Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - The Road to Recovery Blog

SCENAR What?

2009-10-21T13:24:00.005+11:00

You may have read of a therapy, called SCENAR therapy, on this blog in some of Lauren's posts. I thought I would post a bit about my experience with SCENAR, so you could understand a bit more about it.

SCENAR was developed in Russia over a 25 year period from the 1970's after a research company was commissioned to invent a therapy to keep the cosmonauts healthy in space. It was a combination of Ancient Chinese energetic therapy with modern bio feedback technology. It has been used in Australia for the last 6 or 7 years.

I was introduced to the therapy when I attended treatment for the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome I was suffering. After the first session I felt different. Brighter, less fuzzy in the head and I started to wake up in the morning feeling somewhat refreshed for the first time in many years.

After I'd had 5 sessions, Lauren (who was quite pregnant) started to kick me to get up to our 13month old instead of her (I was that good I could do this with no real problem). I was also sleeping in the multi layer therapy blanket (more about this in another post).

I was able to exert my body in exercise & be recharged after only a short rest. I could do a lot more in a day without getting sick the next day. All this after 5 sessions of therapy over only three weeks. All the other therapies I had tried had taken months if not years to make an effect. The improvements I have made with SCENAR have been permanent & I continue to improve.
It has made a HUGE improvement in my health.

I subsequently trained in SCENAR therapy & use it in my physiotherapy practice for the effective treatment of a very wide range of complaints. Many, many problems are resolved quicker & more fully than with conventional techniques.

Good websites for more info are SCENAR HEALTH USA & SCENAR HEALTH CANADA & SCENAR HEALTH AUSTRALIA.

SCENAR HEALTH Australia was where I went for treatment. SCENAR is also in other countries just not with SCENAR HEALTH, you could Google it.

Taking A Break

2009-09-08T08:58:00.003+10:00

We'll be taking an extended break from this blog.

If you'd like more helpful info about health you can visit Lauren's website (username: ghs password: crown) there are some fabulous video files worth watching.

Or if you want to know what's going on for us visit Lauren's Blog Three Kids & a Pot of Cold Tea.

Cancer Info Part 5

2009-09-02T15:20:00.003+10:00

1. No plastic containers in microwave.

2. No water bottles in freezer. (Possibly this means no Chinese Food containers in Freezer either)

Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Cancer Info Part 4

2009-09-02T15:19:00.002+10:00

Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Cancer Info Part 3

2009-09-02T15:17:00.001+10:00

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water.. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

f. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

g. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

h.. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

Cancer Info Part 2

2009-09-02T15:16:00.002+10:00

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors..

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

Cancer Info Part 1

2009-09-02T15:07:00.004+10:00

I received an e-mail this week from a friend with information about cancer in it that we have known for years now. But it was always considered "alternative weirdo" stuff.

The info was claimed to have comes out of John Hopkins University. So I thought oooh - it's gone main stream! However, the University denies this & says the e-mail is a hoax. See the following link for their response: (http://www.hoax-slayer.com/cancer-tips-john-hopkins.shtml)

They do admit though that it includes information that is "true" or partly "true". "True"in my experience with specialists generally means "clinically tested" not just anecdotal evidence.

It is information that is well worth passing on as it has helped a lot of people fight cancer & helped us fight CFS. Even though it might not be true yet!

I'll break it up into smaller blog size chunks.

Phew!

2009-09-01T09:11:00.002+10:00

No crash, Craig's made it through the worst with a few timely day sleeps, extra supplements & a lot of SCENAR.

We have also made a pact to go to bed early & this has resulted in a few early morning exercise sessions. Brisk 10 minute walk, 7 minute run & 10minute walk home.

Perhaps it's the sunshine returning that has inspired him but it is nice to see that he doesn't seem to crash & burn anymore.

There is hope.

Will the Crash Come?

2009-08-19T10:13:00.003+10:00

I'm watching Craig closely at the moment.

He is working incredible days. His business has taken off in the last month into the crazysphere. His receptionist retired & his is waiting for the new one to start in September. He has a ten week old baby, a 3 year old son & an almost 2 year old son, a breastfeeding wife and a sore throat.

His opportunity for down time is so insanely reduced that I can see a crash coming on.

We are supplementing, SCENARing and doing Yoga whenever we can.

Being self employed is not really good for you at this point.

Oils aint Oils

2009-08-14T13:36:00.004+10:00

Being a breastfeeding mum I've been encouraged to get enough Essential fatty acids or Omega 3 & Omega 6 & DHA supplements as they do play a big role in lactation.

Recently, I realised how little I knew about the function of EFAs when I read that they help our bodies to 'take up' minerals. I had no idea.

Here are some of the other things I didn't really know.

*Omega-3 positively affects our mental health, a common symptom of Omega-3 deficiency is depression.

*EFAs are needed to make & repair cell membranes so that our cells can take in the best nutrition & get rid of waste products efficiently.

*EFAs enable us to make prostaglandins which regulate our heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, fertility, conception.

*In our immune system they regulate inflammation thus encouraging the body to fight infection.

*Children need EFAs for proper growth of their brains & their senses. Boys need more than girls.

*Babies & fetuses need EFAs through their mothers & their milk.

*Omega-6 & 3 imbalance is linked with the following serious health problems; heart attacks, cancer, asthma, lupus, stroke, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, schizophrenia, depression, arthritis, ADHD & Alzhemer's. (& I would hazard a guess to say CFS!)

If you want more info a good blog source is http://goodfats.pamrotella.com/

Added Nutrients

2009-08-14T13:03:00.005+10:00

We watched Food Investigators on SBS the other night.

A few worrying trends, in the compulsory fortification of our foods, especially bread, were flagged.

Specifically, the government legislating to, add folic acid & iodine to supermarket shelf bread.

It is very frustrating to see the typical reactionary response. I think it is very irresponsible of the government to 'cover' for the people rather than make people take responsibility for their own health.

The government should start with industry growers & work on enabling farming that doesn't strip the soil, Industry that doesn't poison the air & the water, Building that doesn't destroy entire ecosystems. Then work with the processing & transportation people to make sure food isn't stored & sprayed until there are no nutrients left.

Then they should educate people about whole foods & if they were really brave legislate to restrict the over processing of food.

Instead they recommend pumping empty food full again at the other end.

It makes no sense!

The Cold Shoulder Shower.

2009-08-03T16:19:00.004+10:00

One crazy remedy we tried, that stuck, was making the last minute, of your hot shower, cold.

Fully cold.

Refreshing in summer. Breath stealing in winter!

But we found (& still find) it does invigorate. It wakes you up very quickly (and it makes you braver!).

We heard something about leg therapy - walking in hot, then cold, then hot, then cold baths would increase blood flow to the surface of the skin and then restrict it & this would kick start a healing process. We also read about some crazy Russians who swam every morning in the frozen lakes & how healthy (& old) they were.

The Bondi Icebergs would agree I'm sure.

Raw Food Free Teleclass

2009-07-31T20:51:00.005+10:00

The Raw Food Coach is holding a free teleclass

Wednesday 5 August 2009
Time: 9pm UK, 1pm Pacific, 2pm Mountain, 3pm Central, 4pm Eastern

Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 6:00:00 AM Sydney, Eastern Standard Time

DURATION: 75 minutes approx.

For people interested in Raw Food Diets or those wanting to get back into Raw Food or spice up their Raw Food Diet.

We eat about 80% Raw when we're inspired. We'll be hooking into it if we can.

The proffered Olive Branch (or leaf!)

2009-07-25T11:58:00.001+10:00

We are right into taking antioxidant supplements - they give you loads of energy & help to detox your system.

They stop "oxidation" or destabilisation of cells by 'free radicals'. (it's a very confusing process of stealing (free radicals) & sharing (antioxidants) electrons, that I still don't really understand. All I know is that they allow oxygen to work & give our cells energy & stop damage that is being done!

We should be getting them through fresh fruits & vegies but problems with poor diet & poor quality food means we need a supplement. When you have a chronic illness you need more supplementing than most!

I especially need them after a long session of radiation at the computer! I often feel very bombarded & will sometimes get a sore throat. (I have to be careful not to sit here with the baby too often.)

We take a daily one called Revenol by Neways International. (Quality product - click on the link if you want to read more about it. When you get there scroll down to the products starting with R). When we first started using it we noticed increased energy & less smelly underarms!

Recently we've been introduced to Olive Leaf Extract by a Naturopath friend of ours. He thinks it's the best. Craig had a bizarre detox reaction when we started using it. He had bright yellow liquid running out of his nose. So it obviously also works.

