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Theraputic doses of vit. B1 (and other B complex vitamins) Magnesium Glycinate, and lemon balm tea, and plenty of sunlight/ grounding go a long way in dropping cortisol, and wellbeing in general.
Just found this site. I have been struggling with ME/CFS for 23 years. I was never able to return to work, took 14 years to be approved for disability because I was too sick to mediate for myself. I have lost almost all of my friends because I could not do the things they did and was often too sick to have company. These friends are amazing people so it is a painful loss. Now I have severe arthritis and am in so much pain I find myself praying I don’t wake up in the morning. I relate so much to this. I have lived in a state of chronic anxiety and stress since m early 20’s. I am going to listen to more from your channel and I hope it is not on late for me to find some recovery. ME/CFS is a horrible condition that most people have no understanding or empathy. Thank you for sharing your story and what you have learned.
You WILL feel better, im sure of it 🙌🏽 I have had a somewhat similar story..loosing friends and working hard in trusting myself when ppl say "it's all in ur head, just relax a bit and get over it!" You will find ppl online who understands you..and you see from this lady she got better too! I'm getting better..after 15 years. But I'm struggling on creating a new life, since the old one is gone (partly by choise, but still hurtful) Accepting yourself and the situation is a BIG leap on the journey.. And there is a world out there who is waiting for you. And to hear ur story. The path will unfold itself as u go 🙌🏽 I will listen to more here on the channel...but I recommend to also listen to "cfs health" they also has something we all can learn from 🙌🏽 Take care of yourself 🙌🏽🙌🏽
It’s never too late. You found this site first a reason. I invite you to focus on the body’s amazing ability to heal once we start giving it what it needs…instead of focusing on the symptoms and suffering. I think we can both agree that all they do is steal from us but give us nothing in return. Believe that you can heal and take action toward that unshakeable belief and it will happen. Raelan and the many people she has interviewed are living proof. Plus, you are getting resources to get there. Greater days are head. I am praying and believing with you. 🙏🏽💛
I understand as also had it long term and list most of my friends. But I would highly recommend you read the books by Anthony William. He has a gift of hearing an Angel who has compassion for those on earth with chronic health issues and understands the true cause of CFS ME and other conditions. Start with his first book Medical Medium and learn how to heal. I have healed so many symptoms following his advise! 🌷🌸
I’ve had chronic fatigue all my life, now 36 I used to think I was lazy, but doing things when you feel zero energy is so overwhelming! I feel like this has robbed me of my life. I literally felt so much sadness today, I don’t want to have to live like this, but I have no insurance, my husband doesn’t make enough and I have to continue to work, if I’m not working I’m crashing all the time, I feel like I haven’t been a good mother to my 14 year old, wanted to have more kids but if I nearly have the energy to keep up with 1. This condition is so debilitating I don’t wish it on anyone 😢 now it seems like the chronic fatigue has become chronic pain as well, not sure if it’s age or something else but wow this sucks 😢
I meant to write when I am not working I am crashing. I work through the fatigue bc I can’t afford not to. I’ve had to heavily rely on caffeine over the years
OMG! This is me. No wonder we can't sleep. I'm always working on something, trying to figure out something, feeling inadequate for not accomplishing more.. Thank you!!
Excellent. You're so good at this. No worn out platitudes, no going through the motions, you really are so gifted in this subject, & apply yourself so well, you make recovery seem like the coolest thing ever. I'm so glad I found you!
i've had it for 20 years, if not longer. I'm 45, used to be a scuba diver:). I finally got some relief from taking licorice extract drops (8 drops, 2x a day). Also taking feminesence helped. Likely is an adrenal, and hormonal issues, but understand i had severe ptsd repeatedly. I'm doing ketamine now to address the trauma, and hopefully heal. Thank you for your service.
I’m 67 years old and have had fatigue for over 25years. I’m wondering if it is at all possible for someone like me to overcome this. I have done a lot of brain work and even become a tapping practitioner, but I am realising that I am still in fight or flight mode. It has now become such an integral part of my life that I go into fight or flight at the slightest thing. I’ve only become aware of how all encompassing it has become in the last few weeks after doing migraine pain research. Fortunately, my diet is good and I do incorporate movement, but there is a lot of crash and burn afterwards. Which makes me more tired. I’m wondering now if it is too late to heal completely like you have. None the less you have inspired me to keep trying and to make adjustments to my routine. EG focus on the mind all the time, slow down my exercise regime. Find some way to improve sleep.
Have you tried a full body detox at the cellular level and relaxing, walking if possible and getting out in nature even if it’s laying at the beach or poolside?
Love your channel . When are you going to address childhood experiences? Everyone with these chronic illnesses has had ACE….. childhood experience. We are set up from childhood to be stressed and hyper vigilant, or relaxed ,comfortable and safe
Don't know if anyone else has said this, but the thought catching is very similar to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Russ Harris has written a book about it called "the happiness trap". It identifies a method to identify and neutralise self destructive thought patterns. I've tried it and it works. So if you like the idea of thought catching, give the book a try. He has also written "the confidence gap" which covers similar ground.
This is fascinating. A few months ago, I was led to visualize my cells filling with energy as I took deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. I noticed that it did make me feel better, pretty instantly. I think what I learned from your video is that things like my visualization and breaths have scientific backing for why it helps.
I’m crying right now because that is exactly it- finishing each day feeling that I’ve not done enough. To hear it could be related to my CFS is a game changer. Thank you so much! ❤️
I do the same thing and it's related to "performance driven approval" rather than having a deep sense of being enough as you are. Not to get too deep but that is related to childhood. Not having that security that you are unconditionally loved. For whatever reason. Maybe some parents were "well meaning" but worked too hard or never said "I love you" etc, leaving the child feeling unseen. Neglect is a huge one. I have really been realising just how deep this runs for me. It's a tough one to work on because these patterns are so deeply ingrained.
raelan, if I get nothing else from your videos, the one thing I'm always guaranteed is hope. I leave every video aware that the last thing I tried didn't work, but hopeful and optimistic that the next one has every chance of working for me. so from the bottom of my heart thank you
Right on, Raelan! I can't tell you enough how much insight I am gaining from watching your videos. I have had CFS for 11 years and have worked with many of the strategies you discuss in your videos. My hindrance is that I do things, as you described, in chunks. I have been all over the map, trying many strategies. Your videos are giving me some guidance and reminding me that I can do small amounts of something and still reap the benefits. I am beginning to reshape my day since watching your videos, and I'm already noticing a difference! You focus on a lot of great strategies, but also give us a sense of your routine and how it all comes together. I think it's really important for those of us with ME/CFS to be able to see those small, incremental improvements because it is is such a painstakingly slow process that it's easy to miss. Your videos are such a gift to those starting their journey. And for those starting their journey, I was lucky to put together sentence when I developed ME/CFS. I has been a long journey but so worth it! Happy Remembrance Day everyone! 💚💛💛💚
Thank God you plugged your book!! I thought "Is this woman just a total saint? I've watched 2 hours worth of her UA-cam content and learned more than I have all week. PLUS, I feel uplifted about have a usable/enjoyable life..."
Haha thanks for this, this made me laugh! Not even close to a saint and I feel like I plug my book all the time ;) Glad it doesn't feel that way to others! I'm glad you enjoyed this and are feeling uplifted 🙌
This is so helpful, thank you so much. I am recovering after 20 years of ME & fibromyalgia using similar practices. Hearing stories of hope and recovery like yours make such a difference. Very grateful, I know how much time and effort you must put in to share this with others. ❤️
@@Truerealism747 there are a lot of crossovers for sure and individual cases vary. In my case the fibromyalgia started after I sustained serious injuries in a car accident. The cfs symptoms did not start until 15 years later after repeated viral infections. I was then finally refereed to a rheumatologist The clinical picture is complex and seeing a specialist should help. If you can do that. I know it can be a challenge!
I love the insight. I've had CFS since 2018. It took me a year to become technically functional where I could hold a job and whatnot, but I'm now going through waves where it's taking me months to get over viral infections. It's affecting my job, my social life, and my marriage. I'm on week 4 of a sinus infection with swollen glands, etc. Watching more of your videos makes me realize that I think JUST the obsession with trying to heal myself has been an enormous stressor. I'm absolutely obsessed to get back to how I used to be because I'm a "fixer." I'll spend hours a day researching possibilities that perhaps I didn't consider; I'll spend hours scouring my health journal that I've had for 6 years. I need to slow down and chill out. I've probably unknowingly kept myself sick for longer than I need to because I can definitely tell I'm in that "fight or flight" mode whenever I'm researching, watching things about health, or worrying about how my health is affecting my job. It's exhausting. I miss thinking about all the other hobbies and activities that I enjoy. I was just thinking about this topic the other day--about how I'm probably not helping things by continuing to do this. Then I watch this video of yours and it basically solidifies it. I've already been hiking a lot more and thinking about getting back into drawing, etc. I've found that I'm trying to redirect conversations with my husband to things other than my health and it's improving my marriage again. The stress is hard on him too. Great advice and thank you!
