Category: Health and wellness


CHRONIC FATIGUE – my story

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April 18, 2010

This is my story, and I am happy to share it with you in the hope that there will be SOMETHING in it that will be of benefit to you or a loved one who may be suffering with chronic fatigue.  My experience is not a substitute for you obtaining medical advice or researching for yourself to find solutions.  I’m a big believer in self responsibility, and encourage you to take be proactive about your own health and wellness.  It’s not until you have lost your health that you really appreciate how important it is.  Without good health you can enjoy very little in life, and your role is limited and small.

I suspect that my chronic fatigue had been building for a while, but I had been through a divorce and had young children and thought the fatigue I was feeling was only to be expected.  However when I started a new job at the beginning of 2004, it felt like walking into a brick wall.  I was suddenly exhausted.  At first I thought it was the stress and the busyness of the new job, but by mid 2004 I was at the point of thinking I would have to give up work.  I was putting on weight, losing energy, feeling depressed and unable to enjoy life at all.  I have two boys, who at that time were 9 and 13 years old, and I was too tired to go anywhere or do anything with them.  I would come home from work at the end of the day and collapse into bed.  If I managed to get some tea together before collapsing, I would sit at the dinner table almost in tears from tiredness.  I couldn’t wait to get into bed at night – sometimes even going to bed before the children, and I slept all night, only to wake in the morning unrefreshed and depressed at the thought of having to face another day.  My muscles ached and I had that skin-is-sore-to-touch feeling that you have when you are getting the flu.  My throat was sore, I often had headaches and felt listless.  Probably the thing I minded the most was the mental fuzziness that went with it.  You know that feeling you have when you’ve got a cold and your head is all stuffed up – you feel like your head is packed with cotton wool and your brain just won’t function properly.  That is what it was like for me with chronic fatigue.  I couldn’t remember things, couldn’t concentrate and learning anything new was just impossible.  I had always been an efficient and organised person at work, and I felt like I was performing very poorly.  If you have had chronic fatigue, or know anyone who has, then you can probably relate to what I am saying.

I was desperate.  I searched the web and read books for clues.  The condition is hard to diagnose but harder still to treat.  There didn’t seem to be any definitive answers.  I stopped taking hot showers and baths and switched to having them as cold as possible (someone told me that helped).  I took all manner of useless herbs and supplements.  I changed my diet drastically, cutting out almost all sugar from food and beverages.  I gave up alcohol and coffee, eliminated dairy foods and began to change my diet with an emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables.  It wasn’t working!!

I was at the end of what I knew to do when an acquaintance told me about a friend of hers who had recovered from chronic fatigue syndrome.  I contacted Elizabeth, who introduced me to glyconutrients.  I began taking them that night and within two weeks experienced a marked improvement.  The first major difference was that the mental fogginess lifted.  I could think clearly at last, and felt more like my old self.  I was so relieved.  Gradually the physical symptoms disappeared and I began the process of regaining my strength and wellness.

I am just loving being well and being able to approach life with energy and enthusiasm. I have completed 3 triathlons, the 12 k City to Surf fun run, three round-the-river 53 k Great Bike Rides, a 567 k Great Escapade bike ride round the hilly south west, …. and the list is growing. I have done a series of posts to give you some more information about my battle with chronic fatigue – what worked, and what didn’t.  Here are links to these other blogs:

Chronic Fatigue – Diet

Chronic Fatigue – Nutrition

Chronic Fatigue – Exercise

Chronic Fatigue – Exercise Mindset

I have come to realise that my health and my strength is my greatest asset, and protecting my health is one of my highest priorities in life.  Giving yourself the gift of health and vitality is absolutely the best decision you will ever make and one you will never regret.