The kids take the Olive Leaf Extract in a 'Monster Drink' with minerals & fish oil in a wheatgrass juice. Pretty ugly drink but they enjoy it & line up every morning!

Eating for Fuel not Fancy

2009-07-25T11:40:00.003+10:00

If you want energy from what you eat here are a few tips:

1) Eat Raw whenever you can - Great place to go for online advice about eating Raw is the RAW FOOD COACH

2) Eat organic if you can afford it/find it

3) Eat fresh - (Avoid supermarket raw food. It's so old a lot of the vitamin content is lost!)

4) Eat the correct balance of acid/alkali foods (Boost your alkalinity and lose weight)

5) Don't eat the express train foods (fruits etc) directly behind the freight train foods (meat & stodge) The result is a fermenting train smash in your tummy - Those men with the pregnant bellies? Sometimes there are up to 30 dinners stuck in there!

Yoga & The Five Tibetans - by Barry Hogg

2009-07-13T21:00:00.004+10:00

Finally did yoga DVD tonight after a 6 month break due to my expanding frame. Feel so much better already.

A few years ago Craig was asked by a patient to review Yoga & The Five Tibetans - by Barry Hogg for its safety with regards to a back injury.

Being a yoga video, Craig was not interested in the slightest. So I reviewed it.

It turned out that, not only was it good for strengthening backs, it was great for reducing fatigue. Craig was also happy to do it once he knew it was not 'spiritual' yoga, just exercises, with 5 fairly harmless affirmations thrown in.

We ordered our own copy online. http://www.tibetanrites.com/

Here are some reasons why we chose this DVD to do regularly to help with our CFS recovery (3 times a week up to daily when possible).

1) It is not too long or too short (DVD is 32 minutes but once you know the routine you can get it down to 15 minutes of exercises alone without watching the DVD)

2) It is a low/ mostly no impact routine

3) The exercises are taught with levels for beginning, improving and good flexibility/strength.

4) It is a lycra & make up free DVD. Becoming like the instructor is possible for most. (although when I checked the website it looks like Barry has updated the DVD & is no longer wearing his T-shirt tucked into his trackies!)

5) It contains the most achievable stomach work-out ever produced. (Great for those of us with absolutely no motivation in this department!)

We found it was guaranteed to (in no particular order);

1) make us taller (at first for a few hours then for weeks/months while we were disciplined). Great for posture correction.

2) speed up our intestines (which were sluggish due to CFS)

3) give us an energy boost

4) improve our outlook on the day

5) strengthen our lower backs

6) improve all over body flexibility & strength

7) shed fat & tone up the whole body

All in all we recommend it highly.

Tap or Bottled?

2009-07-07T20:51:00.010+10:00

We did an impromptu first aid course today. The end of term walk, planned for our women's bible study, was canned, due to rain, so one of the nurses gave a first aid talk .

It was very cute. Both my boys were patients & were duly bandaged, although my 3yo was none too happy when told he'd been bitten by a snake & his little friend refused, in tears, to be involved when it meant she had a broken arm.

Anyway - long story short - something the speaker mentioned about dehydration (& how sugar makes things worse for patients with diahorrea so they don't use flat lemonade any more) made me remember one of Craig's old patients.

He was a retired Osteopath and very 'into' water as a healer. He gave us an excerpt from a book, illegally photocopied so I have no idea of the source, I'm sorry.

The chapter was about a doctor who was imprisoned in a concentration camp or detention centre. Completely overcrowded and no medical supplies. However, once people knew he was a doctor they still came to him with their ailments.

The doctor's only resource was water.

Recognising that most people were dehydrated he prescribed extra water. He found he was able to 'cure' all kinds of things, from back ache to stomach ulcers, just by increasing how much water people drank.

We always 'take' water for headaches in our family. I know if I have too many cups of tea in a day & forget to drink cold water as well I get a headache. And since reading this Craig tells his patients to drink more water as a maintenance policy. If the discs in your back are well hydrated & you are less likely to get pain etc.

How much do you drink?

To shampoo or not to shampoo?

2009-07-06T11:53:00.009+10:00

We use shampoo & conditioner.

However, we avoid shampoo with Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) or any of it's other names & Propolyne Glycol in the ingredient list. (If you want to know what we use email us). These two ingredients are both stored in the body's organs & have potentially harmful, long term effects on the body.

We began avoiding them after we discovered what they could do to us.

Propylene Glycol

affects liver and kidneys suspected of causing abnormalities;
central nervous system depression,
skin and eye irritant,
a carcinogen in trials with experimental animals,
a teratogen and the cause of adverse reproductive effects.

It is also found in: shampoo, cosmetics, hand/body lotion, industrial anti-freeze, moisturiser, hair conditioners, soap, baby-wipes, detergent, hand cream, hair dye, mascara, antibiotics, medications.

SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate)

can cause tissue damage that could result in liver, brain, heart and lung damage in the long term;
can cause cataracts;
causes improper eye development in children (effects the protein structure of the eyeball),
can cause degradation of the immune system;
severe skin irritation and drying of the skin; (some people find their back acne clears up when they stop using it.)
hair loss and contact eczema;
damages DNA within the cells,
in toothpaste it can cause mouth ulcers,

It is found in: Toothpaste, hand & body wash, shampoo, bubble bath, hair conditioner, moisturiser, emollient cream, mascara, industrial cleaners, antibiotics

Many CFS sufferers claim they see great changes in their health just stopping the toxic load from personal health products like shampoo & conditioner. We did.

So far our kids don't use any at all. Their hair is lovely (although the the boys have a little cradle cap on the scalp). I'll be interested to see if they need it in the long run (maybe the sweaty teenage years?).

I have a sister who only washes her hair with water. I'm not sure how it goes in summer with chlorine pools & salt water but it looks quite lovely.

What do you do?

Help in times of need.

2009-07-06T11:46:00.003+10:00

Thinking about my last post, it might sound like we are ungrateful towards the people who did so faithfully look after us while Craig was sick, eg. our parents & other family & leaders & friends from church who cared for us in crisis times.

We were not uncared for, it's just different & I am just so grateful at the moment for the care we are receiving because we definitely need it.

I am also aware of how much God needed to show me we could manage with His help alone. Perhaps I would not be so grateful now if I had come to expect help all the time.

The difference between having a chronic illness & having babies.

2009-06-27T15:11:00.005+10:00

When you have a baby everybody knows.
When you have a chronic illness sometimes even you don't know.

When you have a chronic illness people think you're coping (or you should be.)
When you have babies nobody expects you to cope.

When you have a baby people know how to help you through the tough times (your bible study group organises a meal roster, family bring meals & help with your household chores, the neighbours & friends pitch in & visit more often to occupy the other kids, some bring meals, you feel very supported)
When you have a chronic illness people still expect you to help them.

When you have a baby, after a few years it grows up & begins to help around the home.
When you have a chronic illness, it often keeps you in crisis mode the same as when it first arrived, sometimes it gets worse, sometimes it gets better but it rarely offers to help around the home.

Cornflour - Why does it work?

2009-06-21T18:13:00.003+10:00

Every time my kids have a red, blistery bottom rash I always use cornflour & it always clears the rash up within 24 hours if not earlier. It is also a great preventative. But I can't work out why.

I have tried to look to see if cornflour has anti-fungal/anti-inflammatory properties and I get two different answers on the internet. The baby answer - on baby sites is that cornflour feeds thrush or fungus so don't use it or your child might get thrush or it might get worse. But I can't find any proof of this on the net.

The science answer is that cornflour is used as an anti-fungal in gardening & crop soil preparation. It also has anti viral & anti bacterial properties. One naturl health site claimed that purple cornflour has anti-inflammatory properties but I couldn't find that for the white stuff. All their articles use big scientific terms & diagrams & are quite hard to read but seem to be research based.

So what's the story? I know it works better than any cream I've ever tried at a fraction of the cost but I a being told it doesn't work & will make my problem worse. But I can't find research to support this only research to support (in a very round about way) that it does work.

Can anyone point me to research that proves why I shouldn't use it?

It's a Girl

2009-06-14T21:23:00.002+10:00

Born Wednesday 10th June 2009, our beautiful baby girl. 3.87kg, 53.5cm, with a full head of black hair just like her Dad.

Home from hospital this morning. Lauren & baby both great.

Why doesn't everyone have CFS?

