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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.

My Story featured on Natural Matters website

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P1000763My story has been featured on the Natural Matters website – the UK’s Natural Life Directory. The article titled My Transition from Junk Food to Healthy Food to Heal ME includes a combination of two of my blog entries My Story: How I Became Ill With ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and My Transition from Junk Food to Healthy Food.

I would like to thank the PR department of the College of Naturopathic Medicine, where I am currently in my second year of studying nutrition, for introducing me to the editor of Natural Matters. The editor contacted CNM as she thought my story was very inspiring and would be very interesting for her readership.

I genuinely hope that it inspires the readers of Natural Matters to improve their diet. The editor of Natural Matters has said that she hopes to use some of my recipes herself! It is important to me to spread my message, especially to ME/CFS sufferers and to give them hope that they can recover from this chronic, debilitating illness!

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!

Video Introduction

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Hey everyone!

I had a haircut today and got up the confidence to create my first video on YouTube! It is an introduction to me and my blog. I hope you like it!

Feel free to post feedback on my YouTube channel Cooking to Heal ME. I will be uploading videos on how to make my recipes as well as health tips. I’ve also uploaded an oracle card reading. So head over there and subscribe!

I want to thank the lovely Chrissy Faery from My Sparkly Life for inspiring me to start making YouTube videos! Check out her site and her YouTube channel!

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.

How to Find Your Life Purpose

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I spent a year trying to find my life purpose. Now it is crystal clear to me that everything I have been through during my illness and using nutrition to recover was so that I could teach others how to do the same!

Finding and living your life purpose is good for your health and wellbeing. I feel so much happier now that I know what my life purpose is and have a direction in life to focus my energy on. It feels amazing to be making a positive difference in the world by blogging about my experiences of using nutrition to heal my illness, which have already helped people around the world! Eventually I will work one-on-one with people to help them improve their health as a nutritional therapist.

Here are my 10 steps to finding your life purpose:

1. Write down a list of all the things you enjoy doing!

What do you love doing? What do you do that seems natural to you that you don’t even realise you are doing it? For me it was cooking new recipes in my spare time! To me it was a necessary and enjoyable use of my time! What did you enjoy doing as a child? Did you build lego houses or watch every episode of pet rescue? Did you play with barbie dolls and make them into families? Or paint pictures or make magazines?

2. What did you want to be when you were a child?

When I was a child I wanted to be famous singer. I used to love singing into my karaoke machine and dreamed of being a popstar in a girl group like the Spice Girls! Now I see the connection. As a spiritual teacher it is my job to sing the messages of health and good nutrition to the world! Who knows, maybe one day I will be a public speaker!

3. Look at your name numerology!

Numerology can reveal a lot about your personality. You can find information on the web about what each number means.

To calculate your Earth Path number which represents how other people see you, add up the consonant number equivalents in your full name including your middle name/s.

A=1, B,=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9, J=1, K=2 etc.

For me: KATE ELEANOR JANET O’RIORDAN

2+2+3+5+9+1+5+2+9+9+4+5 = 56, 5+6=11, 1+1=2

Earth Path number 2 – I am seen as someone who is quiet, creative, caring and loving.

To calculate your Soul Path number which represents what your soul desires to do in this lifetime, add up the vowel number equivalents in your full name including your middle name/s.

For me: KATE ELEANOR JANET O’RIORDAN

1+5+5+5+1+6+1+5+6+9+6+1 = 51, 5+1=6

Soul Path 6 – My soul desires to heal others.

To calculate your Life Path number which is the path you are destined to live, add up the sum of your Earth Path number and Soul Path number:

For me: 2+6=8

Life Path 8 – I am destined to work hard and be successful and abundant.

4. Look at your astrology

The three main aspects to look at are your sun sign, rising sign and moon sign. Sun sign and rising sign make up 50% of your overall personality.

Your sun sign which is the position of the sun at the time of your birth is your true personality. I am an Aries so I am a brave, fiery, attention-seeking, charming and a leader at heart.

Your rising sign is how others see you. I am a Gemini so I am seen as an academic who studies a lot and is sociable, quick witted and smart.