'Slow down and chill out' - I love this! I empathize for sure, it sounds like we are wired similarly. I suspect we get in our own way sometimes by going at things so hard! Thanks for sharing and I'm glad you've had this insight 💛
As we speak I'm struggling and losing.... and this video is the FIRST offering something positive and SIMPLE to do. I'm beginning the implementation. Many thanks for the enlightenment! .... and I'm not kidding!
Wow, you're an eye opener. All the years I worked as a courier probably caused this. Stress in traffic starting 3 pm every day. Massive jobs, hand loading a ton of weight in hundreds of boxes at a time. They were my bears.
LOVE that you've laid out these simple and effective strategies! I'm familiar with catching unhelpful thoughts and replacing them but I probably can't be reminded too much, and adding the praise and quick visualization totally up levels it - thank you for sharing, Raelan!
Thank you Raelan. From a fellow Canadian. Your videos are so helpful and clear. I have to say I loved the outtakes. That made me laugh. One thing I have started doing is laughter yoga to help me be in a healing state. I was finding that I was too serious all the time. Laughter is so important too!!
I remember reading a medical report that stated a certain percentage of ME recover within the first two years, then a smaller percentage by 5 years, then 8 and the majority by 10. I know i would have fully recovered if I'd rested and accepted instead if fighting the exhaustion every day like a warrior trying to overcome a deamon.
amazing video as always Raelan. what stuck the most for me was the part about how changing our thought patterns over time gets easier as we re-dig those neural pathways. so while it might feel like slow progress in the beginning, improving mental health can have the flywheel effect - hard pushing in the beginning, effortless self-sustaining in the end.
Thank you Raelan. I love your channel. It is so encouraging. I have heard so many things that have resonated with me. The success stories, your own personal experience included, as well as all the advice, are giving me a lot of hope as I continue with my recovery journey. I am currently working with a somatic practitioner who uses Peter Levine's method to address those bears/tigers in my life. Peter Levine has done some amazing work in this area. It's a journey, but I am seeing some improvements. Although there are online options for this technique, I find it feels extra supportive to have a real person work with me.
Wow that part about being unsatisfied with my achievements every night really resonated! Never did I think it would backfire so badly. Now I know how to reframe things to stop the negative loop. It will soon be my 1-year COVID "anniversary", but I'm ~ 90% recovered! I just got back from the tropics after 2 weeks and snorkelling almost every day (I thought of you while doing so, that's so cool that you scuba dive)! I'm not sure if it was the lack of stress from work, or being in a new, warm/beautiful place and not thinking much about the illness, but I'm SO glad that I didn't relapse during my vacation! Of course, I paced myself and took it much easier than I would in the past, pushing to the max. When I got home, I decided to pick up swimming and did almost 40 min. of laps, then slept like a baby. It's only been 1 session and I was super tired the next day, but still somewhat functional. I wonder if swimming might be the key to recovery as I don't seem to relapse (I learned that that was obviously way too much for the first session). I'm in the final stage of recovery; I wouldn't have been able to do that while in the acute or intermediate stages. Thank you so much Raelan for sharing such valuable insights in your video (and the humour sprinkled in)! Your videos are a godsend, I'm so thankful for you (and UA-cam)! lol Teep rocking it!❣⭐🌈Lots of love from a fellow Canadian.✊
I'm thinking she must have had a very mild case of cfs. So many people are fully debilitated, like me. I tried these things for years and naturally have a brighter outlook and I easily meditate. When I first got sick I thought I just needed to exercise so I did every day and just got worse and worse. If things were really this curable with thought, I'd have done it long ago. More power to her, though, I'm glad she's better.
This is my daughter too. She has always meditated, knows how to relax really well, doesn't dwell on things and doesn't worry about what she has or has not accomplished. She eats healthily too. She's had ME/CFS for 10 years now, and has recently had fibromyalgia added to the diagnosis. (to cover the additional symptoms she has, not covered by ME/CFS. There is nothing here that she doesn't already do, but the fatigue, especially postexertional, and vertigo don't change. She is as active as she can be, and has accepted that she now does less, much less, than before. So she's become picky over what she does do, and hands everything else over to other people to deal with, or just doesn't bother. 'There's no point in worrying about something you can't do anything about. Stick to the things you can do' is her motto.
I think she's only had a temporary form, this is my first video watching her, so don't know her full story, but for those who have had this disease for a long time, psychology and positive thoughts aren't going to cure us. I do all of those selfcare and self talk strategies, I've even spent a year with a mentor paid lots of money on self forgiveness/forgiveness and while it's helped me with other things, not this disease, not even slightly.
The dysfunction of the Sympathetic Nervous System AND the Parasympathetic Nervous system (As well as the Enteric Nervous System) explains why when we have CFS we are one moment overly wired and unable to sleep (sympathetic) whilst simultaneously fatigued (parasympathetic) the Enteric nervous system controls digestion. All 3 can be dysfunctional during CFS. The Key is allowing the entire system to calm, heal and rewire. Upon doing this many and potentially all symptoms disappear (although treating symptoms also helps the ANS heal) Basically treat the core issue not just the symptoms. :) This is what I have recently discovered.
@@lambylambcurly I did a program called ANS (autonomic nervous system) rewire by Dan Nueffer. But in short, calming the autonomic nervous system is the key. This is achieved through mediation, emotional trauma healing, rewiring thoughts associated with the illness and removing all physical, emotional and dietary stress from the body.
Thanks for all these "recovering faster" pointers and videos, this one really jumps out at me as an actual SOLUTION to the problem of "just reduce stress in your life", like yeah but how..... So thank you, I can work with this strategy, I have tons of stress triggers to start catching and working on, I can literally feel my body start having an inappropriately large fight/flight response to many things, I had just started to try and distract myself when it occured, which is semi-effective, but won't actually stop it re-occurring, thanks again!
Fantastic video, Raelan. Thank you so much. To help me live, as much as possible, from my parasympathetic nervous system, as well as re-wire my brain to optimize healing, I practice both DNRS and The Gupta Method, as well as EFT, gratitude journaling, laughter for healing, and more. Your video helped me understand principles of neuroplasticity and the importance of the parasympathetic nervous system at an even deeper level. I feel that this will make everything I'm doing even more effective. Thanks again!
Love your channel, it is so positive and real! The thought catching idea is similar to what I’m learning in my brain retraining program (Gupta). It’s really helping me with anxiety. Only been doing it for about six weeks and my symptoms other than fatigue are almost gone. Fingers crossed the fatigue goes too.
I LOVE your sense of humor! And I think you are totally right about this. My spiritual teacher recently said "let go of everything that causes envy, irritation, anxiety..." And anxiety is the biggest trigger of fatigue for me. So I find myself thinking that I need to stay away from my computer (Fb!!) for a while. And last night I even got that maybe I should even stop focusing on income for a while... and just do what *does* feel good...like yoga, juicing, guitar, and walks. And I'm gonna try the thought changing practice, thank you. I have other thought practice I do that helps as well. I ask "why sad?" Then I "see thru" all the why thoughts that pop up. It really works for me, and I love how simple it is. Oh and it sounds to me like you're just ready now for new practices. I'm not sure you really could have sped it up...its so easy to look back and say I could have... even a stop stopping practice takes energy/effort, and we didn't have much of that. And I believe we'll all become meditators eventually 🌎🦋.
I believe you got to the perfect point that even doctor can not say that. I was activating the emergency alert for almost 3 years of my life so when I got sick I stuck in that pattern that can be hard to skip. I kind of doing your way to solve this issue but not in 4 steps but I will try yours and see how it goes. Thank you so much for all
Hi! Just found you and your channel. Really enjoying it! These 2 steps you talk about in getting well quicker is exactly what DNRS does. I am in my 2nd month of these practices. But I am learning much from you too and being encouraged that I am going to get through to the other side after all. Thank you!
Great advices Raelan, I so much agree with you ! it was a turning point for me too - to start praising my self !!! something I realised I never actualy did before ! I realised how much I've tortured myself with higher standarts and lack of approval and yes- it all starts with realising what your thoughts are and what you think about yourself. old patterns of thinking is sometimes not easy to change , but i also believe it is so worthed. Amasing video ❤
TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 How I could have recovered faster 02:03 The autonomic nervous system 07:48 A two-step system to engage the parasympathetic nervous system 08:38 Thought Catching 14:33 Healing Sessions 16:13 Why I think my recovery was slower than it needed to be 17:44 Outtakes!