2009-06-09T13:03:00.004+10:00

Watching T.V. last night, (Top Gear & Desperate Housewives are our two shows for the week - both on Mondays) I couldn't help but wonder that everyone doesn't have CFS?

Every other add was for some kind of 'mask your pain' medication, or 'kill the bacteria the toxic way' cleaner or 'get your vitamins & minerals the cheats way' food. ie eat ice cream for your afternoon calcium!! What is that?

Do people believe these adds?

Or do they believe the ones for preventatives; fresh food, quality supplements, exercise & health, products that do not harm the environment or our health?

It is so confusing when people can basically advertise whatever they want and everyone is trying to 'educate' through their 30 second grab. Why on earth would you believe any of it!

When everyone has an agenda or a sales pitch it is so hard to know who to believe.

There is a great website called the Campaign for Truth in Medicine you might want to check out. Interestingly they say their campaign is being hindered by people with alternatives pushing their own barrows a bit too much rather than cooperating for the truths' sake. (These are the guys who wrote ABCs of Disease that helped us so much with a good diet.)

http://campaignfortruth.com/home.htm

Wouldn't it be awesome if we didn't have this problem. I often wonder what it would be like to live in a time when environmental illness wasn't an issue. But I guess living in a fallen world we'd have some other issue.

What's the difference?

2009-06-07T15:03:00.006+10:00

Just trying to figure out why preparing for this baby is so much more relaxed than the previous two.

Is it simply because we've done it twice before?

Is it because having a 3 year old & and 21 month old leaves you little time/energy to dedicate to fear of the unknown.

Is it because we don't have to rush around buying anything?

Is it because the kids are older & less demanding than they've been (although I wasn't even working full time in my first pregnancy so that can't be it)

Are we just less selfish? (YES!)

Or is it because for the first time in our married life, let alone my pregnant life, I am actually the tiredest person in the house & I'm actually getting some (relative) rest from normal activities. ie Craig has been able to help with the last half hour of the kids' evening routine, willing to help with dinner & heaps of housework (I have to say that - I asked him to read this post! That is after making dinner for the fifth time this week and washing up before doing the ironing), & on the weekends Craig is keen to spend time with the kids and me because he has the energy to do so. I have even been taking rests on my own!!!!!

The last two pregnancies Craig had CFS. He was working but that was about it. If I needed any rest - he needed more. If I couldn't do any work around the house - neither could he, so it just piled up. If I didn't have the patience or stamina to keep going with my son, I had no hope of asking him to pick up the pieces. If I couldn't face another early morning start - bad luck. If I had been up all night with a sick child I just had to keep going when the sun rose. The buck stopped with me.

But this time we've been taking turns on the early morning shift for months. Craig actually wakes in the night if the kids wake (I should say when the kids wake.)

Things are very, very different and I think the main difference is that my husband isn't tired all the time.

May His Beauty Rest Upon Me....

2009-06-03T14:24:00.003+10:00

This morning someone told me I looked beautiful.

In context, I was at playgroup with the boys and, a lady, who I don't really know, commented on the fact that I must be due very soon because my tummy is enormous. Then she said 'but you don't look like other pregnant women, you're radiant, in fact, you look beautiful'.

It was an odd moment.

It's not the kind of comment I have ever had from a stranger before. But this morning it was significant. Not because I have started using a new face cream & can now testify as to it's immediate results.

But here is the thing.

Yesterday I read an e-mail from a friend. In it was a web address for 'Life Application Ministries' website. In the afternoon, I read parts of the site. Then, abandoning all home responsibilities, I went back and took some notes.

The gist of the site is 'healing through truth in God's word'. The pages I read were 'spiritual roots' & spiritual 'blocks', then I went back & read their 'faith statement' & the intro to understand what they were trying to achieve.

At first I was quite skeptical. I still am not sure if they leave room for God not to heal, if he chooses (& I believe he does not always heal). But as I read, I realised that I needed to leave room for the fact that he can & does heal in many cases, I couldn't just say because he doesn't have to he won't.

Most of the 'spiritual roots' for diseases listed were fairly universal sins that the enemy loves to encourage in us in whatever way he can (like fear, rage, desire to control, bitterness, unforgiveness, broken relationship, generational sin, unresolved conflict). But as I read them listed as roots for disease they made a lot of sense, particularly as I looked at the major diseases I have had in my life (ADD, Bulemia, CFS, Panic Attacks & Nervous Breakdown) and their 'roots'.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of specific sins (not vague, impossible to pinpoint feelings of sinfulness - that kind of guilt is demonic). And last night as I read & wrote down specific sins listed as specific 'roots' for my diseases, I couldn't deny any of them. (Although, in some cases the sin has reduced or changed since I became a Christian - they were still there!) I also couldn't deny that I am still symptomatic, in some form or other, for all of these diseases.

So I asked Craig to pray with me. I confessed my specific sins to the Lord & repented of them & asked him to cast out any influencing spirits, I asked him to fill me instead with his Holy Spirit & his love and to guide my steps & change my heart in each specific circumstance, through Jesus Christ.

I have never felt so light as I felt going to bed last night & waking this morning. For the first time I can remember, I did not wake with a racing heart, I did not fear my children waking each other as they each got up me up, before the light, for a drink of milk. I enjoyed the time cuddling them both alone before they went back to snooze till the sun rose.

I felt joyful saying good morning to my husband as he grunted into wakefulness. I enjoyed dozing as the boys eventually got up and watched a video (yes we are old fashioned) before I got up at 7.00am. When they fought about something, the usual anger did not come to cause me to leap into action. I listened, relaxed, & they sorted it out eventually. I actually fell asleep sleep in my husband's arms - something I have never been able to do.

Once I was up everything just happened in an orderly way - the kids still had their moments, but I didn't have my usual 'internal fear' reactions to them. By the time I arrived at playgroup at 10am on a pouring rainy day, everyone was dressed - with shoes! The house was orderly, dinner was thought about and underway, washing was done & hung out to dry, I had renewed my driver's licence (with a nice photo - for the first time ever), bought the bread, played with the children both at home and at the shops and not once had to fear, panic or be angry about anything.

So when this lady said 'you look beautiful' she had no idea that I also felt beautiful. I felt Jesus was living fully in me & it feels wonderful.

Regretfully, I did not tell her all this, so there is the irony. This is not heaven & I know I am still sinful flesh. But I am so thankful to My Father in heaven for healing my heart by His Spirit & through His son Jesus. I repent of not telling that lady that I am just a channel. It is Jesus who is beautiful in me. So now I'm telling you. I hope & pray that you will forget me & see only Christ in this post.

Due Date

2009-06-01T12:32:00.002+10:00

Just so you know our baby is due on the 10th of June. So if we drop off the radar for a while that will be the reason. We'll let you know if all is well & whether it's a boy or a girl when we get back online afterwards. We'll just keep blogging until then.

Exercise... is this really happening?

2009-06-01T11:13:00.004+10:00

Craig has had some pretty huge exercise breakthroughs in the last two weeks. (Just in time for the new baby to stop him in his tracks!)

Last week he played an impromptu, Sunday afternoon, game of soccer with our church. It was perfect for whetting the appetite for more 'aggressive' participation in sport. It was about 25 a side with lots of kids on the field. So nothing too tiring. But there was opportunity for the occasional burst of un-heart monitored 'speed'.

Then 2 nights this week he has managed 60 laps of the 15m pool in our complex without negative after-effects. The second night he says he pushed a lot harder.

So far so good.

Exercise is the last frontier for Craig. He has always tried to do something to be 'active' & maintain a basic level of fitness. Starting at walking from the bedroom to the bathroom and reaching about 20 slow laps of the ocean pool or a medium paced, heart-monitored walk.

We've heard success stroies from two monitored, exercise programs;

Start at 1minute of activity a day & add a minute every day for ten weeks. This one has succeeded in getting people back to pre-CFS jogging levels.
Start at 1 minute of activity (walking, swimming, cycling) per day. Build it daily by 1 minute until you are up to 24 minutes. Then have a day of rest. Then continue at 24 minutes every second day for 30 days. Then increase as desired.

If you've tried any others with success (or without success!) or have any other suggestions for people, please comment.

We never bothered with a monitored program. Craig just did it himself. Being a Physio he knew the benefits of movement &, being Craig, has been diligent throughout his time with CFS with gentle aerobic exercise and strengthening exercises so his muscles don't atrophy (Way more than me).

I read a book at one point about starting a walking program that said just get up 30 minutes earlier every day & start walking. 30 minutes moving will be better for you than those last 30 minutes of sleep.

