My naturopath was my grounding force through-out the early years of my illness. She set me on the right path with diet, nutrition, supplements and testing (lyme disease as well as digestive health). I would not have made the progress I did without her. She advised me to take a range of supplements. Some were for general body support, and some specifically aimed at ME/CFS. D-Ribose was one I noticed a difference with when I started taking it, which is rare for any medication or supplement that I had tried.

I had never enjoyed the heat of a sauna but was told this felt different, as it was invisible light rays rather than hot air. So I tried it and got addicted! It really helped me with my Fibromyalgia pain, and I found that I could tolerate being in it a lot easier than I could a traditional sauna. Weekly saunas are a part of my ongoing health regime.

My interest in spiritual development started with meditation, and by living next to 'Peace by the Sea' in Tankerton. I’m not religious per se, so never felt there was a way for me to explore that side of myself, and was always a little more fearful than curious. However, after joining the meditation sessions and going to a coffee morning and trying tarot for the first time, I got more curious. I started attending healing sessions, then when biweekly Spiritual Development Circles started I decided to go along to them too. I have met some incredible people at this little church, and am thoroughly enjoying my journey and the fascinating things I am learning and experiencing. I now look out for new experiences - this year I had my first sound bath and did a 'Kakao & Kunyin' workshop, both of which were fantastic.

Dealing with a chronic illness is really tough. There's a general lack of understanding about ME/CFS and as an illness it is quite stigmatised. There's also a period of mourning to deal with - I found myself grieving the loss of my future - I had to leave my job, couldn’t care for myself let alone my child, and had to leave the country I lived in and loved in order to move closer to family, as our little unit couldn’t survive without their support. My counsellor was a great support throughout this process, and I was able to stay mentally strong and healthy even whilst I losing my ability to function.

I had heard about the benefits of Tai Chi so once I had started gaining enough energy on a consistent basis to start some form of exercise, I looked for classes. I came across Tai Chi Chuan being taught twice a week by two amazing volunteers at the Umbrella Centre in Whitstable, requiring just a donation to the Umbrella Centre. I started going to the 8am Monday class, and about 6 months in started doing both classes. It is an amazing practice and I have now also started learning sword-form.

Other than the gentle stretches, walking was the start of my physical recovery journey. At the beginning of 2022 I was happy if I could do 5-10 minutes of slow walking a day. Whilst doing the ANS Rewire program I was able to gradually increase this and before long 20 minute walks were no problem. Now I feel deprived if I walk less than 45 minutes in a day (sometimes there just isn’t the time or the appropriate weather), and if I can walk somewhere rather than drive, I’ll do it every time. It’s an amazing feeling being able to walk and not pay for it later - I feel especially blessed to get to take many of my walks along our beautiful coastline.

I had never had acupuncture before but as I was struggling with energy, and acupuncture deals with the restoring of our life force or ‘Qi’, I thought it was worth a try. It was quite amazing. At first (as my therapist had warned me) it sent me into an energy crash, but once I recovered from the crash I would feel better than I had before the session. A very useful healing modality that I also used last year when dealing with sciatica.

I was advised that Epsom salt baths were very good for easing pain and inflammation, and would relax your muscles. So I tried them, and really, what’s not to love? I sleep so much better after having them, and my whole body feels relaxed. My favourite way to use them? In a jacuzzi tub, lovely!

Like many people with ME/CFS I suffered from insomnia, and could often spend hours lying awake at night totally exhausted, but unable to sleep. Although it still plagues me on occasion, I now know that I can control it by committing to my good sleep hygiene practices. Key elements include regular sleep hours in a cool, dark, comfortable room; no electronic devices or tv 3 hours before bed; no caffeine or alcohol; adequate exercise/movement during the day and no naps; and not eating anything too heavy or too close to bedtime.

Meditation, especially when you are new to it, can be absolutely exhausting! So it's no surprise it took me years before I felt able to commit to it as a daily practice. Quite the opposite to what I had imagined it was, rather than having to empty my mind of all thoughts I was undertaking a mental training practice and learning to focus, and in this way to quiet the mind. It was one of the last things I did in my recovery journey and the biggest game changer for me as it paved the way for the vitally important changes I needed to make through neuroplasticity (see in ANS Rewire). I do less dedicated mindfulness and meditation now (though I still do a weekly group meditation at the Peace By the Sea in Tankerton) and instead use my Tai Chi and Pilates classes for their inherent mindfulness practice.

When I started my ANS Rewire course the most movement I could incorporate regularly were just a few minutes of stretching each day. Once my recovery was well underway I was doing 15 minutes per day but wanted to do more. Peace by the Sea in Tankerton hosts a number of weekly yoga and Pilates classes. I had practised yoga before but never really loved it - more endured it! So I decided to try Holistic Pilates. It turned out to be the perfect fit for me - gentle stretching and movement but no heroics - a welcome addition to my weekly routine.

Anyone suffering a crisis of any kind will know how important support is. During my journey with ME/CFS I got to experience a highly supportive workplace and colleagues, caring and supportive friends, and a renewed appreciation for the absolute dedication and support of my closest family members. I have been so lucky in this respect, and I know that. Without it though, It is unlikely I would have made it to this place of recovery, as financial, emotional and physical support were all crucial in enabling me to find my way back to a fulfilled life, and for my mental wellbeing. Well, that, and a brutal determination to live the best life I possibly could!