Category Archives: Health

Anniversary of My CFS

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Today is the 2nd December 2014, exactly 6 years since I had my health collapse. I will never forget that day.

It was a cold winter’s morning and I walked for half an hour to my industrial placement through the snow. When I got to work I sat in the office like a zombie for about 2 hours unable to think or do anything. Eventually they realised I was not well and my work colleague drove me home to the shared house I was living in in High Wycombe. I scrambled out of the car, and when I got through the door I collapsed on the floor. I managed to drag my body up the stairs and my legs were weak and unable to move. I crawled onto my bed. I was so weak, tired and dizzy. The room was spinning and I couldn’t think straight. After a while I managed to stand up but kept bumping into the furniture and bruising myself as I had no coordination. Eventually I called my parents and asked for help. My Dad drove down to pick me up.

When I got home to their house I collapsed on the living room floor and lay there. Not knowing what was going on, why my body couldn’t move.

That was the day my body said enough and I stopped being able to function in everyday life.

It too me 6 months of being bedbound at home to accept that I was ill and was not going back to work. It wasn’t until a year later in December 2009 that I got a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and my healing journey began…

Chocolate Smoothie for Vitamin B2 Deficiency

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This delicious chocolate smoothie is rich in vitamin B2 (riboflavin) which is used to treat angular cheilitis and seborrheic dermatitis! I developed this smoothie after discovering that I had angular cheilitis which is dry, cracked, crusting skin on the corner of the mouth.

Vitamin B2 deficiency is a major cause of angular cheilitis along with deficiency of vitamin B3, B5, B6, B12 and stress. I also have seborrheic dermatitis on my cheeks and nose which is why I knew it must be vitamin B2 deficiency, as the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis and angular cheilitis are strong indicators of B2 deficiency.

So I looked in my my nutrition textbook for food sources of vitamin B2. According to Liska et al. (2004) the richest sources of vitamin B2 are animal products such as organ meats, fish and eggs. As I am vegan I looked down the list and saw that almonds are a rich source, as well as mushrooms. These are foods that I am not eating much of. I needed a way to get these foods into my everyday diet and had the idea to create a smoothie!

P1010023

Food Amount Vitamin B2 (mg)
Almonds 50g 0.46
Kale 100g 0.26
Cashews 50g 0.125
Sunflower seeds 50g 0.115
Prunes 50g 0.11
1.07

The UK reference nutrient intake (RNI) for women between the age of 15-50 years is 1.1mg. So I worked out how much of each ingredient I would need to get near to my RNI.

I am going to drink this smoothie everyday for a month and see if my angular cheilitis and seborrheic dermatits disappear! If there is no improvement it is either because it is caused by something else such as stress, or I am not absorbing nutrients well and need to work on my digestion!

I had some cacao powder to hand so added some into the smoothie mix to give a delicious, chocolatey flavour!

Chocolate Smoothie

Makes 1 litre

Ingredients

50g Almonds

100g Kale

50g Cashew nuts

50g Sunflower seeds

50g Prunes

3tbsp Cacao powder

200ml Almond milk

500ml Filtered water

Method

If you have time, soak the almonds and sunflower seeds in filtered water overnight. The next morning drain and leave to dry.

Add all the ingredients in the blender. Blend well for 1 minute.

Pour into a glass and enjoy your smoothie!

Store in the fridge. Avoid exposure to sunlight which destroys riboflavin.

References
Liska, D., Quinn, S., Lukaczer, D. et al. (2004). Clinical Nutrition A Functional Approach. 2nd edn. Washington: The Institute for Functional Medicine. p111

The Most Important Areas to Address in Healing ME/CFS

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This post just flowed out of me from nowhere today. Hope it helps you in some way. These lifestyle changes made a huge difference in my life. I now have so much energy and get tired normally at the end of the day. I cured my ME/CFS with these methods among others.