So once Craig was at a point where he could exercise, beyond work, we started a morning walk routine which became 45minutes of medium paced walking with a heart monitor. That lasted until our second son refused to sit in the pram & since then we have struggled to exercise together. Craig has been swimming, on the way home from work, with varying regularity.

Craig has needed to maintain a strong body so that he can work. He has a physical job so his motivation is huge. His problem has been getting his heart rate over 120bpm. If he ever pushed himself a little too hard the result was always sore throat and big glands by morning.

But these last two weeks have been different & that's in spite of a very recent, severe virus. He reckons it is all because of SCENAR. He has been working really hard to treat himself since he got sick last month. He says that if he didn't have SCENAR he would be still flat on his back and sleeping 20 hours a day. But, because we started treating him the moment he got sick, he has had a really fast recovery. It seems that possibly it has helped him get over the lingering post exertional malaise dimension of his CFS.

Lets hope this is for real! We'll keep you posted.

If you want more info about SCENAR this is the web address for the people who treated and have since mentored Craig. http://www.scenarhealth.com/ Really nice people & very passionate about making SCENAR more accepted in the mainstream medical world. (In Russia it's used in hospitals but here they think we're weirdos - typical)

And they call us hypocrites.....

2009-05-27T19:59:00.005+10:00

I have no idea how I will bring this idea for a post around to CFS but let's see if it can't be done!

I actually spent time in a shopping mall by myself a couple of weeks back. I had a limited time but no children who needed my attention. So I spent a bit of time "just browsing" in shop windows as I ticked off my "to do" list.

Two windows stood out. I was so shocked by what I saw & read that I didn't take in the name of either shop so I can't name & shame them. Both dress shops. However, I remember their advertising a little too clearly.

The first targeted teens, early 20's and fashion victims in general. Filling one floor to ceiling window was the picture of a 14 - 15 year old girl. Wearing more accessories than dress, her make up & posture conveying naive but unmistakable intent, she was accompanied by the slogan 'Meet me behind the bike shed.'

The second targeted 20 - 30 somethings, so the clothing had generally more surface area. A large, half window, photograph showed smiling 20 somethings, 3 females & 3 males of the attractive variety, in politically correct hair & skin colours, laying intertwined on a bed. The slogan read "Love more than one".

Now, it may be just me but, isn't there something slightly hypocritical about a society that allows advertising like this in its malls and then turns around & sacks a soccer player for underage sex one week and an ex- footballer loses his television career the next week because he 'loved more than one' 7 years ago? The media claims they should have known better & they can't be our role models. But where, I ask, are they meant to get these high standards from? It is definitely not from the mall.

Personally, I suggest that the footballers & soccer players, the teenagers, 20somethings & 30somethings, the advertising companies, the dress shops & the mall owners would all profit from reading Proverbs 5 before they follow the advice of the dress shop windows. Then they may be saved from ever having to admit "I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly."

I guess for all CFS sufferers & spouses Proverbs 5 is good reading. Working out your sex life to honour your marriage partner (present or future) and to honour the Lord is vital in any one's life so that the devil will not get a foothold.

For many, living with CFS, "Not tonight dear, I've got a headache" - can be a painful truism. I don't have all the answers for couples. But I recommend prayer Phil 4:6 and making your spouse a priority 1 Cor 7:2-4 while at the same time adjusting your expectations to suit your situation, less T.V, more bible, taking advantage of good days & good hours to work on your marriage in this way & working on improving your health & your godliness so you can serve your spouse in this way.

Culling the Photos

2009-05-25T15:27:00.007+10:00

To our first home, a small flat in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, with bars on every window, I brought a lot of baggage. Much of it emotional - hence my nervous breakdown a year later.

I also brought a, fairly unreasonable, dowry of photo albums. 23. (plus 3 boxes of loose photos - not to mention 2 wedding albums)

Craig brought 1. It has a been a minor sticking point every time we have moved since. "Where are we going to put these? Do you really need these?"

Up till this year I have stuck to my guns, "We'll find somewhere, yes I do need them."

But to be honest we have lugged them around for 6 years & I haven't looked at them once. About 3 months ago, during renovations, they were unearthed again, from the back of the cupboard, and I made a ruthless decision. I would cull my photos from before our marriage (29 years of my life!) into 1 album.

Now, I have been lugging these photos around for a long time, I am 36 and I left home (the first time) at 21. They have had at least 9 homes since. What was I thinking?

As I've been culling, I have been blown away by how few I actually need or want! I have moved on, well and truly, from many of the places, events & relationships in each album & half of them are blurry!

If I'm honest. really it just seemed easier to keep them on the shelf than to go through the long and 'presumably difficult' process of culling.

Strangely I have enjoyed the process. I like looking at the photos & I love the thud, of each culled album, as it hits the bin. It has been long. (But everything is in my life at the moment) It has been a little bit difficult, but not very.

To me the whole process has been a good analogy for life. It has made me do some hard inward looking. What am I carrying around for no reason, (or for old reasons) that is weighing me down?

Am I holding on because the change just seems too hard or too painful in the short term? Would I be pleasantly surprised if I actually bothered to make a change? What am I heading for if I don't change? (We had at least 30 albums in the house before I started culling! Luckily there was no housefire, I never would have made it out!)

What would I have room for & what weight would be lifted, for myself and others, if I bothered to cull me?

Aren't all Probiotics the same? Probiotics - Part 3

2009-05-25T15:08:00.005+10:00

Ellerman says (& he names the researchers etc);

"many so-called probiotic species on the market actually stimulate bad bacteria, rather than suppress them which is what we want them to do."

When I saw him speak he also said that a lot of strains are dead before you buy them. So you must make sure that the one you take is a survivor!

"Lactobacillus acidophilus LAFTI strain L10 (good bacteria) has been shown to switch the immune system away from an inflammatory response and toward an increased resistance to infection, presumably by inhibiting and displacing bad bacteria.

The result is that asthma, hayfever and eczma can potentially be significantly reduced. The same strain has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of bouts of the common cold and to reverse chronic fatigue in athletes."

"......combinations of the resistant starch, Hi-maize 958 and Bifidobacterium lactis LAFTI strain B94, facilitate the deletion of cancer cells in the rat colon."

So probiotics are important for maintaining good health but they are not all the same and they are not all effective. So choose carefully.

Why Bother with Probiotics? Probiotics - Part 2

2009-05-25T15:07:00.002+10:00

1. The human body contains roughly 10 trillion human cells. However, the intestine contains 90 trillion bacterial cells! Within this bacterial biomass there are about 1000 different species and the capacity to dramatically impact on health if the balance of good and bad bacteria is seriously disturbed.

2. Increases in certain bad bacteria are known to produce neurotxins which cause paralysis of the bowel that leads to constipation.

3. If bad bacteria bind to structures in the small intestine called "Peyer's Patches" in greater numbers than good bacteria the immune system will switch towards a more inflammatory response and reduce our resistance to infection.

4. Bloating in the small intestine can be caused by an overgrowth of yeast or bacteria or both. What we eat feeds the overgrowth and produces gas which is trapped in the gut, hence the bloating.

5. An overgrowth of bad bacteia also can cause the small intestine to 'leak' by compromising the barrier properties of the small intestine. So harmful bacteria can travel across the wall of the intestine into the bloodstream triggering auto immune diseases in those of us who are genetically predisposed.

6. If large food molecules "leak" across the broken barrier into the bloodstream antibodies form to fight the 'invasion' leading to food sensitivities to these foods.

Probiotics - Not all the same so choose carefully - Part 1

2009-05-25T13:29:00.007+10:00

This is a three post article because it has turned out to be so long!

I recently read an article called 'Probiotics-There is a Difference' published in Issue#114 of Wellbeing Magazine. The article was by John Ellerman a microbiologist who developed the probiotic formulation that we take.

I have heard him speak before. He is an Australian, typically laconic, dry to listen to, but his information is fascinating. Hearing John Ellerman speak about a year ago convinced us to begin taking probiotics seriously (& regularly).

(Just an aside: We even gave some to our baby who was having trouble with his poos. They were hard enough to cause a major injury, if you threw one, and he was only a few months old. He had had constant painful wind since birth. A nurse asked me if his was cesarean section birth, and when I said "yes", said that C-section babies miss out the extra gulp of good bacteria to line their intestines that other babies get as they go through the vaginal canal. She suggested we put him on our probiotic, only a reduced dose (1/4 the adult dose). It took only days for him to be a completely different child. Happy to feed, happy to poo and calmer to sleep.)

