The Sound of Healing

By Kathie Hightower

Three years ago, Manzanita resident Ann Butrick had successful surgery to remove three brain aneurysms. One side effect, however, is what’s called an intentional tremor.

“When you intend to use your right hand for example,” Butrick says, “the result is a tremor so bad you can’t use it.” Butrick had tried acupuncture but is very sensitive to the needles, so two years ago she decided to try acutonics at Spa Manzanita with Judy Hathaway.

“It sounded like voodoo to me quite frankly,” she said, “but I tried it anyway since Hathaway combines acutonics with massage.” She started out with a treatment every two weeks at first, and then went to every month.

“It’s quite remarkable,” Butrick says, “Now I have no tremor at all, unless I become really stressed.” She says acutonics also helps control her knee pain and helps with her balance, which was affected by the surgery.

Butrick’s experience is an example of one of the ways music and sound are being used in healing today.

Music therapy is the most accepted of these new therapies, used frequently in hospitals and institutions, including hospice. Often used for pain relief, it’s been shown that post-surgical patients who listen to music require less morphine, for example. Physical therapists and chiropractors use devices to project frequencies into the body to heal muscles or tendons. There are many other modalities, from toning and mantra chanting to psychoacoustics, sonic-entrainment technology and vibroacoustic therapy, used in conditions from heart disease to pulmonary disorders to neurological diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers.

Butrick experienced what is known generically as “sonopuncture,” the use of tuning forks and crystal “singing” bowls in therapy. At Spa Manzanita it’s called acutonics because of the brand of tuning forks Hathaway uses. Also available at Rainbow Lotus Healing in Manzanita, the name there is acu-sound healing.

“It’s acupuncture without the needles,” says Hathaway, “but it’s more than that. Sound moves through liquid more easily than through air and our bodies are made up of 70% water so that magnifies the effect.”

Acutonics was developed by a group of acupuncturists who wanted a way to work with patients who are needle phobic. It uses the same basic principles of Oriental Medicine and energy medicine but makes it accessible in a non-invasive way using precision calibrated tuning forks. The forks allow frequencies to be applied directly to acupuncture points, chakras, and points of pain to vibrate along the meridians.

“Acutonics can be used for anything that acupuncture is used for,” adds Hathaway, “anxiety, depression, pain, asthma, the nausea from chemo.”

Hathaway trained in massage at the Oregon School of Massage in Portland. Always drawn to acupuncture, she focused on acupressure points in her massage. When she discovered acutonics, it seemed a perfect fit. She trained with Patrice Morency and others and loved the work immediately. She continues her training, heading off to Colorado for further workshops this summer.

“I find that most people who try acutonics have had some experience with acupuncture and are intrigued,” she adds.

I recently decided to try acutonics for just that reason. I’ve had some experience with acupuncture, heard about acutonics and was intrigued to experience it as well. It’s an amazing experience to have sound vibrate through your body. I’ve always been envious of my musician friends who get that experience in a different way, either by playing a musical instrument, especially something like drums or the harp, or by singing in a choir.  As much as I love listening to the North Coast Symphony or to a relaxing CD like my favorite David Lanz’s Cristofori’s Dream, experiences that always cause a relaxation response, it’s not the same as having vibrations physically enter your body.

I’ve discovered another advantage to acutonics. When I’ve had acupuncture, I hardly feel the needles. However, every now and then one really hurts.

“Ouch,” I yelled one time. The acupuncturist said, “That means you have toxins there or a blockage of your energy.” That might well be true, but my cynical self thought, “or maybe you just didn’t insert that one right.”

When I feel an extreme sense of heat during acutonics at the placement of the tuning forks in certain areas, a feeling that is very different from the rest, I’m more convinced that yes, there must be a blockage or toxin overload in that area.

Although I can’t yet find any concrete research studies on the effects of acutonics, I’m willing to keep testing it out for myself, especially for knee pain.

Conventional western medicine is taking a closer look at integrative holistic medicine.

Harvard-trained cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Oz has become known country-wide as a result of his television work and his best-selling series of books on health starting with YOU: The Owner’s Manual. He’s one of the many mainstream physicians testifying before Congress about how integrative holistic medicine could help rein in health care costs.

Dr. Oz believes the greatest medical advances of the next decade will come from manipulating the body’s flow of energy, as Chinese practices like acupuncture do.