Thank you for this great video! Can you make a video about crashes, what to do when you crash how to stay positive on these hard days when you can only stay in bed and you don't know when you are going to be little better again....
Thank you so much for this. I had it ten years now too..going on 11. This is so amazing to hear because I literally can't do this anymore, I never enjoy a second of life it's all torture every second of every day. So it's not permanent? I can actually go back to studying and become a therapist like I've been waiting for? 🥺 I have watched my thoughts but I need to work on my reaction to them and I stopped meditating years ago but I will start again too. This is so helpful
Sorry you're having such a hard time Elle! I totally relate to that feeling of "I literally can't do this anymore". I've had this illness for nearly 10 years, but for some reason I've just hit rock bottom this year and I refuse to spend the rest of my life like this. I'm hoping that the feeling of hitting rock bottom is the thing that really motivates me to finally recover. I hope it is for you too!
Please keep watching Raelan's videos and take a good look at Dan Neuffers "ANS Rewire." It is a comprehensive, holistic, scientific approach ionline program created by Dan, who himself recovered from CFS/FM after reasearching for years and applying what he learned. The principles/methods he used to recover are in the program - 40+ teaching videos, online coaching, recovery videos... God speed and never give up!
Very good. I see pieces of other practices here - good stuff Raelan. TY🙏 . I have "fibro " pain and cfs ..its tough...i have major issue with thoughts..negative, critical, intrusive. Its the whole mind /body thing right ...and once u get in the illness cycle you get stuck there and u don't even realise it
I love and appreciate you and your videos so so much! Just wanted to let you know what amazing work you are doing for the ME/CFS community and anyone on a healing journey- keep doing your wonderful stuff!!
Thank you very much Raelan for sharing your ideas, thoughts and journey! Your video really really does help and wish you a very happy and bright life every day! Take care ❤
The "falling short" thing is soooo true. And so harmful! If we're hitting 8/10 efforts pretty consistently, that's amazing and we should pat ourselves on the back more for reaching those levels
you prolly dont give a damn but does anyone know a trick to get back into an instagram account..? I was stupid lost the account password. I love any assistance you can give me
@@RaelanAgle did lots of sleep also help you or was it more the nervous system. I was always a very stressful person and was always nervous about anything, i believe it played a big part in my illness. I believe this this video could be helpful to me. Did you take any anti depression meds?. I only started taking rhodiola from my Naturopath, hopefully i can see results soon.
Such a great video Raelan. It helped me a lot with understanding the ANS. You explained it very well. Your videos are so helpful 🤩 and lovely to see your working place with the box underneath the labtop 🤗
This is the best brain retraining (from half way through the video). Thankyou!!! I found the first half hard as I could feel my own stress response ramping up as you were describing it, but so glad I kept listening for the exercise. 👌🌻🌻🌻
I really enjoyed watching this video. Things like thought catching and praising myself and so many other things that you mentioned, resonate with me. Your inspirational messages means a lot to me because it is mostly exactly what I am experiencing.
Thankyou for this - very much appreciated and very encouraging. I thought I was sufferig from CFS but have just been diagnosed with prediabetes and still think the advice here - (along with the medcal advice relevant to prediabetes ) will also be valuable for me in gettig to grips with prediabetes. (For all of us - regardless of what the underlying cause of the fatigue is). So thankyou Raelan. Also appreciate your very clear and engaging communication style.
I watched a video where you talked about thought catching some years ago - but then I absolutely forgot the channel name. Just wanted to say that I implemented it at a time I was struggling with a lot of negative thoughts and it was so helpful. Thank you so much for sharing the technique!
I got well by not exercising much and taking my time to do things. I can walk but i could never ever work out in a gym on a regular basis. Nothing else really work like exercise absence . I cut out grains and lectins and eat mostly raw foods and that really helps with inflammation. High dose omega 3 is very good for the inflammation in the brain and has really helped with depression.
Raelan, thank you for such a clear and helpful strategy. So much of my internal narrative is You have not done enough. You are not enough. No wonder my body manifests that at a cellular level. Your two strategies will help me address that. Thank you! Xx
I am so happy for you that you are in remission. Hopefully you still are as this video is 2 years old, but it came up in my feed. I’m seriously happy for you! I like your channel and many of your interviews but what you are saying in this episode leaves me absolute baffled. It’s almost as if you are saying “you gotta want it” in order to heal. What I hear when you say that is “nobody is really sick. It is all in your mind.” It’s fairly insulting to the people lying in bed is that you just don’t want it enough Strong today, sore tomorrow seems to be your mantra. Just so you know, I’m one of the lucky - the top 1% that have improved according to Stanford CF & Long Covid Clinic - yet do not consider myself in remission. I was home bound and 50% bed-bound. Now I ride horses, work part time and am active in my family. Yet, I still crash with too much physical and metal activity. In the past, I crashed for 3-6 weeks. Now it’s 1-4 days. Yet, I would never say I’ve recovered. I’m not living the life I thought I’d live at this point I’m my life. I spent 15 years undiagnosed, working out harder thinking I was just out of shape. I was a mom of three girls. I was a fitness instructor. I was a UH60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot and C12 fixed wing pilot in the Army. I flew over 1300 hours during a time when only 1% of pilots were women. I know how to fight… fight for my rights, fight for my equality, fight for my safety, fight for my health and fight for others. I recognize others with the same internal strength to fight. Many of those are within the ME/CFS community. They fight every day just to brush their teeth, to get dressed, to digest their food and to speak. Even though you have interviewed hundreds, (maybe thousands of individuals with CFS) you have missed the severe population. Honestly, your advice seems naive. It goes against some of the advice of the top medical researchers and physicians in the nation. You are an anomaly. I am the same. We are the lucky, but this is not just a mental exercise. I would caution you against saying that you are just de-conditioned or are eating a bad diet. Saying that I exercised more and got better is dangerous. It’s dangerous for me and I’m in the top 1% of recovery. We are blessed. I am. So are you. It’s really not that simple for everyone.
Thanks for another great video. I've been on a self guided recovery program that recommends both of these techniques and (combined with diet changes and the right type of gentle paced exercise) they've really been helping. Good to see that you're giving the same good advice
Love the thought catching tip. My negative stressful panicky thoughts - terrible. I think too sometimes we don't realise where the stress is coming from - we think it is the job or the family or the whatever but it actually the thoughts inside our own heads ! They become habit don't they ? Thanks Raelan !
Raelan tell us about your dating story. I was waiting for this moment in your healing journey but never came. It's such an important part in our lives and yet so hard in the worse days.
As a person with serious M.E., while I like the message, the amount of talking and high energy is exhausting to listen to. A lot of excess words, too fast. I want to listen to it all but had to turn off the audio. It could be presented in a quiet simple way with people like me in mind. But as a fellow scuba diver and traveler I am hopeful to someday see remission.
Hi Raelan, I love the thought-catching stuff. I think recovery for a lot of us lies in mastering this kind of thing - along with good diet and restorative movement. However, I find it difficult to apply these kind of techniques when I'm in a dip or a bad period. It seems in those kind of situations, I am almost constantly thinking about my symptoms and scanning how I'm feeling. Also feeling sorry for myself almost - comparing myself to others, and to past me. Can you give some examples of productive thoughts you might focus on in these periods? Thanks, Alex
Great question Alex and I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. I'm actually working on some videos on this very thing, hopefully something in there might be helpful.
Well explained! I've read about the parasympathetic and sympathetic system many times but you connect it well to chronic fatigue. For me, I don't have that many stressful thoughts anymore. But it's feelings of stress, worry, rushing or even excitement that I've become aware clearly bring on symptoms. So I'm getting better at being mindful of my state of mind/body and staying calm and that really helps. I love the use of the word healing session!
Hi Raelan! I just want to say thanks for the content! I find the mind-body connection to be something that holds true when it comes to the manifestation of and prolonging of this illness: I myself am about to do the LP soon and I’m already engaging in a lot of helpful reading.... I know it’s not helpful to talk about symptoms, but I really wanted to get your input, since you have fully recovered and hopefully I can get over this stumbling block I’m currently on by hearing your input... so since I’ve kind of “backslid” a little bit, my post exertion malaise has manifested itself in a lot of cardiovascular symptoms. For example today, I did 25 minutes on the elliptical and immediately after (and even during), I felt very extreme heaviness, dizziness, palpitations and brain fog. Although testing thus far has not revealed any problems, and I doubt they will, as I am only 27 and otherwise “look” quite fit. I feel as if I have heart failure especially with cardiovascular exercise.... and these symptoms were not as prominent when I was more recovered about 6 months ago. Was this something that you experienced during your recovery? If so, how did you overcome this hurdle from a mental perspective? Thank you so much for everything that you do! I love the interviews especially the one with Jason!
