Whether it’s an adrenalin hangover, a virus that has ravaged the bucket or the AI symptoms that have decided to let me know I am not alone, I have a toolkit I refer to that helps me get back on track.

I can’t say whether one practice or treatment is more beneficial than the other, all I know is that this toolkit helps bring back some equilibrium. It is very much trial & error, sometimes I need more of one thing that another, but I am learning to listen to my body and understanding what it is unhappy about.

The key is to balance my gut – my mind – and my body

Here’s my Gut Guide:

G1. Graze during the day and into the evening – that means every 2 hours I need the combination of protein, calcium and leaf litter – it keeps my blood sugar levels balanced and blood pressure under control.

G2. Soups – I hated them as a child and still can’t look at kale (despite its superfood reputation) – but if I have homemade chicken stock, broccoli + bacon and carrot + ginger on standby my gut says “thank you”

G3. Stay away from caffeine & sugar – this is an obvious one, but I find it difficult, particularly when I am in a “brain fog.” All I am seeking is a way to get through the fog, unfortunately the soy latte is like using a halogen light rather than LED on a foggy drive down to Wollongong – wastes energy and generates excess heat.

G4. Colour on my plate – natural foods with colour are bursting with all the good stuff – antioxidants, phytochemicals, etc… – if yellow has crept onto my plate or bowl it’s an alarm bell.

Body Guide

B1. Lymphatic massage – I don’t need a blood test to tell me that inflammation and its wrecking ball is at work, I can feel it. I often refer to it as my ‘Nancy Kerrigan’ days. My joints burn and I can account for each of the 26 bones in each foot and 27 bones in each hand.

On these days, lymphatic massage is the only physical relief I can endure. Everything gets moved around, I visualise all those misguided T-cells being redirected, “don’t fire, they’re on our side.”

I swear by Valerie Marshall at Inspiring Wellness, who has years of experience across many modalities.

B2. Chiropractic adjustment – I use chiropractic adjustments when my body feels heavy and “compressed” and as a precursor to a lymphatic massage, I find the “cracks” release and realign the nerves, joints, tissue and muscles. Also having mild scoliosis I find my hips are often out of alignment, so my chiro lines me back up. Paul Hadfield at Gymea Allied Health Centre is my go to.

B3. Sleep – I don’t set the alarm and if I’m tired during the day and a rest break doesn’t help I allow myself permission to sleep, usually no longer than an hour, but if my body needs it, then so be it. Whilst I agree sleep hygiene is important, if it’s another rule you’re imposing, you’re not listening to your body and therefore recovery and achieving wellness becomes even harder.

B4. Limit googling to 30 minute periods. I remember 10 hour days at work where I would jump from research, to synthesising materials, to referencing and back to researching. It was high intensity, brain draining work – it’s an adrenalin hangover waiting to happen. Don’t cure the hangover with the hair of the dog.

B5. Vitamin D, the natural way. The amounts you can absorb through food are negligible, it’s the old fashioned way that helps. Despite the 45 stairs I need to take to get outside, its then less than 20 metres to the backyard and the sunlight.

Movement Guide

I’ve deliberately not called this exercise, because for many (including me) exercise conjures up great images of both physical and mental effort and energy – the two things I may not have at this point.

So I try to focus on deliberate and mindful movement, because somehow it seems more tolerable and doesn’t send me into the fear mode that I’ll overdo it and therefore feel worse. The team at Peak Health have helped rebuild my bucket more than once, and I often credit Brent Collier, the exercise physiologist at Peak and fellow CFS thriver, with an amazing ability to harness my Type A traits for good (and recovery).

E1. Re-focus on Core – This isn’t solely about holding a plank, but rather acknowledging that when the AI bucket has been kicked so is my posture. Further exacerbating the fatigue as my body slouches.

Less oxygen in, less oxygen circulated, less energy created. So I lay down and focus, brace my core and hold for 3 counts. Repeat 5 times. Done.

I then find myself standing more upright. More oxygen in, more oxygen circulated, more energy created. Mission Accomplished

E2. Start at 5 mins, and (slowly) build – That’s all I (try to) ask of myself. Sounds easy, but often is not. In my head, it often takes more effort to get ready whether it’s a dip in the ocean or a walk around the block, but I know this is the difference between managing the pain and fatigue or allowing it to overcome me.

E3. Heart Rate Monitor – This allows me to check whether my perceived exertion is within range of my actual exertion. Basically how hard is my heart working… 65%, 75% or more? I became very adept and not listening to my body to the point that I had a completely skewed my internal recognition system. A HRM doesn’t lie, so this is an indispensable tool.

In an upcoming post I’ll talk more about how targeted movement allowed me to rebuild the bucket and take it to France on a cycling trip. It’s not the silver bullet, but it’s another tool, and I don’t think you can have too many of them.

Mind Guide

M1. Meditation – I wish I could say I can find the peace and tranquility, but I still struggle, and at times it make me more frustrated and therefore my inflamed or irritated internal state gets worse. So I aim for 5 minutes and I use Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 or Relaxing breath.

M2. Mindfulness – I find this easiest on walks with Franki or at the end of the day when Lee and I have dinner. No distraction, just the moment to chat or to experience and savour the moment.

I find I still revert to old habits and try to keep busy and/or distract myself. These are hard habits to break.

But for me, it has to be a conscious choice, almost a “talk myself into it” discipline.

To stop and remind myself “this too shall pass.”