CONTACT SUZI

Email:  info@suzimorris.biz
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/SuziMorris
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suzi.morris2

This video has information about glyconutrients

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Take a Proactive Approach to Your Health

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April 7, 2010

It is my firm belief that we need to be proactive and take responsibility for our own health and wellness.  The following article by Denis Waitley is reproduced by permission.  I have highlighted the points I particularly agree with and think are important.  I hope you enjoy the article.  SUZI

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Think of your body as a high-powered, finely engineered transportation vehicle, like a space shuttle. Instead of liquid hydrogen, your body is powered by your own intake. The food you eat is the fuel that energizes the vehicle. What you put in your fuel tank is burned by your high-performance activity or—in the case of low-octane, junk food—is deposited in your engine. Think of your mind as the driver who either takes control of and steers your body to victory or hits the wall. Your body is very much like a car. Drive it without proper fuel or maintenance, and it will fall apart. You take it for granted to get you where you want to go, until it breaks down. Then it disrupts your way of life. Like your car, your body only speaks to you by exception. You only notice it when it is damaged or inoperative. But, unlike your car, the spare parts business for your body is not a viable option at present.
To combat disease and aging, you need to keep your bones, joints and muscles flexible and strong. The right exercise means weight-bearing exercise, not simply aerobics. The International College of Sports Medicine has now added exercise with weights to its longtime recommendation of aerobic exercise. First, check with your physician, who can assess your general condition and advise you about healthy levels of activity. Second, be aware that the effectiveness of exercise depends as much on enjoyment as on the nature of activity itself.
Just as important, if not more important than daily exercise, is proper nutrition. What you eat has a major impact on degenerative diseases. Do eat a low-fat diet. Keep your fat intake to 15 percent of all daily calories. This will keep you lean and boost your immunity. Do eat a low-salt diet. Use a potassium-based salt substitute on the table and in cooking. Do eat a high-fiber diet. Fiber protects the colon from cancer, lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar. Eat 40 to 50 grams of mixed fibers daily, as in whole-grain breads and cereals, especially those containing oat bran, vegetables and fruits. Do eat a low-sugar diet. Use a little fructose in place of table sugar. Eat complex carbohydrates in place of sugar and look for carbohydrate drinks sweetened with zylitol. Do drink clean water. Drink bottled or home-distilled water, as much as eight glasses per day.  Do eat an alkaline diet. Our high-fat, high-sugar diet creates acidity. So many people are now acidic that we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on antacids every year.
Do take daily nutritional supplements, including essential multivitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Current research confirms that we can no longer get the essential nutrients from our food alone; we must supplement even the best diet with nutrition to promote resistance to disease. Do eat the right kinds of foods, and stay away from the fast-food, fat-food drive-throughs. You are doing yourself and your children a dangerous, long-term disservice by developing the habit of eating high-fat, nutrition-poor meals. Make your health your top priority. You can’t buy your health or life back after years of neglecting it while you earn your living.
Action Idea: List one activity you will begin to do tomorrow to improve your health and increase the quality and quantity of your life.

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Reproduced with permission from the Denis Waitley Newsletter.
To Subscribe to Denis Waitley’s Newsletter Use this link
© 2010 Denis Waitley International. All rights reserved worldwide.

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5 Ways to Beat a Bloated Belly

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March 5, 2010

Featured article on abdominal bloating – reproduced with permission from www.cabothealth.com.au.  Some really good information – hope you find it helpful.

Abdominal bloating is an extremely common and annoying complaint.  I’m talking about the kind of bloating that sees your belly expand as the day progresses – the afternoon bloat.  The kind of bloating that makes your pants or skirt progressively tighter in the afternoon, and spoils your party dress in the evening.

Occasionally abdominal bloating can be caused by a serious condition, such as liver disease or heart disease, or it could even be an early warning sign of ovarian cancer.  However in the majority of cases a bloated tummy is merely a result of poor digestion and/or inappropriate food choices.

Here are 5 ways to overcome a bloated belly:

* Avoid constipation

This is a common cause of bloating.  Constipation is usually caused by a diet that is lacking water or fibre, or both.  Grains are a good source of fibre but not everyone eats a lot of grains; either because they have an intolerance to gluten or wheat, or because they are following a low carbohydrate diet in order to lose weight.

Luckily vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and legumes are all an excellent source of fibre.  If you are still prone to constipation despite an abundance of these foods in your diet, you could try adding freshly ground flaxseeds to your diet, psyllium, rice bran, soy bran or slippery elm.  Magnesium is excellent for constipation because it relaxes the muscles of the intestines.  For this reason magnesium is excellent for people who get constipated when they are stressed or traveling.
Exercise is also excellent for keeping regular bowel habits because it promotes bowel contractions.