Hey Nick! Good for you for working so hard at your recovery and trying new things. And yes I agree that too much focus on symptoms isn't helpful but I think it's important to pay attention to when the severity is increasing so we can be a detective of sorts (just like you're doing!) and try and sort out what's happening. Hmm this is a challenging question for me to answer though. Yes, I had some backslides and generally it was when I wasn't actively working on my recovery (I was just in survival mode for a few years) and I would push myself too hard and then my symptoms would worsen. It sounds like you have concerns about your heart, have you had it checked out? As for the mental perspective, various things kept me going. Sometimes it was distraction, or support from family or friends, or simply finding something new to try that would give me renewed hope and the motivation to keep at it. Counseling and journalling helped me too. Wishing you all the best with this Nick and I hope that the LP training gives you some tools to make some big leaps with your recovery!
Raelan Agle yeah I have and I have a few more tests coming up. It just feels like it’s one thing after another that keeps me in this “fear loop” thanks Raelan your awesome!
Hey dude -- I happened to see that you wrote your body was telling you no "even during" yet you continued the elliptical -- probably the most intense-on-the-heart exercise machine for 25 minutes. Most people I know avoided intense cardio during recovery, and then started gradually. For me, a key thing was learning it's not about what I can do, it's about what I can recover from. And putting a priority on Feeling Good rather than proving to myself I can do certain things like having the perfect beach body (ironically, that's how I was able to ultimately do more stuff). So rewarding myself not for how many minutes on an elliptical, but -- did I meditate, avoid stress, do my brain training, do things for good sleep hygiene, and feeling good about myself for that. (I learned this the hard way, I initially tried to get in superwoman shape the second I started feeling better while letting self-care slip.) And yes as Raelan says all those things like the LP (which I've heard good things about!) can support your mind/brain. PS. Keep in mind that the tests might not lead to a solution (though I know some people are given beta blockers). I, like most people with ME/CFS had the craziest cardio symptoms and am now symptom free, so it's possible for this stuff to heal.
Liz Carlson Dude! Thank you so much for that response! I think for quite awhile I’ve been attacking this from an angle of “ the more I can do, the more I can do” and thought that I could slowly push it away. I think it was really taking on this attitude that ultimately led to these symptoms! My thinking is that if I exercise my “unhealthy heart” it will become healthier, yet the more consistently I exercise it the worse it gets, which is cruel, but the autonomic nervous system does not give much of a shit with M/E ( and I think this has to do with anaerobic threshold, the more in balance your nervous system is the high your threshold is, I believe)... I need to dive into the self care I think even more deeply and let go of feeling guilty about being “lazy” . This reply was definitely what I needed and it always makes me so excited to hear someone recover and someone I can relate to with the symptoms ! Thanks again! :)
You might also want to check out YT videos Toby Morrison of CSF Health. You sound as though you are "pushing and crashing, pushing and crashing". It happens with us type A perfectionist people. Toby runs a chronic illness recovery program based on holistic techniques (treating the whole body). Physically you need to find your "baseline".... things you can do that do NOT make you feel worse. Then.... when you do those things... you do ONLY 50% of your baseline. If you can successfully maintain your baseline routine for 3-4 weeks you can increase ... either the length of time you do something or add another activity to your baseline. Keep a record chart of your progress. Example... you can walk for 10 min before your body/mind is telling you to stop. You start walking 5 min every day .... consistently...for 3- 4 weeks.... then increase your daily walk by 1 min. Really paying attention to how the activity you are doing... makes you feel. The things you can do and the length of time you can do them is YOUR own personal journey. Do not compare yourself to anyone else. Do only what you know you can do... not what someone else says you should be able to do. One CSF Health motto is "Consistency over Intensity". Another concept I love is... "Doing less now will allow you to do more later." (As you build up strength and stamina.) Best Wishes on your recovery journey. 💕
Wow this was very enlightening Raelan. You must have been catching all the stressful thoughts when trying to get your sentences perfect on camera. Thinking of the amount of memory used up for retakes gets me stressed. LoL
So glad you found this helpful! Haha and yes... I'll admit that by the end of recording a video I feel like I've just done some kind of major workout - takes me lots of energy! So many retakes... 😆
Enjoyed this as I always knew thought process, praising having compassion for self are very important too...I do it throughout my day. Will work on pay attention to the things that are stressing me how best to minimize them. thank you
Doctor Amen calls those ANTS Automatic Negative Thoughts. His recommendation to squash those ANT’s is very similar you yours, questioning those negative thoughts and replacing them with positive versions
I’ve been chronically fatigued for several years, it’s from chronic stress and depression . Every lab is normal . I’ve also went to see a naturopathic doctor and nothing worked . I just want to feel better , I have brain fog m and feel unmotivated . Some how 8 manage to work as an OR nurse, but it’s so taxing on my body , because I don’t always process things well. This all started with a hip injury and then a neck injury that led to chronic headaches and facial pain . I’ve been working on Pilates and my body is slowly getting stronger but I’m always tired and in a fog . I have so many dreams but I’m afraid I will never accomplish them . My 20s have passed me by and I don’t want my 30s to be the same . I have chronic tightness in my body because my psoas won’t relax. I feel like the chronic pain led to depression which led to chronic fatigue . I’ve tried all types of supplements and mediation but nothing works. I’m stuck in these negative and tired thought patterns . Is there any hope for recovery . It’s like mild chronic fatigue. It was really bad for like 3 months oearliee this year where all I did was sleep when not working but I’m kind of functional but unable to do anything but work.
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Just found this site. I have been struggling with ME/CFS for 23 years. I was never able to return to work, took 14 years to be approved for disability because I was too sick to mediate for myself. I have lost almost all of my friends because I could not do the things they did and was often too sick to have company. These friends are amazing people so it is a painful loss. Now I have severe arthritis and am in so much pain I find myself praying I don’t wake up in the morning. I relate so much to this. I have lived in a state of chronic anxiety and stress since m early 20’s. I am going to listen to more from your channel and I hope it is not on late for me to find some recovery. ME/CFS is a horrible condition that most people have no understanding or empathy. Thank you for sharing your story and what you have learned.
You WILL feel better, im sure of it 🙌🏽 I have had a somewhat similar story..loosing friends and working hard in trusting myself when ppl say "it's all in ur head, just relax a bit and get over it!" You will find ppl online who understands you..and you see from this lady she got better too!
I'm getting better..after 15 years. But I'm struggling on creating a new life, since the old one is gone (partly by choise, but still hurtful)
Accepting yourself and the situation is a BIG leap on the journey.. And there is a world out there who is waiting for you. And to hear ur story. The path will unfold itself as u go 🙌🏽
I will listen to more here on the channel...but I recommend to also listen to "cfs health" they also has something we all can learn from 🙌🏽
Take care of yourself 🙌🏽🙌🏽
Praying for your healing and recovery.
All things are possible 🙏🏿
It’s never too late. You found this site first a reason. I invite you to focus on the body’s amazing ability to heal once we start giving it what it needs…instead of focusing on the symptoms and suffering. I think we can both agree that all they do is steal from us but give us nothing in return. Believe that you can heal and take action toward that unshakeable belief and it will happen. Raelan and the many people she has interviewed are living proof. Plus, you are getting resources to get there.
Greater days are head. I am praying and believing with you. 🙏🏽💛
I understand as also had it long term and list most of my friends. But I would highly recommend you read the books by Anthony William. He has a gift of hearing an Angel who has compassion for those on earth with chronic health issues and understands the true cause of CFS ME and other conditions. Start with his first book Medical Medium and learn how to heal. I have healed so many symptoms following his advise! 🌷🌸
I’m feeling this yes what you said!
I am stressed about how much i haven't done at the end of the day. It drives me crazy and it makes me feel miserable.
Ditto! It makes me totally inadequate too 😞
I’ve had chronic fatigue all my life, now 36 I used to think I was lazy, but doing things when you feel zero energy is so overwhelming! I feel like this has robbed me of my life. I literally felt so much sadness today, I don’t want to have to live like this, but I have no insurance, my husband doesn’t make enough and I have to continue to work, if I’m not working I’m crashing all the time, I feel like I haven’t been a good mother to my 14 year old, wanted to have more kids but if I nearly have the energy to keep up with 1. This condition is so debilitating I don’t wish it on anyone 😢 now it seems like the chronic fatigue has become chronic pain as well, not sure if it’s age or something else but wow this sucks 😢
Doesn't wotking make you crash?
I don't understand when you say if you're not working, you're crashing all the time....