  • Environment – what you surround yourself with in your home is a reflection of what is going on inside your mind and body. If you surround yourself with items from the past which serve no present purpose, you are living in the past. If your house is messy and cluttered, it reflects a cluttered and confused mind. Clear out your clutter and you will find clarity in your life.
  • Diet – the food you eat and its quality are transformed into the cells in your body. If you eat lifeless, processed food devoid of nutrients, your body will become lifeless. If you eat genetically modified food, you will produce modified DNA. If you eat meat filled with the energy of fear and suffering at slaughter, them you will create fear and suffering in your mind. People need to understand that everything has a vibration, some things have high vibrational energies of love, joy, appreciation, freedom and other things contain low vibrational energies of violence, fear, death, suffering and pain. And what we come in contact with has a direct effect on our vibration. And low vibration creates chronic illness.
  • Relationships – are you living in an environment with people who criticise you and put you down? Do people in your life take advantage of you and drain your energy? If so you need to address your relationships with the people in your life, be it family, friends or coworkers. If you are in a negative environment at work where you are bullied leave the job. People do not change however much you try to help them. You can be tolerant, loving and accepting of that person, but if they continue to harm you and affect your health, leave the situation. And when you do work on yourself and learn the lesson so that you do not attract people like that into your life again. Learn assertiveness skills and boundaries.
  • Creativity – finding a creative outlet is vital in any chronic illness as a way to deal with the traumatic emotions you are going through. You may want to write your feelings down, start a blog to express yourself and connect with others in a similar situation to yourself. Create jewellery – you could even start an Etsy shop online to earn a bit of money while you are ill! Draw pictures, paint, sing, play an instrument, anything that lights up your heart. You will feel so much better.
  • Get out in nature – reconnecting to nature is so important as being among trees and plants calms us down and the energies heal and nurture you. Humans have lived with nature for thousands of year until recently we have separated ourselves, living isolated lives indoors in the house or working in an office. We are part of nature and we need nature to survive! The summer is a good time to sit in the garden in the sunlight getting some much needed vitamin D to boost the immune system. If you can, go for a short walk. Seeing the beauty of the flowers, trees and the blue sky will fill you with a sense of appreciation to be alive.
  • The Mind – the mind is a powerful tool that we can use to manifest our dreams or we can create our worries depending on what we focus upon. If you find that your mind is racing with negative thoughts, try focusing on your breath. Count the number of breaths as you inhale and exhale. By concentrating on counting, your mind will stop chattering. This is a form of meditation and the break in your thoughts or lack of resistance to your good will allow good things to flow into your life.         Mindfulness is another way to silence the mind. By watching your mind, also known as your EGO, you are aware that you are separate from your mind and it cannot control you. This is explained in the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.         Alternatively you can try positive affirmations to replace the negative thoughts. If you keep repeating a positive statement out loud or in your mind, eventually it becomes a belief. You can say ‘I have perfect health’ ‘I am abundant’ ‘My cells are vibrating in perfect synchronisation’ ‘I can heal myself’.

These lifestyle changes can help to make a positive difference in the quality of your life. They take time to learn and put into practice like any new skill, but once mastered they can be useful tools for life.

Why I’m Vegan

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There are many reasons why I’m vegan which are listed below. Some of these reasons may shock you. The methods used in the animal industries are disturbing and people should be make aware of how animals are treated.

Meat – meat is produced by murdering another living being. Animals have a right to live and enjoy the freedom of their lives.

Meat is difficult to digest and contains the vibration of fear, suffering and death. The animals queue up and watch their friends, brothers and sisters being slaughtered in front of their eyes! They hear the screams and wait in fear for their turn. Their bodies are flooded with the stress hormone cortisol. And upon slaughter these hormones are still present in the meat. So when you eat meat you are consuming cortisol, adding to the excess cortisol that floods most of our bodies due to the stressful lives we lead and puts a strain on the adrenal glands.

Seafood especially tuna contains mercury and if consumed regularly can cause mercury poisoning.

What is meat? – Meat includes beef, lamb, veal, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, liver, other organ meats, all fish (yes fish is meat so if you eat fish you are not a vegetarian, you are a pescetarian!) and all seafood such as prawns, muscles, crab etc.

This video broke my heart when I saw it. How can a dog be more compassionate that a human being? We will sit by a watch a fish suffocate while the dog tries to save its’ life. The dog understands how precious life is. And we are supposed to be more intelligent?

Eggs – eggs have the potential to form into a chick if they are fertilised with sperm from a rooster. However the egg industry is one of the most cruel industries and the males chicks are ground alive on a machine with metal blades. The hens are used to produce eggs for our consumption. Many are confined to cramped, unhygienic cages and not allowed to roam free outside in the sunlight. I had tears in my eyes when I saw a picture of a male chick about to be cut up on a blade.