* Find out if you have an allergy or intolerance

Eating a food that does not agree with you is the quickest way to become bloated.  The most common offending foods are dairy products, wheat, gluten, soy and eggs.  Any food has the potential to cause a problem though.  Trying to find the problem food on your own can be like finding your way through a maze, therefore we recommend you see a naturopath or nutritionist to guide you through an elimination diet.

* Avoid bubbly drinks and bubble gum

Carbonated drinks can cause gas to become trapped in your belly, leading to bloating and discomfort.  Plain water or water with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice in it is kinder to your stomach.  Peppermint tea is excellent for bloating and abdominal cramps.

Chewing gum is a reliable way to swallow a lot of air, which can cause bloating.  Snack on something healthy like fruit and nuts if you are hungry.  If chewing gum is a nervous habit, find ways to wind down and calm down.

* Slow down and eat less

Bolting your food is a sure way to become bloated and uncomfortable.  If you eat quickly you will not chew thoroughly.  That means large pieces of food in your stomach and intestines won’t be digested properly; instead they will become food for bad bacteria, yeast and fungi, which produce gasses that cause bloating.  Ideally you would eat in a calm and relaxed manner.  If you are a busy person and don’t often have time for leisurely meals, digestive enzyme capsules should help you immensely.  They help you digest your food more thoroughly, thereby reducing bloating and discomfort.  Try not to eat huge meals, particularly in the evening.  As well as causing bloating, it will affect the quality of your sleep.

* Limit gas forming foods

Beans and lentils have a reputation for causing gas, and if you don’t eat them regularly they can be particularly problematic.  Eating small quantities frequently enables your digestive system to adapt.  However, some people can never digest these foods well no matter what they do.  Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower can be problematic also, so try not to eat too many foods from this family at the one time, and particularly not if you hope to slip into a tight dress in the evening.

Artificial sweeteners can cause bloating and so can some natural sugar alternatives.  It is essential to avoid the artificial sweeteners aspartame, acesulfame K and sucralose because they can cause health problems far worse than bloating.  Some natural sugar alternatives can cause bloating if consumed in large quantities; they include xylitol, erythritol and mannitol.  Stevia is a sugar substitute that does not cause any digestive distress.  It is available in powder, liquid and tablets.

Hopefully these tips will help to keep your tummy flat.

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About the author:  Dr Sandra Cabot has written several very popular books on health – her best selling “The Liver Cleansing Diet” book was awarded The Australian People’s Choice Award in 1997.  I found the liver cleansing diet to be very helpful, and if you are having any problems with losing weight the liver cleansing diet will give you a kick start.

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What is an OBESOGENIC environment?

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July 18, 2009

I first saw this term yesterday in a report by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing, called Weighing it up: Obesity in Australia.  I had not heard it before and wasn’t sure what it meant.

So I searched for and found this definition:

“A strange-looking word, it comes from obese plus the ending -genic, something tending to generate or create. It refers to conditions that lead people to become excessively fat — a worrying trend in developed countries, especially among young people, who are eating too much of the wrong things and not taking enough exercise. The problem is variously put down to social causes (too many sedentary pursuits available; fear that the outdoors in cities is dangerous, leading to less cycling, walking and running about) or to the results of our consumer lifestyle (eating pre-prepared meals that contain excessive sugar and fats). The term seems to have appeared in the last decade and is not as yet mainstream, though it is increasingly turning up in newspapers and medical journals.” Source: http://www.worldwidewords.org/turnsofphrase/tp-obe1.htm

The Weighing it up: Obesity in Australia report says this about an obesogenic environment:

Societal changes have created an environment where we are time poor, rely on cars, walk less and have increased access to convenience foods. Maintaining healthy weight has ceased to be a by-product of everyday life, and instead has become a personal project requiring constant vigilance and resistance to widespread cultural and social patterns. (summarised from page 140)

That is true, isn’t it? Our whole way of life is geared towards making us unhealthy, and optimal health is something we have to consciously and actively pursue.

