best blender out there, but as I mentioned earlier, it comes at a price!  On the flip side, it's cheaper than buying your smoothies and juices retail.  If this is something that interests you, feel free to comment in the box below. I'm always on the lookout for a good deal, so if one comes up for a Nutribullet, I'll post it up on my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/adam.lomax.73)

Below I've listed a few tasty recipes you can try with Nutribullet, but which can easily be used in any juicer/blender/smoothie maker : 

Spiced Oatmeal Blast

Ingredients  :
1 Handful Kale
1 Ripe Banana
½ Cup Oats
½ Apples
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
2 Dates
1 Teaspoon Maca
½ Teaspoon Ceylon Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
To Max Line Almond Milk

Directions
Add all ingredients to your Tall Cup and extract for 30 seconds, or until smooth.

Orange Beet Blast

Ingredients :
1 Handful Kale
½ Beet
4 Chunks Pineapple
½ Orange
1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil
To Max Line Coconut Water

Directions
Add all solid ingredients into tall cup
Fill to MAX line with water/Coconut Water
Blend until smooth, approximately 30 seconds


Power Gulp

Ingredients : 
1 Handful Kale

1 Handful Green Grapes

1 Cucumber

1 Green Apple

Directions
Add all solid ingredients into tall cup
Fill to MAX line with water/Coconut Water
Blend until smooth, approximately 30 seconds



NOTE 1 : If you're interested in buying a Nutribullet, the best thing is to buy from source. In that way you know you're getting guaranteed quality and are likely to get some form of warranty for free. Here's the site : http://bit.ly/1xMm0LN

NOTE 2 : Give organic a chance, it really does make a difference, and it usually tastes better too.

Kale - The Ultimate Superfood!

The word 'superfoods' is being used a bit too liberally today (I once found it as an optional topping at an ice cream stand..) However, if there were just one Superfood, it would have to be Kale, hands down! Pound for pound, Kale is the undisputed champion when it comes to nutritional value, and is a perfect place to start for those looking to incorporate a healthy diet into their lifestyle, or to simply improve their health further.     

I first started having kale in a daily juice (recipes below) and noticed an immediate improvement in my condition.  I just felt a bit stronger, and had a bit more of a spring in my step in the morning. As an additional side effect, it seemed to help clear up my acne! Amazingly, I found I got even more out of it when I started blending it with other fruits and veg!

Buzzing with vitamin A, C, and K, it is also plentiful in manganese, copper and phytochemicals, which are believed to help against certain types of cancer.  Because it's so packed full of all these nutrients, if you're consuming this on a daily basis (or even 3-4 times a week), you're getting a large amount of your nutritional needs from this single green.  I like to think of it as nature's multi-vitamin.  Below are some facts about this powerhouse superfood : 

Why eat Kale?

• 1 portion (80g) of cooked kale contains 120mg of calcium, which makes it a useful source of this important mineral, especially for vegans and people on dairy free diets
• Kale is an excellent source of folate with 69µg in every 80g of cooked curly kale. Folate is the form of folic acid occurring naturally in food. Folic acid is a B vitamin and is important because it: supports the growth of a mother’s tissues during pregnancy; plays a role in normal formation of blood, and supports the immune system to function normally
• Kale is rich in lutein – an anti-oxidant which helps keep the eyes healthy. Kale contains 76mg lutein per kg, compared to broccoli which has 17mg. Experts recommend we should eat 6-10mg of lutein each day
• A portion (80g) of cooked kale contains 448µg Vitamin A which plays a supporting role in maintaining normal skin and vision, and helps the immune system to function normally
• Gram for gram kale contains 17 times more vitamin C than carrots. A portion (80g) of cooked kale contains 57mg of vitamin C which is important because it plays a role in the formation of collagen for blood vessels, bone, cartilage, gums, skin and teeth; supports the immune system to work normally; increases iron absorption and plays a role in protecting the cells from oxidative damage
• Raw kale is an excellent source of vitamin K containing 704.8µg per 100g.Vitamin K plays a role in normal blood clotting and plays a role in maintaining normal bones
• Kale is virtually fat free and low in calories.
• IT GROWS THROUGHOUT WINTER, meaning you can get started on it as soon as you like (this post was written in January for anyone reading this in Summer.) It's also available in the supermarkets in Summer
• Kale has a definite role to play in support of the body's detoxification processes. The isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from kale's glucosinolates have been shown to help regulate detox activities in our cells.
• Kale is a incredible source of vitamin K (one cup of kale provides far more micrograms of vitamin K than any of our world's healthiest foods) and we also know that vitamin K is a key nutrient for helping regulate our body's inflammatory process.

