MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS

This article is written from my personal perspective about what has specifically helped me to manage my condition (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) for the past few years. My hope is that this information will be of benefit to others. Everything I've listed below I have experienced first hand. Please speak with your consultant or GP before considering modifying your treatment plan.

I have had severe and chronic Crohn's/Colitis (the jury is still out on this one) for many years and I've personally found that conventional treatment was starting to become less and less effective for me and so in turn I became interested in the complementary health field.
Conventional medicine has been a life-saver for me on many occasions and I'm not about to negate any of its benefits. I have had my fair share of hospitalisations, immuno-suppressants, infusions, transfusions, drips and steroids, even surgery, however, in my chronic case I have found the medication to become less and less effective over time and more dramatic lifestyle changes have had to take place. This is what I hope to share here.

It took me a long time and a lot of trial and error to isolate what worked and what didn't and for that reason I've decided to share the information and experience I have in the hope that somebody else might benefit from it. I am not a nutritional therapist, this is merely my own personal account of what worked for me.

1. Reduced these foods - sugar, transfat, red meat, cheese
2. Increased these foods - berries, fish/fish oils, green leafy veg
3. For absorption, a digestive enzyme before I eat really helps, this also seems to help with bloating
4. A probiotic supplement I found to be excellent was VSL#3, although it can be difficult to stomach as it comes in powder sachets. Taking this was very significant in reducing my symptoms however. It started to work in the space of a couple of days
5. AVOID SUGAR (this made a massive difference to me, but read labels in supermarkets, there is sugar in items you wouldn't think of)
6. Eat organic and cut down on processed and deep-fried foods
7. Reduced caffeine and started to substitute with some herbal infusions. Some that are good for the digestive system are peppermint, liquorice & ginger. I now only have caffeine in the odd Green Tea. Insomnia's peppermint & liquorice is one of my favourite infusions and a lovely one for those of you with a sweet tooth
8. Nettle Tea really helped me with the pain of inflammation (Women's Fitness Infusion from the Yogi range is very good, has nettle in it, available in health stores)
9. Reduce stress!! - reflexology is very effective here but it is most important you find the right therapist for you. What is reflexology?
10. Aloe Vera Juice works well to cool and soothe (you can get a cranberry flavour one in the health stores as it's quite bitter otherwise) It can really help to balance things out if you are suffering from diarrhoea or constipation
    
11. A great book - Hard to Stomach by John McKenna
12. Get checked for food allergies
13. Breathing exercises - yoga belly breathing really helps
14. Chew food thoroughly. Everything should be practically liquid before you swallow. This makes it easier to extract nutrients, is more gentle on the gut and lessens the side-effects if you suffer from leaky gut which can trigger an immune response.
15. Lots of rest and keep the the lower back warm, maybe with a hot water bottle
16. Avoid alcohol

Receiving regular reflexology worked so effectively for my condition it evoked a passion in me to learn more. A healthy balance of conventional and complementary treatment has helped me in the continual management of my condition.

The benefits of reflexology in the case of chronic illness are as follows:

1. Reflexology significantly reduces stress. (Stress is usually a massive trigger for flare ups.)
2. It aids digestion.
3. It can help with pain relief.
4. It gives the individual a greater awareness of their body and helps them to listen better to their body's rhythms so that they can find solutions.
5. Due to increased circulation, it helps nutrients and oxygen to flow more efficiently on a cellular level.
6. It helps to move lymph and speed up the natural detox processes of the body. This can be extremely beneficial to a person who has had to take a lot of medication for their condition. Through this some side-effects of medication can be lessened.
7. It can help to balance the emotions and spirit. Chronic illness does not solely affect the physical body.
8. As reflexology only involves working with the feet or hands, it is far less invasive than other treatments. People who have spent a lot of time in hospital or with doctors may not be comfortable with the idea of touch. Reflexology is a gentle treatment and I always adjust my pressure according to the client's level of comfort. The client is wrapped up warm and covered in a blanket with only the feet exposed.

Figuring out what keeps my condition in remission allows me the energy and strength to now enjoy meals out, play sports, do yoga, and help others to achieve the same.

I hope this helps!

DETOXING WITH REFLEXOLOGY

Ah the New Year Detox! A cliche? Yes... but it is the season for resolutions so what better time than now to write about the benefits of detoxing and how reflexology can facilitate this.

WHY DETOX?
Reason number one is, for me, in order to feel better! Detoxing your system brings your body back into homeostasis and maximises your ability to heal physically, emotionally and mentally.
When your body is toxic on a physical level, it can cause fluctuations in thought and mood, sometimes making you feel down, de-motivated and cranky.

Reason number two .. to have more energy? Do you find that you are currently tired, lethargic and sluggish? Detoxing can help to boost your energy levels and your motivation.

Reason number three .. to look better? Detoxing helps the skin, hair, eyes, nails and your overall glow.

WHY REFLEXOLOGY?
There are many different methods of detoxing, a lot of which involve diets and colonic flushing. These cannot be disputed as very effective ways of flushing the system. With any detox, it is encouraged that you eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water but the one thing that reflexology can offer on top of this is relaxation and a level of pampering. Reflexology has been proven to be extremely potent in helping to remove toxins from the body.

