Lyme Revival

Massage therapy is a great way to manage many aspects of your health all in one. Here are 5 reasons to receive regular massage. Decrease in musculoskeletal pain, lowers stress levels, aids in lymphatic movement and drainage, the act of prioritizing self-care improves mental health, and improves circulation.

1. Decreases Musculoskeletal Pain

Finding non-pharmaceutical ways to manage pain is important. Our bodies are telling us something is not quite right by sending the pain signal. Musculoskeletal pain can often be from day-to-day activities, these aren’t going away, so we don’t want to use pharmaceuticals to manage daily (or regular) pain.

The evidence behind non-pharmacologic treatments includes massage therapy, exercise, and acupuncture in the study referenced. However, there are even more ways to manage pain than those mentioned.

• Red light therapy
• Infrared Sauna
• Leefy supplements
• Pranamat

2. Lowers Stress Levels

Stress is something that is inevitable, and we are all trying to find healthier ways of managing it. The study I read suggest the stress-alleviating effects (decreased cortisol) and the activating effects (increased serotonin and dopamine) of massage therapy on a variety of medical conditions and stressful experiences. So, massage is actually lowering stress hormones and increasing our happy hormones!

3. Lymphatic Movement & Drainage

What is lymph? Lymph is a colorless fluid containing white blood cells, which bathes the tissues and drains through the lymphatic system into the bloodstream. The lymphatic system is closely associated with our immune system. It has no pumps or valves but depends on movement to circulate. Exercise is a great way to do this as well as massage, because massage is manually moving the lymph throughout the tissue. The movement of lymph supports detoxification as well as immune support.

4. Prioritization of Self-Care

I actually found a study to support the act of prioritizing self-care actually improves mental health. We need to make sure we aren’t frying our bodies by asking them to do too much. By making self-care a priority you are improving your mental health as well as benefiting from all the other amazing things massage offers.

5. Improves Circulation

So much happens through our blood. Nutrients are delivered, waste is removed, oxygen is delivered to cells, regulates body temperature, clots, and fights infection. To oversimplify, we need good circulation to help with all of the above. By receiving massage, blood flow is increased to those areas. If you have a particularly tight muscle, by applying pressure then releasing, more blood flow returns to that area. This helps to reduce tightness in muscles.

Other Physical Benefits of Massage

• reduced muscle tension
• relaxation
• increased joint mobility and flexibility
• improved skin tone
• improved recovery of soft tissue injuries
• heightened mental alertness
• reduced anxiety and depression

Schedule Here – Revival Massage

Sources

Swedish Massage: A Systematic Review of its Physical and Psychological Benefits – PubMed (nih.gov)

Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy – PubMed (nih.gov)

Fibromyalgia Pathogenesis and Treatment Options Update – PubMed (nih.gov)

Positive Mental Health and Self-Care in Patients with Chronic Physical Health Problems: Implications for Evidence-based Practice – PubMed (nih.gov)

Massage – Better Health Channel

Blood: Function, What It Is & Why We Need It (clevelandclinic.org)

I have been working towards remission for five years. I was sick long before that, but in 2018 I was officially diagnosed with Lyme disease. In January 2023, Lyme and my co-infections stop coming up on A.R.T. testing, and I have been in remission ever since. However, I am still struggling through some health related issues.

After being sick for so long and recognizing I have been caring trauma around for years, my nervous system is a bit of a wreck. It seems to be stuck in sympathetic mode, (fight or flight). My body actually twitches when it is trying to go into the parasympathetic mode. I am also struggling with vagal nerve dysfunction related to my gut. All of this while trying to manage parasites (STILL!!!) and hormones (thank you perimenopause).

What Does Continued Healing Look Like

I am incredibly thankful to be in remission from Lyme and my co-infections, however, there is still so much healing to do. I have said this before, and I believe it more now than ever, slow down and make your world smaller. This was the best thing I did to heal, and it is free!