One word of warning

Aim to always buy organic with Kale.  I say this because farmers can often lace Kale with pesticides to keep bugs off of the produce.  The last thing you want is to increase the toxicity load in your body!  Give this helpful link a quick browse - it identifies the 12 most sprayed fruit and vegetables : http://bit.ly/1d0UaTJ

But..would Kale taste a bit bland on its own..?

Yes, but fear not, I've listed some recipes for incorporating Kale into everyday dishes (remember, you can put it in literally anything!) : 

RECIPES : 

Prawn & Kale Stir Fry 

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 500g pack kale
• 3 nests egg noodles (200g)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 onion, sliced (200g)
• 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks (200g)
• 3cm piece fresh ginger, grated
• 400g frozen cooked tiger prawns, defrosted
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 75g plum sauce
• 1 tbsp chilli sauce

Method

Cook the kale in boiling water for 8 minutes, adding the noodles half way through, drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and stir fry the onion, carrot and ginger for 4-5 minutes. Add the prawns, kale and noodles.

Stir in the soy, plum and chilli sauces and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Lentil & Kale Soup 

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 150g Puy lentils
• 2 x 200g packs kale
• 1.5 litres vegetable stock
• 195g can sweetcorn, drained
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 400g can chopped tomatoes

Method:

Cook the lentils in boiling water for 15 minutes, drain and return to the pan, add the kale, stock and the remaining ingredients. Simmer covered for 8 minutes then season to taste before serving.

PINEAPPLE, KALE, & APPLE DETOX SMOOTHIE 

Serves 1

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¼ fresh medium pineapple, cored and diced
• ½ red apple, cored and diced
• 50g kale
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 200ml probiotic pouring yogurt

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Pour into a tall glass.

P.S. If you want more information on Kale, this is a great site : http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/Articles/kale.php

P.P.S. If you have time, here's a great video on Kale and how to use it : 

Any questions or comments, feel free to leave in the box below. I love post : )

Thanks for reading,

Adam

The low-down on Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Taken From Here

"Whether or not you think you can 

  or you can't...you're probably right" 

  Henry Ford

I've been really really excited about writing this post, as NLP is an approach to psychotherapy, personal development, and communication which absolutely fascinates me, and after reading this it may fascinate you more!

So, what is "Neuro-Linguistic Programming"?

NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, is the art and science of excellence, derived from studying how top people in different fields obtain their outstanding results. These communication skills can be learned by anyone to improve their effectiveness both personally and professionally. It is directly applicable to a diverse spectrum of fields such as communications, business, sales, education and therapy

Beginnings of NeuroLinguistic Programming
NLP began in the early 70's as a thesis project in California. Richard Bandler and his professor, John Grinder, wanted to develop models of human behavior to understand why certain people seemed to be excellent at what they did, while others found the same tasks challenging or nearly impossible to do.

Inspired by pioneers in fields of therapy, personal growth and development, Bandler and Grinder began to develop systematic procedures and theories that formed the basis of NLP. They studied three top therapists: Virginia Satir, the extraordinary family therapist, the innovative psychotherapist Fritz Perls, and Milton Erickson, the world-famous hypnotherapist.

Their goal was to develop models of how it was that these people got the results they did. They sought to identify and model the patterns that produced these results. These three gifted therapists were quite different personalities, yet Grinder and Bandler discovered some underlying patterns that were quite similar. These patterns became the underlying structure of NLP, with names like: meta-model, submodalities, reframing, language patterns, well formedness conditions and eye accessing clues.

