How to Exercise With Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

December 11, 2011

Most of us with FMS and/or ME/CFS have been unable to maintain a regular exercise program. The problem is that with Fibromyalgia, lack of exercise can increase our pain levels while too much exercise or exercise done incorrectly can also increase our pain and fatigue. In the case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or ME, as [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Intentional Resting; An Amazing Yet Amazingly Simple Process

December 7, 2011

Over a year ago, I read an article by Martha Beck in Oprah Magazine where she mentioned Intentional Resting. At the time I was intrigued so I visited the website of Dan Howard, the creator of Intentional Resting. However, I just couldn’t seem to grok the lesson and while I have thought about exploring it [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Such Amazing Peace

November 19, 2011

Simplicity. Compassion. Joy. These are the three words that I am living by now. These three words comfort me. Simplicity as in minimalism. Not just in possessions though, but minimizing all areas of life. I always had my hands in too many pots. Too many interests. Too many things I was trying to do. It [...]

Share
Read the full article →

The Powerful Effect Our Emotions Have On Our Bodies

November 4, 2011

My Fibromyalgia pain has been fairly well controlled for quite some time. I have days or times that are worse than others, but for the most part, it isn’t too bad. I have had neck and back pain with daily headaches; however, for many, many years. That pain has become increasingly worse. It is now [...]

Share
Read the full article →

From Hell on Earth to Kicking @$$

October 26, 2011

I have been ill my entire life.  No kidding.  Seizures as a small child, pleurisy in grade school, IBS in junior high, severe allergies, hypoglycemia, chronic daily headaches, etc.  When I was about eighteen years old I was diagnosed with lupus and then fibromyalgia followed about fifteen years later accompanied by severe insomnia, muscle pain, [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Does Chronic Illness Have You Should-ing On Yourself?

June 27, 2011

Often times when we are chronically ill and in pain our ego-self takes a beating.  Our world may be skinnied-down to the four walls of our house, or even our bedroom.  If we can get out, our energy might be consumed running errands and doing the grocery shopping with none left for social get-togethers with [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Fascia and Its Role In Fibromyalgia Pain

June 20, 2011

Dr. Ginevra Liptan, founder of The Frida Center for Fibromyalgia and author of “Figuring Out Fibromyalgia,” spoke to our support group (The Portland Area Fibromyalgia – ME/CFS Group) on Saturday. The topic of the talk was “Fascia and Its Role in Fibromyalgia Pain.”  However, Dr. Liptan was kind enough to take questions from the group [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Practicing Gentle Kindness and Love for Yourself

June 17, 2011

When we are young children, we begin to construct an ego to deal with the world, with going to school, with being in a family. This ego is made up of judgments about who you are, what you deserve in life and what you don’t. As you age, this habit of self-judgment has you identifying [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Does Chronic Illness Make Self-Acceptance More Difficult?

June 13, 2011

I was thinking about how our identities can become whittled down with chronic illness. As our activities get curtailed, so do many of the ways we define ourselves. We may no longer have a career or a job title, we may have lost the ability to be athletic, to clean our own homes, to garden [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Suspending Comments For Now

June 4, 2011

For the time being I will be suspending comments on all posts. I am receiving way too much spam and also don’t have the energy to moderate comments. Unfortunately the Epstein Barr Virus that I had thirty years ago has come back around. I am exhausted, have a sore throat, swollen glands, fever, increased brain [...]

Share
Read the full article →
Web Analytics