I follow many people with authority in their fields on Instagram and they are all saying the same thing. Sometimes we try too hard to heal, stress about it, buy the next best thing. I am guilty of all of these. If you are looking for people to follow, check these accounts out.

@drmarkhyman, @life.withkate, @drschaffner, @drjillcrista

Set Yourself Up for Success

So, after years of healing, thousands of dollars spent, what stuck? The things I continue to do daily, weekly, or monthly to stay in remission and continue to heal.

I quit an online job! I started it and within four months I quit! This is not the old Jill. I would have felt bad and stayed with it until a respectable amount of time had passed. I have nutrition and massage training and that is what I want to focus on. So, within two weeks, I quit, found a quaint space to practice massage in, and set up my online booking. I was circling the drain and getting more signs that this was not good for my health. I have worked too hard to stay, so I shifted very quickly.

5 Steps to Success

So, step one, shift your environment if needed. This was a must with my job choice.

We prioritize where are money is spent. I continue to see Dr. Jennifer Grushon regularly. This is to continue to work through gut issues, hormones, and parasites. As well as monitor my remission. Step two, I continue to follow a protocol. There is no way I would be in remission without Dr. Grushon’s help.

Step three, sticking to dietary needs and changes. This has been complicated as of late with my gut. I have been absolutely miserable. I told my husband this morning, “how am I supposed to help people with their diet when I can’t figure out what to eat myself?” I eat a wholefoods diet, but some of the good foods can still be triggering to your gut at different times and for different reasons. So, strive to listen to your body and use trial and error. That is the best you can do! If you are stuck try removing these foods: gluten (for anyone! so bad for us), dairy, soy, corn, eggs, artificial sweeteners, dyes, additives, flavors etc., inflammatory oils (safflower, canola, sunflower, vegetable). Then you can tweak other foods in your diet.

Step four, sleep! It isn’t rocket science to get sleep, but it is easier said than done when you have chronic conditions. All you can do it set yourself up for success, don’t stress over a bad night, try a short nap if you can when you are tired. I like the pranamat to lay on before bed. It helps relax my body. I keep lights low in the evenings, turn off wi-fi at night, try and avoid screens too close to bed, and take an Epsom salt bath about 30-60 minutes before bed.

Step five, I move my body every day! Sometimes Sundays I take off, but other times it is a great day for a walk. Do something, even if it is just stretching in your living room. Get some fresh air while you are at it. I have been weightlifting, running, walking and playing pickle ball for movement.

Tools I Use for Success

Time and time again I thought this tool is the thing that is going to change my life. They really don’t exist without doing all the things above, however there are a few things I would invest in if you are able.

• Therasage infrared sauna – I use this 2-3 times a week when it isn’t summer here.
• Dry brush – this is a simple and inexpensive thing you can do daily to move lymph. I do this almost every evening before my bath.
• Coffee enemas – Check out more about those here. I currently do 1 x week. At my sickest I did 3 x week.
• Consistency – no matter how you strive to heal, just stay consistent.

Please reach out with any questions or comments. I love hearing from people!

On December 25th, 2018, I received my formal diagnosis for Lyme disease. Ever since April 2016 I had been having what I would describe as extreme health issues. This all started up after heavy my amalgams removed, by what was described to be a holistic dentist. Also, at that time I was a single mom, training for a half iron man, and trying to buy my first house solo. A perfect storm for Lyme disease. I named this post from Lyme to living to track my progress and growth over the past six years.

If you want to read more about when I believe my initial onset of Lyme happened check out this post. But to make a very long story short, I was in my teen years and had a “mystery illness”. I was 36 years old when I got the diagnosis for Lyme disease. So, for those that don’t understand how Lyme works, it can be dormant and wait for the best opportunity to make you sick. This is why it is referred to as an opportunistic infection. Hence the perfect storm from physical, mental, emotional and chemical stress at the time it made its attack.

