Category Archives: Healing Thoughts

People with Fibro often suffer from sleep disorders, including non-restorative, non-restful sleep. This is most likely attributable to the vagus nerve, which is responsible for modulating pain, digestion, and regulating sleep cycles. Sleep is one of the most difficult things to live without. When you don’t have adequate sleep, and your sleep is non-restorative, everythingContinue reading “Why Can’t I Sleep?”

I was reminded in a recent conversation with a client that many people with chronic pain and illness struggle with the concept of the mind-body connection. While I know this, I often wonder, why the confusion? Why the resistance? This is what is on my mind. As a teenager, I remember seeing an episode ofContinue reading “The Good News”

We are living in the Age of Information. That is irrefutable. However, we are also living in a reality in which it is not easy to discern fact from opinion. If you have Fibro, you might be wondering if the information you have is fact or fiction. One way to tackle that question is toContinue reading “Where do you get your Information?”

Fibro is tricky, and can be unpredictable. Sometimes, however, it can be frustratingly predictable, meaning it can deliver exactly what you expect. I’m talking now about STRESS = FLARE. In times of high stress, our bodies often respond by shutting down. I remember in my early days of Fibro I went to my doctor inContinue reading “What to do During a Flare”

In my work with people with Fibro and other chronic illnesses, I talk non-stop about the importance of exercise. It’s not as if this is some great big secret. I believe we have reached a point in history where we all know exercise is one of our lifelines. For people with Fibro, however, this canContinue reading “When Exercise Really Hurts”

As many of us have been spending an inordinate amount of time on social media lately, I’ve been reading about the relationship between Fibro and stress. During this incredibly strange time of Corona lockdown-unemployment mania, many people are experiencing high levels of stress – myself included. Those of us who tend to feel stress physicallyContinue reading “Oy, the Stress!”

Over the course of my life I have had some amazing doctors. The doctor who diagnosed my Fibro is not only a genius, ahead of her time, but is dedicated to educating herself continually. One day when I came in to her office in a terrible flare, she asked me, “what happened yesterday?” (My daughterContinue reading “Two Kinds of Doctors”

I follow a number of groups for people with Fibro (since I am one), and I’ve recently been seeing posts about the “Six Stages of Fibromyalgia.” First, let me be clear; I would never, ever, EVER minimize someone else’s experience with this condition, nor would I compare my experience with anyone else’s. But people, let’sContinue reading “Rejecting the Stages”

Over the last few years I have adapted an anti-inflammatory diet: no gluten, dairy, sugar, nightshades or meat. Now, I do occasionally cheat. A little. More like “cheating light.” I have a bite of spelt challah every Friday night. Literally, one bite. I will taste something special on a rare occasion, but will not consumeContinue reading “Life Without Pizza – or Pain”

While the healthcare profession struggles with much that we do not understand about Fibromyalgia, we do all agree on this: Fibro is complex. It involves many systems of the mind-body, including brain chemistry, nervous system, muscles, tendons, joints, digestion, sleep cycle, and the list goes on. It also involves financial issues, relationship stress and aContinue reading “Why Fibro Needs a Manager”