The Weighing it up: Obesity in Australia report also referred to a UK study, the Foresight Tackling Obesities: Future Choices – Project report which can be found at http://www.foresight.gov.uk/Obesity/17.pdf

Here is a quote from Future Choices:

“The common perception is that if only people ate less and did more, the problem of obesity would be solved. The evidence …. shows that this deceptively simple analysis masks the real challenge of achieving that solution. There is an underlying complexity to obesity, which means that tackling it will be difficult and will require a multifaceted approach. Obesity is the consequence of interplay between a wide variety of variables and determinants related to individual biology, eating behaviours and physical activity, set within a social, cultural and environmental landscape.” (page 84)

The Future Choices project report contains a very interesting obesity system map, which attempts to show diagrammatically the complex relationships between the myriad of factors that lead to obesity and the implications for intervention. (Refer to pages 89 and 94 of the report) An examination of these factors shows that many of them are in fact beyond our control – we are immersed in an environment which is making it increasingly difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle – an obesogenic environment.

However, my take on it is that the situation is not hopeless. A wellness revolution is happening. People are taking responsibility for their own health, and I believe that the demands of many individuals with a common purpose will force changes to government policy, infrastructure, food growing, processing and sales methods, media and advertising, and medical interventions. The fact that we live in an obesogenic environment does not render us powerless to achieve optimal health for ourselves, but it does explain why it can sometimes be such a battle!!

Let me encourage you that YOU are the power in your world. I believe You CAN achieve your health and wellness goals.

It is part of my life’s purpose to help you achieve success :)

Please leave me your comments on what makes it difficult for you to achieve optimal health – whether they are internal or external influences.  I’d like to do a future article based on the input I receive.

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THE LAW OF ABUNDANCE

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May 17, 2009

Abund-danceWhen you diet, you are working against the law of abundance. We were born into an abundant universe. We were designed to operate in abundance. Like most living things, we flourish in times of abundance.

When you diet you are controlling, restricting, limiting, denying yourself. You are trying to restrict the quantity and control the quality of food you eat. You deny yourself all those yummy things you really love. It is a form of starvation. Your body immediately begins to think lack instead of abundance. When we have an abundance of food and feel secure that sufficient food will come to us on a regular basis, there is no need to store extras as fat. However, when we experience lack with respect to food our body goes into fat storage mode to protect us from the possibility of famine.

In the event of famine, storage of fat could make the difference between life and death. However, most of us in the Western world are in no danger of starving. It seems that the opposite is probably true – we eat too much. But it is empty, valueless food. It is refined, processed junk food that fails to meet our nutritional needs. Too much food, but too little nutrition. (See my blog “Overweight but Starving?” for more on this.) So again, we feel lack instead of abundance. Instead of feeling satisfied when we eat we crave more empty calories.

To live in harmony with the law of abundance I suggest you eat more real foods. What I mean by real foods is raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, grass-fed beef, free range chicken and fish. Don’t deprive yourself though. Don’t feel that you have to eat only these foods to the exclusion of all else. That is dieting and will set you up for failure. Instead ADD these real foods to your existing diet. Real food will fill you up and satisfy you. You will be less hungry, and when your body starts to get the nutrition that it requires it won’t crave those empty calories from processed junk foods so much.

That is why I am such a strong advocate of Low GI eating. You can enjoy a good range of foods, but they are good quality foods that will fill you up and satisfy you. You don’t have to measure, weigh or calculate anything, so you are not controlling, restricting, limiting and experiencing lack. You will gradually find yourself eating more real food and less processed food and your body will start to show the benefits. Low GI eating works in harmony with the law of abundance.

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CHRONIC FATIGUE – NUTRITION

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May 12, 2009

In my blog on chronic fatigue – diet – I talked about the importance of Low GI eating and how cutting out sugars helped. However, all the things I tried put together didn’t give me a turn around to recovery. But there is one thing which did give me a sudden and marked improvement, and that is the addition of glyconutrients to my diet. If you would like to know more about glyconutrients and what they are, I have done a couple of blogs entitled “Sugars that heal? That doesn’t sound right” and “More about glyconutrients”, so I suggest you go have a read of these blogs, as I won’t repeat that information here.