I meant to write when I am not working I am crashing. I work through the fatigue bc I can’t afford not to. I’ve had to heavily rely on caffeine over the years
Maby caffeine make it worst, I just quit my today and hope I feel better
Gluten, grains and tea and sugar makes it worse. For me I can only eat rice, meat, vegetables and fruits it's still a lot.
OMG! This is me. No wonder we can't sleep. I'm always working on something, trying to figure out something, feeling inadequate for not accomplishing more.. Thank you!!
Same here 😔
Excellent. You're so good at this. No worn out platitudes, no going through the motions, you really are so gifted in this subject, & apply yourself so well, you make recovery seem like the coolest thing ever. I'm so glad I found you!
i've had it for 20 years, if not longer. I'm 45, used to be a scuba diver:). I finally got some relief from taking licorice extract drops (8 drops, 2x a day). Also taking feminesence helped. Likely is an adrenal, and hormonal issues, but understand i had severe ptsd repeatedly. I'm doing ketamine now to address the trauma, and hopefully heal. Thank you for your service.
I’m 67 years old and have had fatigue for over 25years. I’m wondering if it is at all possible for someone like me to overcome this. I have done a lot of brain work and even become a tapping practitioner, but I am realising that I am still in fight or flight mode. It has now become such an integral part of my life that I go into fight or flight at the slightest thing. I’ve only become aware of how all encompassing it has become in the last few weeks after doing migraine pain research. Fortunately, my diet is good and I do incorporate movement, but there is a lot of crash and burn afterwards. Which makes me more tired. I’m wondering now if it is too late to heal completely like you have. None the less you have inspired me to keep trying and to make adjustments to my routine. EG focus on the mind all the time, slow down my exercise regime. Find some way to improve sleep.
How are you now
Have you tried a full body detox at the cellular level and relaxing, walking if possible and getting out in nature even if it’s laying at the beach or poolside?
@@tomikacox360 what do you use for detox
Ever check your iodine levels?
@@LoveGrowsAdam take iodine everyday
Love your channel . When are you going to address childhood experiences? Everyone with these chronic illnesses has had ACE….. childhood experience. We are set up from childhood to be stressed and hyper vigilant, or relaxed ,comfortable and safe
Don’t believe this otherwise you will never heal . Have hope and faith .
Don't know if anyone else has said this, but the thought catching is very similar to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Russ Harris has written a book about it called "the happiness trap". It identifies a method to identify and neutralise self destructive thought patterns. I've tried it and it works. So if you like the idea of thought catching, give the book a try. He has also written "the confidence gap" which covers similar ground.
This is fascinating. A few months ago, I was led to visualize my cells filling with energy as I took deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. I noticed that it did make me feel better, pretty instantly. I think what I learned from your video is that things like my visualization and breaths have scientific backing for why it helps.
I’m crying right now because that is exactly it- finishing each day feeling that I’ve not done enough. To hear it could be related to my CFS is a game changer. Thank you so much! ❤️
It seems so many of us finish our days feeling this way! Glad this was helpful in some way 💛
I do the same thing and it's related to "performance driven approval" rather than having a deep sense of being enough as you are. Not to get too deep but that is related to childhood. Not having that security that you are unconditionally loved. For whatever reason. Maybe some parents were "well meaning" but worked too hard or never said "I love you" etc, leaving the child feeling unseen. Neglect is a huge one. I have really been realising just how deep this runs for me. It's a tough one to work on because these patterns are so deeply ingrained.
raelan, if I get nothing else from your videos, the one thing I'm always guaranteed is hope. I leave every video aware that the last thing I tried didn't work, but hopeful and optimistic that the next one has every chance of working for me. so from the bottom of my heart thank you
I appreciate that so much, thank you! Your message gave me goosebumps 💛 There is hope and I am over here cheering you on 🙌
Right on, Raelan! I can't tell you enough how much insight I am gaining from watching your videos. I have had CFS for 11 years and have worked with many of the strategies you discuss in your videos. My hindrance is that I do things, as you described, in chunks. I have been all over the map, trying many strategies. Your videos are giving me some guidance and reminding me that I can do small amounts of something and still reap the benefits. I am beginning to reshape my day since watching your videos, and I'm already noticing a difference! You focus on a lot of great strategies, but also give us a sense of your routine and how it all comes together. I think it's really important for those of us with ME/CFS to be able to see those small, incremental improvements because it is is such a painstakingly slow process that it's easy to miss. Your videos are such a gift to those starting their journey. And for those starting their journey, I was lucky to put together sentence when I developed ME/CFS. I has been a long journey but so worth it! Happy Remembrance Day everyone! 💚💛💛💚
Amazing Bobbie, thanks so much for sharing all this and I'm glad the videos have been helpful 💛
I think it’s good to learn to feel at peace with yourself at the end of the day even if you’ve ‘achieved’ little or even nothing ‘productive’
Agreed!
Thank God you plugged your book!! I thought "Is this woman just a total saint? I've watched 2 hours worth of her UA-cam content and learned more than I have all week. PLUS, I feel uplifted about have a usable/enjoyable life..."
Haha thanks for this, this made me laugh! Not even close to a saint and I feel like I plug my book all the time ;) Glad it doesn't feel that way to others! I'm glad you enjoyed this and are feeling uplifted 🙌
Thanks
Thank you so much, Catherine! I really appreciate it ❤️
This is so helpful, thank you so much. I am recovering after 20 years of ME & fibromyalgia using similar practices. Hearing stories of hope and recovery like yours make such a difference. Very grateful, I know how much time and effort you must put in to share this with others. ❤️
Glad it was helpful!
How do we no what is CFS or fybromyalgia CFS 26 fybromyalgia 6 so many symptoms crossover same illness?
@@Truerealism747 there are a lot of crossovers for sure and individual cases vary. In my case the fibromyalgia started after I sustained serious injuries in a car accident. The cfs symptoms did not start until 15 years later after repeated viral infections. I was then finally refereed to a rheumatologist The clinical picture is complex and seeing a specialist should help. If you can do that. I know it can be a challenge!
I love the insight. I've had CFS since 2018. It took me a year to become technically functional where I could hold a job and whatnot, but I'm now going through waves where it's taking me months to get over viral infections. It's affecting my job, my social life, and my marriage. I'm on week 4 of a sinus infection with swollen glands, etc. Watching more of your videos makes me realize that I think JUST the obsession with trying to heal myself has been an enormous stressor. I'm absolutely obsessed to get back to how I used to be because I'm a "fixer." I'll spend hours a day researching possibilities that perhaps I didn't consider; I'll spend hours scouring my health journal that I've had for 6 years. I need to slow down and chill out. I've probably unknowingly kept myself sick for longer than I need to because I can definitely tell I'm in that "fight or flight" mode whenever I'm researching, watching things about health, or worrying about how my health is affecting my job. It's exhausting. I miss thinking about all the other hobbies and activities that I enjoy. I was just thinking about this topic the other day--about how I'm probably not helping things by continuing to do this. Then I watch this video of yours and it basically solidifies it. I've already been hiking a lot more and thinking about getting back into drawing, etc. I've found that I'm trying to redirect conversations with my husband to things other than my health and it's improving my marriage again. The stress is hard on him too. Great advice and thank you!
'Slow down and chill out' - I love this! I empathize for sure, it sounds like we are wired similarly. I suspect we get in our own way sometimes by going at things so hard! Thanks for sharing and I'm glad you've had this insight 💛
As we speak I'm struggling and losing.... and this video is the FIRST offering something positive and SIMPLE to do. I'm beginning the implementation. Many thanks for the enlightenment! .... and I'm not kidding!
You are so welcome!
Thanks
Thank you Amanda. Much appreciated ❤️
Wow, you're an eye opener. All the years I worked as a courier probably caused this. Stress in traffic starting 3 pm every day. Massive jobs, hand loading a ton of weight in hundreds of boxes at a time. They were my bears.
LOVE that you've laid out these simple and effective strategies! I'm familiar with catching unhelpful thoughts and replacing them but I probably can't be reminded too much, and adding the praise and quick visualization totally up levels it - thank you for sharing, Raelan!
You are an absolute Godsend. Thank you for sharing your story and helping others learn and recover.
This is so good! I will implement it from today on. I am excited about it. Thank you so much, Raelan!
You're so welcome!
Me too :D
I think this is highly relevant to people who suffer of narcissistic abuse syndrome.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing 😊
Thank you Raelan. From a fellow Canadian. Your videos are so helpful and clear. I have to say I loved the outtakes. That made me laugh. One thing I have started doing is laughter yoga to help me be in a healing state. I was finding that I was too serious all the time. Laughter is so important too!!
Brilliant Raelan...well done!
