I’ve shared a lot with you in the past about my health and as the months go by, I think it’s important to keep you updated on how things are changing for me and progressing. I got the lovely opportunity to meet Katie Brindle, the founder of the HAYO’U Method and speak to her about my life, my issues and more. Katie is a Chinese physician (read her story here), but her focus isn’t just on acupuncture or a lot of weird herbs like most people think Chinese medicine is. Katie works with us to help us understand our bodies, how to combat stress on our own and really take care of ourselves. She doesn’t want us to become dependent on a physician to ensure we get better, the best thing we can do is self healing and learn the techniques Katie teaches with her HAYO’U Method.
Most people my age will have a few ailments and stress, which can be self treated with the methods that Katie posts about online (see them here), but for me, my story is a lot more complex. I got to chat with Katie and speak to her on a personal level, much more in depth, about how my life has been since I was born and what problems I have encountered which have led to my health being the way it is now – and what I found out was incredible. Things you don’t even think about or realise are connected and my story is fascinating to me, so I want to share the whole thing with you, in a series of posts with updates, as well as teach you what I have learned from Katie and how to help yourself as well.
My Story From Birth
It started at birth when I accidentally breathed in and swallowed meconium when I was born, which damaged my brand new internals straight away. I could have died so they had to immediately clear my lungs and give me antibiotics to stop infection, so as soon as I was born, I went through a lot of extreme trauma in order to save my life, which has actually damaged me internally. As a baby, every time I was fed I ended up living off of gripe water because I would have constant colic and indigestion and when it was time for me to transition to more solid food, it took me a couple of years longer as I could only manage the soft and mushy baby foods. As I got a bit older, I still constantly had trapped gas all the time and an upset stomach, but then I started to develop more issues.
I had a lot of problems with my kidneys and bladder, getting many urine infections and needing more antibiotics to fix them, which ended up doing a lot more damage to me internally as antibiotics do cause a lot of problems. I also ended up with asthma as a child too, all of this was in my first 0-7 years in age. Just after my 7th birthday, I ended up with glandular fever for the first time and missed a lot of school from being constantly tired and having a sore throat and flu like symptoms for months. It was extremely stressful and tough on me as I was so young, and still today my glands in my neck remain prominent. I did eventually get better from the glandular fever and even though I still had a lot of kidney, digestion and lung problems, I was doing ok.
Then came another 7 year cycle of my body changing and at the age of 13/14, I got glandular fever again, which led onto having M.E as you already know. My digestion got even worse at this time and I developed a huge amount of food intolerance’s and sensitivities, which also led onto chemical sensitivities and exhaustion beyond control because my body was struggling to cope with all the trauma it had been through (from problems and antibiotics) and the hormonal and puberty changes that it had to contend with at the same time. Antibiotics are fantastic because we need them to get rid of our infections and acute problems, but they do kill off your good bacteria as well and push problems deeper down inside your body, which build up into what’s known as heat. By this point, my body has had so much heat in it, it’s boiling up like a kettle and can’t take anymore in, so it tries to escape in various ways by avoiding my main organs and manifesting as problems. This heat comes out in my skin, my nerve endings, my bladder, my liver, my eyes and head, my digestive system… the list is endless, but it’s a safer way for my body to channel it than letting it go to my main organs, like my heart.
My body is so built up and on the verge of exploding from all of this over the last 27 years, even environmental factors and simple things like scents or too much information at once is too much for me. When I am in my calm environment of nature and outdoors, just being quiet, I feel so much better. I’ve mentioned to you before that I get temporary paralysis, and that’s also a form of it trying to escape and my body protecting itself. I’m sure you’re aware that I have had gastritis for ages now too, which means my digestive system is incredibly inflamed and full of acid, and certain foods trigger it too, creating more heat inside me, so there’s a lot that I’ve been through with Katie in order to get me on the right path, with this personal programme which is tailored to me. So let me share these with you.
The lovely Katie and I (above) came up with a plan and regime for me to do on a daily basis to release the heat and help me get better. These are a series of rituals, along with eating and avoiding certain foods, de-stressing, and learning certain movements, breathing techniques, and some Qi-Gong movements to help keep the flow of blood going around my body properly and channel the heat/problems out safely.
