What You Can Do NOW to Stop Fibromyalgia Pain

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "What You Can Do NOW to Stop Fibromyalgia Pain"

Cecily Underwood
5 years ago
Views:

1 What You Can Do NOW to Stop Fibromyalgia Pain Relieve pain, get better sleep, rev up your energy, drop excess weight and FEEL BETTER NOW! By Deborah A. Genovesi, CHHC Certified Holistic Health Coach, Fibromyalgia Expert

2 Table of Contents 1. Disclaimer 2. Deborah's Fibro Journey 3. 3 FR*E*E Things You Can Do Today To Feel Better 4. Energize and Re-Center With Mini Breaks 5. 3 Ways to Make Self-Care a Priority 6. Are you ready to stop hurting and get more energy?

3 Disclaimer The reader of this ebook understands that the role of a health coach is not to provide health care, medical or nutrition therapy services; or to diagnose, treat or cure any disease, condition or other physical or mental ailment. Rather, the coach is a mentor and guide who has been trained in holistic health coaching to help clients reach their own health goals by helping clients devise and implement positive, sustainable lifestyle changes. The reader of this ebook understands that the coach is not acting in the capacity of a doctor, licensed dietician-nutritionist, psychologist or other licensed or registered professional, and that any advice given by the coach is not meant to take the place of advice by these professionals. If the reader is under the care of a health care professional or currently uses prescription medications, the reader should discuss any dietary changes or potential dietary supplements use with his or her doctor, and should not discontinue any prescription medications without first consulting his or her doctor. The reader understands that the information received should not be seen as medical or nursing advice and is not meant to take the place of seeing licensed health professionals. The suggestions, information and resources in this ebook are made in a general nature and meant to contribute to your knowledge base. Please take this information as background and do your own investigation before implementing anything suggested. The examples in this report highlight exceptional results, and are not intended to guarantee that everyone will achieve the same results. Your success depends on many factors and is a result of many conditions that can't be predicted. No report or advice can guarantee success ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Fabulous With Fibro You may not distribute this report in any way. You may not sell it, or reprint any part of it without the written consent of the author.

Deborah's Fibro Journey About Deborah I m a Certified Holistic Health Coach and Fibromyalgia Expert who works with busy, professional women who are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.

4 Deborah's Fibro Journey About Deborah I m a Certified Holistic Health Coach and Fibromyalgia Expert who works with busy, professional women who are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. Do you want to have more energy and feel like you did 10 or even 20 years ago? I remember what it s like to wish for that, and not have any idea how to get it. This is me back then. For about a decade I got progressively sicker with migraines, insomnia, IBS problems, neck and back pain, sky high blood pressure, obesity and fatigue so severe I could barely function. I desperately tried to find any doctor or cure to help me but it felt like I was running on a hamster wheel with no relief. Some doctors thought I was a hypochondriac. Others wanted to help but didn t know how. I was poked and prodded, telling my symptoms over and over again to doctor after doctor. They put me through a battery of stressful tests for everything under the sun and ruled them out one by one: multiple sclerosis, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, slipped disks, celiac, ulcers, Crohn s, appendicitis, heart disease, lung disease and more. No one could figure out why I felt so ill and why I kept getting worse.

All they could offer were anti-depressants and pain killers, and those came with a long list of nasty side effects. I knew that wouldn t help me so I kept searching.

5 All they could offer were anti-depressants and pain killers, and those came with a long list of nasty side effects. I knew that wouldn t help me so I kept searching. At 42, my wake up call came when my blood pressure was so high that I nearly had a stroke in my doctor s office during a routine visit. I saw the genuine concern in her eyes as she tried to admit me to the hospital and I opted to go back to work that day instead. My Type-A, corporate executive personality was out of control but after seeing my doctor s grave concern, I finally realized that I had to make some changes, or I may never make it through my early 40s. How I finally healed and got my life back That night, I decided to get serious about my health and began to assemble a team of holistic experts to help me get well. With their help, a lot of personal research and plenty of trial and error, I learned how to live fabulous with fibro and in the process lost 70 lbs and no longer suffer from migraines, IBS, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, debilitating fatigue or constant neck and back pain. This is me now! Today I work with women who are going through what I did a few years back. My clients are women, just like you, who want to conquer and reverse fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue symptoms. They get healthier and feel better than they have in years.

6 I earned a certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City and enjoyed studying with world-renowned health leaders such as Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. David Katz and Dr. Mark Hyman. I m a member of the IAHC (International Association of Health Coaches) and focus on an integrative approach to health and wellness that goes far beyond what is on the plate. An Upstate New York native and long-time resident of Southern California, I currently live with my husband in the Boston metro area. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and am a former award-winning TV reporter/producer and marketing executive. It would be my honor and privilege to help you truly live Fabulous With Fibro. ************************************************************************* But first, this ebook will give you a jumpstart on some changes you can make TODAY that will start you on your healing journey. One of the worst aspects of fibromyalgia is feeling as if you have no control over your own health and never knowing if today is going to be a bad day or a good day. I know I felt like my body had totally betrayed me. I started to worry, "Will I ever feel well again?" When I learned the action tips that I've included in this e-book, I began to take back my life and my health drastically improved. I know the same can happen for you. Don't lose hope. Don't listen to the "doom and gloom" Negative Nellies (even if they are wearing a white coat). You CAN feel better! Read on...

