Gluten free definitely helped me, but it was subtle. I had stopped the gluten because suddenly products with it had just started tasting like flour and gluten free products tasted better to me. A couple months later I realized that I was feeling better and that good feeling would stop when I added in gluten. Later my gastro doc and an endoscopy gave me a diagnosis of "non-celiac gluten intolerance".

Above and beyond, the biggest thing for me has been to be dairy free. Not just lactose, but also dairy proteins (whey, caseins, a number of other things). One doc I had said that dairy will inflame the thyroid, and this seems to be true for us. My husband and I are both Hashis and cutting out all dairy has made a HUGE impact on our quality of life.

I would say there is a "before and after", but the truth is that I had been heading towards Hashimotos (with symptoms) years before I was actually diagnosed. What we have noticed is that we are more frail than others.

But there are lots of things you can do to improve your situation. When I get sick, I know that if the average person takes a week to recover from a cold, it will take me at least 2. So I take extra good care of myself. I take a ton of supplements and I'm pretty careful with diet. A while ago, husband and I did the AIP (autoimmune protocol) diet. Extremely strict for the first 2 months and then we gradually added foods back in to see what we reacted to and then we know that those are foods to avoid. Not to say that we never cheat, it's just that we know there will be a price to it.

I highly recommend this book by Isabella Wentz. It's a good place for understanding a number of facets of what you're dealing with. And these are things neither my gp or my current endocrinologist will discuss with me. -My former endo was awesome and would address these issues all the time... he was a former president of the American Society for Clinical Endocrinology... but unfortunately he retired 2 years ago.

Don't expect to get all your answers from any endocrinologist. The field is sadly outdated. And more, autoimmunity should have it's own specialists and it really doesn't. Instead you have other fields that are touched by autoimmunity (endocrinology, rheumatology, etc) handling it, but the autoimmune process is really not their specialty and that shows when you get inconsistent treatment and you're frequently told to "get used to it" when you don't feel spectacular.

This is where it helps to dig. There's a lot to be said for what's online here when it comes to coping with the disease.

I highly suggest against iodine. For people with iodine deficiency hypothyroidism, it can help. However if you have autoimmune processes, taking iodine can cause a lash back. I know this from personal experience. Tried a little iodine supplementation under an acupuncturist's care and within 2 months I had a hideous autoimmune flare up and then I went spinning between hypo and hyper for a few months. It was hell; thought I'd end up either dead or in a mental institution.

Sodium tends to be a personal issue; some people need more and some absolutely don't. If you do decide to supplement, I suggest the gray, slushy celtic sea salt. For a good year I definitely needed it for adrenal support. I would put 1/4 - 1/2 tsp in water every day and drink it. In the middle of doing all that, routine bloodwork showed that my sodium numbers were still at the very bottom of the normal range. I was obviously "salt wasting". And then something changed and I didn't need it anymore (and I could tell because it didn't taste as good to me). And that just seems to be the nature of the disease. Sometimes you have a solution and then what you need changes.

At one point my husband stopped taking the medicine. He got this weird notion that he didn't need it anymore (like it was a psychological treatment) and he was feeling good. Within a few months his prolactin levels shot up and he started developing mammary tissue under his nipples (we caught it before he ended up needed surgery to remove it fortunately). And of course he ended up with a bad energy and mood lash back.

As I said before, you are a little more fragile than people who don't have the disease. But that doesn't mean your life has to suck. Things that have helped me: meditation, exercise every day that isn't super intense (I used to be all P90X all the time for a few years... and in addition to getting great muscles, my cortisol shot up massively and I gained a ton of fat, felt awful all the time, and couldn't stop getting sick; now I have leisurely bike rides and mild lifting and I'm doing great), a well-tailored diet, and 8 hours absolute minimum of sleep. There will be days when you need 10 hours of sleep. Listen to your body!

Many folk with Hashimotos need to supplement D3 because your ability to absorb it is crap. I take 5000 units of D3 a day and my numbers tend to be low - mid normal. This is something your docs should test when you do blood work.

Please if you can, post what your bloodwork numbers are. I don't know what they're testing, but it would be nice if they tested at least TSH, T4, and T3. That's the picture I would need to decide which endocrinologist to listen to. If your numbers are off, that tells you how well your current dose is work. Honestly, the fact that there is such a huge variance in what they are suggesting is bullshit. Something doesn't know what they are doing. And for what it's worth, I started at 75 of synthroid 9 years ago. And I'm still at 75. It was the right starting dose for me. So I don't think it's an automatic assumption to just start at 25. But it's really hard to tell because I don't know what your bloodwork looked like when they initially dosed you.

Hope that helps!

Hi! Sorry about your diagnosis but glad that you now have a direction to focus on.

You've hit on two of the biggest helps!

-Cannabis... It works well for most people.

-Exercise... It can be tricky but I find it's best to keep a consistent schedule. Start easy, and gradually work your way up. If you're flaring because of it, you are increasing your workload too fast. Everyone's different in this, but I find swimming/water aerobics to be the easiest, followed by yoga, walking, elliptical, weight training, and lastly running.

-Books: The Fibro Manual is probably the best.

-Medications: There are only a handful of Rx meds that are approved for fibro. The primary ones are Cymbalta and Lyrica. Both are infamous for having nasty side effects. I strongly recommend reading up heavily on them before you test them out.

-Sleep. Make sure you get good sleep. Try to go to bed at the same time every day. If you wake up often, maybe try out a mask and earplugs.

-Supplements that may be worth looking into/trying, Vitamin D, Curcumin, & Fish oil.

-Diets... Some say they have better luck with less processed food in their diets. For me, high protein intake makes a difference.

Best of luck and hope you have a great day! If you ever want to chat with fellow fibro peeps, stop by and say hi in discord!

-Diagnosed officially about a year ago at Mayo.

-More than likely spurred on by chronic migraines since age 7.

Fibro is really tough because patients often have a ridiculous number of symptoms, many of which are debilitating by themselves. For me those are (fatigue, nausea, mild insomnia, allergies, widespread pain, migraines, brain fog, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, tinnitus, visual snow, depression, anxiety).

Medications that I've tried for fibro since diagnosis:

-Cannabis: Mostly helps with the nausea, which for me was probably the most debilitating symptom. I was regularly dry heaving and throwing up if I moved at all. If you are able to recommend it legally, I would strongly recommend telling patients to get a vaporizer(I personally use a volcano at home and a firefly 2 for travel). They are more efficient and don't harm your lungs as long as you don't crank up the heat settings. I don't really see much difference between sativa versus indica personally. As far as pain management goes, it's pretty laughable...but it does help a tad.

CBD: I've only been able to extensively try one which was underwhelming but mildly effective for pain management. Others, have had better results.

Zofran: Helpful but still wasn't able to do much on it.

Cymbalta(tried up to 120mg, settled at 90mg): Definitely helped my muscles feel less achy. My mood would swing way way too much on it so I decided to stop as suicidal thoughts were becoming the norm on it. Withdrawal was also a nightmare even with gradual tapering.

Fioricet w/codeine: I was originally taking this for migraines and stopped a few months back as I tried to replace it with midrin. I only took it once or twice a week at most but it was incredibly helpful for fibro symptoms. I'm not sure if it was the codeine or the barbiturates. It may still have been the right call to end it but it has definitely cut into how active I am.

Quell Device: This one has been one of the most surprising for me. It's far from perfect but it has helped. It's great for those days where I can't do much. I strap it on, push the button and I kinda forget about it until I notice that I'm being more active.

Sleep: I'm still trying to figure this one out. I've bought a new mattress. I use ear plugs and a mask to try to limit stimuli. I cover up all LEDs in my room. I try to follow good sleep hygiene practices. My sleep has gotten better but it's still far from normal. I wake up too often and still have trouble getting to bed. Melatonin has also helped a tad. Cutting out naps was a big win for me as well.

Some of the biggest changes I've had were from lifestyle changes:

-limiting stress as much as possible

-Maintain or get social connections(anxiety and depression)...you need to get out and keep involved.

-Daily stretching, yoga, or moderate exercise

-meditation

-myofascial release massage: I believe it has helped me but I'm not sure if it is worth the price of admission given it's not covered.

-fish oil: I can't say one way or another to be honest. I keep trying it on and off to see if it's helping.

-distractions: To this day I do not know of a better way to beat chronic pain than to distract oneself...Find a good tv show, movie, video game, audio book, book, whatever and indulge a bit.

Best book I've read on fibro is: https://www.amazon.com/FibroManual-Complete-Fibromyalgia-Treatment-Doctor/dp/110196720X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1473122123&sr=8-3&keywords=fibromyalgia

Highly recommended as it is pretty up to date and seemed to accurately relay a lot of my feelings as a fellow sufferer.

Thanks for taking the time and effort to ask sufferers and try to help. You're a good human being. :) I think most sufferers feel for the physician in the room as there is no good answer. I think it's a really tough situation for all parties involved(doctors, patients, family and friends). I hope more people like you take interest and maybe we can figure out some ways of limiting the suffering caused it.

Hey thanks for reaching out. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I am not used to getting messages on here.

Anyways, I highly recommend buying his book Foundation. I bought the kindle version so its always on my phone but I can see the value of a hard copy so that you can mark and fold pages of your favorites. I say get the book only because he explains what these exercises are doing and what muscles you are conditioning. The knowledge helps as your doing the exercises so you can feel the tiny muscles working. I had the problem of getting lazy once my back felt better and stopped doing the exercises but I learned my lesson and do at least my favorite exercises every day. It will really help.

My latest breakthrough in terms of my back and health has been doing circuit exercises. Sorry for the long story here. So I tried the P90x and the beach body in the past and each time I did I hurt my back and had to stop. Last year after our second child my wife started doing Bikini Body Guide - Kayla Itsines after 12 weeks I couldn't believe how good she looked. She searched for a while to find the right workout that she could do because of her bad knees. This was it for her. She said that I should try it and that she is seeing more guys doing with great results as well. I was hesitant at first because of the name of the workout but I got into it and I have never felt or looked better. I am almost 33 and feel/look so much better than I did when I was weight training at 23. It also is great for your back and works well with the Foundation training stretches. The other thing that is so great about it is that the workouts are 28 minutes Mon, Wed, and Fri. and 40 mins of cardio Tues, Thurs, and Sat. I do all the exercises at home so you don't have to take the time to go to the gym or the cost of a gym. The time is the biggest part for me because the family takes so much time and energy. I would be happy to send you the zip file of the workout if you would like it.

Another thing I would recommend is finding a Chiropractor that practices kinesiology in cases of emergency. A couple times a year my back gets inflamed to where I can not adjust it myself and so I go see my Chrio. I am very lucky with the one I have even though she doesn't take insurance, she also doesn't require an xray to do an adjustment. She is the only chiro that has actually fixed me and wants me to get better instead of telling me I have to go back and see her every week. She is the one that told me to get the Foundation book and said that she loses customers because of this but she is happy to give people a better life.