The probiotic we take contains Lactobacillus Acidophilus LAFTI strain L10 and Bifidobacterium Lactis LAFTI strain B94 (both probiotics - good bacteria). These are combined with Hi-maize 958 (a resistant starch) & Inulin/Fructo-oligosaccharide (both prebiotics - in laymans terms food for the probiotics).

When mixed together with prebiotics the probiotics multiply very rapidly so you get a super dose.

I'll summarize and quote Ellerman's article here because I've been reminded why Probiotics are so good for CFS sufferers.

It's divided into two posts - Why bother with Probiotics? and Aren't all Probiotics the Same?

NEW BOOK STORE

2009-05-20T15:16:00.004+10:00

One of the things we found tricky was knowing how to cook & what to cook when we tried to detox & change our diet.

At the time we managed to find two pretty hopeless cook books.

One very loosely based their diet on the book of Daniel in the bible and claimed all kinds of false truths about what God said we should eat based on a few out of context bible verses. But there were a couple of good recipes in it that kept us from starving, and the other was okay but basically just used substitute ingredients in well known recipes (this is a good skill to learn but you can teach yourself).

So we basically taught ourselves to cook with whole foods and invented our own recipes. None of which are really good enough to publish.

Recently we've looked again and in 6 years there has been a proliferation of good cook books published on the subject.

So we've just added a book store to our side bar. At the moment it includes only recipe books we would recommend but we plan to include encouraging or helpful books for sufferers of CFS.

There are some great books about cooking for anti Candida diets, food allergies, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, IBS, Chron's Disease, Coeliac Disease, Colitis. Some are specific for kids & families others are just general. Check it out

Christians with Chronic Illness Blog #2 Carnival is up

2009-05-17T16:52:00.002+10:00

You can read my post for the carnival - if you haven't already - and loads of other encouraging posts at the following address.

http://chronicillnesssupport.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/christians-with-chronic-illness-blog-carnival-2

On Never Having it Easy

2009-05-15T15:16:00.003+10:00

We've been flat out this week, hence no blogging.

I'm tempted often to complain about things being too hard. If we're not too sick we're too busy, too tired, too poor or too something else.

But, as Craig gently reminded me this week after we'd done our budget for the year, if things got "easy" we wouldn't be living the life that God wants us to live. Whenever we put God first we will be aliens in this world and most likely be under greater temptation to sin & spiritual attack.

A few verses have encouraged me to stop complaining and repent before the devil gets a foothold. Here they are, hope they encourage you too.

Isaiah 30:15
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Philippians 2:14
Do everything without complaining or arguing,

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

Allergies & Detoxing

2009-05-08T12:15:00.005+10:00

We've been inspired this week to include a section about "causes & triggers" of CFS in our e-book. We've had a nephew undergo allergy testing for nuts who needs an epi-pen. This is the 3rd child in our very close circle of kids (neighbours & family) who now has an epi-pen for nuts and it's just made us realise how common these allergies have become.

Allergies are often part of the symptomatic make up for a chronic fatigue sufferer(& other chronic "western illness" sufferers). We have both developed allergies far worse, than we ever had as children, following CFS. We both were mildly allergy prone as children so for those who say it's all genetic, We do not deny that genes play a part.

However, from what we've read, allergies, and many of the other symptoms of CFS seem to be at least triggered, if not caused, by the following 3 things in the body;
*toxic chemicals
*other toxins caused by fungi & bacteria overgrowth
*heavy metals in the body (including the mother's body for babies, both through breast milk & the placenta).

These can all damage or change cellular structure or function, disrupt the endochrin system by upsetting hormone producing glands, even change DNA, and wear down the major organs of the body.

How do they get into our bodies?

Many of these toxins & heavy metals are;
*ingested in contaminated foods(ie pesticides, insecticides, animal medication & air & waterborne pollutants)

*ingested in drinking water (we have read statistics from UK that claim 700 chemicals/heavy metals in one glass of unfiltered tap water - we will find out the Australian stats for our book)

*breathed in from our environment.

*absorbed by the skin from personal care products or cleaning products at home or in work environments. (Your skin is an amazing organ it absorbs so much that is then sent off via the blood to other organs. Rub garlic or onion on the sole of your foot, it will be absorbed into the bloodstream and you'll be able to taste it within about 5 minutes)

*caused by overgrowth of candida and other "bad" fungi & bacteria in the body that exhausts the immune system & produces a bi-product that toxifies the system, causing allergies & skin irritations (among other things). The overgrowth can be caused by: carbohydrate (sugar) heavy diet, too many antibiotics & medications (eaten in meat as well as prescribed), stress, toxins & heavy metals.

The body is like the proverbial camel's back. There will be signs that things are getting heavy as we overload it but it will keep going until that final straw. Allergic symptoms are often a sign that it is overloaded. Plus they contribute further to the overload of the immune system so it becomes a vicious cycle.

We've talked a little on this blog already about detoxing your home and your body through diet. This blog outlines a bit more thoroughly one of the reasons why we think detoxing is important.

We'll outline heaps more of this in our e-book & include more more ways to detox.
We will make it available for free on this site soon. Probably chapter by chapter due to the iminant arrival of Baby #3. So keep a look out.

I've Decided to Write an E-Book

2009-05-05T12:44:00.002+10:00

Since we started blogging, last month, I've realised the shear magnitude of what we want to share with people!

CFS is not something that can be dealt with in one quick blog and I keep thinking that people will read this blog one post at a time for some help but we might not have written anything appropriate to them at that particular time.

So..... I have decided to write an e-book. One that can be downloaded from the site - if that is possible - with God anything is possible so we'll find a way to do it.
Then it will always be available.

At it's conception the e-book is looking a bit like this in my head......

1. CFS - in depth, definition, symptoms, common secondary illnesses, some misconceptions
2. The Bible with regard to coping and dealing with CFS
3. Common sense with regard to coping and dealing with CFS
4. Western & Alternative medical options for dealing with CFS
5. What Friends & Family can do to support
6. Some great resources to support people with CFS

All of the above will be from our own research and in everyday language as far as possible.
If you have any suggestions for what you would like to know please comment on this post. It is a good time to make suggestions because so far the book is as long as this blog.

what we can do to help ourselves

How are you Coping?

2009-05-04T14:26:00.004+10:00

If you were to notice me, reading the ingredients on a packet, in the health food aisle of the supermarket, you might stop for a concerned conversation with an opening line like, “How are you going these days?”

If you kept going past the standard response,
“Oh I’m fine, and Craig’s doing so much better, he’s working full time now,”
you might even think to ask something insightful like,
“You’ve been dealing with this for years now. How are you coping? Do you miss..(large pause, into which you can insert the words “being normal?”)...anything?

I’d probably answer with a genuine smile, “Oh God is great. He provides everything I need. He has really grown me through this time. In fact I’m grateful for it. I don’t miss anything of consequence.”

And all that would be true, overall.

But you’re not God.

And if you were the answer would be different.

The list he has heard is is as long as my arm:

I’m not coping, I miss being be able to cope.
I need to stop, I miss being able to keep going.
I’m not strong, I miss being strong, How will we survive if I am not strong?
I’m lonely, my husband’s asleep again, I miss him, I miss my social life.
I’m bored, I miss being creative and artistic and musical.
I’m exhausted, I miss having energy to do things.
I’m messy, I miss having the energy to be tidy.
I’m frustrated, I miss exercising, I never work up a sweat anymore.
I’m angry, I miss being calm and unaffected.
I’m sad, I miss having a husband who can join in.
I’m worried, I miss the confidence that comes with health.

The list goes on.......

But it always starts with “I”...... and what would you say to me if I were to hand it to you in the supermarket?

It’s a fine line to tread when you have a chronic illness, or you are the carer for a loved one with chronic illness, or when you’re suffering in general. (This morning I was suffering with chronic pregnancy and sleep depravation due to small children.)

Where does expressing your feelings and expecting others to understand your circumstances morph into plain old selfishness?

When I talk to God I’m like David in the psalms. I can rant and vent about my circumstances and my feelings. I can wail and sob. God listens and Jesus feels my pain and by the end, through his Holy Spirit, He always turns me around to himself. He opens my heart and my eyes to his kindness and goodness. One by one he picks up all the pieces and puts me back together with His glue. Stronger because of my weakness, powerful because of His Spirit in me.

But when I rant and vent to you, I cannot be so sure of the outcome. So I try to tell God first. Then I can tell you the outcome of those conversations. Which is the truth.