How did I hear about glyconutrients? I was at the point of desperation. I was still working full time, but not really managing to keep up with the house and/or the kids. I had just come to the conclusion that I would have to give up full time work and drop back to part time hours because I knew I wasn’t really coping. I was sharing with a counsellor how hard I was finding life. She knew someone who had recovered from chronic fatigue after taking glyconutrients, and she gave me the contact details. I met with Elizabeth the next day and after hearing her story started taking glyconutrients that night. Elizabeth warned me that my body could initially have a negative reaction as it started to clear itself of toxins and get the immune system working again. She also emphasised that glyconutrients are a food to the body, not a drug. So I was not to expect any “miracle cure” from taking glyconutrients – my body would work through its own healing process in its own time. Since we are all individuals it is hard to predict how someone’s body will respond.

I was delighted to find that my body responded immediately, and positively. The first thing I noticed was that the mental fogginess lifted. You know that feeling you have when you’ve got a cold and your head is all stuffed up – you feel like your head is packed with cotton wool and your brain just won’t function properly.  I had always been an efficient and organised person at work, and I really minded the fact that I could no longer perform well. Within two weeks of starting to take glyconutrients I started to feel more like my old self. At last I could concentrate and remember! What a relief! I didn’t actually get ANY negative reaction from glyconutrients. It was as if my body just loved it and put it immediately to work.

I quickly started to feel less physically tired, but the physical healing has taken place gradually. It was 2004 when I got sick, and my first major milestone in recovery was completing the 53 kilometre “Great Bike Ride” in November 2007. That was something I couldn’t have done BEFORE I got chronic fatigue, but it was my first confirmation that I was really well after having had chronic fatigue, as I could do that amount of exercise without getting the dreadful whammy effect afterwards.

My various achievements since then have included:

* a 567 kilometre “Great Escapade” 9 day bike ride around the south west of Western Australia

* a Mini Triathlon where I came first in my age group (50-55) and 12th overall.

* reducing my time by half an hour when I did the 53 kilometre “Great Bike Ride” in 2008

* coming 8th in my age group in my first ever 4 kilometre fun run.

I can confidently say that I am not only well, but I am better than I have ever been. I am fitter now than I was in my 20s and 30s. I am loving being well and having lots of energy.

I am still taking glyconutrients, along with these other supplements -

  • an antioxidant to protect my body from free radicals;

  • natural plant-based phytosterols to assist with hormonal balance; and

  • a plant sourced multivitamin and mineral supplement that can be easily absorbed by the body.

I highly recommend these products to you.

CONTACT SUZI
Email:  info@suzimorris.biz
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/SuziMorris
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suzi.morris2

Return to post: “Chronic Fatigue – my story”

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Half Iron Man Triathlon – Busselton

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May 4, 2009

My husband Peter and I went down to Busselton on the weekend to see our friends, Justine and Anthony, compete in their first half iron man traithlon:

Swim Course: 1.9km A one-lap swim in pristine waters alongside the historic Busselton Jetty. The swim starts in waist deep water on the east side of Busselton Jetty, and heads out to sea for 850m then short straight at the top of the course is followed by another right hand turn heading to head back to shore to the swim exit.   Swim conditions were nearly perfect, except for the stingers in the water!!

Bike Course:  90.1km Three-lap bike course on flat terrain through the Tuart forest and looping back to Busselton.  Bike conditions were excellent.  It was cool in the Tuart forest and there was almost no wind.

Run Course: 21.1km Along a pathway beside the beach.  This was very picturesque, but quite warm by this time (12.00 – 2.00 pm) and there was no shade and very little cooling breeze coming off the water.  It was a hot run!

Justine and Anthony both performed very well:

  • Justine was 51st in the female 35-39 age group, achieving 32.37 minutes for the swim, 3 hours 12 minutes for the cycle and 2 hours 30 minutes for the run.
  • Anthony was 60th in the 40-44 year old male age group (a very competitive group) and did his swim in 37.43 minutes cycle time was 2 hours 40 minutes and run time was 1 hour 54 minutes.

