Planet Thrive

If you have CFS then you are well acquainted with the dreaded Post Exertional Malaise, the hallmark and diagnostic feature that so distinguishes CFS. The unpredictability and over the top suffering of PEM causes much fear, trepidation, and defensive posturing from those with CFS. We all know the futility of trying to explain to others it’s not the here and now, its later on or even tomorrow when you’ll be alone perhaps, when an event or outing is over, when you will be left trying to survive yet another bout of unrelenting, can I say, torture?

The 2009 piece Abnormalities in pH handling by peripheral muscle and potential regulation by the autonomic nervous system in chronic fatigue syndrome concluded that patients with CFS/ME have abnormalities in recovery of intramuscular pH following standardized exercise degree of which is related to autonomic dysfunction.

Even before I was very ill with CFS I knew that there was something amiss in my ability to process lactic acid. At first I just didn’t feel right after exercise, that progressed to episodes of feeling overly spent after exercise (rather than invigorated), I wasn’t able to keep up in long distance bike rides like I used to, and finally I began to experience full blown post exertional malaise. Because I had gradual onset CFS, and this was in the ’80s when PEM wasn’t a known phenomenon I continued to punish my body with too much exercise, poor nutrition, low body weight, and sleep deprivation. Oh if I knew then what I know now!!!! I did however talk to doctors about how “ill” I felt after long distance rides or other exercise but not one knew anything about PEM then.

So now that we know that we can’t process lactic acid like normal healthy people can, what do we do with that information? Since we have abnormal pH, let’s work on that!

Your body’s pH is measured on a scale of 0 – 14, normal body pH is 7.4. A pH below 7 is acidic and a state where your cells are being injured and your body is not functioning optimally. Above 7 is alkaline the state in which your body thrives because disease doesn’t thrive in an alkaline environment.

Eating an alkalizing diet regularly is essential for CFS healing and recovery. Let’s look closer at ways to maintain an alkaline pH.

Celery is one of the most alkalizing foods you can eat. It not only neutralizes acids but is good for hydrating your body with its high water content and it’s great for your GI tract function.

Pure Alkaline Water is water that is filtered. Every day drink 7 ounces of water for every 10 lbs of your body weight. Using home water distillers, purifiers or ionizers will give you pure water with varying degrees of alkalinity. To increase the alkalinity of your drinking water squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice into the water or add a dash of baking soda. STAY AWAY from coffee, black tea and sodas as these are highly acidic!

Eat Green Salad as much as possible. I make a huge salad and keep it in my fridge so I have it on hand to make a quick snack or meal. Here’s a salad I made yesterday just waiting for me to have it again for lunch today!!!

Along with eating greens drink a green superfood supplement like Juice Plus, Berry Green, or Miracle Greens (look around to find something you can afford, email Jini Carlson to order Juice Plus). Greens powder drinks contain alkaline salts that help neutralize acids in the blood and tissues and they infuse your body with easily absorbed vitamins, minerals, amino acids chlorophyll, enzymes, and phytonutients.

If you’re eating alkaline then you’re not eating much dairy. If you do drink cow’s milk make sure it’s at least organic, but raw milk is optimal with its rich enzymes and nutrients. Or switch to almond, rice, or coconut milk. Really try to avoid hormone laden milk that comes from cows injected with Bovine Growth Hormone to increase their milk production.

PLUUEESSE don’t use artificial sweeteners because they are not only acidic they also are very injurious to your nervous system. For sweetening use Stevia, maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. I use Sucanat™ for baking because it’s just a bit alkalizing, and yes I do bake. I occasionally make cupcakes, cookies, or other great treats ONLY using high quality ingredients.

Eat grapefruit for snacks because they have a very high water content and are highly alkalizing.

Red meats, pork and lamb are highly acidic, have a very low water content, and really hard on your GT tract. Instead eat occasional free range or better yet organic chicken, fresh wild fish, and occasional free range/organic eggs. Make sure to also supplement with good quality Omega 3 oil like cod liver oil.

Vitamins and cofactors required for oxidative phosphorylation may help induce recovery from lactic acidosis. (Oxidative phosphorylation is the metabolic pathway that uses energy released by the oxidation of nutrients to produce adenosine triphosphate or ATP.) These include riboflavin, thiamine, a vitamin B complex, carnitine, and coenzyme Q10.

Stop negative input in your mind, conversation, what you listen to on TV, internet, and radio. If you are “hooked” on programs that propagate negativity like hate radio or shows like Nancy Grace you should evaluate the benefit/risk of that kind of negative input. Instead work on increasing your positive input by positive conversation, and reducing stress by adding yoga, tai chi, meditation, and proper deep breathing. Stress adds to acidosis because your adrenals are overworked and injured and your digestive system shuts down and toxins accumulate. So stay positive!

Processed food, stay away from it, period……….well need I say more?

Garlic is one of the best medicines in the world and one of my personal favs in cooking. And when you do cook with it crush it up and let it sit for ten minutes before using so that the enzymes can create the healing phytochemicals you want.

Massage promotes relaxation by easing tense muscles and stiff joints. It improves your sense of health and well being, relieves migraine, fibromyalgia and other pain, boosts alertness and concentration, increases natural killer cells helping your immune function, reduces stress, depression and anxiety, relieves insomnia, decreases PMS symptoms and improves the flow of lymph and circulation in the body.

Massage stimulates your blood circulation improving the oxygen and nutrient supply to your tissues and helps to move waste products through the lymphatic system.

Finally…………….and I say this knowing full well how painful PEM is, you must avoid deconditioning. And because this is such a huge problem and really difficult to tackle I will write about this in another post. In the mean time, counter to what you might think, you must keep moving during your period of PEM. Movement will help your muscles recover, will help prevent further deconditioning, and will help your body detox via your Lymph system.

A very benign way to keep moving during a particularly brutal episode of PEM is to do progressive muscle relaxation. To do this you first tense muscles and then relax them starting at the top of your body and work down. By the time you reach your toes you should be very relaxed. People who are fearful of moving at all due to PEM will actually find themselves, consciously nor not, in a state where muscles are very tense, not good for eliminating toxic buildup. Aside from being relaxing progressive muscle relaxation is a way to exercise your muscles while de-stressing.

I don’t know how many thousands of days in my life have been a total wash due to PEM. I do wish I would have known something that would have helped. So I hope that this information will help you survive PEM, recover faster, and ultimately prevent it.