I remember reading a medical report that stated a certain percentage of ME recover within the first two years, then a smaller percentage by 5 years, then 8 and the majority by 10. I know i would have fully recovered if I'd rested and accepted instead if fighting the exhaustion every day like a warrior trying to overcome a deamon.
amazing video as always Raelan. what stuck the most for me was the part about how changing our thought patterns over time gets easier as we re-dig those neural pathways. so while it might feel like slow progress in the beginning, improving mental health can have the flywheel effect - hard pushing in the beginning, effortless self-sustaining in the end.
Very well said, Jay!
Thank you Raelan. I love your channel. It is so encouraging. I have heard so many things that have resonated with me. The success stories, your own personal experience included, as well as all the advice, are giving me a lot of hope as I continue with my recovery journey. I am currently working with a somatic practitioner who uses Peter Levine's method to address those bears/tigers in my life. Peter Levine has done some amazing work in this area. It's a journey, but I am seeing some improvements. Although there are online options for this technique, I find it feels extra supportive to have a real person work with me.
I will try the healing session , thankyou for sharing your journey.
Wow that part about being unsatisfied with my achievements every night really resonated! Never did I think it would backfire so badly. Now I know how to reframe things to stop the negative loop. It will soon be my 1-year COVID "anniversary", but I'm ~ 90% recovered! I just got back from the tropics after 2 weeks and snorkelling almost every day (I thought of you while doing so, that's so cool that you scuba dive)!
I'm not sure if it was the lack of stress from work, or being in a new, warm/beautiful place and not thinking much about the illness, but I'm SO glad that I didn't relapse during my vacation! Of course, I paced myself and took it much easier than I would in the past, pushing to the max.
When I got home, I decided to pick up swimming and did almost 40 min. of laps, then slept like a baby. It's only been 1 session and I was super tired the next day, but still somewhat functional. I wonder if swimming might be the key to recovery as I don't seem to relapse (I learned that that was obviously way too much for the first session). I'm in the final stage of recovery; I wouldn't have been able to do that while in the acute or intermediate stages.
Thank you so much Raelan for sharing such valuable insights in your video (and the humour sprinkled in)! Your videos are a godsend, I'm so thankful for you (and UA-cam)! lol Teep rocking it!❣⭐🌈Lots of love from a fellow Canadian.✊
I'm thinking she must have had a very mild case of cfs. So many people are fully debilitated, like me. I tried these things for years and naturally have a brighter outlook and I easily meditate. When I first got sick I thought I just needed to exercise so I did every day and just got worse and worse. If things were really this curable with thought, I'd have done it long ago. More power to her, though, I'm glad she's better.
Exactly. I ran . I went to gym. For trekking also. Nothing works .
This is my daughter too. She has always meditated, knows how to relax really well, doesn't dwell on things and doesn't worry about what she has or has not accomplished. She eats healthily too. She's had ME/CFS for 10 years now, and has recently had fibromyalgia added to the diagnosis. (to cover the additional symptoms she has, not covered by ME/CFS. There is nothing here that she doesn't already do, but the fatigue, especially postexertional, and vertigo don't change. She is as active as she can be, and has accepted that she now does less, much less, than before. So she's become picky over what she does do, and hands everything else over to other people to deal with, or just doesn't bother. 'There's no point in worrying about something you can't do anything about. Stick to the things you can do' is her motto.
@@margaretcorfield9891 Thank you for this and much healing to your daughter!
I think she's only had a temporary form, this is my first video watching her, so don't know her full story, but for those who have had this disease for a long time, psychology and positive thoughts aren't going to cure us. I do all of those selfcare and self talk strategies, I've even spent a year with a mentor paid lots of money on self forgiveness/forgiveness and while it's helped me with other things, not this disease, not even slightly.
@@MISSjmaec try eating and drinking in standing position . It surely helped me a lot. Don't know how but it surely does .
The dysfunction of the Sympathetic Nervous System AND the Parasympathetic Nervous system (As well as the Enteric Nervous System) explains why when we have CFS we are one moment overly wired and unable to sleep (sympathetic) whilst simultaneously fatigued (parasympathetic) the Enteric nervous system controls digestion. All 3 can be dysfunctional during CFS. The Key is allowing the entire system to calm, heal and rewire. Upon doing this many and potentially all symptoms disappear (although treating symptoms also helps the ANS heal) Basically treat the core issue not just the symptoms. :) This is what I have recently discovered.
Well said Gibbet, thanks for sharing 💫
How did you do it? Thanks
@@lambylambcurly I did a program called ANS (autonomic nervous system) rewire by Dan Nueffer. But in short, calming the autonomic nervous system is the key. This is achieved through mediation, emotional trauma healing, rewiring thoughts associated with the illness and removing all physical, emotional and dietary stress from the body.
Thanks for all these "recovering faster" pointers and videos, this one really jumps out at me as an actual SOLUTION to the problem of "just reduce stress in your life", like yeah but how..... So thank you, I can work with this strategy, I have tons of stress triggers to start catching and working on, I can literally feel my body start having an inappropriately large fight/flight response to many things, I had just started to try and distract myself when it occured, which is semi-effective, but won't actually stop it re-occurring, thanks again!
Thanks for making this suggestion so practical and giving examples.
Fantastic video, Raelan. Thank you so much. To help me live, as much as possible, from my parasympathetic nervous system, as well as re-wire my brain to optimize healing, I practice both DNRS and The Gupta Method, as well as EFT, gratitude journaling, laughter for healing, and more. Your video helped me understand principles of neuroplasticity and the importance of the parasympathetic nervous system at an even deeper level. I feel that this will make everything I'm doing even more effective. Thanks again!
HI Raelen, do you have any thoughts on the vagal nerve stimulators?
I love it. A healing session. That's a great way of thinking about meditation.
💓💓💓
Love your channel, it is so positive and real! The thought catching idea is similar to what I’m learning in my brain retraining program (Gupta). It’s really helping me with anxiety. Only been doing it for about six weeks and my symptoms other than fatigue are almost gone. Fingers crossed the fatigue goes too.
Wow, Rain, great to hear you're making progress with Gupta! Fingers crossed for kicking that fatigue too. 🌟
I LOVE your sense of humor! And I think you are totally right about this. My spiritual teacher recently said "let go of everything that causes envy, irritation, anxiety..." And anxiety is the biggest trigger of fatigue for me. So I find myself thinking that I need to stay away from my computer (Fb!!) for a while. And last night I even got that maybe I should even stop focusing on income for a while... and just do what *does* feel good...like yoga, juicing, guitar, and walks.
And I'm gonna try the thought changing practice, thank you. I have other thought practice I do that helps as well. I ask "why sad?" Then I "see thru" all the why thoughts that pop up. It really works for me, and I love how simple it is.
Oh and it sounds to me like you're just ready now for new practices. I'm not sure you really could have sped it up...its so easy to look back and say I could have... even a stop stopping practice takes energy/effort, and we didn't have much of that. And I believe we'll all become meditators eventually 🌎🦋.
I believe you got to the perfect point that even doctor can not say that. I was activating the emergency alert for almost 3 years of my life so when I got sick I stuck in that pattern that can be hard to skip. I kind of doing your way to solve this issue but not in 4 steps but I will try yours and see how it goes. Thank you so much for all
Reading the Bible at the end of the day, right before I go to bed helps me, I focusing on Father God and praying...helps my mental health.
Yes! Jesus heals!
Yes! Jesus heals!
Amen, me too! Trust on the Lord 😍🙏💕
Me too reading ❤the bibel is like no other book. The word is alive and go straight in the mind and body ❤
Amen sister! ✝️🙏🏻💟
Hi! Just found you and your channel. Really enjoying it! These 2 steps you talk about in getting well quicker is exactly what DNRS does. I am in my 2nd month of these practices. But I am learning much from you too and being encouraged that I am going to get through to the other side after all. Thank you!
Thanks Raelan 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
To me this is one of your most valuable videos!
Happy to hear that! ❤️
Nose breathing also very important to keep stress down
Great advices Raelan, I so much agree with you ! it was a turning point for me too - to start praising my self !!! something I realised I never actualy did before ! I realised how much I've tortured myself with higher standarts and lack of approval and yes- it all starts with realising what your thoughts are and what you think about yourself. old patterns of thinking is sometimes not easy to change , but i also believe it is so worthed. Amasing video ❤
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 How I could have recovered faster
02:03 The autonomic nervous system
07:48 A two-step system to engage the parasympathetic nervous system
08:38 Thought Catching
14:33 Healing Sessions
16:13 Why I think my recovery was slower than it needed to be
17:44 Outtakes!
What was your dr Elliots name? Thank you
that process of catching the thought, and "replacing it" reminds me a lot of the neuroplasticity program called fasterEFT/eutaptics.
Does that program work?