A fantastic achievement for both of them to finish the event – Justine in 6 hours 24 minutes and Anthony is 5 hours 18 minutes.

I have learnt never to say never, but really I can’t see myself doing one of those any time soon!!!  It was fantastic to be there to watch and cheer them on.  Some pictures appear below.

WELL DONE, J & A!!!

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CHRONIC FATIGUE – EXERCISE MINDSET

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April 30, 2009

Continuing on from my last blog on exercise, one of the biggest battles I had to face with chronic fatigue was not in my physical body, but in my mind. You develop this energy-poverty mindset. Have you heard of the poverty mindset that low income earners can get stuck in? This is the same idea, but the poverty arises from a lack of energy rather than a lack of money. You get to know that you don’t have enough energy. You start to try and hoard it, to conserve it, to retain it in case you need it. It’s a dreadful feeling to hit that physical wall – to totally run out of energy before you’ve run out of day, to have nothing with which you can keep going to do the things you need to do (eg care for the family). So you begin to try and live within the constraints of the small amount of energy you have. You don’t want to do too much in case you over-step the mark. If you do a bit more, you are fearful of what the consequences will be. Will you be so sore the next day that you regret it? If you do too much today, will you be unable to do anything tomorrow? Do you see what I mean?

As I began to recover, I found myself unwilling to stretch myself, to try new things, to achieve more. What helped me greatly was to set a goal and work (very gradually) towards achieving that goal. For example, my first goal in 2007 was to do the Great Bike Ride, a 53 km trip around the Swan River from Perth to Fremantle and back to Perth. I had done a bit of bike riding over the years, but my maximum was about 15 kilometres. To think of riding 53 kilometres was a big thing for me. But I got a riding buddy and I started off at the 15 kilometre mark and increased it gradually week by week until I had ridden 60 kilometres. Unfortunately, the week before the event I got a cold and the doctor advised me not to ride. I was so determined – so much effort had gone into preparing for the ride over a long period of time and I was not going to miss out on the opportunity to achieve what I had set out to do. I did the ride in about 2 hours 33 minutes, which was a good time for me. It did set me back health wise – as the doctor predicted I was sick with the flu for two weeks after that. But what it did for me mentally was worth it. I had never conceived of myself as being able to ride 53 kilometres, but I did it. I then began to wonder – what else is there that I have never thought I would be able to do that might actually be possible for me?

My next goal was the “City to Surf” fun run. I don’t know what possessed me to think of this, as I had never run before in my life and I was over 50, but I started at the end of April and the run was at the end of August 2008. I began by walking and doing 10 steps of running after every 30 walking steps, then increasing the number of running steps until I could do a gentle jog for 10 minutes or so. Then I enrolled in an exercise class which included some cardio work and I very gradually built up. Some physical mechanical problems arose due to my poor running style and lack of good running shoes. I worked with a physiotherapist to address these problems. I was not able to do the 12 k run but I did the 4 k run and came 8th in my age group with a time of 29 minutes.

In 2008 I did the Great Bike Ride again, this time in 2 hours and 3 minutes (I cut 30 minutes off my previous time!). Then I was on a roll. I enrolled in a triathlon training course adding swimming to the mix, and came first in my age group and 12th overall. Swimming was my weak link – I hadn’t swum since I was at primary school over 40 years ago!

Now I feel like I can accomplish anything I want to do. I completed a 567 km bike ride around the very hilly south west in March-April this year and did the 12 km City to Surf fun run in August 2009.  As I have set and achieved each goal it has proved my wellness to me. I am not just back to where I was before I got chronic fatigue – I’m much better than that! I am fitter now than I was in my 20s and 30s. And I now believe that there is much more I can accomplish.

I still find myself tending to hold back just a bit, to be unwilling to go all out, to totally expend my energy in case I hit that wall again. That was such an awful feeling, I never want to go back there. In my training sessions I will start off at an easy pace and maintain that until the final 10 or 15 minutes. Once I know that I have just about made the distance then I am willing to take that risk of going all out for a short while. I hope that as I develop confidence over time I will hold myself back less and less and so I will accomplish more and more. Do you see how my biggest battle is in my mind rather than in my body?