7 3 FR*E*E Things You Can Do Today To Feel Better by Deborah A. Genovesi, CHHC 1. Stop drinking soda and/or eating anything containing sugar This is #1 on the list because it ll actually save you money while vastly improving your health and pain levels. Most disease and discomfort in the body is caused, and worsened, by inflammation. Guess what s the #1 commonlyconsumed substance that causes inflammation? SUGAR. We re a nation that is absolutely insane in the amount of sugar we consume, and that directly correlates to how sick, obese and chronically ill we are among other countries. It can be difficult to change long-standing habits but if you re serious about feeling your best, especially if you aim to conquer fibro or any other chronic disease, you must find a way to eliminate sugar. Here s how to start: Write down everything you eat for one week and review that to determine sugar intake. If you drink soda, iced tea, or any sweetened beverage, that s an easy place to cut sugar. If you use it in your coffee or tea, cut down for a few days and then stop adding it altogether. If you are eating foods that have added sugar, simply fill up on more whole vegetables and fruit to crowd out those sugar cravings. You may want to add more naturally sweet

8 roasted root vegetables to relieve cravings. The good news is after a few days off sugar, you ll lose the taste for it. The bad news is you have to be strong enough to go through 2-4 days of detoxing and you may be headachy and irritable for those few days. But if you can power through and make a decision to stop sugar, you ll be rewarded with much less swelling, aches, joint pain, headaches, mood swings, irritability and anxiety. For more info on beating the sugar monster, see my past post, 3 Tricks To Tame Your Sweet Tooth CLICK HERE. You also can search You Tube for Dr. Robert Lustig s videos on the nasty effects sugar has on the body. 2. Get more sleep I ve tackled this before in my blog but it bears repeating; you must get a minimum of 8 solid hours of sleep per night. If it seems impossible for you to get to bed any earlier, I d urge you to carefully examine what you re putting before your good health. Are you staying up to get more work done? It can wait. Do you get caught up in TV watching? Use your DVR to record it and watch later. Whatever the excuse, realize it s just that, an excuse. You can choose to prioritize your health and be more consistent about getting to bed earlier. Or you can keep burning your candle at both ends and stay sick. I don t want that for you and I know you don t want that either! If the problem is that you get into bed on time but you can t sleep, then check out my former post for tips to catch those elusive ZZs. CLICK HERE to read What the Heck is Sleep Hygiene? 3. Carve out minutes daily to relax and de-stress I can t overemphasize how important and truly critical it is for you to find out

9 what helps you relax and then do it daily. I know you have a million things to do, and a house to clean, and a family to tend, and friends to see, and a career to build and and and. We all do! Guess what though? If you burn yourself out you can t do any of these things and you also will not heal from fibro or any other health challenge you re battling. Fibro often happens in conjunction with a high striving, Type A, overachiever, perfectionist personality. I know I was guilty as charged on all counts there. I m not anymore and that s partly why I m no longer suffering with debilitating symptoms. All of those traits will keep that fibro cooking, and worsening. So my suggestion is to find healthy, stress-relieving outlets (note the word healthy, so a bottle of wine is not a good plan) and make this self-care top priority each day. Build it into your routine. One example may be soaking in a warm bath scented with calming essential oils before bed. Or you can go to a quiet room alone and meditate, or listen to relaxing music. Perhaps a repetitive task like knitting is meditative for you, or prayer helps center you. Experiment and find which calming activities work for you and then set aside a minimum of 15 minutes, but 30 is better, to decompress. There are multiple studies that show mindful meditation is a key factor in pain reduction and increases oxygen and serotonin levels in the blood, all positives to calm and clear your mind and body of stress. If this feels selfish to you, I invite you to reconsider what your life will be like in constant pain. Taking care of you, so that you can go be fabulous in the world, is actually the only sane thing to do. And while we are thinking about stress relief and mindfulness, you may be wondering how to accomplish that. The next page will show you how.

10 Energize and Re-Center With Mini Breaks by Deborah A. Genovesi, CHHC If you are as busy as I used to be when I worked in TV and public relations, I know you probably find the idea of taking a break for yourself something of a pipe dream. I mean, it s nice to think about in the same way it is fun to secretly hope you will win the lottery, but realistically, you have very little hope it could actually happen. Am I right? Well, you CAN learn to incorporate mini breaks into your lifestyle, no matter how busy you are and once you do, I know you will become a big fan. You do know no one gets points for misery, right? So there is nothing to be gained by beating yourself into the ground with your daily routine. I tried the Type A path - didn t turn out so well for me!