Add acutonics or acu-sound healing to that. I’m happy to be a test case for that. Hmmm, wonder if there is any funding for study subjects?

As for Butrick, she tells me that she goes in for an acutonics treatment these days “whenever I feel the need for a tune-up.”

Are molds affecting your health?

Fact – over 43 million American are living with hay fever symptoms and/or asthma.

Signs of mold allergies can often look like a cold. Do you wake up in the morning with a runny nose, watery eyes, congestion, sneezing or rashes? Or do you have an allergy that never ends when the seasons change? You may be allergic to the spores of molds.

Molds live everywhere and especially here on the Oregon Coast. Molds are tiny microscopic organisms that digest organic matter and reproduce by releasing spores. Molds are a type of fungi and there are over 100,000 species. In nature, mold helps decompose or break-down leaves, wood and other plant debris. Molds become a problem when they go where they are not wanted and digest materials such as our homes

You know you have mold when you smell the “musty” odor or see small black or white specks along your damp bathroom or basement walls. Some mold is hidden growing behind wall coverings or ceiling tiles. Even dry, dead mold can cause health problems.

Mold enters your home in tiny spores and naturally grows indoors. Mold spores are able to come in many ways. They are the air outside can attach themselves to people and animals, making clothing, shoes, bags, and pets convenient vehicles for carrying mold indoors. When mold spores land on places where there is moisture they will grow.   Common locations include plumbing that leaks, leaky roofs, showers and bathtubs, refrigerators, carpet, damp closets, clothes dryers, fire wood, plant containers and food.

There is no way to get rid of them but you can control mold growth by keeping your home dry. The key point is mold cannot grow without moisture. If there is already mold growing in your home, it’s important to clean it up and fix the problem or it will come back.

Controlling mold growth in your home:

Dry out the house and fix any moisture problems in your home:

• Stop water leaks, repair leaky roofs and plumbing. Keep water away from concrete slabs and basement walls.
• Open windows and doors to increase air flow in your home, especially along the inside of exterior walls. Use a fan if there are no windows available.
• Make sure that warm air flows into all areas of the home. Move large objects a few inches away from the inside of exterior walls to increase air circulation.
• Install and use exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
• Ventilate and insulate attic and crawl spaces. Use heavy plastic to cover earth floors in crawl spaces.
• Clean and dry water damaged carpets, clothing, bedding, and upholstered furniture within 24 to 48 hours, or consider removing and replacing damaged furnishings.
• Vacuum and clean your home regularly to remove mold spores.
• Check around your windows for signs of condensation and water droplets. Wipe them up right away so mold can’t start to grow.

Cleaning mold:

Cleaning mold should be done carefully so it’s done safely and thoroughly. Mold is dangerous to your health and so are many cleaning products. If there is a large serious mold problem you may need profession help.

If you are going to clean the infected area yourself, here are some tips that should be followed:

• Wear goggles, gloves and a mask.
• Seal off the area from the rest of your home and open windows.
• Remove all your furnishings to a mold free area.
• Bag all moldy materials, take them outdoors and place in garbage right away.
• Clean the area thoroughly using a mild dish washing liquid or laundry detergent and warm water.
• Natural mold removal has a clear advantage to any other mold cleaning means. The benefits that it can bring are far more than just for humans but favor the earth even. Vinegar is one of the effective and natural basic home ingredients that could work well for mold cleaning.
• Sure, there are instances that are calling for the use of chemical based mold removal products. However, they are but extreme cases. Employing a professional is more advisable for larger mold issues.  A borate based detergent works very well for mold removal but it has some environmental issues.

Let’s start taking better care of ourselves and the world around us!

I bet you thought you would not hear me talk of this subject, rest.

Yes I do take rest days, although I will be honest with you, this is an area I personally have trouble with. As you get more and more into fitness you may find yourself having emotional issues over a rest day. Don’t laugh it happens!

Rest is important and I will tell you why and how to incorporate rest in your week as well as into your workout.

Recovery is a generic term used to describe a return to a state of readiness. It could apply to a number of things in life. In fitness “recovery” means a physical and/or a mental break. Whether you are weekend warrior (which I hope you are not), a high performance athlete, (which I visualize for you), or you exercise for general health and good looks; recovering is essential for success and progress.  Recovery will provide a replenishment of nutrients and energy stores, (remember that term from my last article, hint: muscle glycogen), muscle repair and rebuild and last but not least a mental break.  Like “Ahhh, a day off!”