Poetry out of Loss

2009-05-03T15:11:00.005+10:00

I found The Christians with Chronic Illness Blog Carnival when searching around to see what people were already addressing on CFS. It’s only new - first carnival was last month.

I was so impressed with the idea as a way for Christians to encourage each other that I put a link to it on our blog.

I decided to submit a blog to the May Carnival. The topic is ‘Coping with Loss’. I’ve been chewing on it for a few weeks now, the deadline is 5th May. So you’ll see my efforts soon.

While I was thinking about ‘loss’ a poem that I thought of in 2003 came back to me and I was able to finish it. It’s called ‘I’ve lost my sense of humour’

These were words I said to my husband at the worst of my anxiety during my nervous break down. At the time I couldn’t smile at all. I was teaching full time but had completely lost my joy. God in his goodness made me smile for a brief moment, after I’d said it, when I began to think of the kinds of places a sense of humour could be lost and how that could be made into a funny poem for kids.

Every now & then, over the past 6 years, when I've been in the depths, I’ve remembered those two lines and the ideas I had for a poem, but not had the creative energy to act on them.

So, 6 years later, it has taken shape because of this Blog carnival. It turned out to be more about the journey I have taken with humour, since I became a Christian at 26, than a slap-stick poem for kids. But it's still slightly amusing.

I’ve lost my sense of humour
I don’t know where it’s gone
And no one seems to care at all
That I’m no longer fun

I asked my lovely granny
Where she thought it may be
“Have you tried the gutter?”
Was all she said to me

My darling little sister
Just handed me a map
Called “Expense of Others”
“I’ll bet that’s where it’s at.”

“Perhaps you might have flushed it?”
Dad said, well meaningly
“It lives in the toilet
Almost permanently.”

Desperately I cried out loud
To the Lord Almighty
“Where is my sense of humour?”
(Then waited in my nightie.)

His answer came, a quiet voice,
And He wasn’t joking,
“It’s time to put that off now,
Just like you gave up smoking

I’ll give you mine, a pure one,
To compensate your loss.
I’ve promised to refine you,
And those smiles were the dross

I promised golden laughter
That bubbles from within,
Overflows then cascades out
In a joyful fountain”

I’ve lost my sense of humour
But maybe it’s just changed
Just like other parts of me
That Jesus rearranged

Healing Foods - Cooking for Celiacs, Colitis, Crohn's and IBS

2009-05-01T12:55:00.005+10:00

This is a new discovery. Found this cookbook by Sandra Ramacher, an Aussie, in the bookshop a few months ago and have been cooking up a storm since. Great recipes, great photos. Click on the title for this blog to go straight to the website.

It follows the Specific Carbohydrate diet by Elaine Gottshall published in her book 'Breaking the Viscious Cycle' and explained on her website.

Go to Sandra's Website for heaps of great info & recipes and you can order the book there if you want it.

The recipes follow basically the same diet as our 'Food for Thought Regimen' by Phillip Day. The actual Specific Carbohydrate Diet sounds similar to the Anti Candida Dietary Regimen.

Often CFS sufferers also develop Intolerance to gluten, Colitis, Crohn's or IBS so it is very appropriate. Great book for family to have on the shelf for when you come to visit or if they're cooking you a meal.

Diets that have changed our lives.

2009-04-30T13:55:00.007+10:00

1. Gerald Green's The Anti Candida Dietary Regimen formulated by Nikki Zalewksi . (We found this in a little book called the ABC's of Disease by Phillip Day a medical researcher from Britain. We heard him speak and bought the book at the seminar. (Both these links are to Phillip Day's website www.credence.org . We would honestly recommend all of their publications. Not all that well edited but great life-changing info for people with chronic illness, allergies, cancer, or people who want to avoid them.)

The diet is basically - absolutely no yeast, no sugar(including sugary vegies such as root vegetables) no lactose, no gluten. Avoid most processed foods especially processed meats.

This diet made the most significant difference to our health. At the height of our CFS we both had live blood testing on the advice of a Naturopath. In both our cases we had ridiculous numbers of Candida Albicans in our blood stream.

This is a damaging fungi present in everyone's gut but out of control in many people because of our high carbohydrate western diet. It gets into the bloodstream through a tiny perforation in the bowel one day, then multiplies in the bloodstream depending on how healthy or unhealthy you are. Apparently 70% of people in Western civilization would have it in their bloodstream to some degree. Look at your tongue in the mirror. Does it have a white coating? This is a sign of Candida Albicans - often known as Thrush.

When we found the Anti Candida Diet we thought 'we need this'. (Craig's tongue was completely white and slimy to the tip, Lauren's was white but not so slimy to the tip) So we tried it.

At first we thought what DO we eat? It looked like the ultimate alfalfa diet but that was because we didn't know much about using nuts & seeds for cooking at that point. But we were diligent and prepared to do anything because we had nothing to lose and everything to gain. We threw out everything in our pantry that didn't suit the diet.

Craig was not working at the time but living on the lounge and Lauren was working full time. We had no children so we could experiment with cooking on ourselves. Lauren did most of the cooking and Craig admits he never would have done it if he didn't have a crazy and desperate wife who is prepared to try new ideas. Lauren admits she would have given up very quickly if she didn't have a husband with great consistency and follow through.

The diet suggested 3 months. We did it for 12 months with no breaks. The difference in our lives was so worthwhile and it created some awesome habits which we now consider 'normal' and can't believe we ever didn't. After that we began to relax a little and moved onto the Food For Thought Lifestyle Regimen by Philip Day. We basically live by that now (Except when Lauren has given in to sugar cravings while pregnant.)

Diet Consistency - Try it. It works.

2009-04-30T12:38:00.005+10:00

Over the 9 years one or both of us have been CFS suffers we've tried a number of different approaches to diet. Certain things have worked well. Others haven't. One thing is certain. Unless you, the sufferer, can call the shots & have a will of iron or be supported by a cook dedicated to improving your health, it is hard going.

Our culture and society in general does not support the kind of diet you really need to follow as a sufferer of CFS with all it's side affects. Although in 9 years things have improved.

When you make a complete change to the way you eat, most people think you are a 'wierdo' despite seeing you flourish. People will tell you you're crazy or a fundamentalist, offer absolutely no support and stop inviting you for dinner because it is too hard to cook for you. Or they will ask you about it non-stop because they can't get over how different it is. Or they will try to find every processed, pre-packaged, 'easy' version of the diet - This is particularly a problem with 'Low GI' diets. Some will even become an expert on it & drive you insane with their over informed advice that they would never see reason to follow themselves.

Few people will embrace a complete lifestyle change just to help you (or themselves). It is too hard. We've talked with husbands & wives whose spouse has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In most cases when it is only one person who has the 'problem' it is only one person who has the 'special diet'.

This makes it so hard on the sufferer to be consistent and this is what is needed. They feel unsupported so they give up often. They also get tired (and there is not room for more tiredness) being the one responsible for their diet and lose motivation easily. Starting again is always hard going so they sometimes don't.

The people who we know who've had success are couples or families who have all made the change (when at home) to willingly support and accomodate the CFS sufferer. They have all read the information, gone together to appointments with Naturopaths and nutritionists. They have all eaten the same food and the wrong foods are no longer in the house. They all have a common purpose. To help the one with CFS get well because it would help everyone if they were well.

As a side effect they usually they all see improvements in their own health because the diets for CFS sufferers do promote health.

Some Encouragement

2009-04-24T21:06:00.003+10:00

Last night we watched a really encouraging DVD. Thought I'd share it with you.

The DVD was the testimony and life of Nick Vujicic who was born without arms and legs. He now has a worldwide ministry preaching the good news of Jesus.

It gave us increased confidence that God uses our circumstances (or thorns) for his glory. We know that he has used CFS in our lives to share Jesus and the victory that we have in Christ and it is our prayer that he will continue to do so. We were really spurred on to rejoice in our circumstances and to use them for his glory even when they made no sense.

If you are down or doubting God's goodness check out his website, www.lifewithoutlimbs.org or you can Google Nick Vujicic or Life Without Limbs there is heaps on the web about him.

God's grace is sufficient for you.

We also want to thank those of you who have prayed for us over the last two weeks while we have been unwell. Tonight Craig's nausea has passed and he is feeling more energetic. He has worked half days all week this week and survived. He thinks he can go back to work full time next week. I am a lot better too and have had the kids back since Monday.

We think Craig is out of the danger zone now for a return to CFS and we praise God for that but we also thank him for the reminder of his power in our weakness, and his amazing provision for us.