The phrase "Neuro-Linguistic Programming" describes the process of how personality creates and expresses itself. Put simply, we are all made up of a neurology that conveys information about our environment to our central neurvous systems and brains. Since we are also meaning creating creatures, we translate theseperceptions in our brains into meanings, beliefs and expectations. As we continue to grow from a rather "critter brain" baby into a more complex adult human, we tend to filter,distort and magnify the input we get from our environment such that it matches the elaborate program we evolve to explain our life experience.

NLP in other Therapies

Taken From Here

Today, NLP has grown in a myriad of directions - hypnosis and behavioral personal change work, structures of beliefs, modeling personal success and systems of excelence and expertise, business coaching and sales training.  In fact, in my last job in advertising at Starcom MediaVest Group, the company ran a 4-day NLP course which offered managers and directors useful tools to improve their communication, confidence, and management skills. Some have taken it in spiritual directions, assisting in alignment of personal behaviours and beliefs with a "higher purpose" and connection to the Divine. 

It is rapidly growing in the field of personal health (the area I want to go into!) with its strong foundation in how the mind influences behaviours and feelings in the body.   Public speaking, stage fright, parenting skills, allergies, phobias, trauma...the list of areas where training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and individual therapeutic work with NLP practitioners is endless.

In the next few posts I'll be walking through some tools common in NLP to improve performance at work and in your own personal health and wellbeing.  

If you're interested in using NLP in a practical sense, this is a great place to start 

Until next time...

Did You Know that our Brain is in Fact Plastic

Taken From Here

“I saw people rewire their brains with their thoughts, to cure previously incurable obsessions and traumas.” Dr. Norman Doidge

In my last post I discussed the power of positive-thinking (or affirmations) and how this has a decisive impact on our physiology. A couple of you wanted to understand how this works.  Well, let me tell you.

It all comes down to Neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganize & re-mould itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Since its discovery, this has had stress reduction, well-being, & health groups, very interested.

Taken from Here

What does this mean for us - The Basics

The adult brain contains over 100 billion neurons, give or take a few. To put this into context, that matches the estimated number of galaxies in our whole universe. Given we only use a few thousand of these repeatedly every day, there are literally billions of unused neurons we which can utilise.  This gives us the incredible ability to create completely new personalities, observe different outcomes, and completely change our condition of living...as long as we make the conscious decision to do it. It blew my mind too..

The reason we feel the same emotions & experience the same outcomes day-in day-out, is because we're firing the same neural pathways over & over again, over & over again, over & over again. This is where we can get stuck in this loop of self-limiting thoughts or habits, which recharges the stress response we experience on a daily basis and effectively moulds our personal perception of reality. 

Dr Caroline Leaf, estimates that "87% to 95% of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about affects us physically and emotionally. It’s an epidemic of toxic emotions…"  

Consistent affirmations (said in a congruent way) is just one way of breaking that loop, by using new neurons in our brain to observe a different outcome, & to positively affect your physiology & mindset. Dr. Joe Dispenza, Neuroscientist, speaker on What The Bleep Do We Know, and a bit of a hero, claims "The one thing I noticed about people who had changes in health had changed their thinking...Our thoughts have a direct connection to our direct level of health."

To conclude

I'm not saying that using our infinitely powerful brains will cure all our physical difficulties, but by learning the discourse of stress symptoms and illness we can discover what is being suppressed or ignored in our emotions, and how this is influencing our health & well-being. From this viewpoint we can observe a clear two-way communication going on between our body and mind that affects our physical, mental & emotional state. 

Affirmations (some good ones are listed in my last post) & meditation are both ways that help us deepen this understanding.  So be more kind to yourself and try using some affirmations, you may find it works wonders!  I've attached a great little bonus tutorial for you on Neuroplasticity, which really gives you the low-down on this truly fascinating phenomenon :

Next time I'll be looking deeper into how emotions effect us and how we can affect them.  

Over & Out,

Adam