There are a variety of categories of recovery that can be broken down into long-term and short-term. We will start with long-term since it’s one I know you already know how to do- sleep. I will address short-term recovery in my next article. It is related more to physical exertion during your workouts. Long-term is between workouts.

Sleep shall not be underrated; it is by far (next to hydration, nutrition, love…etc…), the most important element to health and fitness.

In general, one or two nights of poor sleep won’t have much impact, but consistently getting inadequate sleep can really mess you up. At first you won’t notice it because they are subtle changes in hormone levels, especially those related to stress. As you already know hormone balance is crucial to health. Studies have shown sleep deprivation can lead to increased levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) as well as a decreased activity of human growth hormone (which is what repairs tissue and builds muscle). To make matters worse you think when you are low in long=term rest you start to feel you are working harder than you really are, so get a decrease in aerobic endurance. I bet you see the picture here, but in case you don’t allow me to lay it out.

You want to get in shape, get healthier and loose weight. You start the program and you have a plan and you have made a commitment, that is great, but unless you are getting enough sleep; which is about 7 to 9 hours a night you are going to have a hard time.

Your workouts will feel hard and unpleasant. You are not getting the physiological recovery, muscle repair, fuel replenishment because your hormones are off and to make matters worse once again, cortisol production is up (that stress hormone) which is related to belly fat, agh what a mess! No wonder you don’t want to work out.

Here is a cheap and easy solution – go to bed! (I know Jay Leno is back on late night but it’s not worth it).

Another piece you can include in your repertoire of healthy living techniques that will help you sleep is hydration. Most people are quite dehydrated, but because they’ve never been super-hydrated they have no idea just how dehydrated they really are. How does this affect your sleep?  The more dehydrated you are the harder it is for your body to recharge and detoxify. The longer it takes for your body to detoxify the more sleep and energy your body requires. This keeps you awake or wakes you up and then you can actually create sleeping patterns like this.

I know what you are thinking: “if I drink a bunch of water I will have to get up at night and pee”, yes that may be true although its better then not sleeping because of all the other issues related to dehydration. You will find it is much easier to fall back asleep after “tinkling” (as my mother so fondly called it). You may even get so good at it that you can do it in your sleep.

I want you to experiment with increasing you H2O intake to one gallon a day for two weeks and see what happens. I am going to bet that you sleep better, you’ll look better and “bonus” you will drop weight!

So try it, what have you got to loose? Oh yea weight!

Increasing scientific evidence says “Yes”!

What’s good for your heart and waist line is also good for your mind, and your frame of mind. We all know that working out is great for a wide range of medical reasons including heart disease, diabetes and so on… but did you know it can put you in a good mood? Folks who don’t exercise tend to have a greater chance of getting depressed.  Anti-depressants are handed out these days like candy, and in many cases these patients could have more profound and long term positive results if they just exercised.  The long term impact of drug intervention for depression is questionable.  There have been a number of studies that have evaluated exercise therapy for depression.  These studies have shown long term positive results with additional positive effects on overall health as time goes on.  Drug therapy cannot boast these claims.

You’ve all heard of “the runner’s high”. It’s that euphoria that people experience after prolonged aerobic exercise. This is a real thing! These good feelings are based on the body’s chemistry and how it responds to stimulus. There are neurotransmitters called endorphin and serotonin that are released in the parts of your brain that process emotions. Endorphins and serotonin contribute to making us feel better. So, rather than taking Prozac, a more natural route may just be to exercise more to produce these neurotransmitters.  Depressed people often experience overwhelmingly low levels of energy. They can often lack desire to do anything. This can cause a person to stop exercising which just compounds the effects of depression. The key is to try to get out there for as little as 15 to 30 minutes a day to start the ball rolling in the right direction. You don’t have to be an “athlete” to experience these affects and benefits.

We all know that exercise improves blood circulation throughout the body, which of course includes the brain. Exercise also boosts metabolism, decreases stress and improves mood and ability to focus, all of which help the brain perform better.  Neuro-scientific studies are exploring the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise on anxiety, stress, depression, learning, and aging. The Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health (PCPFS Research Digest, 1996) states “physical activity appears to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve mood” and “regular physical activity may reduce the risk of developing depression.”