Dairy – Cows are abused. They are pumped full of growth hormones to build them up for slaughter as well as antibiotics which remain in the milk we drink. Dairy is acidic and mucus forming. There are some farms that treat their animals well. If you are going to buy milk and cheese it is better to buy organic and buy goat’s or sheep’s dairy as they are less intensively farmed that cows.

Leather – leather is cow’s skin! Would you wear human skin?

Merino wool – I discovered the horrors on the merino wool industry in the following video. The sheep are transported across the ocean on board freight ships in cramped conditions. When they reach land, they queue up to be slaughtered alive. Their throats are cut and their legs cut off in front of the other sheep just for the sake of getting their wool. I will never buy merino wool. 50% of merino wool is from Australia and it is hard to tell the source and the treatment of the merino sheep.

This video presented by Pink is very distressing. I was very shocked and upset when I watched it. If you are sensitive to gore then please don’t watch it.

Honey – I have been informed that honey is used to feed the baby bees and when we take it for our consumption, they have nothing to eat. So I avoid eating honey.

High vibration – to eat a plant-based diet you are consuming nutrient dense foods with a higher life-force energy and it will nourish your body and give you more vitality.

Alkaline diet – A plant-based, vegan diet is alkaline, anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants. Therefore it protects your body from damage and inflammation.

Thank you for reading my reasons for why I’m vegan. The methods used in some of these industries are shocking. I hope you understand more about the animal industries and the morals of eating animal produce.

Therapies to Heal ME – Part 2

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Here is part 2 of Therapies to Heal ME which includes all the therapies that I tried out in 2011 and 2012 in an effort to cure my ME, including dates, and my experiences with them:

2011

February

  • Massage – I started having massage at a beauty clinic using essential oils which warmed and relaxed my tense and aching muscles and left me feeling so peaceful and calm. It is a shame the effects wear off after a day!

October – Started volunteering to get back into society

December – Started working in a full-time job

2012

April

  • Reiki – I went to an MBS Fayre and had a taster reiki session. I lay on a table and she placed her hands above each of my chakras. Over my throat chakra I started swallowing uncontrollable and she said I had a blockage in this chakra and there was something I needed to say. Overall it was very relaxing and I’m sure it had a healing effect.

May

  • Chakra cleansing – During a reading at the MBS fayre, the psychic recommended that I use crystals to cleanse my chakras and rebalance my system. I bought a set of seven crystals, one for each chakra, and lay down, placing each crystal on the chakra and relaxing for 10 minutes before removing them. Afterwards I feel deeply relaxed, centered and peaceful. I try to do this regularly.

June

  • Lifestyle changes –  I found working full-time to demanding on my body. I would come home, cook dinner, eat and go to bed and repeat this cycle everyday. At the weekend I was too exhausted to do anything but rest. So I asked to change my hours to part-time. They let me reduce my hours to working 3 full days a week which gave me two days off to rest in the week. This gave me more time for self-development and spending time in nature which raised my spirit. I was much happier, had more energy and felt less anxious.

August

  • Mindfulness – After reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, I learned the powerful effect of watching the mind for silencing it. Listening to the chattering mind also known as the ego will not bring you peace and when you observe it, it stops and you can hear the quiet voice of your higher self in the peaceful silence giving you inspiration and guidance.
  • Blood type diet – I bought a blood testing kit and tested my blood which is blood type A-. According to this diet people with my blood type do well on a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. I feel that my body likes grains and everyone’s body is different and may have different food intolerances. I did not stay on this diet for long.

September

  • Detox the Pineal Gland – After watching videos by Free Spirit on YouTube I learnt that the toxins fluorine, chlorine and mercury sit in the pineal gland preventing it from functioning properly. The pineal gland secretes melatonin which regulates the circadian rhythm and sleep, and is also the physical manifestation of the third eye allowing one to see clairvoyantly. Mercury is present in all fish which is another reason to go vegetarian!
  • Fluoride-free toothpaste – Fluorine is in toothpaste and actually decays the teeth instead of the opposite it is advertised to do. Kingfisher do an excellent range of fluoride-free toothpastes.
  • Shower filter – Chlorine and fluorine are present in tap water which is why getting a water filter as well as a shower filter fitted is important. Chlorine gas is easily absorbed through the skin in the shower.
  • Vegetarian Diet – Free Spirit explained that foods have different vibrations. Meat has a vibration of fear and death and dairy has a vibration of suffering. If it is true that You Are What You Eat then these are not things you want to put into your body! Honour your body. And honour animals who should be cared for, not tortured and murdered!