The Breathing Ritual
This one is my absolute favourite! It can help anyone, you don’t need to have medical problems and ailments to do it either, it’s perfect for calming down your anxiety and stress, all while making sure you have the right amount of oxygen in your body. I have quite a small nose and small nostrils, so I often find myself doing shallow breathing on a regular basis. As Katie has said numerous times, the breath is the most important thing about living. Without it we would be dead in minutes, so making sure you breathe correctly is important. Katie has taught me to sit calm, relax, breathe in deeply and slowly and then as you breathe out, you imagine a smile (or something happy) on your stomach. This works because meditation is difficult in the Western world as we have so much distraction and a noisy brain, so focusing on something in particular is great. I do this 5 times and after the fifth one, I find a nice sense of calm washes over me and I know my body has received enough oxygen to really function. There’s more to it than just that, so you can learn how to do the breathing ritual by clicking here.
The Drumming Ritual
This one is really important as it helps keep the flow of blood and oxygen around your body without it getting stuck or being held up in one place. It distributes it evenly, which is perfect. You can drum or gently press (I have to be gentle as I’m very delicate) over your body in a certain routine. I start on my arms, then my chest, then my stomach and down to my legs, then move up to my back. You can find out more about this in the morning routine and what order to do it in, but it’s great for making you feel refreshed. I do this one after I’ve done the gentle shaking one below.
The Twisting & Shaking Ritual
This one made me laugh originally and I felt a bit silly doing it, which is common I’m sure, but it really does work! Not only does it help get tension and stress out, but it actually gets anger out and I can vouch for that too! You stand up straight and shake all over, especially your arms and legs, and it’s really satisfying to do. Another thing to do after this is the twisting your torso and arms, which you can also find out more about the whole set in the 1 minute routine.
My View On These Methods
I started doing these rituals and routines with Katie after speaking with her back in May, so I have been doing them for two months now as I wanted to get a good, in depth experience, first hand, with the HAYO’U Method. I have made a lot of improvements, not just with my stress levels, but with my problems as well. My diet has improved and I’m no longer eating foods that cause heat (gluten especially) and my symptoms have subsided quite a lot. They aren’t fully gone as this has been building up in me since I was born, so it’s going to take a good long while to get better, but everyday I am doing my rituals and routines, especially the breathing, and as time goes by, I feel myself improving. Each period that comes around though (I know, sorry guys, girl stuff!) I do suffer a bit at the moment as it’s the body’s way of releasing the heat safely and detoxing, but I’m making steps forward and then steps back, but the overall view seems to be a positive one and I’m extremely happy to share this journey with you!
I definitely encourage you to check out the HAYO’U Method and Katie Brindle’s story as she’s absolutely amazing and such an inspiring woman who has dedicated her time, travelling the world and learning Eastern medicine and practices, just to help everyone else. I can tell shes extremely passionate about what she does and she’s a great, positive influence to have in my life, so definitely check her out, I’m not just saying that. I’m very happy to know Katie and let her be my guide on this journey to health and wellness.
The basic self-care methods apply to us all, not just me, so you can help yourself by taking the preventative and restorative health elements of Classical Chinese Medicine, and utilise this during the period of grace between stress occurring and manifesting as a physical problem. Katie’s aim is to equip you with a greater understanding of the origins of your stress, show you how you can help yourself to address it, and ideally avoid health problems for the rest of your life. HAYO’U is derived from the Chinese word for wellness – so let’s change the way we think about our health for good. Did you like this post and find it interesting? I will of course be keeping you updated on my journey and health, so definitely keep checking back! Lorna xx.
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I loved reading this! I think I might try to get more info on it, since I really need to find a way to calm my body down.. My fibromyalgia has been over the top lately and my IBS as well. I guess the hot weather and problems at work aren’t helping either.
I’m glad these are helping you! I’m going to start with the breathing one – you’re right, it can help a lot!
xoRosie
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You definitely should, Rosie! It’s helped me a lot, so I think it will help you too given your situation and health issues. Even if it doesn’t work fully, not having so much stress and learning how to cope with the stress has a huge impact! xx.
This is amazing! I’m so glad you found Katie and her method. Thanks for the update and I hope you’re feeling well now
http://Leftbankgirl.blogspot.com
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Thank you so much!