The definition of 'toxin' is...
A poisonous substance, especially one produced by a living organism. Toxins can be products or byproducts of ordinary metabolism, such as lactic acid, and they must be broken down or excreted before building up to dangerous levels.
- www.dictionary.com

Reflexology works by increasing circulatory and lymphatic movement on a very physical level and so delivers more oxygen and nutrients to your body on a cellular level. This, in turn, leads to greater energy. Increasing circulatory and lymphatic movement also speeds up the exit of unwanted substances in the body from the appropriate organs. Drinking lots of water is essential to help support this process. Reflexology works to balance the endocrine system and moderate the adrenal gland (produces cortisol), which is known to typically go into overdrive at Christmas with all the stress. Balancing the adrenal gland again, can take you out of that lethargic and de-motivated feeling or can help to calm you if you are still under the influence of high-stress.

Serotonin is a happy neurotransmitter that plays a major role in transmitting messages in the nervous system. When it is plentiful, we feel wonderful about the world, even if it is posing challenges. Our stores of serotonin can run low particularly if over a period of time our cortisol levels have been elevated, our blood sugars swinging and our gut function disturbed.
Signs of low serotonin include feeling overwhelmed, lowered mood, insomnia, lack of motivation and feeling that we are not good enough.
- an excerpt from an article by April Ivory (M.Sc.Dip.nat) in the winter 09 issue of Positive Life magazine

Reflexology also boosts the immune system, aids the digestive system, calms the nervous system and stimulates the release of endorphins, a well-know feel-good factor, into the bloodstream.

Aside from all of these benefits, a session of reflexology can also just give you the time out to relax and de-stress. Reflexology has been proven to help improve sleep, and so, can offer a step in the right direction when it comes to rest and recuperation.

OTHER TIPS FOR DETOXING
While you are receiving reflexology the following can also aid and speed up your detoxification process.
1. Epsom salt baths. My fave!
2. Drink plenty of purified water (2ltrs a day is recommended as a guideline)
3. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
4. Herbal teas. I would personally recommend the yogi teas as they are my favourite and I find them to be very effective.
5. Recognise when you are stressed and take sufficient rest. Try yoga, meditation, swimming or maybe even just read a book you enjoy.
6. Invest in a neti pot and use it (see article on sinus problems)

SINUS PROBLEMS

I've come across quite a number of people who suffer from sinus pain and blockages and thought it might be beneficial to some if I were to share my personal experience with it.

Sinus issues were the main reason I got into reflexology in the first place. I had chronic sinusitis for the best part of a year and had tried practically all medications, including over the counter and prescribed medications in order to treat it. The relief was always temporary if at all. I went to a number of doctors and in the end it was decided that I should go into hospital and have my sinuses scraped. The thought of having this done horrified me. At that time I spoke with a person who had had the procedure done and he said that again the relief was temporary and he had to have the procedure multiple times.
Anyone who has suffered with sinus problems, especially, the pain, will appreciate how debilitating it is, not to mention how cranky it makes you. I put the procedure on the long finger and decided to stick with the medications for now, even though I was taking multiple tablets on a daily basis.

Then reflexology found its way into my life. I bumped into a friend of a friend who just happened to be a reflexologist and somehow the sinus problem came up in conversation. (I most likely had a headache at the time). She offered me a complementary session of reflexology to see if it would help. I was highly sceptical but desperate. I had had reflexology years earlier and remembered how it had significantly reduced the symptoms of PMS at the time and I thought, maybe it could help now.
I was a little worried going for the session as I also had a condition known as palmar/plantar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating on the hands and feet which is believed to be due to a malfunction in the sympathetic nervous system) and it made me very self-conscious regarding my feet and hands. I had this condition for as long as I could remember. Very embarrassing in school. The reflexologist made me feel completely at ease however and I trusted her and soon I was able to relax. She noted that there were a lot of 'crystals' around the sinus reflex points which infers a build up of toxins in the area. She told me that I should drink more water and try and cut back if possible on the over the counter medications as they were possibly adding to my toxicity. She also told me it would take more than one session to clear the problem.
The next day I had bad sinus and didn't feel so good. I learned that this was known as a 'healing crisis' and thankfully the reflexologist had pre-warned me. Although, this obviously wasn't the desired result, I was intrigued that the reflexology had seemed to affect me at all even if it was seemingly for the worst. I decided to go for a few more sessions. I booked in for three more, each a week apart.

After the subsequent sessions I did not feel as ill which was nice. I made a conscious effort to drink more water and take less painkillers (even though this sometimes meant just having to go to bed early because I couldn't function). I was lucky that I was in a position to do this. I understand that if you have a couple of children running around that the luxury of going to bed when you're ill is not always available.
The most amazing thing was that after the fourth session (so this is only after a month long treatment, when I had had this condition for a year) my sinusitis completely subsided. I was shocked. I was waking up in the morning without pain for the first time in a year! Also, as an added bonus, my hyperhidrosis had stopped! I had had that condition for 25 years and had been to see doctors with it all to no avail! I was sold. I decided there and then that I would have to train in reflexology so that I could understand this and possibly help other people with similar issues. I haven't had a sinus attack to the same degree since then and that was 4 years ago.

Another gem I have been blessed to discover is the 'neti pot'. This is a little pot which you fill with salted water and use to irrigate the sinuses. If I feel a touch of sinus coming on, I use this and I feel much clearer. The neti pot has also helped me with sinus issues at high altitudes. I recently bought a lovely ceramic neti pot at Atlantis Crystals in Wexford.


The article above is based on my own personal experience and does not necessarily mean that this treatment is suitable for all individuals. Reflexology is a complimentary therapy and is not designed to replace the advice of a medical doctor or specialist. Please mention any health concerns or medications etc. when making an appointment so that the reflexologist can advise you on whether or not the treatment is suited to your needs. It is not a reflexologist's place to attempt to diagnose or claim cure to any illness. If in doubt whether a reflexology treatments is right for you, please consult with your doctor.