Your moon sign which is the position of the moon at the time of your birth represents your emotional life.  Mine is in Libra so I need balance in my emotional life.

5. If you didn’t have to earn money, what would you spend your time doing?

For me it would be cooking, blogging, writing, spiritual development, meditation, yoga, walking in nature, gardening – all the things I love to do!

6. Look at your bank statement

What do you spend you money on? Do you buy music CDs, clothes, books on history, magazines on fashion, health food products, tarot cards or car parts? This gives you a clue as to your interests.

7. Look at your bookshelf

Do you own several books on sewing, cookbooks, art and craft books, anime books, gardening, DIY etc.

8. When you go to the library which sections do you go to?

I go to the spiritual section, the health section, the cookbook section and the business section.

9. Meditate

Take the quiet time to sit down and meditate. Ask the universe “What is my life purpose?” and see what ideas and visions come to mind. Do this regularly and watch for the signs.

10. Listen to your feelings

When you do an activity does it make your feel happy and good afterwards? Or do you feel tense and have a bad feeling in your gut? Trust your instincts. It is the same when you are around people. Does being around them energise you? Or does it drain your energy leaving you feeling depressed?

Blog Name Change & Updates!

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Hi everyone!

I wanted to let you know about some updates.

Blog Name Change!

I’m so excited to tell you that my blog has a fantastic new name: Cooking to Heal ME. I came up with the name in a moment of inspiration one morning. I feel it is really appropriate and perfectly describes what I am about! I cook and use food to heal the symptoms of ME!

I have decided to focus my blog more towards ME as my heart is with ME sufferers and I want to help them get well! I want to share recipes and other health tips that have helped me to make a full recovery!

Note: If you type my old blog address katesinspiredcooking.com into a search engine, you will still be directed to my site! The new address is cookingtohealme.com.

Facebook Page

My facebook page has also changed names from Kate’s Inspired Cooking to Cooking to Heal ME. Show some love and follow me on facebook!

Facebook page

Twitter

My twitter account is doing very well! It’s new name is @CookingtoHealME

Pinterest

I am also on Pinterest! Look me up to view tasty pictures of my recipes!

Tumblr

Yes I’m on tumblr as well! I’m addicted to social media! He he! 🙂

Email Newsletter

I have created an email newsletter sign up which you can find on the left-hand column of my facebook page. I will be sending out a newsletter at the end of every month including the latest updates, posts, public features and personal stories! If you would rather receive an email than joining my RSS feed sign up! Just click on the email sign up button and add your name and email address to stay updated!

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Free Inspiring Movies!

I have updated my Bookshelf page and added links to my favourite inspiring movies! You can watch the full movies for free, just go to Bookshelf. Enjoy! 🙂

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!

Why ME?

Articles, ME/CFS, Press, , , , , , , , ,

WDDTY September CoverWhy ME

Read about how I used a healthy diet to recover from ME in the latest issue of What Doctors Don’t Tell You magazine which is out in the shops from today!

The article entitled ‘Why ME?’ describes the phases of diet I went through before reaching the cooked and raw vegan stage I am at today, having regained all of my energy. It is a huge change from being bed bound at the start of my severe ME and took 3 years of making positive health changes to recover fully. The article also features my 10 Steps for ME Recovery.

ME is a very real illness despite many doctors putting it down to being in the mind and prescribing anti-depressants. It is caused by the organs of the body not getting the energy they need to function properly from a poor diet devoid of nutrients. The mitochondria cells which produce the energy currency ATP need certain food components to function, and if they are malnourished, the organs such as the heart cannot sustain a fast heart-rate and blood pressure drops. This lead to collapses which I have experienced first-hand. If the brain does not get the energy it needs to function, it causes brain fog, poor concentration and dizziness which I have also experienced. As soon as you consume a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and wholefoods, the cells are filled with the vitamins and nutrients they need to heal and return to full functioning.

I genuinely hope the article inspires someone with ME to look at altering their diet and see the positive changes in their health. They can read my story and know that the illness is curable and despite what we are told, full recovery is entirely possible.

I am training to become a nutritional therapist and plan to work one-on-one with people suffering from ME to teach them the tools to heal themselves.