So glad that this method is helping you! I have never heard of it so I’m glad to get educated on it. Have a wonderful week!
http://www.kathrineeldridge.com
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It’s really good! I hope it helps you cope with stress too!
Absolutely amazing Lorna, I am fascinated 🙂
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Glad you like it, Ali 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your personal story, updates & this amazing method, Lorna. You are one real-life wonder woman and I am so proud I have come across your lovely blog and got a chance to get to know you better. You are strong and your spirit is powerful, which definitely does contribute to the physical healing <3 I have never heard of the HAYO'U method so thanks to you both (Katie did great at demonstrating the techniques!). I will definitely look into it right away as I have been facing quite a lot of stress for over a year. I developed frequent migraines (have never had them before) and stomach issues. My hubby also got a severe inflammation in his small intestine (and since there's no presence of Helicobacter Pylori, it is most likely stress related). Once again, thank you so much for sharing this & I am so happy you're doing much better hon <3
xox Nadia
http://www.mielandmint.com
Author
Hi Nadia! That means so much to me, thank you so much for saying such lovely things. I know everyone battles problems, so all we can really do is be strong and try and get on with it. There’s nothing else you can do. You should definitely try the methods, the shaking one and the breathing especially, I think you will be impressed with how much calmer you feel after smiling breaths. I notice my stress levels go right down. I’m sorry about your husband too, I know how he feels because I’ve had so much inflammation in my stomach, but since I cut out gluten, it’s healing so nicely. I might recommend he cuts out heat making foods like spice, acidic foods and also gluten, avoid green tea too, that’s what I had to do, but the cherry on the cake was the gluten. I’m now walking around with a flat stomach again and it’s a miracle! xx.
Great reading Lorna. I had no idea how deep your medical issues went, I so admire how you have done so much to push them back! You are an awesome woman Lorna! ?
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Thank you so much, John! That means a lot 🙂
Lorna, you have had quite the trials with your health… I really hope these breathing tips and other suggestions help. I agree medication can be good but it can cause other issues that can almost be worse. I’m with you when it comes to more natural and holistic methods whenever possible. I hope you have great success with these new options xox ♡♡♡
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Thanks, Launna! I hope it works long term too, I’m confident that I will. You should try the methods whenever you feel stressed out from your situations, it might be relaxing and helpful for you xx.
You sure have been battling with a lot of things. So happy to hear you find Kate to help you out with a few of them.
http://www.amysfashionblog.com/blog-home/
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Me too! She’s amazing!
Lorna, I don’t even know what to say or where to start, you’ve been through so much and I have so much respect that you keep holding on and finding alternative ways to help your symptoms. Good on you, you don’t moan and whine about it instead you search methods to help you and then share it with your readers. Hopefully this post will help someone else too.
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
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I really hope it does! That’s my intentions to try and help others who are going through what I’ve been through. When I was younger I did go through the whole feeling sorry for myself drama, being negative and gloomy, but it was awful. It was a part of my life that I didn’t want to live for anymore and I had no choice but to accept it and work around it. That’s all we can do in life is work with what we have got and are given, so I appreciate your words and kindness, Shireen, thank you!
Your health journey sounds insane, so mad how much you’ve gone through! But so happy to read that you keep on searching for new methods and that you also find ones that works for you! Sending love! Xx
http://www.thefashionfolks.com
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Thank you so much!
Omg, I am so sorry to hear that you had to go through all these, I can only imagine how hard it must have been but now you are one strong woman! I am so happy to hear that these methods are working for you and there will be more non medical ways to make things easier and better!
Ela BellaWorld
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Thank you, Ela. It’s definitely been a journey, but I am so much stronger now and so happy with who I am as a person, everything feels like it happened for a reason.
It’s such an unfortunate thing that you’ve had to battle with health issues, quite literally, from day one. However, your life story is an inspirational one as you’ve not let any of these problems hold you back. In some ways I feel that they’ve even spurred you on a bit at times – though, obviously, I know that you’d 100% prefer not to have any of these ongoing issues.