Thank you for this great video! Can you make a video about crashes, what to do when you crash how to stay positive on these hard days when you can only stay in bed and you don't know when you are going to be little better again....
Excellent suggestion, thanks for this!
I've discovered this myself recently but you said it much better so thank you much for that.
💓💓💓
Thank you so much for this. I had it ten years now too..going on 11. This is so amazing to hear because I literally can't do this anymore, I never enjoy a second of life it's all torture every second of every day.
So it's not permanent? I can actually go back to studying and become a therapist like I've been waiting for? 🥺
I have watched my thoughts but I need to work on my reaction to them and I stopped meditating years ago but I will start again too.
This is so helpful
Sorry you're having such a hard time Elle! I totally relate to that feeling of "I literally can't do this anymore". I've had this illness for nearly 10 years, but for some reason I've just hit rock bottom this year and I refuse to spend the rest of my life like this. I'm hoping that the feeling of hitting rock bottom is the thing that really motivates me to finally recover. I hope it is for you too!
@@kayoss2306 took a catalyst moment for me to realise i wasnt doing everything i could be doing re healing.
Please keep watching Raelan's videos and take a good look at Dan Neuffers "ANS Rewire." It is a comprehensive, holistic, scientific approach ionline program created by Dan, who himself recovered from CFS/FM after reasearching for years and applying what he learned. The principles/methods he used to recover are in the program - 40+ teaching videos, online coaching, recovery videos... God speed and never give up!
@@tammyprovost8320 i am doing ANS Rewire now. I just did my 2 months symptoms tracker. How far are you into the program?
I so hear you and can relate. I'm on a similar journey. Best wishes to you and your recovery.
I needed this today, thank you 😊
💓💓💓
Nice one! Well connected. Thank you
Very good. I see pieces of other practices here - good stuff Raelan. TY🙏 . I have "fibro " pain and cfs ..its tough...i have major issue with thoughts..negative, critical, intrusive. Its the whole mind /body thing right ...and once u get in the illness cycle you get stuck there and u don't even realise it
I love and appreciate you and your videos so so much! Just wanted to let you know what amazing work you are doing for the ME/CFS community and anyone on a healing journey- keep doing your wonderful stuff!!
Aw you are so sweet and kind Charlotte, thank you! ❤️
Thank you very much Raelan for sharing your ideas, thoughts and journey! Your video really really does help and wish you a very happy and bright life every day! Take care ❤
Thanks Raelan. You're a breath of fresh air!
Aw thanks Matt!
Thank you!
You're welcome, Zozo!
The "falling short" thing is soooo true. And so harmful! If we're hitting 8/10 efforts pretty consistently, that's amazing and we should pat ourselves on the back more for reaching those levels
you prolly dont give a damn but does anyone know a trick to get back into an instagram account..?
I was stupid lost the account password. I love any assistance you can give me
Absolutely love this video
Thank you 🙏
💓💓💓
Thanks for this video
Most welcome!
@@RaelanAgle did lots of sleep also help you or was it more the nervous system. I was always a very stressful person and was always nervous about anything, i believe it played a big part in my illness. I believe this this video could be helpful to me. Did you take any anti depression meds?. I only started taking rhodiola from my Naturopath, hopefully i can see results soon.
Super helpful. Going to start doing this today! Thank you for sharing your journey and helping others. : )
Thank you too, Gareth! Glad you found this helpful 💓💓💓
Hahaha for bloopers! Wow, thank you so much. These a great ideas... Thanks for sharing.... 🙏
Such a great video Raelan. It helped me a lot with understanding the ANS. You explained it very well. Your videos are so helpful 🤩 and lovely to see your working place with the box underneath the labtop 🤗
Thank you, Lisa! I appreciate it! 💓
Really eye-opening, i def see a big correlation with my start/of symptoms and slow recovery
This is the best brain retraining (from half way through the video). Thankyou!!!
I found the first half hard as I could feel my own stress response ramping up as you were describing it, but so glad I kept listening for the exercise. 👌🌻🌻🌻
Glad you like it, Leah 💓💓💓
Finally, someone explained in clear simple words and tools, how rewiring works! ❤ Thank you!🙏
I really enjoyed watching this video. Things like thought catching and praising myself and so many other things that you mentioned, resonate with me. Your inspirational messages means a lot to me because it is mostly exactly what I am experiencing.
I appreciate that so much, Johannes! Thank you ❤️
Thankyou for this - very much appreciated and very encouraging. I thought I was sufferig from CFS but have just been diagnosed with prediabetes and still think the advice here - (along with the medcal advice relevant to prediabetes ) will also be valuable for me in gettig to grips with prediabetes. (For all of us - regardless of what the underlying cause of the fatigue is). So thankyou Raelan. Also appreciate your very clear and engaging communication style.
Hi Raelan,
This is pure gold!
Muchas Gracias!!
I watched a video where you talked about thought catching some years ago - but then I absolutely forgot the channel name. Just wanted to say that I implemented it at a time I was struggling with a lot of negative thoughts and it was so helpful. Thank you so much for sharing the technique!
So excellent, Raelan.
Re- watched this after 3 months and it’s given me an awesome reset. Thankyou ⭐️
Almost fell back into the old way but … NOT TODAY!!!! ❤️👏🏻
💗💗💗
This is Gold
So glad you think so, Blake!
You are so clear and articulate! Thank you for all the helpful information and encouragement you give us
Thanks got a lot from that. I feel ready to make some changes. I like that you explain the systems in a simple and understandable way.
Glad it was helpful, Nigel!
I got well by not exercising much and taking my time to do things. I can walk but i could never ever work out in a gym on a regular basis. Nothing else really work like exercise absence . I cut out grains and lectins and eat mostly raw foods and that really helps with inflammation. High dose omega 3 is very good for the inflammation in the brain and has really helped with depression.
Raelan, thank you for such a clear and helpful strategy. So much of my internal narrative is You have not done enough. You are not enough. No wonder my body manifests that at a cellular level. Your two strategies will help me address that. Thank you! Xx
Glad it was helpful!
I am so happy for you that you are in remission. Hopefully you still are as this video is 2 years old, but it came up in my feed. I’m seriously happy for you! I like your channel and many of your interviews but what you are saying in this episode leaves me absolute baffled. It’s almost as if you are saying “you gotta want it” in order to heal. What I hear when you say that is “nobody is really sick. It is all in your mind.” It’s fairly insulting to the people lying in bed is that you just don’t want it enough Strong today, sore tomorrow seems to be your mantra. Just so you know, I’m one of the lucky - the top 1% that have improved according to Stanford CF & Long Covid Clinic - yet do not consider myself in remission. I was home bound and 50% bed-bound. Now I ride horses, work part time and am active in my family. Yet, I still crash with too much physical and metal activity. In the past, I crashed for 3-6 weeks. Now it’s 1-4 days. Yet, I would never say I’ve recovered. I’m not living the life I thought I’d live at this point I’m my life. I spent 15 years undiagnosed, working out harder thinking I was just out of shape. I was a mom of three girls. I was a fitness instructor. I was a UH60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot and C12 fixed wing pilot in the Army. I flew over 1300 hours during a time when only 1% of pilots were women. I know how to fight… fight for my rights, fight for my equality, fight for my safety, fight for my health and fight for others. I recognize others with the same internal strength to fight. Many of those are within the ME/CFS community. They fight every day just to brush their teeth, to get dressed, to digest their food and to speak. Even though you have interviewed hundreds, (maybe thousands of individuals with CFS) you have missed the severe population. Honestly, your advice seems naive. It goes against some of the advice of the top medical researchers and physicians in the nation. You are an anomaly. I am the same. We are the lucky, but this is not just a mental exercise. I would caution you against saying that you are just de-conditioned or are eating a bad diet. Saying that I exercised more and got better is dangerous. It’s dangerous for me and I’m in the top 1% of recovery. We are blessed. I am. So are you. It’s really not that simple for everyone.
Thank you So much for sharing your experience and success! It gives me hope for my daughter who has me/cfs.
Thanks for another great video. I've been on a self guided recovery program that recommends both of these techniques and (combined with diet changes and the right type of gentle paced exercise) they've really been helping. Good to see that you're giving the same good advice
Wonderful!
Love the thought catching tip. My negative stressful panicky thoughts - terrible. I think too sometimes we don't realise where the stress is coming from - we think it is the job or the family or the whatever but it actually the thoughts inside our own heads ! They become habit don't they ? Thanks Raelan !
Raelan tell us about your dating story. I was waiting for this moment in your healing journey but never came. It's such an important part in our lives and yet so hard in the worse days.
A great point and helpful topic suggestion. Thank you!