As I mentioned in my previous blog on exercise, a central factor in my being able to make progress with the exercise has been the use of a non-sugar laden energy drink to extend my stamina while doing workouts, and a post-exercise recovery aid. Mentally, this boosted me up and made me more willing to go for it during my exercise sessions because:

1 I believe the EMPACT sports drink give me the stamina to last out a tough session; and

2 I know that the SPORT tablets help me recover afterwards without the dreadful “whammy” effect of dreadfully sore muscles.

For more information, contact me:

CONTACT SUZI
Email:  info@suzimorris.biz
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/SuziMorris
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suzi.morris

Return to post: “Chronic Fatigue – my story”

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CHRONIC FATIGUE – EXERCISE

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April 29, 2009

It’s a double-edged sword when you’ve got chronic fatigue.

You’ve got no energy. You want to be doing things, but you can’t. When you do too much there’s a horrible “whammy” effect – totally drained of energy and a dreadfully sluggish aching body with sore muscles that lasts for days afterwards. There is no such thing as normal recovery time when you have chronic fatigue. It can take nearly a week to recover from even a moderate exercise session.

It doesn’t help to rest. The less you do the less you feel like doing, then the less you are able to do. One of the keys to recovery is to keep trying. My doctor spoke to me about “moderation” and “balance”. He said it just a matter of energy in and energy out. Yeah, right!! All the normal equations just don’t work when you have chronic fatigue. I found it varied on a daily basis. One day I COULD do something, the next day (same diet, same amount of sleep) I just COULD NOT do it! It was so frustrating!

My mantra became – do SOMETHING every day.

Prior to having chronic fatigue I had been working out on a home gym. Once I had chronic fatigue there were some days when all I could do was the stretching session I would normally have done BEFORE I started my workout. If that was all I could do that day, I at least did that. Some days I could do more, and they were good days. You have to reduce your expectations. Your body cannot perform as it once did – you physically hit a wall, and that’s it ….. no more energy.

Don’t wait until you FEEL LIKE working out – you’ll be waiting forever. Your muscles will atrophy, you’ll lose your flexibility and balance and then any movement will be difficult. Do SOMETHING every day. Keep yourself moving and stretching. Keep trying to do more. I often did not feel like working out, I did not enjoy working out, and I didn’t feel great afterwards. But when I didn’t bother to work out – I didn’t feel any better for it. I didn’t have more energy for other things. I didn’t feel positive or powerful or in control. When I didn’t work out I felt more tired and more depressed. I found I was better if I did something rather than nothing.

And by keeping on with it, by doing whatever something you are able to do, and adjusting your diet and nutrition and many other little things you gradually find that you are able to do more…… and more. You feel stronger and better, and gradually you get well.

One thing I MUST mention, as it has been a central factor in my being able to make progress with the exercise, is the use of a non-sugar laden energy drink (EMPACT) to extend my stamina while doing workouts, and a post-exercise recovery aid (SPORT). For more information about these, contact me:

CONTACT SUZI
Email:  info@suzimorris.biz
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/SuziMorris
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There is one other very important part to this exercise session, but I will make that a separate post, called EXERCISE MINDSET.  Stay tuned for this very important factor.

“More about glyconutrients”

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CHRONIC FATIGUE – DIET

Filed Under: Health and wellness by admin — Leave a comment
April 27, 2009

I’m doing a series of posts to give you a bit more information about my battle with chronic fatigue – what worked, what didn’t, where to go for more help.  I will add to it on a regular basis as I get time.

There is no one thing which provides the whole answer. It is a combination of things that help: diet, exercise, supplements being the main ones, so I will start with DIET.

DIET

When you have chronic fatigue, managing your energy levels is difficult. Mostly, you just run out of energy before you run out of day. I remember thinking to myself that it was like having one of those small espresso cups of coffee and that was your energy quota for the day. Not nearly sufficient to get you through a normal 16 hour day! And when it was gone, it was gone. There was no more energy. You found yourself almost at the point of collapse. So one became very cautious about how one spent that energy, and very focused on ways to top it up.