11 Here s what to do instead: 1. Plan a minimum of three, 10-minute mini-breaks into your day. Put them in your calendar and make them as much a priority as a meeting with your boss. Just. Do. It. 2. During these breaks do not check your phone, take calls, eat, look at or do anything for anyone else. This is time for YOU. 3. What to do? Completely disconnect and go somewhere you can be alone. Get into a comfortable position, sit or lie down, and focus on your breath going in and then out. 4. If you d like, incorporate a few gentle stretches (Google "simple yoga stretches on You Tube") or simply keep the focus on your breathing. 5. Don t be afraid of meditation. Just focus on your breath and as thoughts pop into your mind, simply let them drift by, like you are watching clouds in the summer sky. I personally like to listen to 10-minute guided meditations on my ipod or PC. Also, to ease your mind, realize that there is no correct way to meditate. It s unlikely that any of us will get to a point where all our thoughts cease to pester and we can sit in lotus position for hours on end. That s not the goal. Even five minutes of slowing your breathing and disconnecting from all the external stimuli in your office or home is highly beneficial, and you get better at it as you practice. Often we get caught up in the whirl of the day. Face it, there is ALWAYS work to be done, at home and at the workplace. Someone, somewhere, will always need you to do something for them. That fact will not change. How you choose to deal with the endless barrage is entirely up to you and since staying healthy is a priority, you may choose to take these mini breaks to re-center and re-focus yourself throughout the day.

12 After a mini break you will find that you are more productive, energized, less likely to snap at others and just generally calmer and happier. Many studies show that those who manage to make this simple change to their routine actually get more done and feel better about their lives in general. Conversely, many illnesses, including chronic ones like fibromyalgia, are linked with pushing yourself too hard and neglecting self- care. *************************************************************************** OK, that all sounds great so far, right? But you may be left wondering about what I truly mean by "self-care" and how you can move that front and center into your already busy life. Read on for tips and tricks to seamlessly work this vital idea of "self-care" into your daily routine.

13 3 Ways to Make Self-Care a Priority by Deborah A. Genovesi, CHHC Just about every season brings some reason or other for us to get crazy busy. There's summer picnics and weddings to attend, fall back-to-school rush, winter brings the holidays and then spring is all about cleaning and readying our home for the summer once again. There seems to ALWAYS be a reason to be busy and when we ladies get busy, we have a tendency to push our own needs to the bottom of the list. I ve got some suggestions to help you ensure that you get the self-care necessary to keep healthy this season, and the whole year through. What do I mean by self-care? There are a number of things we all must monitor for optimal health, and this is even more crucial if you are having health challenges, like fibromyalgia or other chronic conditions. Self-care includes these major categories: Sleep (at least 8 hours of restful, restorative sleep) Nutrition (avoid foods that do not support your health and get enough veggies and other nutrient-rich foods) Stress Management (meditation, yoga, prayer, etc.) Mindfulness (be fully present in your life instead of rushing around multitasking)

14 Exercise (any kind of consistent physical activity that works for you, like walking, Pilates, Tai Chi, strength training, dance classes, etc.) So how do you keep these all aligned while you enjoy your life? First, set an intention and give yourself permission to take great care of yourself. I m amazed how many women feel it is selfish to do anything for themselves. That s nonsense because if you ignore your own needs long enough, you simply won t have the energy to do anything for ANYONE. Check the list above and whatever is hindering your ability to keep these things in balance must change or go. You can do this in 3 main ways: 1. Delegate: Unless the task absolutely HAS to be done only by you, delegate it to someone else in the family or ask for help from a friend 2. Delete: Think carefully before accepting invitations if you know you re already maxed out. Jettison any non-essential tasks. Must you REALLY make 12 different kinds of cookies at Christmas?? I think you know the answer to that. 3. Let go of perfection: There is nothing in the world that is perfect. Possibly George Clooney. Nope. Not even Gorgeous George. Let go of unrealistic pressures on yourself. Remember, your loved ones want to see you as vibrant, healthy and happy as possible and they will certainly understand if you need to set some boundaries to protect your health. A little planning and self-care throughout this year will ensure that you can greet next year in better shape than ever! *********************************************************************** I hope that you have enjoyed the tips in this e-book and that you now know that you do indeed have a great measure of control over your health and how you feel from day to day. Pain and suffering do NOT have to be your main companions any longer and wherever you are today, you CAN improve. Even though doctors do not have a "cure" for fibromyalgia, we Fibro Fighting gals are not helpless victims and fibromyalgia does not have to mean a life of excrutiating, chronic pain for us. I'm living proof of that! If you are ready to reclaim your good health, read on.

15 Are you ready to stop hurting and get more energy? No matter how much you have been suffering with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue related ailments, I know you can feel better. I did it. You can too. Let me show you how I will coach you through a process that has worked for me and many others with fibromyalgia. If you re interested in learning more about working with me, schedule a FREE Fibromyalgia Breakthrough Session by clicking the big, yellow button below. During that session we ll discuss your health goals, your specific challenges, and how I can help you to truly find your Fabulous again, even if you think feeling great is impossible! CLICK HERE for FREE Fibromyalgia Breakthrough Session

Welcome to the Crohn s & Colitis Foundation s Online Support Group for Caregivers

Week 4: Managing the Rollercoaster Welcome to the Crohn s & Colitis Foundation s Online Support Group for Caregivers Managing the ups-and-downs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can often feel like a