November

  • Zeolite Powder – Zeolite binds to toxins in the colon and excretesP1000334 them from the body. The colon detox helped to remove some toxins from my body.
  • Smoothies – After reading Free Spirit’s book, I contained a recipe for a green smoothie to detox the body. So I started making green smoothies on a daily basis. I felt much more alert and energised after drinking the smoothie. I still continue to drink smoothies regularly today to rehydrate my body and give it a boost of nutrients from fresh fruit and vegetables.
  • Raw Vegan diet – I tried out the raw vegan diet to detox my body as I had a lot of toxins in my body from all the junk food, pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides and hormones from dairy that I had ingested in the past. Winter is not the ideal time to go raw vegan and I found it difficult to get enough calories. I did not know about the importance of protein then. I felt good not eating and animal produce and it raised my vibration and detox my body.
  • Organic food – I started eating only organic food when I discovered how much toxic pesticides they spray on non-organic food. It may be slightly more expensive, but it tastes a lot better and often has a higher amount of nutrients that non-organic food.

If you have ME/CFS, I hope that these therapy reviews give you some ideas of healing methods you can try out. Everybody is different and what works for one person may not work for someone else. Still in my opinion it is worth trying everything that you feel may help until you find the one that works for you.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of Therapies to Heal ME which includes the therapies that I tried from 2013 to the present day.

ME Question & Answer Session 2

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I have had more questions from ME sufferers, so I have decided to create a second ME Question & Answer Session post, as the answers may be helpful for other people with ME who read my blog.

Q: Are ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome the same?

ME stands for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.  Mya = muscle, algic = pain, encephalo = brain, myelos = marrow, itis = inflammation. So overall ME means muscle pain and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a group of symptoms including fatigue which after months of testing have no other diagnosis. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome after a year of tests. I did not have muscle pain, which can also be diagnosed as Fibromyalgia, nor did I have inflammation of the brain and spinal cord which were checked after a CT scan.

However the terms can be used interchangeably.

Q: How bad were your symptoms at your worst?

At my worst I had severe fatigue, brain fog, poor concentration, dizziness, muscle weakness, sudden collapsing, sensitivity to light and sound, extreme fatigue on light exertion and insomnia.

Q: Other than a vegan diet have you found any other useful changes that have helped you improve?

Yes having a more relaxed lifestyle. Working part-time so I have time to meditate, do yoga and be creative. I have learned that people with ME/CFS often hyperventilate and are stressed out easily. They need to learn to slow down and slow their breathing down. Buteyko breathing is helpful. Counselling is also helpful and they may have an unresolved emotional trauma from the past which is draining their energy and needs to be faced and released.

Q: Do you take any supplements of any sorts or any other form of medication?

I take a liquid multi vitamin and digestive enzymes. I also take a probiotic supplement to support the good bacteria in the gut. I don’t take any medication.

If you have any questions about ME/CFS please do not hesitate to contact me as I will be happy to help!

Therapies to Heal ME – Part 1

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Therapies to Heal ME – Part 1

After my diagnosis with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome I was determined to cure my ME, despite the NHS saying that it is an incurable, lifelong illness. I refused to accept that I had to suffer for the rest of my life.

So I set about researching on the internet for therapies that may help. I tried out so many therapies over the 3 years of being housebound with ME. Some would give temporary relief to my symptoms, while others allowed me to make huge shifts in my health that have had a lasting effect on my life. I have learnt something from every therapy that has added value to my life.

It was when I visited the nutritionist and started gradually changing my diet to include more fruits, vegetables and whole grains that I experienced noticeable increases in my energy levels and a reduction in my brain fog, dizziness and weakness.

Here is a list of the all therapies to heal ME that I tried out between December 2009 to December 2010 in an effort to cure my illness, including dates, and my experiences with them:

2009

December – Diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

  • Caveman Diet – recommended  by my Dad who had a friend from work whose daughter had ME and was trying this diet. It consists of eating only meat and non-starchy vegetables. Unfortunately I had an intense detox reaction and was excreting a lot of dark, smelly material (toxins) and it was overwhelming for me. I became even more frail and started dreaming of bread, so I stopped the diet and started on a simple diet of steamed fish, veg and rice.

