Tips for managing chronic illness

Tips for managing chronic illness

Living with chronic illness, whether it be of a physical or psychological nature, can be demoralising and at times bring us to the point of despair. The following tips are presented to assist you or those you care for in managing chronic illness. Accept your condition Accepting the changes to your life, along with the effects…

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Back 2 Basics 4 Health and Wellbeing

Back 2 Basics 4 Health and Wellbeing

Need to find balance in your life but don’t know where to start? Confused about all the conflicting information out there? These were the foundation questions for the establishment of the Back 2 Basics event, initiated by Elyse Comerford, Sydney Nutritional Therapist and Health Coach, and Darwin based Kathleen O’Keeffe, Energy Worker and Health Coach….

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Is your garbage bag full?

Is your garbage bag full?

Living in the world is not all plain sailing, and we learn this from the moment we are born. Many of us enter the world screaming our little lungs out, and if not, it’s not too long before we let others clearly know that our needs are not being met! Thankfully for everyone around us,…

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It’s the little things that count with chronic fatigue syndrome & fibromyalgia

It’s the little things that count with chronic fatigue syndrome & fibromyalgia

Everyone with chronic illness grieves for what they have lost.  With chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) It is easy to become absorbed by thoughts of all the things that you can no longer do.  Continuing to view your situation from this perspective will make it difficult to move beyond anger and despondency. It…

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Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain – Chronic Despair

Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain – Chronic Despair

If you struggle with chronic fatigue or chronic pain, or both, then you probably also battle with episodes of depression or despair. It is extremely wearing to be living in a state of constant low energy or to experience pain with every movement, and it is impossible for the emotions not to get caught up…

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Healing your illness through mind and body

Healing your illness through mind and body

The Western view of illness and healing has been slow to embrace the significance of non-physical factors in contributing to sickness and health. This is at odds with Eastern thinking where physical problems are generally viewed as the body-mind-spirit being ill-at-ease, or in a state of dis-ease. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) regards that a state…

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Chronic Pain is more than Physical

Chronic Pain is more than Physical

People who experience chronic pain such as Fibromyalgia (FM), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), back pain and other chronic conditions, seek all kinds of treatments in the hope of finding relief for their physical symptoms. The primary focus is on treating the physical aspects of the condition in the hope of being free from pain and revitalised…

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The Danger of Graded Exercise Therapy

The Danger of Graded Exercise Therapy

One of the major symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or Fibromyalgia (CFS/FM) is the extreme fatigue that may follow the performance of simple tasks. Just having a shower can be enough to debilitate someone with CFS/FM for several days or more. Unlike other illnesses with an identifiable course, CFS/FM is erratic and unpredictable, and there seems…

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Chronic illness: A mental disorder?

Chronic illness: A mental disorder?

Living with chronic illness such as chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia (CFS/FM) certainly has its trials! There are a myriad of symptoms which present challenges for people, but even worse than these, for many people, is the disbelief of others about the reality of their conditions. Despite the opinions of many, CFS/FM are genuine physical…

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Why write?

Why write?

I was thrilled to be invited to be a Guest Blogger with Our Little Books  through the encouragement of Bronwyn Clee who suggested that I blog  about my experiences of writing my book Longing to Live: Journeying with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia,