One month after my keto breakup, I decided to check in with myself. It has been an incredible month. I have been amazed by how much I have been able to change in such a short time. I was anxious and excited to discover what life after keto had to offer. (more…)
Most New Year's Resolutions I have made in the past have been about changing myself. They could be changing my appearance, like losing weight or taking better care of my skin. Others have been about making more money or saving more money in the hopes of feeling a certain way. Some have been about exercising more, doing more meditation, or reading more books. But this year I am going to try something different. (more…)
So, I've got a theory about stopping the ketogenic diet. It is a theory that I am ready to test out; my mind is more powerful than my body. You see, my whole life I've worked to try to fix my body, trying to do things to it to make it better, to change it. For as long as I can remember, I have fought with my body. Today I've decided to surrender. Narcolepsy My parents and I searched for something to explain my insurmountable sleepiness and lack of energy. When I was about 13 years old, I was diagnosed with narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that disturbs the sleep-wake cycle. But little did I know, its more than just feeling sleepy. I took that diagnosis and wrapped it…
Am I a digital nomad or hobo? The label of "Digital Nomad" generally calls up images of social media influencers, relaxing on the beach, posting pictures that make everyone jealous. While I do enjoy sharing my travel experiences, I am not quite on that level. But am I a hobo? I am an English teacher who just happens to work online. I use that advantage to travel as much as possible. But how did I get here? Was it a choice? Which phrase fits, digital nomad or hobo? (more…)
I believe I have tried almost everything available to treat narcolepsy. I have a strong desire to feel better. Like many people with narcolepsy, I am not lazy. I am actually overly ambitious and often do more than my body can handle and later face the consequences. I think I have worked pretty hard to feel as good as I feel now, but I always desire to feel better. (more…)
When I say that I deal with pain every day, I think many people can relate. We all have little aches and pains that plague us throughout our lives; that knee injury from high school, back and shoulder pain from stress, or recurring headaches that can't be explained. I even include emotional pain in this definition. Physical chronic pain has become a widespread issue affecting more than 100 million Americans while remaining an invisible illness. It doesn't receive attention because there is no way to compare levels of pain or measure how much it improves or gets worse. We all can believe our pain is worse than others' but that doesn't help us feel better. (more…)
Using yoga for narcolepsy is more feasible for me than other exercise regiments. Some days I feel so low I just want to lay down on the floor. It’s not just to have a nap, although sometimes I need that too! I used to think this was just a sign I was depressed, but now I see it as a message from my body. (more…)
An elderly Myanmar man was dangling his parasol from one finger while he placed his hands on his back and swiveled his hips in a circle, stretching. I felt myself smiling. Another middle-aged couple was barefoot in the grass performing some exercises together in the morning breeze. Young boys on bicycles whizzed by and plenty of locals were relaxing by the water on shaded benches. Loving Myanmar Today I set out on a walk having no idea where I wanted to go. It was early and I wanted to take advantage of some cool air before the sun burned through the haze and turned the sidewalk into a human frying pan. I set out around the lake, focused on my breath, and tried to let the thoughts that entered my…
I have tried to start with the easy stuff. Not easy to do, but easy to swallow and say, okay this is simple enough I’ll at least try. And most of these are beneficial to anyone and everyone, regardless of if you have narcolepsy or another illness or if you are the healthiest person in the world! There are plenty more to talk about. But not everything I have done to radically change my life has been so simple. Sometimes to get radical results we have to make radical changes. The biggest one, I know many are resistant to or have some reason that it is not feasible for them, so I will not judge you if this is not for you. But even if my way isn’t the way…
Maybe the most important lesson I have learned about feeling better is just loving myself with narcolepsy. I'm not going to lie and say it's easy. But I do think this is especially important for people with a chronic illness. I have ups and downs and I'm constantly working to try to do it more consistently. It's easy to get into negative patterns and tear ourselves down. It takes a lot of practice to reverse that so that we are consistently giving ourselves positive messages. (more…)
Harsh rays of sunlight are scratching at my eyelids, begging to be let in. I squint trying to lift the heavy lids and figure out where I am at. It doesn't feel like my pillow or my bed, and my window faces West. I'm never harshly woken like this in the morning. It's a hotel, and the "blackout curtains" they boasted about on their page do not reach the ceiling. It must be nearly 7:00 am anyway, so its time to wake up. Even on vacation, I don't dare sleep in and disturb my circadian rhythms. That would send me crashing into a cycle of narcolepsy symptoms that I don't like dealing with. I can read all the tips for wakefullness in the world and work on my sleep…
How many of us feel guilty when we can't do all that we think we should do? Why put yourself second? I don’t think you have to have an illness to have this experience. Whether it’s commitments at work, with your friends, or with yourself, sometimes you just aren’t up for what you have planned. Most of us tend to cut out what we planned to do for ourselves to not let others down. Self-Care Benefits Everyone But if we don't take care of ourselves, we won't be at our best to do our jobs or to be a good friend. PWNs (People with Narcolepsy) may be able to relate to this scenario: You go out with your friends when you are too tired. Later you have almost no recollection…
Using gratitude to help manage your mindset can really have a huge impact on how much narcolepsy affects your life. What you focus on you feel If you don't believe me, try this exercise. [caption id="attachment_830" align="alignright" width="300"] Image by 1388843 from Pixabay[/caption] Take a moment to think of the worst day in your life, close your eyes and really visualize that day and feel the emotions you were feeling. Stay there for a minute or two. Open your eyes and notice the physical sensations in your body. You may have clenched your fists, hunched your shoulders, or tightened your neck. Now think of one of the best moments in your life, where you felt a sense of accomplishment or pride for example. Let yourself stay in that emotion for…