2010

February

  • Gupta Amygdala Retraining Programme – This involved watching DVDs for hours, which I found difficult because I had to concentrate for so long. There was a floor map to act out a sequence of movements and phrases whenever I had a negative thought. I had to say ‘Stop! Stop! Stop!’ and use hand gestures to break my negative thought. Once I had memorised the sequence I was supposed to do it around the house wherever I had a negative thought. I found it embarrassing doing it in front of my family. However after a few weeks I felt much more calm and happy and my mind was more relaxed.

March

  • Acupuncture – it involved lying on a table and having needles inserted into in specific points on the body which unblocks your meridian channels. I felt no pain, just a slight sensation as the needle went in. I remember on one occasion I experienced a feeling like an electric shock shooting through my foot as she unblocked a foot meridian! It gave me temporary relief from my symptoms, but the benefits quickly wore off. Fortunately she recommended that I visit a nutritionist she knew, as she could see I had severe digestive issues.
  • Bush Flower Remedies – the acupuncturist asked me to select 5 bush flower remedies that I was drawn to and made up a tincture for me to take. I used then on a daily basis but they did not have a very strong effect. Although, I do remember that in one therapy session I got very upset and she gave me a few drops of one bush flower remedy and within a minute I felt calm again.
  • Aromatherapy – I was drawn to aromatherapy and bought the excellent book Complete Illustrated Guide to Aromatherapy by Julia Lawless. I would often put a few drops of essentials oils in a vaporiser which would fill the house with a calming aroma that left me feeling very relaxed.
  • Feng Shui – I remember vividly the first day of Spring. The sun was filling the house with bright light and I was drawn to pick up a book on Feng Shui from the bookshelf which had been sitting there for years unread. I became very interested in Feng Shui and started applying it in the house. It was an interesting hobby that kept me busy. I learned that the flow of energy through your house affects your life. I moved the furniture and placed crystals around the house which vibrate at high energy levels and protect me from ElectroMagnetic Radiation (EMR).
  • Acupressure – after visiting the acupuncturist, I became interested in acupressure which does not require needles and can be practised by anyone. It involves using your fingers to putt pressure on sensitive points on the body which clears any blockages in the meridians. I ordered a book called Acupressure for Common Ailments and used the technique at home. It immediately relieves muscle tension and gives a feeling of peace and calm.

April

  • Clutter Clearing – I started spontaneously clearing out my clutter in the Spring. This process went on for about 6 months until I had got rid of most of my clutter in the house. Strangely good things started happening in my life. In August I read Karen Kingston’s ‘Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui’ book which inspired me to let go of the last items of clutter which I had an emotional attachment to. It helped me to deal with stuck emotions from the past and release them. I cleared out most of my wardrobe because the clothes reminded me of being at university and working at Premier Foods where I got ill. I moved on from the past and new things came into my life.
  • Crystal Healing – I become interested in crystals and usingP1000373 their different properties to heal emotional issues. My favourite crystals were amethyst for protection from negative energies, rose quartz for acceptance of others and healing the heart and citrine for positivity and abundance. I would also cleanse my chakras by laying down and placing 7 tumblestones of different colours over each chakra for 10 minutes or so to rebalance my body.

May

  • The Chrysalis Effect Supported Recovery Programme – The Chrysalis Effect was the most helpful programme I have done. Once a fortnight I was emailed exercises to do such as a questioning my beliefs, values and lifestyle. I had many realisations and made lots of changes which improved my life. The staff provide great support via email as they have experienced and recovered from ME themselves.
  • Holosync – I discovered Holosync Audio meditation in the Chrysalis Effect Programme. This is another one of the best things I have ever done. Whilst resting for an hour everyday laying on my bed, I allowed my body to get into the healing state and quietened my over-active mind. I became a more peaceful, calm and happy person. My stress tolerance improved.
  • Reduce ElectroMagnetic Radiation (EMR) – I turned my bedroom into a tranquil paradise and removed most of my electrical appliances such as my TV and computer to reduce nasty EMFs that affect my sleep.
  • Dowsing for Earth Lines – I learned about P1030154rdowsing and dowsed the house for harmful earth (ley) lines using coat hangers bent into L-shaped rods. I discovered I was sleeping with a ley line going right through my body and two diagonally crossing over my ankles – which would explain my constantly cold feet! These harmful earth energies disrupt the nervous system and weaken your immune system. The body is unable to heal while you sleep as it is constantly fighting to keep your body in balance from the disruptive Geopathic stress. So I moved my bed and began sleeping better immediately. Later on I discovered that copper pipes deflect the earth lines so I placed them in strategic positions around the house and everyone in the house began sleeping better!