As a person with serious M.E., while I like the message, the amount of talking and high energy is exhausting to listen to. A lot of excess words, too fast. I want to listen to it all but had to turn off the audio. It could be presented in a quiet simple way with people like me in mind. But as a fellow scuba diver and traveler I am hopeful to someday see remission.
I find some of her videos too long as well.
You can slow down the speed in Settings, but that just makes it longer 😢
Hi Raelan,
I love the thought-catching stuff. I think recovery for a lot of us lies in mastering this kind of thing - along with good diet and restorative movement.
However, I find it difficult to apply these kind of techniques when I'm in a dip or a bad period. It seems in those kind of situations, I am almost constantly thinking about my symptoms and scanning how I'm feeling. Also feeling sorry for myself almost - comparing myself to others, and to past me.
Can you give some examples of productive thoughts you might focus on in these periods?
Thanks,
Alex
Also perhaps any tips for journalling for anxiety etc could be really helpful!
My last video was actually about journalling - perhaps something here will be useful :) ua-cam.com/video/PQ_wMHYlvM4/v-deo.html
Great question Alex and I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. I'm actually working on some videos on this very thing, hopefully something in there might be helpful.
@@RaelanAgle Thanks Raelan, I'll keep an eye out for that video. I think remembering good recovery habits becomes harder when you're in a little dip.
Well explained! I've read about the parasympathetic and sympathetic system many times but you connect it well to chronic fatigue.
For me, I don't have that many stressful thoughts anymore. But it's feelings of stress, worry, rushing or even excitement that I've become aware clearly bring on symptoms. So I'm getting better at being mindful of my state of mind/body and staying calm and that really helps.
I love the use of the word healing session!
Amazzziinngg video!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad you liked it!!
Hi Raelan! I just want to say thanks for the content! I find the mind-body connection to be something that holds true when it comes to the manifestation of and prolonging of this illness: I myself am about to do the LP soon and I’m already engaging in a lot of helpful reading.... I know it’s not helpful to talk about symptoms, but I really wanted to get your input, since you have fully recovered and hopefully I can get over this stumbling block I’m currently on by hearing your input... so since I’ve kind of “backslid” a little bit, my post exertion malaise has manifested itself in a lot of cardiovascular symptoms. For example today, I did 25 minutes on the elliptical and immediately after (and even during), I felt very extreme heaviness, dizziness, palpitations and brain fog. Although testing thus far has not revealed any problems, and I doubt they will, as I am only 27 and otherwise “look” quite fit. I feel as if I have heart failure especially with cardiovascular exercise.... and these symptoms were not as prominent when I was more recovered about 6 months ago. Was this something that you experienced during your recovery? If so, how did you overcome this hurdle from a mental perspective? Thank you so much for everything that you do! I love the interviews especially
the one with Jason!
Hey Nick! Good for you for working so hard at your recovery and trying new things. And yes I agree that too much focus on symptoms isn't helpful but I think it's important to pay attention to when the severity is increasing so we can be a detective of sorts (just like you're doing!) and try and sort out what's happening.
Hmm this is a challenging question for me to answer though. Yes, I had some backslides and generally it was when I wasn't actively working on my recovery (I was just in survival mode for a few years) and I would push myself too hard and then my symptoms would worsen. It sounds like you have concerns about your heart, have you had it checked out?
As for the mental perspective, various things kept me going. Sometimes it was distraction, or support from family or friends, or simply finding something new to try that would give me renewed hope and the motivation to keep at it. Counseling and journalling helped me too. Wishing you all the best with this Nick and I hope that the LP training gives you some tools to make some big leaps with your recovery!
Raelan Agle yeah I have and I have a few more tests coming up. It just feels like it’s one thing after another that keeps me in this “fear loop” thanks Raelan your awesome!
Hey dude -- I happened to see that you wrote your body was telling you no "even during" yet you continued the elliptical -- probably the most intense-on-the-heart exercise machine for 25 minutes. Most people I know avoided intense cardio during recovery, and then started gradually. For me, a key thing was learning it's not about what I can do, it's about what I can recover from. And putting a priority on Feeling Good rather than proving to myself I can do certain things like having the perfect beach body (ironically, that's how I was able to ultimately do more stuff). So rewarding myself not for how many minutes on an elliptical, but -- did I meditate, avoid stress, do my brain training, do things for good sleep hygiene, and feeling good about myself for that. (I learned this the hard way, I initially tried to get in superwoman shape the second I started feeling better while letting self-care slip.) And yes as Raelan says all those things like the LP (which I've heard good things about!) can support your mind/brain. PS. Keep in mind that the tests might not lead to a solution (though I know some people are given beta blockers). I, like most people with ME/CFS had the craziest cardio symptoms and am now symptom free, so it's possible for this stuff to heal.
Liz Carlson Dude! Thank you so much for that response! I think for quite awhile I’ve been attacking this from an angle of “ the more I can do, the more I can do” and thought that I could slowly push it away. I think it was really taking on this attitude that ultimately led to these symptoms! My thinking is that if I exercise my “unhealthy heart” it will become healthier, yet the more consistently I exercise it the worse it gets, which is cruel, but the autonomic nervous system does not give much of a shit with M/E ( and I think this has to do with anaerobic threshold, the more in balance your nervous system is the high your threshold is, I believe)... I need to dive into the self care I think even more deeply and let go of feeling guilty about being “lazy” . This reply was definitely what I needed and it always makes me so excited to hear someone recover and someone I can relate to with the symptoms ! Thanks again! :)
You might also want to check out YT videos Toby Morrison of CSF Health. You sound as though you are "pushing and crashing, pushing and crashing". It happens with us type A perfectionist people. Toby runs a chronic illness recovery program based on holistic techniques (treating the whole body). Physically you need to find your "baseline".... things you can do that do NOT make you feel worse. Then.... when you do those things... you do ONLY 50% of your baseline. If you can successfully maintain your baseline routine for 3-4 weeks you can increase ... either the length of time you do something or add another activity to your baseline. Keep a record chart of your progress. Example... you can walk for 10 min before your body/mind is telling you to stop. You start walking 5 min every day .... consistently...for 3- 4 weeks.... then increase your daily walk by 1 min. Really paying attention to how the activity you are doing... makes you feel. The things you can do and the length of time you can do them is YOUR own personal journey. Do not compare yourself to anyone else. Do only what you know you can do... not what someone else says you should be able to do. One CSF Health motto is "Consistency over Intensity". Another concept I love is... "Doing less now will allow you to do more later." (As you build up strength and stamina.) Best Wishes on your recovery journey. 💕
I love this one Realan ❤️ thank you so much 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
So glad!!!
I really wish we could have the option of having a 5 min version of the answers, alone.
Wow this was very enlightening Raelan. You must have been catching all the stressful thoughts when trying to get your sentences perfect on camera. Thinking of the amount of memory used up for retakes gets me stressed. LoL
So glad you found this helpful! Haha and yes... I'll admit that by the end of recording a video I feel like I've just done some kind of major workout - takes me lots of energy! So many retakes... 😆
Enjoyed this as I always knew thought process, praising having compassion for self are very important too...I do it throughout my day. Will work on pay attention to the things that are stressing me how best to minimize them. thank you
Good for you Lori!
Thank youvi will try it!
Doctor Amen calls those ANTS Automatic Negative Thoughts. His recommendation to squash those ANT’s is very similar you yours, questioning those negative thoughts and replacing them with positive versions
10:19 "faulty thinking" may be a little judgmental. How about "previous thinking"? Thanks for the video Raelan!
I don't think so. If the thinking is unhelpful and harmful to a persons health, it IS faulty. Tip toeing around things like that is not helpful.
This was super awesome ‼️catching the thoughts like ashok Gupta talks about 🙌🏼🙌🏼 and the turning it around and praising yourself 💓
I’ve been chronically fatigued for several years, it’s from chronic stress and depression . Every lab is normal . I’ve also went to see a naturopathic doctor and nothing worked . I just want to feel better , I have brain fog m and feel unmotivated . Some how 8 manage to work as an OR nurse, but it’s so taxing on my body , because I don’t always process things well. This all started with a hip injury and then a neck injury that led to chronic headaches and facial pain . I’ve been working on Pilates and my body is slowly getting stronger but I’m always tired and in a fog . I have so many dreams but I’m afraid I will never accomplish them . My 20s have passed me by and I don’t want my 30s to be the same . I have chronic tightness in my body because my psoas won’t relax. I feel like the chronic pain led to depression which led to chronic fatigue . I’ve tried all types of supplements and mediation but nothing works. I’m stuck in these negative and tired thought patterns . Is there any hope for recovery . It’s like mild chronic fatigue. It was really bad for like 3 months oearliee this year where all I did was sleep when not working but I’m kind of functional but unable to do anything but work.