The last thing that I do and recommend is buying a pool noodle and cutting it down to the width of your car seat and using that at your lumbar for when you are in the car. I drive a lot for work and that sitting in a car seat is sometime the most uncomfortable position that I can be in. The pool noodle at the lumbar really helps and also flexing my abs muscles takes the pressure of my back.
I hope this helps. Feel free to reach out if you would like the Bikini Body Guide aka BBG. Let me know if you have any questions and thanks again for reaching out.

I saw your post and almost didn't make a comment because what I am going to say is pretty out there, but given that your CFS started with a viral issue, there's something you should know about. I have seen many others with a similar story (history with a viral issue often coupled with thyroid issues followed by a chronic mystery illness) and have been PMing them instead but I think a lot of people could benefit from this information. It is at the very least an extremely low risk treatment that is relatively easy to integrate and can be done alongside other protocols, and has helped a lot of people with a variety of chronic illnesses. Check out Anthony's instagram page for personal stories.

===

As I said before, it's pretty out there, but so far his information has been consistent with or added insight to everything I've learned as I've undergone treatment. It is consistent with so many particular things too, like elevated homocysteine levels, MTHFR gene mutation, borderline lyme test, and a whole host of symptoms.

===

The good news is that all that is required to treat the underlying conditions is natural supplements and changes to diet. I've been on the protocol for six months and have stopped all other treatment, and while i am not healed, I am definitely seeing significant improvements. The usual time table is 6-12 months too, so it is a very good sign that I'm seeing progress this early. Also interesting given Anthony's theories that the only other time I felt this well was when a doctor in Utah put me on an antiviral (acyclovir).



===

Here is a link to the book (he also has a recipe book that also covers a lot of the information in the first book), and then here are a few podcasts in order of importance:

Epstein Barr Revealed

Healing from Mold Exposure

The Unknown Cause of Lyme Disease

Heavy Metal Detox

MTHFR gene defect


===

His site is www.medicalmedium.com and he has a bunch of useful info on there, like links to preferred brands (no additives and the effective forms) of supplements.


===

Anyway good luck with everything and feel free to reach out if you have questions.

>I found a few interesting articles, but they are mostly about otherworldly Himalayan monks that can make their bodies hot.

Yeah, that practice is called Tummo and is used as a tantric practice to achieve complete Buddhahood. It is a part of the Six Yogas of Naropa and should not be practiced without a qualified teacher by any means.

If you are interested in the healing aspects of Tibetan Buddhism, then there is an entire cycle of practices that come from the Medicine Buddha.

Here is a good book on the subject with a few interesting practices to follow - Boundless Healing: Meditation Exercises to Enlighten the Mind and Heal the Body

>This book offers simple meditation techniques to awaken healing energies in the body and mind. Using Buddhist principles as a basis, Tulku Thondup has created a universal guide that anyone can use. It will benefit those who want to preserve good health as well as those who need comfort and relief from illness or mental distress. Boundless Healing offers:

> • Ways to employ the four healing powers: positive images, positive words, positive feelings, and positive belief
• Detailed healing exercises that can be done individually or as part of a twelve-stage program
• Exercises for dispelling anxiety
• Healing prayers for the dying and the deceased, plus advice for helpers and survivors

The below is a copypasta of a comment I made on another thread... it applies. I have a couple addendums:
>I don't understand why I should still be alive because what else is there to a person's life apart from family. That's the only thing keeping me around and even they resent me.

There's plenty apart from family, it's just hard for you to be able to experience them right now. That's okay. Humans are social creatures, and we need those kinds of interpersonal interactions. None of us deserve life or suffering any more than anyone else - we just got dealt a shitty hand.

Onto the copypasta:

Hi you! First off internet hugs (if you want them). This shit is the worst, and you're not alone.

This is going to be a hot mess of a comment, as I'm getting the important stuff down before leaving before work, so I hope you'll bear with me.

The stuff about your body: It sounds like you're discovering this for yourself, but (depending on your underlying condition) most medical practitioners have no idea what's actually going on. I'm glad you're getting tested for the IBDs, because that shit is diagnosable. As are parasites and some kind of infections - does C. Diff sound like it matches your symptoms? What you have may not be easily (or at all) diagnosable with the current understanding of medicine (both western and alternative), however, probably because ppl don't have any idea of how the microbiome / enteric nervous system actually work on a day to day basis (or what a healthy system looks like and the kinds of troubles it can go through). My recommendation is to start doing your own research (/r/fodmaps, /r/microbiome, /r/gutscience are good starting places) and forming your own hypotheses (oh hey, SIBO matches a lot of my symptoms! I should get tested for that) and trying new things in a smart way - don't immediate believe what most people say (especially me) right off the bat. However: I would highly recommend trying the low-FODMAP diet - it's super restrictive, but appears to alleviate the symptoms of ~70% of people with IBS. It's really helped me out. I also get some short term nausea relief from ginger (the candied stuff at Trader Joes is cheap and portable) and peppermint tea - peppermint capsules (like pepogest) didn't have much of an noticeable effect on me, but they've helped other people. I'm also a big fan of probiotics, but they're not curative for most people. Oh! And also start keeping a health journal - for me, it a record of everything I eat (and when I eat it), what my bowel movements are like (yay), and how my mental & emotional states are doing.

The stuff about your mind: this shit is real, and science doesn't quite understand how these systems effect each other. In mouse models (which are apparently insufficient, but still) changes in microbiome have been shown to affect anxiety & behavior. The shitty thing (as you've noticed) is that anxiety can feed physical symptoms and those symptoms can feed anxiety. My slowly-developing understanding is that is (in part) because of the sympathetic nervous system (simplified as the fight, flight, and freeze responses) and parasympathetic nervous system (simplified as the rest and digest response). When our anxiety kicks in, it actually physically affects digestion (who needs to digest food when you're running from a tiger?). What I've been trying to do is develop habits that both calm stress (i.e. the sympathetic nervous system) when it happens and also to keep that stress from happening. That second part plays into what you think (and therefore how you feel) about how you feel - I've developed a lot of negative cycles of thinking that definitely play up my stress response (this is never going to end; I deserve to feel like shit all the time; etc). This shit can be addressed with CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) I'm stealing a lot of ideas from this book, which I'm currently reading. I don't buy into all the claims made in it (I happen to think that emotions can cause thoughts to occur, and she claims that emotions only come from thoughts (I'm personally curious as to how our emotions interact with / arise from our enteric nervous system)), but it's walking me through CBT and it's been a least a little helpful. (Edit: there are some people trained to teach CBT, and that can be helpful. Regardless, I'm of the opinion that everyone should see a counselor or a therapist - being human is hard enough, and we have conditions that really mess with us. It may take a few tries to find someone who "clicks" with you, but that's totally fine and part of the process, and it can be sooooo helpful). Other things that are easier to start that help get the parasympathetic nervous system going (as far as I understand): meditation (I listen to some guided ones on Spotify that I love dearly), yoga, deep breathing, etc. Long story short: changing how you feel (emotionally) about how you feel (physically) can help improve how you feel (physically). However, don't listen to the bullshit that IBS is "caused" by anxiety - it's (imo) arising from a biological process that happens to interact with your emotional states. Ninja(?) edit: these practices gain more traction as you make them routine - it's taken me a loooooong time to get decent at calming my mind, but it's so helpful. Edit edit: any sort of exercise is also great - it's apparently way to get your sympathetic nervous system going "naturally" and then calmed down how it's supposed to (especially when followed by stretching and/or yoga). It also has the added benefit of mechanical action on your GI system, which can be helpful - but I know how hard it is to exercise normally when your body is a mess of pain and bloating.

Oh, yeah - NOBODY FUCKING TAUGHT ME HOW TO ACTUALLY DO ABDOMINAL BREATHING. That sucks, because it's one of the best things to do for stress - and what most people think of as "deep breathing" is more chest breathing, which actually activates the sympathetic nervous system. You can probably find some good resources on your own, but I can point to some later.

I saved this for last because it's been affecting both my mind and my body in very positive ways: CBD. Apparently there are like 85+ cannabinoids in MJ, but only THC is psychoactive. The research on CBD is still in it's infancy, but it's been show to reduce nausea. Anecdotally, it significantly reduced my daily pain and bloating and improved my bowel movements - but I've only been taking it for about a week now, so ymmv. Also, it's in a weird grey legal area, but I got mine from http://www.cwhemp.com/ and they ship to all 50 states. Also, some people I know have found that full bud (with THC) helps their nausea even more - but I can't recommend that unless you're in a state where it's legal, and it can also cause unpleasant levels of anxiety and paranoia (possibly especially for people like us who have a compromised / overexerted anxiety system anyhow).

You got dis.

</wall 'o text>

Seconding u/theUnmutual6's recommendations, in addition to u/BlueSmoke95's suggestion to check out Ann Moura's work. I would like to recommend Ellen Dugan's Natural Witchery and her related domestic witchery books. Ellen is a certified Master Gardener and incorporates plants into much of her work.

Some of my favorite plant books!

Plant Science:

• Plant Physiology and Development (you can get away with the previous edition of this one!)
  
  
• Botany for Gardeners
  
  
• Essential Plant Pathology (do NOT get the first edition - the second edition is superior in almost every single way)
  
  
• American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques
  
  
  Foraging & Field Guides:
  
  
• A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America
  
  
• Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt To Plate
  
  
• The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
  
  Herbalism:
  
  
• Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use (this is the first one I would recommend to novices)
  
  
• The Herbal Apothecary: 100 Medicinal Herbs and How to Use Them
  
  
• The Herbal Medicine Maker's Manual
  
  
• 300 Herbs: A Materia Medica
  
  
• Culpeper's Complete Herbal
  
  Ethnobotany:
  
  
• A Modern Herbal Vol I and Vol II (these could belong in the above section or here - I love love love these books. I think they are a must for any hedge witch or green witch!!)
  
  
• Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees
  
  
• Whispers from the Woods: The Lore & Magic of Trees
  
  
• Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
  
  I also encourage y'all to look into fungi as well. I work with both plants and fungi and I think they bring a fascinating and fulfilling aspect to my work. Plus, hunting for mushrooms is super fun! I can recommend field guide books for folks who are interested, they just tend to be very region-specific so I'm not going to list all of them here.
  
  For general fungus reading I recommend the following:
  
  
• Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds
  
  
• The Fifth Kingdom
  
  
• Mycelium Running
  
  
• Radical Mycology: A Treatise on Seeing & Working with Fungi
  
  
• Mushrooms Demystified

I've been making lots of small and not-so-small changes that seem to be helping a lot:

• No more swimsuits that tie at my neck
  
• No more heavy cross-body purses
  
• Got invisalign. I've really benefitted from just knowing my teeth are protected = lowers my anxiety. Not to mention it's improving my bite, which is huge.
  
• Get massages from people who specialize in face and neck issues. This is really key for me. I also got a foam roller and lacrosse balls so I can work out my muscles at home.
  
• No more sleeping on my stomach. Huge improvement! Working on limiting side sleeping, but it's slow going.
  
• Yoga 1-2 times a week to stretch out my muscles and release stress.
  
  Things I'm working on and optimistic about:
  
• Going to a physical therapist specialized in TMJ. Went to one who wasn't specialized and reached a limit of how he could help me. Found a new person and currently jumping through the paperwork hoops to see them.
  
• Going to a therapist to work on stress management. Still too early to say on this, but I think it will be a huge help.
  
• Getting a specialized neck pillow for when I sleep. Just need to purchase.
  
• Improving ergonomics of my desk at work. This is an ongoing project, and I tend to slouch in front of my computer.
  
• Paying attention to and eliminating any habits that strain my neck. Even as simple as how I wear my hair!
  
  It's been a slow process of self care and self advocacy. Luckily things have been getting better steadily. My TMJ was triggered by stressful events about 2 years ago, so a lot of stress management work has helped me. Also, distance from the stressful events.
  
  I am currently reading The TMJ Healing Plan and recommend it highly: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0897935241/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DOERDbEH6YKZC
  
  Good luck out there! I hope some of my own experience can be useful. I'm excited to read what's working for others.
  
  Edit to add: I was working two jobs for several years and this year quit the second one as a way to help simplify my life. While the money was nice, it wasn't worth the overall impacts on my life.

Okay so this isn't complete, and apparently my account is too young (or doesn't have enough karma?) to make a post to the subreddit :(

But here is the original post I constructed to submit:

Hello r/herbalism.

This book list was compiled by a good friend of mine who has been a practicing herbalist for a while now. I thought you might all enjoy this list; it's divided into different sections based on the particular area of study. My friend would also like me to inform you "If anyone should have difficulty locating these books, I've found a website, called bookfinder.com, to be most useful in acquiring these books for a fraction of the price from regular booksellers."

Beginner Herbalism, General

• Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use
  
  
• Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech
  
  
• Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine Making Guide
  
  
• Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health
  
  
• Herbal Antibiotics: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug Resistant Bacteria by Stephen Buhner
  
  
• The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook: A Home Manual by James Green
  
  
• Earthwise Herbal Vol I. and Earthwise Herbal Vol. II by Matthew Wood.
  
  
• The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification by Matthew Wood
  
  
  
• Rodale's 21st Century Herbal by Michael Balick
  
  
• The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine: The Ultimate Multidisciplinary Reference to the Amazing Realm of Healing Plants in a Quick-Study, One-Stop Guide by Brigitte Mars
  
  
  
• The Herbalist's Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines by Nancy Phillips, Michael Phillips, and Rosemary Gladstar
  
  
  

  Advanced Herbalism
  

  
  

• Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices Of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman
  
  
• Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by David Winston
  
  
• Edward E Shook's Elementary Treatise in Herbology and Advanced Treatise in Herbology - (In regards to the second, my friend has found a free PDF of the advanced treatise.)
  
  
• The School of Natural Healing: The Reference Volume on Natural Herbs for the Teacher, Student or Herbal Practitioner by John R. Christopher
  
  
• The Complete Herbal Tutor: A Structured Course to Achieve Professional Expertise by Anne McIntyre
  
  

  Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry (Part of the Advanced Herbalism List)
  

  
  
  

• The Constituents of Medicinal Plants: An Introduction to the Chemistry and Therapeutics of Herbal Medicine by A. Pengally
  
  
• Phytochemistry and Pharmacy for Practitioners of Botanical Medicine by Eric Yarnell
  
  
• Herbal Constituents: Foundations of Phytochemistry by Lisa Ganora
  
  
  

  Medicinal Mycology
  

  
  

• The Fungal Pharmacy: The Complete Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms and Lichens of North America by Robert Rogers
  
  
• Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms by Paul Stamets
  
  
  
  

Bosu -- you can get them inexpensively at stores like Academy. I have the "mini" size one. I use it for several things: (1) using interval timer, stand on one foot on the bosu for 3 1-minute sets for each leg, (2) when you get good at that, do one-leg squats on the bosu, (3) flip it over (flat side up) and do normal squats while holding extra weight as needed. You'll find that you'll wiggle all over the place, and maybe fall off sometimes, until you get good. Just standing one-legged on the bosu will strengthen your foot, ankle, calves, knees, and hip, and especially in all the little micro-adjustment places that you need for stability.

You can do the same thing with a sissel.

Rubber bands: put band around your ankles and do side-shuffles and walk forward/backwards (move like a speed skater). Put them around your knees and do clamshells. Anchor a band in a door, stand on one foot, holding the free end of the band at arm's length and rotate your upper body against the tension of the band. Think wood chop exercise but standing on one foot so you put some beneficial torque on the knee and test its stability.

Movement exercises: sit on the floor (I have smooth wood floors) like you're in open guard, stretch your feet out in front of you, anchor your heels, and pull yourself forward; think like a butt-scoot, but using nothing but your glutes, hams, and calves. A bunch of normal calisthenics that work the leg chain (leg lifts, scissors, crazy legs, etc.). Lots of normal BJJ warmups are probably really good stability workouts.

Stretching: every leg stretch you can find. I found this book from the flexibility subreddit, and it's been amazing.

I'm really not sure where to find this stuff all put together, it's what I learned from my PT guys. I do this stuff about three times a week. Bosu every time, the other exercises I kind of mix in so I get to all of them once or twice a week.

Protection: I do wear knee braces, with the little silicone donuts in them. It helps a lot with impacts. Also keeps you thinking about knees and being careful and healthy.

That is wonderful how much you want to help and support her; she will definitely appreciate it.

These are what I use:

Blanket: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BF2392/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mattress Topper: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G72DN63/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What is nice about that mattress topper is it has 2 zones so you can heat one side of bed without having to heat other side. The mattress topper is also great at soothing all-over body aches since you're laying on top of it; feels amazing to crawl into after a long day.

There's also a really good book about Fibro, written by a doctor who has the disease herself. It's laid out in easy to understand language and includes both conventional and alternative treatment methods. The book is a must-read for sufferers, their loved ones, and even their health care providers. My review of this book would be: Before reading the book, I was genuinely ready to kill myself because I felt it was hopeless to try and cope with this disease for another 50+ years. Reading her book I've been able to find ways to improve my circumstances and now feel motivated to fight the disease as several of her methods have already made a huge difference in my life. https://smile.amazon.com/FibroManual-Complete-Fibromyalgia-Treatment-Doctor/dp/110196720X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GYD3ZCYHN0PS&keywords=the+fibro+manual+by+ginevra+liptan&qid=1569526359&s=gateway&sprefix=the+fibro+ma%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-1

It looks like it's about supplementation only but what it really is is a long lengthy breakdown of every nutrient, vitamin, mineral, phytofreakingchemical, antifrigginoxident, whatever and what foods contain said nutrient. It is the reference manual in every herbalist, every bulk herbs section of any co-op, every natural foods store ,everywhere. It's super easy to follow, easy to remember, easy to find. Nutrition!

http://www.amazon.com/Prescription-Nutritional-Healing-Practical-Reference/dp/1583330771

disclosure: nutrition is what I'm schooled in and I have a lot of reference books on my shelf but this is the one people seem to like the best for laymens usage:)

Three thoughts.

First, if you have tested positive for celiac disease, then you absolutely MUST avoid gluten. There is hidden gluten all over the place and you need to do your homework at the grocery store and be careful when you eat out. (For example, lots of fried or roasted potatoes at family style restaurants are coated in wheat flour to give them a nice crispy crust. So even though you're ordering potatoes, which are themselves gluten free, you're getting a solid dose of gluten along with them. There are phone apps that cover a lot of this that can be helpful when shopping.) Remember that celiac is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system responds to gluten with an all out attack on the cilia that line the small intestine. Celiac disease does NOT require medication (although iron infusions and B12 shots are sometimes very helpful in replacing missing nutrients that the damaged small intestine is not absorbing well.) You just need to avoid gluten and give your small intestine time to heal.

Second, SIBO is pretty much a myth flogged by Pimentel who get tons of drug company funding (the company that happens to make Xifaxin) and does mediocre research that is usually NOT replicated by other scientists in other labs. The scientific consensus is that SIBO is very unlikely to be the cause of IBS. The whole theory was developed prior to our understanding the importance of the microbiome in digestion and the immune system. (The microbiome is comprised of the trillions of symbiotic bacteria we house that live primarily in our gut.) Killing off huge swaths of gut bacteria is really a pretty bad idea, and does nothing to establish the health of the ecosystem in there. In fact, antibiotic overuse is strongly linked the development of autoimmune disorders (including celiac disease) in the developed industrialized world.

The best treatment for IBS is cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. It reduces visceral hypersensitivity and helps normalizes the disrupted brain/gut axis that gives rise to IBS symptoms. Probiotics can certainly help (because they replenish the microbiome, rather then killing it), but CBT is the best long term solution. There are several good self-help books out there specifically on CBT for IBS. These include Controlling IBS the Drug Free Way (https://www.amazon.com/Controlling-IBS-Drug-Free-Way-10-Step/dp/1584795751) and Reclaim Your Life from IBS - which was actually tested in a clinical trial and was proved to work. https://www.amazon.com/Reclaim-Your-Life-IBS-Scientifically/dp/145491887X

People who worked through Reclaim Your Life reported significantly fewer bothersome GI symptoms, reduced visceral hypersensitivity, less depression and significantly improved QUALITY OF LIFE - which is what it sounds like you're desperate for. You really have nothing to lose by taking a look at it.

Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/Body-Remembers-Psychophysiology-Treatment-Professional/dp/0393703274/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458805403&sr=8-1&keywords=the+body+remembers

http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Childhood-Sexual-Abuse-Practical/dp/1555612253/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458805422&sr=1-1&keywords=surviving+childhood+sexual+abuse

http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Childhood-Sexual-Abuse-Workbook/dp/1555612903/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458805422&sr=1-2&keywords=surviving+childhood+sexual+abuse (workbook that goes with the above)

These three books have been absolutely invaluable to me as a placeholder for therapy. In fact, when I was in an intensive-outpatient day program specifically for sexual trauma, 90% of the therapy was directly out of the first book. When I could no longer afford to attend, I just went out and bought it myself.

I'm not trying to push that its better than therapy but I completely understand where you guys are at and to be honest if it's not the right time, then it's not the right time, and nothing good comes of forcing yourself before you're ready or before being sure that you will have time to open pandora's box, in a sense...at least it feels that way, anyway.

You sound very loving and supporting to be there with your girlfriend through this, and I hope you both can get some peace asap. Sending yall the best of thoughts.

From what I am reading, gluten perpetuates the autoimmune response from your body, and you'll keep having issues unless you drop it. My Dr, who has hypothyroidism himself, says its okay to go gluten-less and not gluten-free, but I'm still having serious muscle and joint pain and am still tired, so I'm working all the food/ inflammation angles.

Dropping "goitrogens" (uncooked broccoli, all soy, etc), taking some supplements to boost immune system and gut health (turmeric, zinc, fish oil, probiotics, and when I finally find it cheap, selenium)... I've been feeling like shit for a long time and after getting past the shock of having an autoimmune disease I'm in full on "fuck this shit" mode.

I recommend two things! If you are struggling with cooking better for yourself, I recommend an app called Mealime. It's honestly great for any human, despite diet issues, but you can tell it to remove gluten from the recipes it gives you, and holy crap they're all good and fast! If you like to bake and cook like I do, a friend who's little girl has celiacs told me about a book called "How Can It Be Gluten Free", which is written and recipes tested by America's Test Kitchen (and has a second volume, also!).

Second thing, is go out and buy this book cause it's written by a pharmacist who is currently in remission from Hashi's and she talks about all the bull crap she went through with drs and medicine and supplements and food. I haven't read through it all but what I have has been very insightful and had great reviews on Amazon from people like us.

I hope this helps!

Kit Laughlin has some amazing material on this that goes into much more detail than most stretching programs. His basic approach is provide stretches not just for the hamstrings, but for all of the muscles which might limit your forward bend - so you stretch your calves, your piriformis (muscle on the side of your thigh), and of course your hamstrings.

I'd highly recommend either buying his book, or his hamstring-specific video program - I own both, and they're really good. The video series has over an hour of different hamstring-related stretches that you can go through to help find your tight points.

If you just want some quick stretches without buying any of the material, I'd try doing:

• This calf stretch
  
• This piriformis stretch
  
• This hamstring stretch
  
  Edit: Another good resource is Antranik's Toe Touching routine, which is probably a bit easier to approach for beginners than Kit Laughlin's stuff, and free to boot.

I can't speak to fusion directly, but I had a microdiscectomy on my L5-S1 four years ago. Mine was due to a massive herniation at the L5-S1. Originally, the doctor thought he was going to have to fuse me as the location of herniation was in a place that was difficult to reach, but in the end he didn't.

Since my surgery, I made a full recovery and am stronger now than ever. Since surgery, I've competed in several Crossfit competitions (I even won one), done mountain ultra races, Spartan Trifectia's, and about 30 GORUCK events (including a bunch of heavies and a couple HTLs). I still ruck several times a week (many times with a 75# ruck) and Olympic lift in my daily workouts.

Your post op recovery/rehab is key. Don't rush it... listen to your body. I highly recommend the "Foundation Training" program (www.foundationtraining.com). I followed this programming to a "T" the weeks following surgery and I truly believe that it was a major contributor to my recovery/results (positive mindset/outlook is #1). The program focuses on redefining your "core" as not your abs, but your posterior chain muscles. The exercises are very "yoga-ish", but don't let it fool you, I've seen it make gym-rat & muscle heads alike shiver in their own puddle of sweat. Here's a link to the actual book I used https://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Redefine-Your-Conquer-Confidence/dp/1609611004. Several times a week I still integrate their movements into my workouts.

Best of Luck!!!

It could work. Derealization and depression sound like low serotonin and vitamin D increases serotonin. Life Extension has a great D + K supplement (vitamin D3 should be taken with vitamin K; 10 IU D3 : 2 mcg+ MK-4). Also, add magnesium (Doctor's Best magnesium glycinate lysinate chelate is good during maintainenance and Life-Flo magnesium oil spray during repletion).

This may be a good opportunity to consider the megadose vitamin D protocol (30,000-50,000 IU for 6 months; 10 IU D3 : 2 mcg+ MK-4): https://www.amazon.com/Miraculous-Results-Extremely-Sunshine-Experiment/dp/1491243821.

FYI: AOR Ortho-Core, Life Extension Mix + Once-Daily Health Booster, Thorne 2/day, and Life Extension Two-per-day are great multivitamins. Thorne 2/day is the cleanest and AOR Ortho-Core is the one I most prefer. If you took one of them, you'd likely not need to take a separate D + K supplement. If taking onemof the 2 per days, then I recommend adding magnesium.

> My rheumatologist doesn't seem very well-versed in fibro

Welcome to the club. I'm in southern California and I'd love to find a good rheumatologist too. So far I've seen 4 of them, including 1 in an academic setting, and all of them are either woefully uneducated about fibromyalgia and/or are unwilling to treat it. For instance, one of them was unaware of the 2010 ACR criteria. Another one was very thorough, did a bunch of extra testing, and seemed good until I asked about the FM/a test. I know that it has a bad reputation, but she was totally unaware that it even exists. Another reum. doc, who I thought was the best overall, is unwilling to treat fibromyalgia because "it's not an inflammatory disease." It seems like rheumatologists don't like fibromyalgia because it's the only rheumatological condition that doesn't have a specific, well-regarded, and reliable test.

You might also consider a neurologist or pain management specialist. I've had fairly good luck with the neurologist, especially because he's able to do EMG and nerve conduction to help rule out some stuff and describe my condition. Pain management people are supposed to know about fibro. Mine is shit, but at least they are more willing to push medications like high-dose Lyrica.

One long shot and I can't personally recommend her is Ginevra Liptan who runs this:

http://www.fridacenter.com/drliptan/

Here's her book:

https://www.amazon.com/FibroManual-Complete-Fibromyalgia-Treatment-Doctor/dp/110196720X/

Her approach is a bit too out there for me, but may work if I get desperate enough.

In any case, I hope you find some relief. Good luck.

I would definitely recommend thyroid medication sooner rather than later; it can take time to find your right dose. I went untreated for years and ended up pretty anemic. The thyroid has a hand in pretty much every process in your body, and it's incredibly important. There are definitely lifestyle changes you can make that can help - I totally recommend any book by Izabella Wentz (I started with Finding Your Root Cause) - but the first step to feeling better is getting on meds.

What were your thyroid lab results (TSH, Free T4, Free T3, TPO/TG Antibodies)?

You might be interested in the book [The Fibro Manual](
https://smile.amazon.com/FibroManual-Complete-Fibromyalgia-Treatment-Doctor/dp/110196720X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517839795&sr=8-1&keywords=fibro+manual) by Ginevra Liptan. She is a doctor who specializes in fibromyalgia as well as having it herself. I thought the descriptions about what it feels like to have fibro were pretty spot on and it offers a lot of suggestions and products you can try. I found several things in the book that really helped me.

Some things to try: keeping warm, gentle stretches, magnesium spray, foam rolling, gentle massage, myofascial release, drink plenty of water, Epsom salt in the bath, a visit to a float tank, improving sleep, experimenting with diet changes like eliminating caffeine, gluten, dairy, or plants from the nightshade family.

Just keep searching and reading this sub. You will find a lot of suggestions on stuff that has helped someone or another. We just give everything a shot and see what sticks!

Good luck to you and your mother.

Okay, my story itself may not be what you're looking for, but I'll go ahead and tell you a little bit about it. I have vaginismus due to having very severe endometriosis. I mean I'm just in constant pain, so whenever I try to insert something vaginally I usually get really overwhelmed and emotional and it will hurt in varying degrees usually depending on how bad my pelvic pain and or/depression is at the time.

Now, I haven't tried to have sex, and I'm nowhere near over it, but as a student hoping to be an OB/GYN, I can try to point you toward some help. I don't know your personal situation, but pelvic floor therapy is often the first line treatment for vaginismus. Pelvic floor therapy is something you can do on your own or with a physical therapist. If you're going to do it on your own, I'd recommend the book [Heal Pelvic Pain by Amy Stein.] ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071546561?pc_redir=1411220987&robot_redir=1) If you want to try to find a physical therapist, [this] ( http://www.pelvicphysicaltherapist.com/home.html) site may be able to help you understand what goes in to this. I myself will probably see a pelvic floor therapist next semester. A huge key is just having a good support system. My parents and my family doctor are fantastic and make everything easier to bear :)

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me!

I think it can help if it's taken regularly. Regular drinkers of ayahuasca have an upregulated amount of serotonin receptors in their brains, which would allow someone to feel more pleasure from less.

​

What is your exercise regime like? Are you lifting weights? Lifting weights is one of the best natural anti-depressants I have ever found. Look up the Body by Science workouts, they are intense weight workouts that are done in 15 minutes, I love them and they have changed my life and body.

​

Also, if you need a jumpstart, one known secret is to meagdose vitamin D for a period of time. I assume you're getting enough sun down there, but high doses can completely remove inflammation from the body which allows it to heal itself - https://www.amazon.com/Miraculous-Results-Extremely-Sunshine-Experiment/dp/1491243821/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=vitamin+d+miraculous&qid=1555006036&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Just read the reviews there.

​

The other thing I can recommend is cold showers and the Wim hof method, which can and will boost dopamine by a not shy 300%+. Most depression comes from low dopamine. But you must do the breathing exercises first then the cold shower for it to work properly.

​

Additionally, Look into heart-brain coherence breathing and practice that for a week or two. Gregg Braden has a bunch of good stuff on that.

​

Also if you can get into the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza, he actually gives you the formula backed up by neuroscience, eipigentics, quantum physics and the placebo effect, for how to heal yourself from anything, including depression - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ereahWKwNV8

Since you have time, try watching one video of his per day.

​

To me, all these things together combined with meditation which it sounds like you're already doing, are even more effective than ayahuasca because one can actually sustain these practices and they are nearly free.

​

Please let me know your thoughts.

You gotta think of it day by day. Each time you do it, it dulls the pain 1%. Do it for 100 days. It took me about that long to considered my back healed but I wanted it to be stronger so I just kept going. It corrects your posture and I overly just feel better doing it without pain. It's like a hybrid of Yoga which is only good for you body.

There are different foundation excersize you can find online for free. I ended up just buying a 15 dollar book on Amazon. It had a bunch of 2 week routines with different complexities. Great pictures of what muscles should be activating and ect.

I probably spent $3000-4000 on pysio, chirco, and massages over 5 years and this 15 dollar book and free YouTube video I gave you are what fixed me.

I second Broadleaf plantain, Plantago major, and Yarrow, Achillea millefolium for minor scrapes and cuts. Both are easy to identify with some practice and attention, and are extraordinarily prevalent in many areas around the world. Neither is particularly strongly antimicrobial, but yarrow is hemostatic (can stop/slow bleeding) and mildly antimicrobial, and plantain is pleasantly soothing and drawing.

Here in the pacific northwest, I would probably use a wash made of tea (decoction) from Oregon Grape Root (Mahonia aquifolium) to clean a wound if I had concern over infection. The berberine alkaloids present in the root that give it the yellow color have been shown to have antibacterial properties. See [here] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24602493), [here] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24856764), [here] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25613587), and [here] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26191220)

[Herbal Antibiotics] (https://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Antibiotics-2nd-Alternatives-Drug-resistant/dp/1603429875) by Stephen Buhler is an excellent resource if you'd like to investigate plants with antimicrobial properties further. The information in the book is heavily based on both scientific study and historical usage from around the world. I'll bet we'll appreciate the plants even more when and if our pharmaceutical antibiotics are no longer useful.

If you are able to do spinal extension without aggravating the injury, you should really look up foundation training. It is a system of exercises which will very greatly increase the strength of all your back muscles as well as your glutes and hamstrings. This will probably be extremely difficult if your back muscles are that weak. Because even for me, someone who hasn't been in a back brace and does their fair share of conventional back exercises, they are very hard. In a good way. They are can be eased into gently, and is not the type of thing that will cause further injury, in fact the program was made for people with back injuries.The moves are kind of like yoga poses. I think the best first step is to buy this book. This program was designed specifically to strengthen every muscle that supports your spine and posture. It is for people with back problems. And, for me at least, it has worked wonders. I find my back is now stronger than when I was doing Starting Strength and deadlifting all the time. IMHO, its very worth it.

The way detox is often presented-- "3 day green juice detox challenge!"-- I think it often is a myth, but detoxification is something that our body is always doing. It's a primary role of the kidneys and liver.

Arnold Ehret's Mucusless Diet Healing System

The Detox Miracle Sourcebook

The above books are the best sources I've come across that discuss detox. Especially Arnold Ehret's book. That one really rocked me to the core and changed the way I view a lot of things. It's super cheap and it may help you understand your situation.

Literally going through a version of this right now.

Diagnosed Hashi's at 17, put on levo and 11 yrs later still had symptoms and felt absolute blah.

Jan. 2018- needed to try something to change this, so I started a keto diet, felt better at first then worse (also avoided gluten like 80% of the time)-- Around April I found out about the AIP diet and tried a mostly, paleoish/AIP as much as I really could, diet, most importantly avoiding gluten altogether. I then staggered eliminating potential problem-causing foods, getting rid of dairy first, then nightshades, etc. As a poor foodie who enjoys cooking, it was tough, but doable. Lots of repeated recipes.

Of course, come these past holidays I had to test some limits. I had eliminated all of the AIP "categories" - I was hangry - but I was also DEFINITELY feeling better. So I had some nibbles here and there, only testing one type at a time, and in a small amount. And, if I had some cow dairy, or a sizable amount of gluten, I got a reaction :( Physically, irritated white bumps on or inside my lips, then a slew of Hashi symptoms, like that fatigue man.

I absolutely scoffed at the thought of a "gluten free" diet when it first popped up too. I hate that I have done the time to test it, with this result. But... I do love learning new, healthy recipes. It sucks, but most doctors aren't interested in treating the cause of these symptoms. Read up and research, take everyone's experience and story in, and listen to your body! It might be gluten, or it might be another sensitivity, but your body's reaction should be a good gauge.

This and This were my starter books looking into the science of what was causing everything, This was helpful when eliminating foods, and lately I've been adapting some recipes from this book (+ meat!) which has been very tasty.

If you haven't already, please get a hold of this book:

http://www.amazon.com/TMJ-Healing-Plan-Relieving-Headaches/dp/0897935241/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1418354726&sr=8-3&keywords=tmj

I was in a similar situation to you. It really sucks...trust me, I know. The good news, however, is that this book helped teach me invaluable habits that have helped immensely without needing surgery! There's nothing specifically in this book relating to singing, but if you apply the principles throughout your daily life then you will see a difference.

After adjusting my practice regimen and retraining my muscles to sing with less pressure on my jaw, I've found that I can sing better, looser, and with less pain! There will be a period where you'll have to dial back on practice though. Learn to have more effective practices in shorter amounts of time. Give yourself plenty of breaks throughout.

I really hope this information can help you. Good luck!

Hey - keep your head up, you can get this thing fixed. I'm in my late thirties and have had two herniated discs (first around 15 years ago). I am an ultrarunner, and what's worked for me is balancing out my miles with yoga (Yin specifically) and strength training. Specifically for keeping the back in good shape, I highly recommend Foundation. I noticed a difference almost immediately after beginning these exercises (no weights involved). Also, for a general understanding of how the back works and how you can keep it healthy, I recommend Gokhale's 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back. Really good guidance on posture, sitting, sleeping, etc. Good luck.

Congratulations. While not every practice is great, the best sessions get even better.

Take at least a few classes, it is really hard to know what you're doing in terms of alignment until an instructor corrects you. In a similar vein, I think everyone should work slowly through a book that describes each asana in great detail. It might take ten or fifteen minutes to translate what the book says into physical posture, you might only work through one or two poses per practice, but you really learn it. I'm not a huge fan of Baron Baptiste's style, but Journey into Power has great descriptions of the asana. Dynamic Yoga is another book with great descriptions of the poses.

In your area keep an eye out for an event called "Stop the Bleed". It is a free event that teachings how to teat medical trauma. Other than that you can go to 2nd hand book shops and look for books related to prepping topics. Other cheap suggestions.

• LED Headlamp
  
  • you can find these as cheap as $7 but this is what I suggest
    
• LED Flashlight
  
  • you can find these cheaper but that is what I suggest
    
• Edible plant books for your area on amazon.
  
  • Usually around $10 to $20
    
• Medical herbs book
  
  • you can find more like this on amazon
    
• Ask your parents to start gardening with you or at least let you do it. Seeds are cheap.
  
• Make yourself a hobo stove. There are videos on youtube on how to do it.
  
• Candles.
  
  • Cheap stuff you can get at thrift stores and on clearance. You'll slowly learn what are good prices on them over time. Right after the holidays are the best time for these.
    
    I've run out of time. Let me know if you have any questions.

I'm plugging Tom Merrick.

​

After switching from a 9-5 vehicle job to early morning physical labor I felt the price I paid for sitting too long. I've dedicated most of my free time since January to mobility and physical alignment. I am recovering from a life time of previous physical punishment but seeing incredibly quick improvements from a daily discipline of proper mobility. I've forgone all other training besides my job to strip my body down to its basics. I figure if the base is level and square, I can dedicate my physical ambitions in any direction. It's honestly felt 'spiritual' learning my own, individual body. With daily use of the same motions in a slow and focused manner, I'm continually squashing through pain spots and weaknesses; many that I never knew I had because I simply was never paying attention to them.

​

I recommend Tom Merrick's routines to find your own weaknesses and have something to gauge progress with, and just make daily habits of the ones that work well for you. Pain Free by Pete Egoscue and Foundation Training by Eric Goodman have driven a lot of my progress as well as simple research into the discomforts or oddities I discovered in my body.

​

I figure if life is a game, than longevity is the name of that game. My best odds rest in a body that's built to prevent injury and operate at peak levels. A couple of months ago I realized I will feel the urge to do daily mobility work for the rest of my life because it feels too damn good.

​

Movement is so basic but so forgotten. It's fundamental to who we are as primal beings.

​

I rant about this because I care so much about it. So many people in my life are in physical pain and it drives me mad that movement isn't taught by anyone in our lives until we discover our own need for it.

​

Feel good, live good.

The depression and digestive issues you write about suggest that you may be a celiac. Please don't kill yourself until you get tested. If you have a gluten allergy, you will find a big increase in your health when you stop eating it. But get tested before you do that. Gluten literally saws the villi off the lining of your intestine, and the villi are what uptakes nutrients into your body. Without vitamins like folic acid, you suffer neurologically. You don't get enough iron, calcium, B vitamins, and D either. All of those vitamins have a dramatic effect on your health. If you'd like to read about nutrition, Prescription for Nutritional Healing is a great book. http://www.amazon.com/Prescription-Nutritional-Healing-Practical-Reference/dp/1583330771
You can learn a ton about how to heal depression by reading that part of the book. It will also help you with celiac if you have it.

As to your book, if you're self publishing it, you can post a link on social media sites like Reddit, and make people aware of it a lot more effectively than by jumping off a bridge. As for the Aspergers, I thought I had it, but was instead diagnosed with PTSD and social anxiety. Still, I have many of its attributes, and I understand about the social cues. I am completely unable to read people, so I often say things I shouldn't. Still, I have friends and a life and a wonderful daughter. You're only 21; there's a lot ahead of you, and romance does come to people, whether or not they anticipate it.

Your health could improve just from finding out about the celiac. Please PM me if you have questions. Hang in there. You can get past this.

I jump higher at 35 than I did playing basketball all through high school. I credit it to two things.

1. Much stronger legs through actually learning how to hip hinge and incorporate my posterior chain.
   
   
2. Increased mobility in my hips which enables a more effective hinge.
   
   As the saying goes, "good athletes use their legs, great athletes use their hips".
   
   Edit: If you want to develop a good hinge you can do stuff like kettlebell swings and deadlifts, but I personally am I huge fan of Eric Goodman's "Foundation" exercises.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Redefine-Your-Conquer-Confidence/dp/1609611004

That's great that you were able to stick with yoga because I personally would have been very turned off by that kind of approach. Ultimately, it did embarrass you though and I think that teacher could have handled it better. There are ways to adjust students without pointing out they are doing something wrong and subsequently embarrassing them. My favorite yoga teacher always demos poses she sees us " doing wrong." She will also say things like draw your belly button into the back of your spine, or shoulders parallel to the floor, etc. Those cues may help. It also eliminates any embarrassment because she is not singling out just one person.

Some of the things I have heard my teachers say that really made me stick with yoga:

• There is not right or wrong way to do yoga
  
  
• Adjustments do not mean you are doing a pose wrong, it is also to guide you deeper into a pose
  
  
• Accept that where you are right now is exactly where you need to be
  
  
• The success of yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures but in how it positively changes the way we live our life and our relationships.
  
  
• All that matters is you made it to your mat and have taken time out of your day to honor yourself
  
  I think your intentions are good. But, please try to be more compassionate towards "'complete' beginners/students who are confused" who "don't know poses." People show up to their mat for many different reasons. And for me it is my safe place, away from my anxiety and stress of the day, a place I feel that no one is judging me and I can just be. If I want to do a chinstand, I will damn well do it because it is for ME and no one else.
  
  
  I had a similar teacher to you when I was fat, overweight, and could barely hold crow. Needless to say, I never took her class again. What worked for you may not work for others so please keep that in mind. It is easy to judge the flaws of your students, especially beginners, but try to put yourself in their shoes.
  
  Give them some credit for showing up to their mat.
  
  
• Guide them into being proficient yoga practitioners both MIND and BODY.
  
  
  Yoga is not just about performing postures, it is also how your practice translates into your life. Being mindful, being able to breathe through stressful times in your life (similar to when you are in difficult poses), and being present in your life.
  
  If you have the time please read this book by Baron Baptiste: http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Into-Power-Baron-Baptiste/dp/0743227824

I've only recently kind of come to terms with it. I've been moderately health conscious my entire adult life, and I always looked at the slowly progressing symptoms as me missing something. I whole-heartedly believe that my symptoms aren't as severe as they could be because of dietary and supplemental steps I've taken. This book has been incredibly eye-opening; it's a wealth of knowledge and I'm taking most of the things recommended. I've been able to pinpoint some key foods (gluten, eggs, potatoes) that significantly increase my pain and eliminated them, so I'm definitely convinced that diet plays a key role here. I haven't dropped the money on getting food intolerance testing done, but I think that may happen soon.

All that to say, that I've finally accepted that yes, this is medically called fibromyalgia, but I'm not convinced that conventional medicine is the only answer. I still believe there is an underlying issue causing all of these symptoms. I'm going to do everything I can to make myself feel better, and to hopefully keep this from getting worse. I know how absolutely terrible it can become, and that is my motivation to keep searching for a better solution. Don't give up!

FWIW, I definitely don't disagree with you in theory. I am just a random guy. And random guys are not often right!

If you think there is a small chance I am right, then I would check out these cheap Kindle books, which are slightly more credible:

This guy is an actual MD who prescribes D3 in the range that I take:

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Vitamin-Scientific-Practical-Information/dp/1508946310

This dude is what got me initially curious, he is a bit of a lunatic (what an endorsement!), but he cites a LOT of papers. After reading this, I read some more books.

https://www.amazon.com/Miraculous-Results-Extremely-Sunshine-Experiment/dp/1491243821

And then this one on K2:

https://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-K2-Calcium-Paradox-Little-Known/dp/0062320041

Also, I have gotten several friends and family members to run the same test in the last year, and all report positive results with healthy D and calcium levels. Again, I'm just a random dude, so YMMV, but I'm obviously a big believer at this point.

Thanks!

The Protocol was developed in Stanford university By Rodney Anderson (urologist) and David Wise (urologist / phycologist) . Dr Wise had the chronic Pelvic pain for decades so he tried to make a program in order to cure it.

​

As far as i understand it , CPPS is a neuromuscular problem, in which people tighten ther pelvis and areas around it involuntarily and without even realizing it. These people do it due to high stress high anxiety status. So , at least in my case and in the cases described by Wise Anderson protocol, the problem is psychological. I didnt even know that i was creating tension in my pelvic muscles until much later in my effort to find something to make me better.

​

They use various ways of relaxing the muscles around the pevlis :

They use a breathing technique, a kind of meditation named paradoxical relaxation (i believe a CD with paradoxical relaxation guide is inclluded in the book).

​

Trigger point release . Again described in detail in the book pressure point specific areas.

​

Internal Trigger Point Wand that allows the patient to safely and effectively loosen the pelvis

​

They published a book that describes in detail the symptoms and the techniques to overcome this problem.

https://www.amazon.com/Headache-Pelvis-Understanding-Treatment-Prostatitis-ebook/dp/B00UESECTS

​

Information about the program , the techniques you can find here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/buddharamana/videos

​

​

thses are some quick general information about the program . I would like to know what your symptoms are exactly so we can discuss it more.

First off thanks for asking this question, I am very similar to you in pretty much everything said - landing auditions but I'm also somewhat stiff during them and wanted to see how to help with that.

​

Along with what others said about training and dancing, I looked up potential resources that may help with movement in acting and purchased these 2 books - I haven't read either yet but you may find interest in them.

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1559362413/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0895949180/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sure! CBT is basically a form of psychological therapy that has been successfully applied to individuals with IBS to help manage and better live with symptoms, and regain some of the quality of life aspects. It sounds to me like a lot of your symptoms are exacerbated by stress, and CBT definitely helps with that! Take a look at this book https://www.amazon.com/Reclaim-Your-Life-IBS-Scientifically/dp/145491887X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=melissa+hunt&qid=1569725019&s=gateway&sr=8-1.

Hey, couple of suggestions

Try out foundation back training. Link to the book here

The exercises in the book are mostly for lower and mid back issues so might not be fully relevant to you. They helped me immensely when I had severe lower back trouble. Have been virtually pain free since I started doing them. I also had cervical disc trouble and was told that the space between two of my neck discs has reduced due to an injury. This left me unable to turn my neck, move my arms beyond shoulder level, throw things for a while. It got better on its own after a while though. I did go through trying many exercises online to fix it (dont remember which). The basic theory being that if your supporting muscles are strong, the discs will eventually be OK.

I have no personal experience but have seen a lot of noise about Qi Spine clinics in Bangalore.

Good luck, hope it gets better

I'm not sure if you have ever heard of Rosemary Gladstar (she's been an herbalist for 50years or so). She is not Wiccan but she teaches and writes books on herbal recipes, tinctures, syrups, remedies etc. She's famous for making things like "zoom balls" for energy/stress and "fire cider" for it's healing properties during cold/flu season. I have used several of her concoctions and can swear by them. She also teaches which herb to grow in your garden for healing and useful things.

Here's a link to my favorite recipe: https://youtu.be/JU8U0bDmXks

Here is a link to her best book (IMO) called 'Medicinal Herbs, A Beginners Guide.'
https://www.amazon.com/Rosemary-Gladstars-Medicinal-Herbs-Beginners/dp/1612120059/ref=la_B000APUXMK_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504553457&sr=1-1

Here's my advice:

There are some plants you can easily grow, that have well known and tested medicinal properties. St. John's wort, for example, is a sedative that's pretty safe. Comfrey leaves make a good poultice for bruises and other aches/pains, but I wouldn't ingest it or put any part of the plant on an open wound. Comfrey is such a valuable plant for its other properties, that I would absolutely recommend growing it under every fruit tree you have. Willow bark can give you salicylic acid, which is where aspirin comes from. I've not attempted it, and I understand that willow bark has some other compounds that aren't so beneficial, so do your research.

But really, what you need is a book on growing herbal medicines. You can seriously kill someone if you don't know what you're doing, so definitely read up. I like this one, but don't rely on just one source if you're really going to be serious about natural medicines.

I've had fibromyalgia for over twenty years. This book helped me a lot. I still have symptoms and many bad days, but I've seen some improvements. Most importantly this book has given me hope.

I must insert a disclaimer though, because none of his advice has scientific references. Always make sure to keep talking to your doctor instead of only taking advice from a book.

Stay strong!


Medical Medium: Secrets Behind Chronic and Mystery Illness and How to Finally Heal https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1401948294/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ls38Bb1EKJDZS

Foundation training by Dr. Goodman has been great for my SI issue I've been having. His book is great, and there are tons of free videos on youtube and his website

This. I have all the same issues as the OP, though my weight fluctuates +- 10lbs. The gains and losses are always a reflection of hormone balance and gut health.

Books for OP:

Medical Medium: Secrets Behind Chronic and Mystery Illness and How to Finally Heal https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401948294/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8ubVBbAM4ADPZ

Medical Medium Thyroid Healing: The Truth behind Hashimoto's, Graves', Insomnia, Hypothyroidism, Thyroid Nodules & Epstein-Barr https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401948367/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_VtbVBbRV68299

Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing the Uncommon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401953093/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JvbVBbMEDKDGZ

This one doesn’t go into spirituality exactly, but it was a godsend to me. It’s a well-written, easy read and focuses heavily on stress management and emotional health as a means of achieving hormone balance: The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution: A Proven 4-Week Program to Rescue Your Metabolism, Hormones, Mind & Mood https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062476343/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DsbVBbK4WYSK5

Some of the books that I have found helpful, over time (in rough order of importance to me):

The Microbiome Cookbook

The Well-Fed Microbiome Cookbook

The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood, and Your Long-term Health

Reclaim Your Life from IBS: A Scientifically Proven Plan for Relief without Restrictive Diets

Fast Tract Digestion

Eating for IBS

Sometimes I wonder about the collapse--will it be the opportunity for the world to return to localized living? Will everyone finally understand that our mother can't keep giving and giving without a point of exhaustion? I feel your pain, I know that settlers with the awareness are also hindered by what they see around them and it's very disheartening when it's your own people doing it. But do remember that indigeneity (or "realness") can be a mindset, not necessarily a point of descent--much like how the imperial mindset (or "the sickness") has effected some of our own as well.
So here's some suggested readings that might inspire you, if you haven't read them already:

Original Instructions

The Secret Teachings of Plants

The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight

A People's Ecology

We know you're out there. We're doin' our thang. Keep on doin yours! :)

Hey, thanks for replying.

I think what I am going to do to start is take this Thyroid Support supplement and read this book. Searching through the reviews and judging by what others have said about Selenium alone, I think I might have more luck trying to clean up the antibodies by treating the root cause with nutrition than I will by just letting my antibodies kill my healthy tissue and putting fake hormone in my body to help with the resultant hormone deficiency. It seems strange to me based on what I've read already that doctors aren't trying to cure the actual condition, but just using synthroid as a bandaid, basically, to patch up the biggest side effect of the condition. From what I understand so far, my symptoms are a result of processes that are happening with the antibodies attacking my healthy tissues. Different amounts of certain nutrition sort of "mop up" the various imbalances and excess byproducts in the system due to different reactions (for example, selenium does something good and, if I recall correctly, hydrogen pyroxide is byproduct made in over-abundance with Hashimoto's). But I am just beginning to learn and the ideas I shared here are just scraping the surface.

I guess I should clarify. I don't mean at that very moment. Just like the OP's bf, it works just fine after immediately controlling the impulse. Trauma, stress, etc (both big and small) can get stored up and need release. You acknowledge that yourself, so I don't think we're that far off.

>Exercise is great because it helps to process cortisol. Progressive muscle tensing is also great.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/Body-Remembers-Psychophysiology-Treatment-Professional/dp/0393703274&ved=2ahUKEwiH5ceb-fXkAhUI1qwKHTmyB10QFjAAegQIBhAC&usg=AOvVaw2t04GgVewLY_XpQyv9vK5c

ETA: There is a direct refutation of you article linked right there:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/evil-deeds/200909/anger-and-catharsis-myth-metaphor-or-reality

"Striking a pillow, bag or bed when one is not already angry can be an effective technique employed by some Reichian or Bioenergetic therapists for inducing, evoking and becoming more aware of one's repressed rage."

exercise is great and so is yoga but more intentional than that is where body work lives.

It can feel a little self indulgent but I like to work my knots out, get into deep stretches, and generally find where my emotional and psychological self meet my body. Somehow I didn't know about the theory of the body remembering and how our bodies protect us from fearful thinking and cognitive dissonance. You might not either?

I suggest it because it sounds like you are being very rational and still not understanding what or why your mind is behaving in this way. My therapist recommended this book and while you didn't mention trauma...

The book Heal Pelvic Pain may be beneficial to her as a supplement to her pelvic floor therapy. Best of luck.

A good book for you and your husband. You, because you can relieve some of your fibro symptoms yourself, at home, and the husband because it will help him to better understand what you're living with. https://smile.amazon.com/FibroManual-Complete-Fibromyalgia-Treatment-Doctor/dp/110196720X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468210274&sr=8-1&keywords=ginevra+liptan

Don't fret! Sounds like it's an under active thyroid, which is what I have. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis when I was about 10, so trust me when I say that it's definitely not anything to be frightened about.

My biggest suggestion, if it is hypothyroidism, is to read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Hashimotos-Thyroiditis-Lifestyle-Interventions-Treating/dp/0615825796

It is a fantastic source of knowledge and information about what's going on in your body and what can help and why.