June

  • Hair Analysis for Food Intolerances – I sent off a sample of my hair for analysis of food intolerance by a laboratory. The results came back and were very interesting but did not seem to correlate with what the nutritionist later detected.
  • Colonic Irrigation via Colease Herbs – I can’t remember the outcome of the Colease herbs but know it didn’t cure my chronic constipation.

July

  • Nutritionist, Supplements & diet change – I went to see a Nutritionist, at the recommendation of my Acupuncturist. This was the best thing I ever did for my ME recovery. She used a Vegatest machine to detect that I had Candida, Glandular Fever and  CytoMegalo Virus. She gave me a course of natural supplements to kill off the infections. Also I was deficient in Vitamin C, iron and Omega-6-fatty acids and she gave me vitamins to take. After taking these supplements for a few weeks I began to see vast improvements in my health. I could concentrate for longer, my mind was clearer; I could do more physical activities around the house such as cooking and washing my hair.  All this time it had been viruses and a fungal infection giving me all my symptoms. She also discovered that I was intolerant to cow’s milk, Yeast, Sugar, and Beef. So I immediately cut all these foods out of my diet. I had to check the ingredients labels of all the food I ate.  I felt much better after doing this, especially after cutting out sugar. I began eating healthier, experimenting with cooking new foods.
  • Fluconazole – the nutritionist advised my to visit my doctor when she detected that I had a yeast infection. He prescribed me fluconazole for my thrush.
  • Anti-Candida Diet – I felt weak and shaky the morning after cutting out sugar from my diet. This is the body’s normal response of withdrawal symptoms to suddenly stopping taking a drug. I replaced the processed white sugar with fruit.

August

  • NHS Pacing Programme – I went once but did not like it as they were very patronising and only talked about the managing the symptoms and not things that might help cure them. They made us sit on hard, uncomfortable chairs which for people with ME who have aching bodies is not very comfortable.

September

  • Space Clearing – I bought a sage smudge stick online as well as a shell and feather to represent to 4 elements of earth, fire, water and air. I lit the sage and wafted the fumes around every room in the house using the feather and catching the ashes in the shell. This cleansed the house of any stagnant, negative energies. Afterwards the energy in the house felt lighter, fresher and happier and the air looked visibly sparkly. I carry out a space clearing ceremony once a year to clear out and the negative imprints from arguments or negative entities.
  • Relaxation Music – as I was housebound I would spend most of the day sitting in the conservatory watching the nature outside and reading and spent the evenings listening to relaxation music from Global Journey where you can get 25 free downloads. This really helped to slow down my overactive nervous system and get me out of fight-or-flight mode and into the rest-and-digest parasympathetic nervous system. The gentle sounds, calmed and relaxed me and left me feeling so peaceful and content.

October

  • Positive Affirmations – I also read the most amazing book ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ by Louise L. Hay. She taught me how to change my negative thinking habits into positive ones and how positive thoughts attract positive experiences and it brought miraculous events into my life.

December

  • Gluten-free Diet – I bought the book Cooking Without Make Easy by Barbara Cousins and began cooking gluten-free food. I also used the Dove’s Farm recipe booklet that my Mum got at a gluten-free meet-up group. I started baking bread, cakes and biscuits as well as making oat flapjacks and trying out FreeFrom pasta and bread.
  • Counselling & Hypnotherapy – the nutritionist recommended that I go and see a counsellor she knew. It was helpful to talk about traumas that happened in the past and my current problems. She gave me some great advise such as encouraging me to join a ballroom dancing club to be around people again and to learn to drive to get more freedom and independence. She also advised that I leave my parents house and rent a room to get away from a controlling family member. She did guided visualisations to get me into a relaxed state and then put positive messages into my subconscious mind.

If you have ME/CFS, I hope that these therapy reviews give you some ideas of healing methods you can try out. Everybody is different and what works for one person may not work for someone else. Still in my opinion it is worth trying everything that you feel may help until you find the one that works for you.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Therapies to Heal ME which includes the therapies that I tried from 2011 to 2012.

ME Question & Answer Session

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Hi everyone! Since the latest issue of WDDTY featuring my ME recovery story was released, I have had lots of messages from recently diagnosed ME sufferers saying thank you for sharing my story and it is has given them hope, which is wonderful! They have also been asking lots of questions about ME and health and I wanted to share the questions and answers on my blog as it may help other people with ME.

