A Light Bulb Moment
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November 29, 2011, 1:51 pm
Filed under: General
Filed under: General
On my way home from hospital the other day after recovering from a complication of my lung condition (bleeding from the lungs caused by pneumonia) my husband turned to me and said “you need to blog your story for your benefit and the benefit of others” It was one of those moments in time when suddenly you have a realisation about something. I knew without any uncertainty that he was right. So….. my story is I’m a 41 year old with a lung diseease called Bronchiectasis . After having led a healthy active lifestyle and worked as an Exercise physiologist for a job as you can imagine my initial reaction was one of shock. Looking back I thought my efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle were like a form of insurance against such a disease. It took some time to get my head around the condition and even to this day I have my struggles as I deal with ongoing setbacks. My condition has many possible causes but in my case it is thought to have developed from a bacterial infection eg. pneumonia. The technical name for my condition is Non Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis and is characterised by abnormal widening and inflammation of the airways. There is damage to the airways including the little hairlike projections called cilia that help mop up the phlegm to keep us free of infection. I have to manually remove this phlegm via breathing exercises etc to keep my airways clear. I am also gluten intolerant. I carry a gene for coeliacs disease and have been feeling much better since I have been following a gluten free diet. My storage levels of iron are on the low side but I am hoping they will rise now that I am on a supplement that is 100% made from real food, unlike so many supplements on the market. The classification for my condition is moderate to severe and my biggest challenge is staying free of additional illness because this puts my lungs at risk of further damage. I work hard to strengthen my immune system by eating plenty of whole foods, exercising daily and having some regular time out to just relax….. something that was foreign to me before I got sick. It’s amazing how it takes getting sick to gain perspective on life! My lung capacity the last time I checked was about 62% and my oxygen levels are usually good unless I do something stupid like try to run to grab the phone! I combine the best of what Western and Alternative medicine have to offer and do believe the body itself has an amazing healing capacity if given the chance.
So now I want to throw it over to you – whether you’re a health professional or not maybe you have some information you may like to share on the health front…. something that from your experience works for your health. It doesn’t even have to be specific for the lungs because chances are it will positively impact on the lungs anyway. If by chance you are reading this and maybe been neglecting your health a little then my hope is that something you read on this site may encourage you to take some positive action…. start small eg. drink more water. After going through what I have been through I am determined to encourage others to take action before it’s too late. As part of the process of accepting this disease I have had to take responsibility for my part in its development. I believe “burn out” was a big contributing factor – failing to take time out for rest and relaxation. I also think my body was lacking in nutrients which I believe is a common problem for people in general due to our nutrient depleted food supply. I wish you all the best on your quest for better health. One of my best lessons to date is to take time out for myself. Now that I make “time out” a non-negotiable in my life I find myself wanting more of it…… and I don’t even feel guilty about it!
Spread the word and together let’s make a difference!
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