"Repent and get an I POD". "Redeem your rest!" - Pastor Mark Driscoll

2009-04-22T20:39:00.007+10:00

We were pretty skeptical about the value of these bizarre machines that we saw advertised on TV. The I POD. Everybody seemed to be getting one. So we resisted. What a waste of money. What a useless acquisition. It'll be on the rubbish pile in no time and the next great technological advance will take over yada yada yada.

But we were wrong!
We gave one to each other at Christmas time this year hoping it might be a good way to listen to sermons and be encouraged. We'd heard you could so this and at the time we weren't hearing sermons at church regularly because one of our sons was finding it hard to settle in the creche and Lauren wasn't going to get to bible study this term because of the same reason. So we bought an IPOD and we began downloading.

Our current favourite site for downloading sermons is Mars Hill Church, Seattle with Pastor Mark Driscoll preaching. We have been so encouraged and learned so much. You can download audio or video. We just download the audio.

We just wish we'd bought the IPOD earlier in our life with CFS. If you're a new sufferer - get one! Turn off the TV. Start listening to sermons. It completely changed our outlook on our "wasted time" resting (& for Lauren doing housework).

Listening to sermons is heaps easier than 'planning' to become a "prayer warrior" (that requires your own motivation and drive as well as the Holy Spirit & with CFS it's far easier to just be on a downer for the day and watch mindless TV). It has given us motivation and drive by refreshing us with God's word and increased our faith in Christ as we've heard it.

This last week, as we've been sick and fearing a return of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for Craig we have been listening (one ear plug each in the bed) to a series of 28 sermons on 1 & 2 Peter - called "TRIAL 8 Witnesses in 1 and 2 Peter." Now this is a serious blessing of serious illness. It is taking 7 months to preach this series. Sermons are 1 hour plus and preached once a week. But we've listened to 9 sermons in a week.

We would really recommend the whole series to you but in particular the sermon "Trial and Jesus" sounded like it was written for CFS sufferers (just ignore the first 5 minutes on Mars Hill budget outcomes for the year). We were really thankful for it at a really hard and horrible time. You can do a search for it on the site.

We've also listened to the

Doctrine - What Christians Should believe series
Spiritual Warfare series
1 & 2 Timothy series

all of which we would highly recommend and hope to be a blessing to you. Please let us know in the comments if you have any favourite sites for downloading sermons - we will have to branch out at some point!

Detoxify your Home

2009-04-22T13:30:00.006+10:00

In Lauren's previous post she said we'd upload a pocket "card" with info on it about toxic chemicals in the home. But once it was scanned we realised that the info was copywrite so instead of breaching copywrite we have a better option.

This is a link to the website for the people who make the card. Proactive Health. On their site they have a 'Consumer Info' menu with fantastic info - better than what we were going to scan. It is not just chemicals in the home. It includes food additives etc. It is all printable and free.

Hope it helps you!

If you want to know about good alternatives e-mail us through our personal profiles.

What's That Smell?

2009-04-19T19:38:00.006+10:00

Since I have been able to form a question this has been one of my favourites, "What's that Smell?". My parents' standard answer has become a standing joke in our family, "It's just the area Dear!"

I have a very sensitive nose. Perhaps size has something to do with it.

I can smell and keep smelling scents and odours that oftentimes Craig can't even detect. Sometimes it serves me well. Other times it is a burden not a gift.

My nostril talent has matured over the years, grown with me you might say. I can remember and identify all kinds of things by their smell. However, since Glandular Fever and CFS I have developed intolerances or allergies - whatever they may be - to a number of chemicals and with this has come an incredibly intolerant sense of smell and a few disappointments - that great summer smell that comes just before the rain that I used to love..... It's just mould sporing and getting ready to spread itself further to make life more difficult for humanity.

And some nice smells, take expensive perfumes, are no longer exquisite - they make me want to run for a bucket. For example at this very moment one of our neighbours is using some kind of perpetual device to emit a quite serious scent that they evidently think is delightful but, quite frankly, is toxic and I have to shut the windows to avoid a headache.

Once we began to try to help ourselves fight Chronic Fatigue Syndrome we went on the hunt for toxic products in our home. We had heard a talk by a woman called Eve Hillary - author of 'Children of a Toxic Harvest - An Environmental Autobiography', about her fight with chronic fatigue and a friend had given us a little card. Which I'll scan and put in this post. We went from room to room, Laundry, kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms reading labels and tossing out anything with ingredients that are known to be toxic or potentially harmful. There was nothing left! Almost all of our cleaning products and personal care products from toothpaste to carpet cleaner had to be binned.

Then we basically went as natural as we could and that included joining - to our great trepidation - a Network Marketing company or MLM as they're so cryptically called which promised and, to our relief, delivered high quality, concentrated formulas that were not toxic and didn't include any potentially harmful ingredients. At the time they had just gone online for ordering so for 5 or 6 years now we have called them "our little one-stop shop for safe stuff".

They have saved us crate loads of time and energy and we think money (because you buy highly concentrated and use little amounts of everything). Because of the way these companies work I don't think I can tell you which one in a public blog. But I'm happy to tell you more by e-mail if you contact me - I think you can do it from my profile.

Suffice it to say that once we'd weeded out all the toxic offenders in our home. My chemical sensitivities both calmed down (at home) and my nose became more and more of a toxic detective.

A newly lathered and blow dried head at the shops or church is potent. I have to take a step back to enjoy the conversation. But at home I no longer sneeze constantly, no longer have itchy & dry skin & scalp and I 'enjoy' cleaning. I enjoy the lack of "clean smell" which was so toxic. I don't have to hold my breath to clean the shower. Plus my bath/shower/sinks never have a dirty ring around them any more because the products are tallow free so things are very easy to clean.

A friend, who has done the same as us, couldn't be in the house for 4 hours after her husband had cleaned because she had such strong sensitivities but now they've gone non-toxic she cleans with him. (One could say, "What's so great about that?" But she is happy, now that her eyes don't blow up like a frog's.)

The Other White Powder.....

2009-04-17T12:17:00.007+10:00

Processed Sugar - a major weakness for me. Craig calls it "The Other White Powder". Since our CFS road trip began, we have, at times completely taken sugar out of our diets. For me this is huge but for Craig not so hard.

It is my addiction. I have seen, as I remove it, there are amazing benefits - My body is much less tired. I don't crash. What I replace it with is so full of goodness that I'm bouncing off the walls - You'd think I could never be tempted to go back. But there it is. Temptation.

3 weeks ago I was so tired with my pregnancy & looking after the boys that I made the decision to completely go off processed sugar again - No more snacks. No giving in to cravings. Within days I was a new person - running around the playground with the kids, swinging like a monkey and wheeeeing down the slide with delight.

Then came Easter - the most refreshing and uplfting time of year for Christians. The time when we remember the humble and dreadful death of God as man Jesus Christ and his glorious resurrection to the White Throne where he rules as God our loving King and just judge...... - and chocolate.

I resisted until Easter Sunday. By then Craig was sick and I was going downhill fast. All my resistance crumbled.

Have I raised it so high that "the Other White Powder" sits, in my esteem, alongside the King and Saviour? Is sugar my functional saviour? God forbid.

It all came back this week...

2009-04-16T17:48:00.005+10:00

We started this blog with the pretty foolish boast that we were now "free" of chronic fatigue. So the next week what happens? Craig gets a mystery virus that has him crawling around the house again and I follow very quickly with a severe bout of Bronchitis. Can't believe it. We haven't been sick for more than a year.

The emotions have all come back this week.

The loneliness - watching, helpless, while the love of your life is sleeping 20 hours plus in the day.

The fear - the wondering, the not knowing - How long O God. Can it be worse?

The pointless wishing - that some human could understand without words; could just know what was happening - what it was like in your home; could ring without you having to explain; could take part of the burden for you.

The humbling - when all your plans go under and you see your self as completely fragile and your husband, your rock as vulnerable.

The empathy - for all those who are suffering with sick family that you tend to forget when you are doing fine.

The clinging to Jesus - just clinging because it is all you can do. Knowing that he does understand, trusting because it's all you can do, praying all the time.

Maybe this is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.....(part 5 SCENAR)

2009-04-14T21:52:00.003+10:00

Craig returned to Physiotherapy part time in June /July 2004. In October he began looking to buy his own practice so he could be in charge of his own hours permanently. In December 2004 we purchased a small practice on Sydney's Northern Beaches.

