A Diagnosis of Crohn’s Doesn’t Have To Be a Life Sentence
When I received my diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease in my 20’s, I wasn’t a stranger to it. My dad had been diagnosed when I was in 7th grade. I’d watched my dad go through surgery to remove the diseased part of his gut, only to have new areas within a few months. I saw him […]
AutoImmune Disease and Brain Fog: Steps to Clear your Mind
For some people dealing with an autoimmune condition, brain fog is not much more than a frustrating nuisance. For others, like those suffering with Autoimmune Encephalitis, Lupus or Multiple Sclerosis, it can be debilitating. No matter the degree, it impairs quality of life, and makes it difficult to deal with your other symptoms. And, because […]
5 Ways to Manage Autoimmune Pain
As you know, diagnosing and treating autoimmune dis-eases can be tricky. While certain medical treatments and interventions can provide relief, there are daily things that you can do to help your body. Whether you’ve received a diagnosis or not, you already understand the pain that goes with your condition: burning or tender muscles, tightness, feeling […]
Sometimes the Simple Things have the Biggest Impact
The symptoms of chronic illness can be so severe, it’s easy to overlook the simple things that can bring relief. My experience of chronic fatigue syndrome / fibromyalgia came with symptoms so incapacitating, I was convinced only a doctor or miracle could help me. This true story illustrates the point perfectly. During many tests to […]
7 Health Benefits of Deep Breathing
Most adults breathe shallowly, meaning they breathe into their chest rather than into their belly. If you watch a baby breathe, their abdomen rises and falls with each breath. This is the way we are designed to breathe. Learning to breathe deeply into the belly has many health benefits. Calms Nervous System Deep breathing calms […]
How I Reclaimed My Life from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
December 2002 was when I lost my ability to function, and I embarked on a decade-long journey. What followed was a nightmare of doctors, specialists, drugs, and tests, none of which revealed a cause for my symptoms or gave me back my life. Just a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia and prescriptions for […]
Can You Reclaim Your Life From Chronic Illness?
The short answer is yes! You’ll read a lot about reclaiming your life from chronic illness on the Wellness Clusters website. When we use the word recovery, we do not mean a cure for your chronic illness. What we mean is there is a way to minimize your symptoms and regain control of your life. […]
Increase Energy and Combat Exhaustion
Living with a chronic illness can be utterly exhausting. Symptoms like pain, digestive issues, headaches, and brain fog drain your energy, and dysfunction means simple tasks can take much longer. The stress of managing symptoms and balancing life burns a great deal of energy just getting through your day. For some, your condition is called […]
Why Diagnosis Doesn’t Equal Recovery
I used to think all I needed to do was find the right doctor, get the right diagnosis, take the right medication, and I would get my life back. That was twenty years ago. Though I have met many great doctors, been given several diagnoses, and taken many, many medications, chronic illness is still a […]