Q: How long did it take you to recover fully?

A: I had my health collapse in December 2008 then had the diagnosis of CFS in December 2009 after a year of tests. I visited the nutritionist in July 2010 and felt a lot better after a few weeks of changing my diet and taking the recommended supplements. I was fully well and able to go back to work in December 2011. So I would say it took me 3 years to recover fully.

Q: Can you suggest any supplements that might help?

A:  I would recommend Source of Life Liquid Gold mulitivitamin to give your body support as it is easy to absorb and gives you an instant energy boost!  Vitamin C is important for boosting a low immune system, which is common in CFS. I took Vitamin C on a daily basis during the worst of my illness. Also a probiotic to repopulate the good bacteria in your gut.

Q: Do you believe candida was central causing to your CFS?

A:  I believe the main cause of my CFS was catching glandular fever at university and it weakened my immune system. I then took the anti-biotic tetracycline for my acne and it wiped out my good bacteria which allowed the candida to proliferate. As soon as the nutritionist detected that I had candida on the bio-resonance machine I cut out processed sugar and minimised sweet fruit. I also took grapefruit extract that she recommended and cut out yeasty foods. The combination of these approaches wiped out the candida within several weeks.

Q: Do you eat fruit nowadays considering it can start to re-feed the candida?

A: Yes I regularly eat fruit since it is full of vitamins and nutrients and the candida has never returned. My immune system is strong now and I regularly take a probiotic to support my good bacteria so candida cannot thrive.

Q: Did you find veganism superior to low fat meat protein+veg diet (like a stone-age)?

A: I would not recommend a low fat diet as the body requires a certain level of fat to function well. If you want to lose weight I would recommend removing processed sugar from your diet as the body cannot use it as it is devoid of nutrients and so stores it. I have never been on a cave man diet, but I don’t eat a lot of grains as they are hard for the body to digest.  I eat a high protein vegan diet with foods such a quinoa, brown rice, peas, nuts, seeds and legumes. I don’t eat meat as I believe it is wrong to treat animals cruelly and murder them when we don’t need to eat meat.

Q: How do we know which diet is healthy and right?

A: There are so many diets out there. You have to listen to your body to learn what is right for you. If you have a bad reaction to a food or get IBS from taking supplements, it is your bodies way of telling you it doesn’t like it and to stop consuming it. Don’t listen to what other people tell you, just follow your intuition and do what is right for you. You can do muscle testing on foods to see if you get a strong or weak reaction to a particular food.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to send me a message. Best wishes to you on your ME recovery journey.

Healing My Eczema

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Having had chronic eczema since I started university in 2006, I am thrilled to have recently noticed a huge improvement in the clarity of my skin, and I wanted to share with you some of the things that I have been doing!

Eczema, also known as dermatitis, is red and inflamed skin around the nose and cheeks accompanied by dry skin. It can cause self-esteem issues as we are expected to have perfect skin like the flawless models in magazines. The condition can be caused by chronic stress or a toxic body since the skin is the last place that toxins are eliminated from the body. Also it may be a sign of systemic inflammation throughout the body.

Here are the things I have been doing recently that have had a positive impact on my skin:

  • Source of Life – Liquid Gold Multivitamin – this delicious tropical fruit flavoured liquid supplement is packed full with over 120 superfood extracts and contains more than the RDA of vitamins and minerals that a healthy adult requires. It was recommended to me by the nutritionist at the student clinic. After a month of taking it I noticed that my eczema had dramatically reduced and people I knew commented on my clear skin! I am continuing taking it for the positive effects!
  • Drink more water – the nutritionist said I should be drinking 2 litres of water everyday. I noticed that I would have more regular and easy bowel movements after drinking at least 1.5 litres in a day which actually gave me clearer skin. This is because the toxins ingested in everyday life e.g. pesticide residues, chemicals, air pollution were not recirculating into the blood stream, but were being quickly removed from the body and therefore not reaching the skin.
  • Sleep well – After a good nights sleep I wake up feeling refreshed and look in the mirror and my skin is clear. It worth going to bed early to feel and look better the next day. Check out my post 10 Tips for Sleeping Well
  • Reduce stress – removing toxic relationships or situations from your life can greatly reduce your stress levels and improve your health. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation or listening to relaxing music can help to calm down the adrenal system, reducing stress on your body. Find out more tips in my post How To Deal With Stress.
  • Omega-3 – the nutritionist pointed out that I needed more omega-3 in my diet as I am vegan. The best vegan sources of omega-3 are flaxseed, hemp seed, rapeseed and walnuts. Omega-3 is anti-inflammatory reducing redness and swelling in the body as well as repairing damaged skin cells. I now eat a teaspoon of ground flaxseed with every meal and have noticed an improvement in my skin condition! I also use hemp oil to moisturise the dry skin on my cheeks and around my mouth as it is very soothing and reduces the dry patches.
  • Vitamin D – deficiency of this vitamin is common as we tend to spend most of our lives indoors. I was diagnosed with insufficient levels of Vitamin D by the doctor and after 3 months of spending time sitting in the sunshine and taking Better You Vitamin D sublingual spray which the nutritionist recommended as it is easily absorbed, my levels were back in the normal range! Several studies have shown that increasing the vitamin D levels improved skin condition and I have definitely noticed an improvement!
  • Earthing – walking barefoot outside on the grass decreases stress on the body and reduces inflammation. Our bodies absorb electromagnetic radiation from computers, TVs, wifi, mobile phones etc and this causes a build up of positive ions in the body which cause health problems such as depression, insomnia, chronic pain and inflammation.  When we take off our shoes and walk barefoot on the earth, the negative ions we absorb neutralise the positive ions and we soon feel more relaxed and happier. That is why people feel better after sitting on the beach!

All these things have contributed to my improved skin condition, but I would say that Source of Life Liquid Gold had the most dramatic impact. I am sure a healthy diet of fresh, organic foods is also contributing to my clearer skin!

10 Tips for Sleeping Well

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Sleeping well is important for having a productive day. After a bad nights sleep our concentration levels are reduced as our brain has not had time to process the events from the previous day. We have missed that important time during the deep REM sleep when are body is healing. We may be grumpy which can put a strain on our relationships. Also we are more likely to reach for comfort food instead of cooking a healthy meal and be less motivated to exercise.

Taking measures to ensure we sleep well will mean we feel refreshed and ready to start the next day!

Here are my top 10 tips for sleeping well:

  • Avoid caffeine in the evening – having tea or coffee in the evening will stimulate your nervous system and keep you awake. If you want to have a drink before bed, a relaxing herbal tea such as chamomile will have a calming affect that will let you drift off to sleep.
  • Have a bath – a warm, relaxing bath before bed can work wonders for a good nights sleep! You can use essential oils such as lavender to relax or use Epsom salts which contain magnesium, a natural muscle relaxant.
  • Avoid eating before bed – eating a big meal before going to bed will mean your body will be digesting it all night. If you a hungry just before bed, I advise eating easily digested foods such as fruit which only takes 30 minutes to digest.
  • Avoid sleeping tablets – sleeping tablets can become addictive and will make it hard for you to wake up the next morning.
  • Avoid drinking water before bed – drinking a lot of water before bed will keep you awake going to the toilet all night! It is best to drink throughout the day to keep hydrated as water is not absorbed during the night.
  • Lavender oil on your temples – this is very effective. Rubbing a few drops of lavender oil onto your temples and the soles of your feet has an instant relaxing effect.
  • Write a to-do list – try keeping a notepad beside your bed to jot down your thoughts. Writing down what you need to do the next day will mean it won’t be playing on your mind all night.
  • Use an earthing sheet – these are fantastic. I use an earthing fitted sheet which is plugged into the bedroom socket. The connection draws up healing negative ions from the earth which neutralise the harmful build up of positive ions absorbed throughout the day from wifi, mobile phones, TV, computer etc. It guarantees an improved nights sleep!
  • Right bedroom temperature – we need to be slightly cool to sleep well. Adjust the layers on your bed as the seasons change to ensure you get a good nights sleep. Use a 4.5 tog lighter duvet in the summer and a heavier 10.5 tog duvet and blankets in the winter.
  • Use f.lux – if you are on the computer late at night download f.lux which changes the screen colour to slightly pinkish at sunset. The normal blue light emitted from computer screens, mobile phones or ipads signals the brain to stay awake at a time when it should be shutting down. The red light of sunset has a calming effect on the brain, signalling it to release melatonin for sleep.

I hope these tips help you to have a deep and restful nights sleep!