At this point Craig was at about 85%. Able to work and rest and play a little. Over the next 2 years focusing on his health he made it to about 95%. Able to exercise regularly but still needing a heart monitor to avoid a sore throat after exercise. In May 2006 we had our first son. A wonderful answer to prayer and possible due to our healthier lives. However, as most parents know, with this great blessing comes a new kind of exhaustion - sleep depravation.

Craig’s CFS symptoms worsened. We negotiated that Lauren would do the night shift & week day shifts alone so that Craig could have extra sleep. When our son was 6 months old we fell pregnant again. Enabling Craig’s extra sleep became difficult with the new pregnancy. So when we heard through the Physiotherapy Association of Australia (APA) about a new kind of treatment out of Russia called SCENAR, that helped the body to heal itself, we decided to give it a go. We longed to get Craig’s CFS get out of the 80-90% rut.

Craig had 5 sessions of SCENAR treatment and purchased a multi-layer therapy blanket to sleep in. His therapist said his condition appeared to be the result of his body being “stuck” on “fight and flight mode” and being unable to switch on to “rest and recovery mode”. He said all his efforts to care for his body naturally had been worthwhile and his body was in great condition, just needed reprogramming! After the treatment he began to be refreshed by sleep for the first time in 8 years! One day after the fourth session, he ran up the stairs. He started telling jokes again. We knew things were different when we went to a social event with strangers soon after the treatment. For the first time Lauren could remember there was no need to negotiate or plan how Craig would recover from the event. We simply enjoyed it.

Lauren also now sleeps in a multi-layer therapy blanket as she found it helped her be refreshed by sleep, despite there not being a whole lot to be had with 2 boys under 3 and being currently 7 months into our third pregnancy. Craig has trained as a SCENAR Therapist and uses SCENAR in his practice. He now treats a much broader range of patients.

Maybe this is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.....(part 4 Becoming Alternative Weirdos)

2009-04-14T21:46:00.004+10:00

At this point we decided to become proactive - Lauren started reading, reading, reading. We went to our first Naturopath we listened to tapes/CDs & watched videos/DVDs and went to seminars about health. We decided that we already knew what would happen if we didn’t do anything besides listen to GPs and Specialists.

Strangely enough it was at this point of research that we discovered Lauren also had diagnosable Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We were surprised because Lauren’s symptoms were manageable with our slower lifestyle at the time and compared to Craig’s were nothing to complain about so she had never sought medical help. We found out by doing a questionnaire, like the one on the CFIDS Association of America website.

So what did we have to lose? We became alternative health “weirdos” and we started to see results. We got rid of all chemicals in the house, our food, our personal care products. We changed our diet cutting out sugar, yeast, lactose and gluten. We went as raw as we could and we started taking supplements.

Lauren’s results were much faster than Craig’s understandably. But Craig’s return to work this time was a lot faster and more permanent.

Maybe this is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.....(part 3 Round 2)

2009-04-14T21:42:00.001+10:00

We were married in January 2003. Craig began full time study at Moore Theological College that year. He claimed at the time he was running at about 80% capacity with continuing moderate symptoms. Still not much energy for extra activities. Being an introvert that generally meant not much socialising as it was too exhausting. Lauren had a mild nervous breakdown around June. It took the better part of the rest of the year & a lot of counseling for her to recover. God carried us & we rejoice that he gave us that time as he was preparing us for what was to come

In February 2004 after 1 day of 2nd year College Craig was struck down with a “mystery” virus. Once again he was bed-ridden, needing physical assistance to make it from the bedroom to the bathroom, unable to leave the house. All his previous symptoms were present in their severest form. Once again the recovery was painfully slow but this time he knew not to rush anything.

Tests showed he’d already had all the scary viral diseases over the last 4 years without realising it. However, he still didn’t have thyroid problems, fibromyalgia, anemia, Lyme disease, lupus, MS, hepatitis, sleep disorders or depression.

The diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was more frustrating the second time.
It came with the knowledge and understanding that it had already been 4 years and it hadn’t gone away.

Maybe this is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.....(part 2 diagnostic testing)

2009-04-14T21:34:00.004+10:00

Having to go through test after test and visit expensive specialists only to be told "This is not my field of expertise" was frustrating and exhausting. He had tests to check iron levels etc, white blood cell count and to rule out Thyroid problems, fibromyalgia, anemia, Lyme disease, lupus, MS, hepatitis, sleep disorders and depression. Apparently everyone has to do this......here's a copy of the official info.

Since there is as yet no diagnostic test for identifying CFS or proven physical marker for the illness, diagnosing CFS can be difficult. Severe fatigue and other symptoms of CFS can be caused by several different illnesses. The following criteria were developed in 1994 by an international consensus committee organized by the US Centers for Disease Control. Using their guidelines, CFS is diagnosed in a two-step process. Doctors use the list below to diagnose chronic fatigue after all other tests are negative. The patient must display both 1 and 2.

1. At least several months (most doctors say 6 months) of a new, debilitating fatigue (severe to moderate) that forces a substantial reduction of activity (50% - 85%).

2. Four or more of the following eight symptoms:
* Impaired memory or concentration (mental confusion)
* Sore throat
* Tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpit
* Muscle pain
* Joint pain without redness or swelling
* Headaches of a new or different type
* Non-restorative sleep
* Extreme fatigue following activity (“post-exertional malaise”)

Maybe this is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.....(part 1 Symptoms)

2009-04-11T20:39:00.002+10:00

Like most people it took a long while for us to get a diagnosis. When we talk to others they seem to have the same story. This is Craig's story with a bit of Lauren's.

Craig actually went through the process of diagnosis twice. In 2000, at age 24, while living at home with his parents, Craig was diagnosed with Post Viral Fatigue (CFS by another name) following a severe bout of Glandular Fever. After 8 weeks at home his symptoms were moderate. He returned to for work for 2 months taking on on only what he could manage. His symptoms did not improve. He quit work as a physiotherapist and began MTS (a Christian ministry traineeship). He had the desire to serve God in full time ministry and he hoped less physical work would be easier on his body. He lasted 1 month. His symptoms worsened. So he spent 3 more months at home. He was put on a low-GI diet, by a nutritionist, that helped.

Craig's symptoms included;
* severe to moderate fatigue (from unable-to-get-from-the-bed-to-the-bathroom kind of severe he progressed to able-to work-and rest-but-not-play kind of moderate)
* permanently swollen glands in strange places
* needing to sleep all the time
* not being refreshed by sleep
* extreme muscle weakness
* daily headaches
* regular sore throats after mild exertion
* poor concentration
* living in a brain "fog".

Craig returned to part time work as a physio and spent 10-12months building up to full time hours. Still with symptoms. Able to work and do nothing else. He called himself a Mars Bar, without the play.

Minerals Minerals Minerals

2009-04-03T17:53:00.001+11:00

One of the first things we discovered when we started researching natural alternatives was that we needed to take a liquid or colloidal mineral supplement. The results were instant and obvious to both of us. More energy, less need for extra sleep, less cravings, better skin, generally higher resistance to illness (all a big plus for those of us wanting to recover from chronic fatigue syndrome).

Why minerals?
Our bodies cannot produce minerals. We need to get them from food sources.

Why supplement our food?
Our modern farming methods have over stripped our soils and without the ancient (& biblical) techniques of rotating crops, composting & leaving fields fallow (ie empty of sown crops) for long periods of time our soils have no opportunity to re-mineralise.

So our plants and animals (and ourselves) are mineral deficient. The adding of nitrogen and phosphorus etc to soils makes the vegies look amazing and large but they are mineral deficient. Some of the figures we have seen show things like the iron in 1 tomato 50 years ago was nearly 1000 times more than the iron in a regular tomato today. Even the organic varieties although they are heaps, heaps better and worth buying (or growing yourselves!) are unfortunately not a patch on what we could have had 50-100 years ago.

What mineral supplements do we take?
We take an all natural colloidal mineral supplement - e-mail us if you want to know which one - some are synthetic. We take this twice a day 10mls approx at a time. Our kids have been on it from the time they could drink from a cup and talk about energy. They are also very rarely sick.
Plus we take a multi - vitamin and mineral tablet. Lauren takes a women's and Craig takes a general.
It is our understanding that the natural, colloidal minerals are the most bio available, much more than synthetic and much more than tablet. However, multivitamin and mineral tablets are good because you need minerals in your body to take up vitamins so good ones include both. High quality (which unfortunately usually means higher price) is absolutely essential. Check your wee. The cheaper your vitamin the more your kidneys expel and the brighter yellow your wee.