Exercise and Alzheimer’s disease – New research is now looking into whether progressive diseases like Alzheimer’s can be slowed by exercise.  The Alzheimer’s Association recently stated “physical exercise is essential for maintaining  good blood flow to the brain as well as to encourage the production of new brain cells, thereby protecting  against those risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.” A mechanism thought to be responsible for this is a part of the brain called the hippocampus. It plays a large role in memory and learning. One study showed that runners have a boost in blood flow to the area of the hippocampus and an increased growth of new brain cells. Because of these exciting findings and obvious implications there are a number of studies going on.   A study from  Annals of Internal Medicine,  one the largest, most definitive studies to date on the relationship between dementia and exercise stated “In fact, just 15 minutes of exercise — such as walking or swimming — three times a week can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia by 30 to 40 percent.”

We can also extend this knowledge to children. Again there is growing research in discovering causes that improve concentration and learning. It appears that performance on standardized testing, grades and other measurements of learning show there is a strong relationship between aerobic exercise and higher achievement.  Not to mention lowering body fat, particularly since teenage obesity is a nationwide epidemic.  According to the report, 14% of adolescents in the United States are overweight. This figure has nearly tripled in the last 20 years.

Well…are you sold?  Remember, you don’t need to do much to get the awesome benefits.  As little as 15 minutes of brisk walking can boost the blood flow through the body. Of course more than that will give you better effects. Exercise can make you smarter and happier in as little as 2 weeks. Feel good and be smarter by bikini season!

As my 82 year old friend Donna says: “I’m a better thinker because I have a better body. I really believe that!”

New habits mean a change, which means changes in lifestyle.

It is as simple as that but, it’s not that simple is it? What does it mean to create life style changes? What this means is reviewing how we spend the hours in our days, doing what we do. We then decide we want to change some of the ways we spend some of our time.

You have to ask yourself what do you want to do less of, none of, or more of.

Make a point to evaluate how do you spend your hours?

This is your lifestyle!

Make a list:

What do you want to do in your daily routine that you do not do now?

What do you not want to do in your daily routine that you do do now?

I would suggest picking out no more then three items or even one if it’s a big one, (like quitting smoking), from the “do not” list and the same from the “do list”.

Now you have decided which behavior(s) you don’t want and which one(s) you do want we have to make a plan and set some goals. See how easy this is starting to look?

What does it mean to break a habit? “They” say it takes 21 days to break a bad habit. I say it takes as long as it takes but remember every journey starts with the first step. Sorry for the cliché but sometimes they just work!

You have made your decision on which piece of your life you want to eliminate or which part you want to bring in your life. Now you need to set a date and write it down. Count out 21 days that you will make the commitment to follow your plan. Getting easier?

Suggestions:

• Write down your goal. There is magic in the written word when it applies to you. Phrase it in positive affirmations. For example “I want to have healthy clean lungs” instead of “I have to quit this ugly smoking habit”
• List the reasons why you want this change. Again, writing things down will help you think it out and bring in a higher conscience level. Your commitment becomes solidified.
• New Habits-Remember the things you want to change take time. They have defined how your spend time.  This is the issue. So, we need to find a new routine for that time. For example, if it’s smoking after eating, try drinking a glass of water or having a sugar free lollypop etc…
• Talk to yourself but be kind, as if you  were your own best friend! Tell you how good you are doing and keep yourself on track.
• Ask for support from the folks that are around you.
• Watch out for those that interfere or want to sabotage. It’s scary for some people to see you change. Be aware, assertive and gentle.

Can You Change the Way You Think?

A teacher takes a bit of lightweight thread and wraps it one time around a student’s wrists.

He tells the class, “This string represents the power of doing something one time. Can you break the string?”

The student easily breaks the thread with a small flick of his wrists. The teacher then wraps the string around the student’s wrists many times and repeats the challenge to break it.

Despite repeated efforts, the lightweight thread is too strong to break.

His teacher says, “Now you see the power of repeated actions… habits. It takes more than mere willpower and personal strength to break them. It takes a change in the way you think about the problem.” (Author unknown to me)

By changing our thoughts and our mental images we can change our reality and our life style. Creative visualization- see it, be it! This mental technique can help you attain the goals you set out for yourself.