At the beginning of my battle, I used to eat foods that I thought would give me an energy boost – muesli bars, nut bars, chocolate bars etc. Most of these were sugar-laden and provided a short term energy spike which led to a later (even bigger) energy slump. I realised that they weren’t helping me.

My doctor suggested eating foods which are as fresh as possible – young fruits and vegetables that are just picked. Things like sprouts and lots of leafy green vegetables. I tried this, but it didn’t make much difference to me.

In order to give my body the maximum energy and try to maintain that energy at an even level throughout the day, I started eating low GI foods. This turned out to be one of the best things I ever did, and I still eat low GI foods today. Low GI foods are those that contain protein, are more dense, and take longer for your body to process. Therefore they deliver energy over a longer period of time and avoid the energy spikes that come from eating high GI carbohydrate rich and sugar laden foods. For more information on Low GI eating, go to www.glycemicindex.com for a list of foods and their GI. You will also find some great low GI recipes at http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/low+gi

I also eliminated ALL sugar from my diet. I had been a “cookie monster”, loving my cakes and biscuits. I had never had a weight problem and so never needed to pay any particular attention to my diet. I ate pretty much what I liked. However, I hated having chronic fatigue so much and was so determined to get better that I thought it was worth the sacrifice to cut sugars out of my diet. Initially it was difficult, but once you have been through the “withdrawal” period your body adjusts and you no longer crave the sugar. After a while, the sweet treats you used to love are no longer enjoyable, as they taste just TOO sweet. I was quite zealous about this. No sugary drinks at all, no lollies, chocolate, cakes, biscuits, ice creams. If I allowed myself to have even just one lolly it would start the craving for more. Like an alcoholic I suppose – can’t stop at just one drink!

Cutting out sugars from my diet is one thing that did make a marked difference. It seemed to make my body less achey and a little less lethargic. If I indulged and had sweets one evening when we were out to tea I really regretted it the next day, as I felt heaps worse. I learned that it was worth making the sacrifice. Interestingly enough, now that I have recovered I find that I can eat the sweet stuff again without any after effects. I still stick with a low GI diet, but I’m not quite so extreme about eliminating ALL sugars.

Cutting out all sugars is one thing I would highly recommend if you have chronic fatigue. When I met other people with chronic fatigue I would tell them of how much I had benefited from cutting out sugars, but they were horrified and said they couldn’t do THAT! I was surprised at their reaction – I was so desperate I would have done anything to get well, but they preferred to stay sick. Go figure! If you need more convincing that sugar is not good for you, go to http://www.formerfatguy.com/articles/124reasons-no-sugar.asp

I also cut out tea, coffee and alcohol. I wanted to keep my body as “clean” as possible and not give it any toxin load to cope with. Again, this seemed to help, and I would recommend you try it. I drank lots of plain water and green tea (for its anti-oxidants). I really enjoy a glass of wine, but again I decided it was worth the sacrifice to be well. At social events I would drink soda water, either plain or with a small amount of natural orange juice (no added sugar!).  Again, now that I am well I find it doesn’t affect me at all to have a glass of wine.  But while I was sick, it made a big difference to cut it out.

I used to eat a lot of plain yogurt – it is good for your intestinal health. However I discovered much later that although I am not lactose intolerant I actually do better on a non-dairy diet. Cutting out dairy foods seems to agree with my body, and I still use only soy milk and keep the use of cheese to a minimum.

I discovered the benefits of a non-dairy diet while on a liver-cleansing diet. I would never have thought to try this, but my doctor discovered that my liver was not doing well as a result of some medicine I had been taking and he put me on a liver cleansing diet. I was already 2 years into my healing journey by then. I wasn’t happy about this to start with, but it did make a difference to how I felt and it did fix my liver problem. A sluggish liver that is not performing properly can make you feel terrible. So a liver cleansing diet is always worth a try.

What works as far as diet is concerned is a very personal thing. I have told you what works for me, but we are all different. If you want to be well, it is worth trying these suggestions. Don’t make excuses in your own mind about why you shouldn’t try it – have a go and if it makes a difference to you, then you will be glad you did.

CONTACT SUZI
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