Another tip, especially after reading the book, is to make sure you have a doctor who's willing to listen and work with you and not just prescribe pills and send you on your way. A lot of times, symptoms will persist even when your blood work comes back normal. It wasn't until I read the book just recently, and started taking a few additional supplements that I finally started to feel better. I have had HT for as long as I can remember so I never knew anything other than being cold all the time, feeling like it was nearly impossible to wake up in the morning, and being tired all the time.

Thyroid problems are irritating and a hassle, but they're completely manageable and shouldn't affect your job at all.

If you have any questions or want to talk, feel free to let me know. I have, quite literally, a lifetime of experience with it.

Fibro is definitely a neurological condition. It can manifest in the form of inflammation, but that's definitely not the cause. Check out the Fibro Manual, I think you'll find it more helpful: The Fibro Manual

Ide like to point out that theye are many plant based medicines that can cure illnesses such as meningitis effectively and sometimes more effectively than modern medicine. Having said that, it is very wise to use modern medicine first, and follow up with plant based medicine should the antibiotics not be effective. See stephen harrod buhner's books, specifically "herbal antibiotics" for more information. His books are very well sourced.

http://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Antibiotics-2nd-Edition-Drug-resistant/dp/1603429875

If you are the daring kind, this is a really good read. It's packed with scientific studies. 33,000 to be exact.

https://www.amazon.com/Miraculous-Results-Extremely-Sunshine-Experiment/dp/1491243821

I tried it, and it worked for me. Everything it said would happen actually happened. I don't have anything to do with this book. So don't buy it. Don't follow its instructions and don't believe me. But if you like reading, this book might be a good read for anyone interested.

Disclosure: This book is bad for you. So are steroids, sex and video games.

On the root familiar;

http://sarahannelawless.com/resources/alraun-crafting-how-to-make-a-herbal-root-talisman/

http://spiritslip.blogspot.com/2012/11/alraun-spirit-root.html

http://www.witchcraftmag.us/witches-warlocks/the-mandragore-and-the-alraun.html

On Wortcunning; might I recommend looking for pdfs of the last to titles.

Walking the Hedge; Herbs

Making Plant Medicine

The Secret Teachings of Plants: The Intelligence of the Heart in the Direct Perception of Nature

Liber Nox: A Traditional Witch's Gramarye

Grimoire of the Thorn-Blooded Witch: Mastering the Five Arts of Old World Witchery

Viridarium Umbris; The pleasure garden of shadow

Veneficium. Magic, Witchcraft and the Poison Path

You are not alone and it has everything to do with stress and trauma. What you are describing is very normal for people with traumatic childhoods. I have very little memory of mine. I started to remember more in the last year (fun times!) but still only know a fraction of what happened.

Usually something will trigger the memories, and this commonly does happen when your life is actually pretty stable. Like your brain decides you can handle it now.

In my case, going NC with my mom is what opened the Pandora's box. I made a list of all the offenses she committed that I could remember so I could make a note to myself as to why she is banished forever (in case I ever reconsider). Once I started making the list more and more stuff came to me. There was a deluge of stuff at first and now stuff pops up here and there. It is like stuff I always knew but I forgot I knew it.

You might want to read this book http://www.amazon.com/The-Body-Remembers-Psychophysiology-Professional/dp/0393703274 It does a good job of explaining the science behind why traumatic memories get repressed. I found it somewhat helpful to understand on a neurochemical level what causes this.

To learn more about Dr. Terry Wahls, visit:
The Wahls Foundation Website.

I've learned a LOT from her book Minding your Mitochondria.

This is not an advertisement, just a fellow MS sufferer looking to key people in on alternatives. Every bit helps!

If I was still in the US, I'd love to take part and support her studies. Maybe someone here feels the same? Go for it!

I'm assuming you've been checked for diabetes. It could be pfd as it sounds like they did thorough testing for anything else. Just warning you the tests for pfd are not pleasant.

I have pfd but it doesn't cause urinary problems too often for me but that doesn't mean you don't potentially have it. Also letting you know that with pfd, the mind is thought to be a major contributing factor and physical therapy is often accompanied with talk therapy. It's really up to you if you want to pursue testing and see if this route is worth it.

There's also a good book about pfd excercises if you just wanted to try them at home. Most of the exercises in the book are just regular stretches but there is some inner rectal work involved.

I’d say take 100 mcg with your 7000 IU of vitamin D. Usually people take about 100-200 mcg of k2 per 10000 IU of vitamin D.

These books by Jeff t Bowles go into detail about vitamin d, k2 and magnesium. I believe the second one is free and is the most detailed.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1491243821/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_1Xv1DbSECS9Y8

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZBP8QZZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_-Vv1DbBVBYZ9V

As for timing of D and k2 and when to be taken. I hear different things all the time. Take with fat for better absorption. Take d and k2 apart or else they cancel each other out, etc. I say do what works best for your schedule. I personally take them together at the same time, first thing in the morning with my coffee (apparently coffee reduces absorption) but this is what works for me and has been working.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heal-Pelvic-Pain-Strengthening-Incontinence/dp/0071546561

Get that book. It's by a proper physio and has things you can do for all manner of pelvic ailments. My physio recommended it too me for something else and it was great. Also see if you can find a womens health physio to check you out and see if there is anything you can do. The pelvic floor is often overlooked when people have pelvic area type issues.

My pelvic floor was over tight and it was aggravating things, may well be worth investigating.

I tried to get an appointment with Henkelmann and there was nothing available for months. Sounds to me like he is headed towards retirement. I was referred to Melissa Antonoplos at CRS Green Tree, who helped me out to some degree.

If OP (or anyone else) is looking for a massage option for TMJ, I've also been pretty happy with Allisa at Mindful Massage and Bodywork.

E: Another recommendation is for those struggling with TMJ to check out this book

Posture and tongue position also play a role in mouth breathing. I'm currently reading https://www.amazon.com/TMJ-Healing-Plan-Relieving-Headaches/dp/0897935241 and learned a lot about good habits.

Forward head posture, side sleeping in fetal position, and not having the tongue on the correct spot can all increase mouth breathing.

Thanks for the tip. House of God is a household favorite and I sure would rather listen to that than Minding My Mitochondria 2nd Edition. ahem. I've got a bit of. cough. problem kicking. cough. beer and pizza.

If it TPOAb comes back positive highly recommend reading [this] 2 or 3 times.

It's all so confusing haha I feel you. My PT appointment was definitely promising! I'm in NYC and go to Beyond Basics Physical Therapy, the head woman there is very invested in pelvic pain and came out with this book that I also bought! you should check it out if you're waiting to get in to see a PT as it has alot of exercises and massages in there, and the reviews are also very promising.

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071546561/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Study/practice/take up as a hobby anything physical, from jogging to yoga to martial arts. Anything that interests you. Get your awareness into your body. Couple that with some sort of actor physicality system, like Laban or Viewpoints as mentioned or, as I'd recommend, Alexander technique, and you'll be on the right path. We did Alexander in my grad school and our textbook was https://www.amazon.com/New-Approach-Alexander-Technique-Expression/dp/0895949180.

I used a strong tincture from UK supplier - worked as it should: have never heard or read about estrogenic concerns with the Crypto. Would recommend: https://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Antibiotics-2nd-Alternatives-Drug-resistant/dp/1603429875/ if you haven't already got it.

> I was told it was pelvic floor tension, and slowly over the years the flare ups just kind of became less and less.

That's interesting. Who told you this and what did they recommend for you at the time?

If the pain you're having is a recurrence of that issue, I'd recommend the book "Heal Pelvic Pain". Hopefully it's available in your country. There's a digital version you can read right away. It's effectively a home PT/physio program of gentle stretching, which is almost identical to what I was taught in PT.

It would make sense that you're continuing to experience breakthrough pain if the underlying condition isn't being treated. It's possible there may be more to it given the pain coinciding with your implant, but that's a good place to start.

wow! i can't believe this book exists. i just read the first 100 pages. this is exactly what i was looking for. thank you!!!!

i mentioned before that i started meditation through zen, but that is not quite true. what happened was that i suffered from pelvic pain and after narrowly missing the scalpel (for something i didn't need) i, miraculously, found this book: https://www.amazon.com/Headache-Pelvis-Understanding-Treatment-Prostatitis-ebook/dp/B00UESECTS/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540331526&sr=1-2&keywords=headache+in+the+pelvis

which has a protocol called "paradoxical relaxation" that aims to calm a tense pelvis through something i now understand as meditation. paradoxical because you don't try to relax. you just observe the tension for 45 min in the morning, and 45 min at night (sounds familiar?) anyhow long story (it took two years of paradoxical relaxation - with many relapses) short i'm cured, and a friend finally put two and two and mentioned that i had cured myself with meditation! this has happened to many people (entertaining and well written account: https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Us-Sit-Still-Skeptics/dp/1609614488/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540331712&sr=1-1&keywords=teach+us+to+sit+still+by+tim+parks).

anyhow so my meditation story begins, and now, through you (another miracle) i found this book!

thank you!!!

There are some AMAZING resources here, so I'll just throw in a few others:

The Body Remembers

The Body Keeps the Score)

Enrique's Journey

Crossing Over

The Devil's Highway

Random Family

Lost Children of Wilder

Check out the Root Cause by Isabella Wentz! Here is her blog... but the book explains really clearly how you can put autoimmune disorders into remission, so I'd recommend you check it out!

Well since it seems that you are not a beginner like the title implies I'd suggest some healing mediation. It's an exciting next step from the regular breathing meditation. I personally have this book and am reading through it: Tulku Thondup: Boundless Healing You could probably not go wrong with Tulku; he seems very knowledgeable.

Check out this book on amazon and more importantly, the reviews. This books is about mega dosing with vitamin D

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1491243821?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

http://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Redefine-Your-Conquer-Confidence/dp/1609611004/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465044812&sr=8-1&keywords=foundation+low+back

great set of exercises that are very simple to do. The basic one is the "founder stretch"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwLcnYYOJms

First, I would check the fit. Second, poor posture will do that to ya. It's important to strengthen those core muscles and to perform your activities ergonomically. The muscles you'll really want to target are the ones supporting your spine on the backside and not so much your abs.

I highly recommend the exercises described in "Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence". They're mostly pilate/yoga type of exercises in which you only have to use your own body weight and gravity.

http://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Redefine-Your-Conquer-Confidence/dp/1609611004

https://www.amazon.com/dp/110196720X/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_R7m8BbMM0GTQ0

Now it's not all that and a bag of chips and some of it is just hokey, BUT there is a lot of useful stuff in it.

If anything hurts, stop.

Three fingers used shallowly will do nothing to help train your muscles, because they are an inch or so inside your vagina. Explore with one finger inserted past the muscle band. Then work up from there.

Stop attempting intercourse. There are plenty of ways to pleasure each other without it until your body is ready. Hands, mouths, sex toys (or safe objects covered in condoms) and other body parts (eg intercrural sex).