I truly admire your strength, dedication and determination. What you have achieved so far is impressive by any measure and I know that you’ll build upon it and do so very much more in the years ahead too. 🙂
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Thank you so much, Steven 🙂 You are right, in some ways it;s spurred me on, it’s turned me into a stronger person and it’s helped make me the person I am today, which I’m very settled with. I would 100% love to have nothing wrong, no worries about foods either, but unfortunately I can’t, so I’m still finding ways to make it more manageable.
Obrigada! *-*
Parece ser um método muito bom!
Ótima terça!
Beijo! ^^
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Glad you think so!
Dear Lorna, I knew about M.E., I knew about the temporary paralysis, but I didn’t all you had to go through when you were born, antibiotics, struggling to live as a baby! I could have been born dead, but never had to go through what you had, so all my respect and admiration for your strength! It’s so good that you tell these things on your blog, gastritis and so on, to encourage people to have the same strength. You are really an outstanding girl! I never heard of Katie Brindle before and also not the HAYO’U method. Breathing and drumming seem to be very good – drumming is new to me. I am eager to know the development of your programme!
DenisesPlanet.com
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Hi Denise, thank you so much for your support, I always love to read your thoughtful comments, it means so much to me. I’ve definitely been through a lot, that’s just more of an outline of things, but there’s been so much more. There were times when my red blood cell count was right down to only 3, I’d hallucinate a lot and have constant fevers, I had to have dye in my bloodstream to test my kidneys (that led to my needle phobia) and I remember vomiting purple. It’s been a constant string of everything going wrong, but I feel more in control now that I understand my body more and have focuses. I have my blog and readers to thank for that too! But you should definitely check out Katie and her methods, they are great!
Your story is so inspiring. I can’t imagine having to go through all those illnesses, food sensitivities, gastritis.. just one thing after another for so many years. I experience gastritis a few years ago and it lasted for 2 weeks and that was more than enough for me.. Not being able to really eat any solids without having a major flare up or having to rush to the bathroom immediately after was torture! For you to chronically experience this.. I can’t even imagine how tough that must’ve been. SO great to see you focusing your attention on how you can stay healthy and these alternative measures sound relaxing. Thanks for sharing!
xoxo
Rina
http://www.andshedressed.com
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Thank you so much! Yeah, I can say that gastritis has been awful, there have been times where I can’t even stand up straight as I’ve been doubled over in pain so much. It’s been horrendous, not even all the possible acid tablets I was taking were working. It does seem to be doing a lot better at the moment though since I cut out gluten, which is great! Thank you so much for your support! I’m sorry you had to go through it as well xx.
So interesting to read about how it’s working for you! I think breathing/meditation exercises can be so beneficial for a whole number of reasons. Although I don’t get much time to now with two boys I do have an app on my phone that does meditations called headspace that I find really useful – can change the course of a day if I’m stressed, just take a few minutes out for a session and I feel much better afterwards.
Away From The Blue Blog
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I’m glad that it’s working for you too, Mica! Katie has a 1 minute morning routine which you can just do in the bathroom between getting ready and it’s really helpful, I feel like it sets my day up well!
Amazing. Thanks for sharing this.
xoxo, Rachel
http://www.rachelvogttrends.com
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You’re welcome!
Wow, I don’t even know what to say – it sounds like you’ve been through so much hun, and I really admire your positive attitude! I’m glad that you found something that works for you, and I hope you’re feeling better now. 🙂 Kisses. x
Kay
http://shoesandglitter.com
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Thank you so much! I hope it can help you too 🙂
This is a brilliant idea for a blog post Lorna. I found your article very insightful, helpful, and honest. Thank you for sharing your story so candidly with your readers. I’m sorry to hear that you went through so many health complications and had many setbacks to contend with from such an early age. It really is to your credit that you’ve coped as admirably as you have.
It’s great to read about the HAYO’U Method, as I wasn’t aware of it until now. I’m so glad to hear that doing the rituals led to a reduction in stress, and some of the problems you were experiencing. Thanks again for talking about these issues and creating more awareness. I would love to hear more updates on how this approach is working for you.
Love Saba xx
http://www.trulymadlydeeplyfashion.blogspot.com
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Thank you, Saba! I’ve very much come to the conclusion of it is what it is, so I’m getting on with it and working around it. Never giving up! I am pleased with how well everything is working, so I will definitely keep you all updated!