When I coached bicyclists on how to avoid crashing (always a good thing), I would say “look where you want to go, not where you don’t want to go”!  This works in our daily life as well, keep a picture in your mind of the person you want to be. Thoughts are very powerful. They create and mold our lives. Your personal thoughts travel to others which then can attract assistance.  This can help achieve what it is you would like to accomplish.

Stay positive. Create mental pictures of yourself as having already achieved your goals.

Contentment and health to you in 2010

We can do this; we can have a great time through the holiday season, enjoy some goodies and even over indulge a bit but still not feel guilt-ridden, or do the downward spiral of diminishing willpower and unhealthy, unwanted pounds. Most important, don’t panic or feel guilty if your diet seems to have gotten out of hand! Get over it and get back to normal. If you ate a bit too much, forget about it and resume a regular healthy diet. Skipping the next meal will not help you. It will actually hurt you. Your body does not understand the idea of banking calories or skipping meals for the sake of losing weight. Your body only knows that it must be fed every few hours or else it is not receiving the proper nutrients and glucose necessary for normal functioning. Eating every few hours keeps your blood sugar levels in check. Skipping a meal because you over indulged earlier in the day is not a smart idea and besides that, it doesn’t work.  On the reverse, if you know you are going to your holiday party and plan to eat until the cows come home, do not skip meals before hand. This is also considered banking calories and works against your metabolism.  Once we set ourselves up for failure, we can only fail. As soon as you begin to think about skipping meals so you can eat more later you are thinking about calories and weight, not nutrition and health. You are also mentally preparing yourself to eat a lot and lose control. Think the other way about it, visualize success. Imagine how you want to behave at that holiday pot luck, (just those words can get the digestive juices going). See yourself making the right choices, enjoying how you feel in that beautiful holiday outfit and enjoying the company of those you love.

The holiday season is just that, a season. So plan ahead. The secret is balance over a several day period and if you blow it guess what, like my dear husband Mike likes to say, “it won’t be the last time!” Pick yourself up out of bed the next morning and get back in the health game.

Why wait for New-Year’s Day Resolutions?

 It’s the middle of October and we are looking at the end to another year, this is a good time to reflect upon the goals and achievements of 2009.

Most of us choose to use the new-year as a catalyst to initiate changes for the coming year.  We can look back on 2009 at the goals achieved and those that weren’t. Try and decipher what fueled your success and use this as a blueprint for new successes.

I know there are quite a few of us that abandoned our fitness and health goals in 2009, so I have an idea! (You knew this was coming).

Let’s launch some “new-year resolutions” now and get a jump start on 2010.

Don’t get me wrong, I think new-years resolutions are super and I have my list. But why wait? This is a great time of year to embark on new fitness and health routines

The way I see it, a jump start on some healthy choices is the best way to approach the holiday season.  Don’t be a victim of “holiday weight gain”!

This will make your holiday season so much more enjoyable, you will feel better, have more energy and you might even fit into that sexy new-year’s outfit (men too) that resides in back of the closet!

How To Start New Healthy Routines Now?

One of my favorite thoughts is: action precedes motivation and not the other way around.

We get caught up thinking that we have to wait for motivation to start doing something good for ourselves, but that is not how it works. You just need to initiate action; even the smallest of actions will facilitate some momentum.

Here are some tips that could help you get started:

• Start with bite-sized pieces that you’ll be able to accomplish.  If your goals are too big, you can end up feeling defeated before you get a good start. 
• Avoid perfectionist thinking. Focus on positive terms; avoid self talk that is negative.
• Don’t make your resolutions absolute. Keep real!
• Share with a friend. Tell someone you trust about your goals.
• Make your goals yours. The goals you have set for yourself should be something you really desire. If you don’t have a strong internal motivation you won’t be successful.
• Tune in to your spirituality. Spend some time outside; nature will help you find balance!

Here are some simple tips to help you with the two most common and important wellness routines you will want to start now.

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight or exercising for fitness, it’s important for everyone to do some level of weightlifting and aerobic exercise. Ultimately you want strength, flexibility and endurance.

Schedule it in your day. Pick a time of day and stick to it. You have to make it a priority because it is. I would say this is the biggest obstacle for most of us.

Get up and move! At my work place I call it “pop ups”. Incorporate exercise during the day, even while you’re at work. If you sit at a desk most of the day, get out of your chair at least once an hour and walk around.  Use the five-minute-per-hour rule. Look for ways to just get up and move.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk down the hall instead of using the phone or e-mail, or take a walk during a morning or afternoon break.

Weight Loss where do you start? Write it down. Writing down what you eat is the best way I know to become more aware of just how much and what you are eating. The awareness factor is tremendous, if you have to write it down you will think twice about mindless eating, plus you will learn about yourself. Knowledge is power. You can do this with your exercise too. Keep a log.

Good luck and make health, not looks, your priority. “Positive thinking is a big part of it. Try to keep your focus in the right place — not on the numbers but the feeling and desire for better health and well-being.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia syndrome FMS is a complex and chronic condition that causes a widespread oversensitivity to pain and unusual fatigue. It disturbs sleep and causes exhaustion from head to toe. Those with fibromyalgia often experience aches and pains all over their bodies. The pain may be in the tendons, ligaments or muscles. Also, they have tender spots located on various points on their body referred to as trigger points.

It’s estimated that this condition affects approximately 7 million Americans. 90% of fibromyalgia patients are woman. Symptoms may be present at any time during a person’s life; they are most commonly reported at middle-age. Some studies show it may be hereditary. Most people go undiagnosed, suffering from widespread body pain and fatigue that impacts the ability to carry out the simplest daily activities. Chronic fatigue syndrome CFS is most often considered to be the same illness.

The symptoms are unpredictable and frustrating however the common symptoms may include:

• Pain
• Poor Sleep
• Fatigue
• Memory and Concentration
• Sleep Disorder
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Chronic Headaches
• Depression

Even though fibromyalgia is often referred to as an arthritis-related condition, it does not cause joint damage or inflammation, as arthritis does. Fibromyalgia does not cause damage to muscle or other tissues.  However, it is similar to arthritis because it causes severe pain and tiredness, and can undermine ones ability to go about daily activities. Fibromyalgia is seen as a rheumatic condition. A rheumatic condition is one that causes joint and soft tissue pain.

What is the treatment for fibromyalgia?

Traditional treatment of fibromyalgia is geared toward improving the quality of sleep and reducing pain. A sleep study may aid in this process. Deep level sleep is crucial for many body functions and disturbed sleep may be a strong contributing factor to symptoms.

Several holistic treatments can be used to alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia; the goal of most holistic treatments is to help the body to heal itself.  One thing that I think is very important is to work with a healthcare practitioner that specializes in CFS and FMS.

Treatments may include:

Nutritional and dietary approaches are often simple and can produce measurable benefits. Of course good overall nutrition is important for everyone, but there are several vitamins and mineral supplements that can improve energy levels and aid in sleep.

Massage therapy improves circulation and helps with the flow of nutrients through the body. It relaxes the muscles and improves range of motion, reduces stiffness and may help with sleep problems.

Acupuncture has been found in some studies to help alleviate pain associated with FMS and also reduce depression and fatigue.

Biofeedback is a relaxation technique that utilizes electronic equipment to analyze the body’s various responses to stress. It too can help reduce sleeping problems and improve daily functioning.

Exercise (you knew I was going speak to this), aerobic exercise combined with resistance training (strength-training) have been linked to a significant improvement in pain and sleep disturbance.
Women with fibromyalgia may experience significantly improved daily function and symptom relief after taking part in a program that includes walking, strength training and stretching, according to an article published in Archives of Internal Medicine (JAMA/Archives), November 12th issue.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of patients do not keep up the exercises. Studies have shown that working out with a partner or personal trainer helps to keep the program active.

Remember, the key is to start slowly, watch your symptoms carefully, and find the level of exertion that’s right for you right now. Keep the following in mind:

• Push yourself to get moving, but don’t push yourself to do more until you know you’re ready.
• Expect some setbacks — you’ll need to experiment to find your current level of tolerance.
• Take breaks when you need them, but don’t give up!

Fibromyalgia remains a challenging condition, however many strides have been made in the last decade. Clinical studies have demonstrated that patients can reduce their symptoms.

The key is to be proactive, stay positive and motivated. Quality of life can significantly improve by developing a self-management plan and making necessary lifestyle changes.