If you want more professional help, see a urogynaecologist (urogynecologist in US English) for diagnosis and referral to treatment.

I highly recommend working through the book "Heal Pelvic Pain" by Amy Stein. Lots of libraries have it.

A lot of this is trial and error to see what works for you. The Root Cause might help you figure out where to start to discover triggers and reduce the antibodies. I'm still working on it too! My peroxidase is down to 124 and thyroglobulin has stayed steady at 2. Currently on T4 and T3, taking various supplements (multi-vit, Vit B and D, probiotic, calcium, fish oil), soy and dairy free (gluten free didn't seem to help, but I may try GF again depending on how things go).

​

Edited to add: I had a food sensitivity test done in Dec, which revealed that I am highly reactive to casein and whey and eggs (yolks and whites), which is why I went DF in January. I had severe GI issues and have felt way better DF. Working on healing my leaky gut to try to reduce my autoimmune response.

I herniated my L5-S1 disc about a year ago. Couldn't move for 5 weeks, physical therapy, slowly got back to the gym. One year later I squat 315 and dead lift 285 (note that I am EXTREMELY careful with my DL, hence the lower number when compared to my squat- I have no desire to be bed ridden and on lortab again). Anyway, the physical therapy helped some, but I'll echo what others have said about Foundation Training. It helped so, so much.

Here is the book. Buy it, use it, check out their website too!!

As far as exercises, I just started with body weight squats and dead lift motions (found in the Foundation protocol), and then I VERY slowly added some weight. To be honest, my dead lift still isn't great, but I don't think it will ever be amazing again, but that's ok. I'd rather be pain free than try and best my old PR.

I don't know if this can help, but tell your husband to read this book and see if it can make something to relieve your symptoms: https://www.amazon.com/Medical-Medium-Secrets-Chronic-Mystery/dp/1401948294/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503048045&sr=8-1&keywords=medical+medium

The Root Cause was a good read: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0615825796/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_TxLEDb3BTK09X

Some people think it should be lips together teeth lightly touching.

TMJ healing plan is a good book on the topic.

https://www.amazon.com/Rosemary-Gladstars-Medicinal-Herbs-Beginners/dp/1612120059

non-mobile link

This http://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Redefine-Your-Conquer-Confidence/dp/1609611004

Just plants

I was referring to this video series, which is unsurpassed to my knowledge. He has Pancake, Squat, Shoulder, Pike and Bridge.

He also has a book but it's older content.

The Body Remembers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI

http://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Redefine-Your-Conquer-Confidence/dp/1609611004/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458777602&sr=8-1&keywords=foundation+back

Also, campassi, are you familiar with the Root Cause book?

http://www.amazon.com/Hashimotos-Thyroiditis-Lifestyle-Interventions-Treating/dp/0615825796

That reminds me, I need to read "Minding My Mitochondria". https://www.amazon.com/Minding-Mitochondria-2nd-progressive-wheelchair/dp/0982175086

Here is the mobile version of your link

Lay down on ice or a heating pad? That's not very helpful. I have chronic lower back issues, have been so rapt in spasms that I ended up in the ER unable to move, injected full of painkillers, endured months of PT, tried yoga, diet changes, followed every youtuber's advice - nothing helped.

Here's the only thing that helped me: Crossfit and Foundation Training (http://amzn.com/1609611004) - strengthening the core and learning how to hinge. Squats, good mornings, chair pose, planks, even dead lifts. If I can get in a good round of dead lifting, I know my back is going to be good for days. If my back goes out of whack again, I have a regimen of stretches I can return to and get right again quickly.

Or, lay down on some ice I guess.

Do not take any of those "Candida cure" supplements. I had to learn the hard way, and it screwed up my gut for a year.

You should read the book, [Medical Medium](Medical Medium: Secrets Behind Chronic and Mystery Illness and How to Finally Heal https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401948294/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cCcyyb0DS60M3) , which has a chapter on Candida. I started eating the things he List and juices and in three weeks I felt huge progress.

Find a obgyn who specializes in vaginal disorders. Sounds like some form of vulvodynia. Topical medications and physical therapy can do wonders. Also, check out this book which has great advice for various vaginal disorders and exercises you can do at home:
https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Pelvic-Pain-Strengthening-Incontinence/dp/0071546561

I suffered for two years with a vaginal disorder (chronic years infections which caused vulvodynia) and still have issues from time to time so I know how frustrating it can be.

For me it was a general feeling of getting sick all the time )almost like a flu but not as strong), extreme tiredness and brain fog. The thing is my thyroid problem should have been under control because I already had a total thyroidectomy and my meds were under control. The doctor even wanted to reduce my hormone dosage. I had always felt tired but during the last year, after being on exchange in Europe and eating pasta and bread for most of my intake, I almost became bed ridden and could barely function. Since I didn't attribute it to my thyroid it took me a while to figure it out, trying to research chronic fatigue syndrome, mostly. Then I dounf two books that explained mot of my symptons.

Long story short Hashimoto's thryoiditis is an autoimmune disorder that goes beyond the thyroid and for people with autoimmune disorders gluten wreaks havoc on the body. Since I stopped eating gluten (first i did an elimination diet where you stop eating gluten, soy,dairy and corn I've since reintroduced corn and dairy with great success) my energy levels are way better and i feel muuuuuch better and whenever I eat it i feel bad and very tired but I agree that my situation may have deteriorated more than it should have because of the 6 months that I had gluten comprise most of my diet.

Here are the 2 books:
http://www.amazon.com/Immune-System-Recovery-Plan-Autoimmune-ebook/dp/B008J48LT6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407973564&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Hashimotos-Thyroiditis-Lifestyle-Interventions-Treating/dp/0615825796/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1407973565&sr=8-3

The first one explains better the gluten issue while the second focuses more on Hashimoto's.

If you have any further questions I'll be glad to help.

I've got the same problem as you OP and, though no doctor has referred me to a specialist yet because they never fucking listen, I have some advice:

1. Stretch. Check out the pelvic floor stretches in this book and do them two or three times a day, every day.
   
   
2. Hot porridge/oatmeal for breakfast every morning with a hot cup of coffee/English Breakfast tea – the temperature of both foods, plus the fibre and caffeine stimulant usually create enough of a storm for me to have a big enough shit to be productive (completely evacuating is basically a non-starter for me now).
   
   
3. If you can, play browser games while you poo. I'm not joking, find a little surface you can put your laptop/iPad on slightly to the right/left of your position on the toilet, easily reachable, and play away. I find Transformice helps me the best, but you just need something that requires minimum mental effort but that is stimulating enough to distract you from your bowels.
   
   
4. Learn where the apex is. Pushing to shit with dyssynergic defecation only helps if you time it right. You need to completely relax right up until the point you know it's gonna come out, and then push from the upper abdomen downwards, if you get me. Not too hard, because that makes breaking up the shit more likely and having to start over. You want to get as much out in one push as you can, so start soft, and breathe through it.
   
   
5. If you've got something important to do, like an event or party, and don't want to have to think about shitting, two suppositories make the entire world fall out of my arse (do not do this too often – it becomes less effective with frequent use for anismus sufferers from what I can gather) and leaves me with decent relief.
   
   
6. When you go for a shit, remove your trousers/pants, underwear and socks. If you are flexible enough, literally pull your knees up and rest your heels on the rim of the toilet. This is a weird piece of advice, but one that has proven invaluable for me.
   
   
7. Last thing: stay mobile. I've recently finished uni in London for the year and have been extremely bored in my village family home. Played Skyrim for a week straight pretty much and barely moved. Made the problem so much fucking worse.
   
   
8. If you do not get regular exercise (walking is fine) and if your diet is shitty, this problem will get worse and rapidly. I just had to take sodium picosulfate (industrial-strength laxative, swear to God) for three days to go for a shit and I write this to you in the aftermath of an agonising episode on the toilet.
   
   
9. Botox injections are nothing to be worried about and are 80% effective in the short term, and almost 50% effective in the long term, IIRC. If you have the access (I envy you if so), go for it!
   
   EDIT: Regarding number 9, if the botox injection is not effective at all, there is usually a hidden prolapse that would not show up in regular tests – keep that in mind!

As /u/RAGE_CAKES suggests a sex therapist would be the ideal choice to deal with this kind of problem.

This also reminds me of a book called The Body Remembers which is about how trauma can effect the body even after the event is over, which you might want to look into.

As much as she may want to leave the past in the past, the body remembers it. I think the reason God tells us to reserve sex for marriage is because the body remembers and it can make it harder to build a sexual connection in marriage. With trauma the body memories are stronger and can require professional help.we used this book https://www.amazon.ca/Body-Remembers-Psychophysiology-Trauma-Treatment/dp/0393703274/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20YN4T8MBHRRA&keywords=the+body+remembers&qid=1557668979&s=gateway&sprefix=The+body+re%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1 in my course on trauma. It's very helpful for understanding body responses to trauma. I assume there are similar books that deal with non traumatic responses if her past wasn't traumatic.

No problem, you can find a lot of info on this website www.vitamindwiki.com or read this book as I said it is badly written but has all the necessary info

Ice and ibuprofen to kill the inflammation. Then do the exercises from this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Redefine-Your-Conquer-Confidence/dp/1609611004/

I've had back problems a long time too, I don't think they will ever go away but we can't give up. We adapt and overcome.

If you keep coming back negative for UTI and other infections, I would try to see a specialist. I see IC already mentioned here and it could be that or another one of many pelvic pain conditions that don't involve infection. I thought I had a problem with UTIs too. I saw several doctors. Medications and antibiotics didn't help. I finally saw a gyn specializing in pelvic pain and a urologist. Between the two of them, we worked out a solution. I recommend this [book](https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Pelvic-Pain- Strengthening-Incontinence/dp/0071546561/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492197691&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=heal+your+pelvic+pain+book) as well.

I've been suffering from low back pain for years and had a slight scolosis when I was younger. I would keep three things in mind:

1 - If an exercise hurts your back, stop right away! Bad form will ruin you. I've hurt myself doing handstands (arched lower back), burpees, leg raises, even squats. Work on the form, the form, the form, forget about reps! Take videos of yourself, exercise in front of a mirror, ask a friend... Hollow body at all times is the key, even when playing other sports!

2 - Posture. I read a lot about form here, but my everyday posture was very bad and this was causing the most trouble. I've fixed an excessive anterior pelvic tilt (APT), and I'm forcing myself to keep my lower back slightly arched when I sit - those helped a lot.

3 - Work out your posterior chain! That's hamstrings, glutes, and all the back muscles. There are some good exercises for that in the Foundation book (the back pain book). While some good bodyweight exercises will build everything at once, like the L-sit, I like doing specific exercises for my back. Here's the link to the book : http://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Redefine-Your-Conquer-Confidence/dp/1609611004/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419981950&sr=1-3&keywords=foundation It's not as revolutionary as they claim it to be at all, but it helped me with back pain so have a look at it!