Healing Takes Time

After getting my diagnosis I was relieved, now I could get help, or so I thought. It is actually a lot harder than you think to find a practitioner that can actually help you on your healing journey. Almost another two years went by until I found my current doctor. Lots of money spent, time traveling, and honestly, I have done some pretty weird things to get to where I am. But with each protocol I would have hope, this is going to push me further along in my healing journey.

Along the way I realize it’s not just Lyme, it is six other co-infections. I think this is why there is no “one size fits all” for treating Lyme disease. One person may just have Lyme, then another person may have 1-2 co-infections. It just varied based on what the tick that bit you was carrying. I always say, if your doctor isn’t treating you as a bio individual, then find someone else.

Present Day Lyme

Two years really went quite quickly. So much of my health has improved and I am truly so thankful for my progress. Lyme and co-infections are funny though because you are always at risk of what we call a flare. Meaning you are humming along and then you wake up and find yourself three steps backwards. Currently I have woken up with a headache for the past week and a half. I hate taking over the counter drugs, but ibuprofen is a definite part of my life. I am not sleeping well, I have lots of pain in my body, and some days my patience wears thin. But I am able to move my body every day and feel more alive than I have over the previous years.

I was a big-time runner when I got sick, that was slowly stripped away from me. However, I have been running consistently again for almost a year. I choose to do a variety of things to move my body, from walking, running, lifting weights, and barre blend in my living room. I feel pretty good most days and I am able to do more in a day than I used to be able to do.

Currently I still struggle with the occasional flare, headaches, some pain, sleep, GI issues, some anxiety, but I don’t feel like I am dealing with more than a lot of people. I have serious grit! Most people with Lyme do.

My Favorite Tools

As I mentioned there is no one size fits all. Just because it works for one Lyme patient doesn’t mean it will work for another. But I did want to include my favorite healing tools I use at home.

• Therasage infrared sauna – I use this 2-3 times a week. I purchased it last January through our health savings account. Definitely worth the investment and it is 20% off through December 25th.
• Pranamat – I use this nightly before bed. It helps with pain and relaxation. My husband actually bought this for me last year for Christmas.
• Green Compass CBD – (an affiliate link) I started experimenting with CBD recently to try and reduce pain and reduce my consumption of ibuprofen. I am still in the early phases of this, but feeling very hopeful. More on this topic later.
• Dry brushing before an Epsom salt bath nightly.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

If you are reading this and you aren’t as far along in your healing, stay the course. Find a practitioner you trust, follow through with your protocol, and be present with yourself. One of the last cogs in my healing wheel is my nervous system and emotional trauma. It takes time, patience, and a safe environment to heal. My prayer for anyone reading this is that you will find what you need to heal and be well.

I am a little late to the game with getting out a gift guide, but if you are anything like me you are a little over the hype. Afterall Jesus is the reason for the season, at least in this household. It is not an exhaustive list, but truly some of my very favorite things. All of my kiddos are a little older and Santa has phased out, so we have started to focus on family time, serving others, and not throwing thousands of dollars at a holiday intended for something else entirely. So here are a few of my favorite healthy things.

LMNT

Truly I am obsessed with LMNT. It is an electrolyte powder that is also sugar free. It is hard to find a clean electrolyte drink out there. Electrolytes are minerals that are essential for balancing fluids in the body as well as conduct nerve impulses. I drink a packet every day! They have some fun yummy flavors out for the holiday season. Use this link for a free sample with your order.

Hu Chocolate

Thank goodness there IS healthy chocolate. I need a simple pleasure or two in my life. Hu chocolate has simple pure ingredients. My favorite flavors are Salty dark chocolate and Mint dark chocolate. Great options for dairy free and they also make other yummy snacks.

Beautycounter

Everyone understands that buying a good cut of meat for a steak is important, but people rarely think about their home and beauty products in the same way. Just like the cut of meat, you get what you pay for. I promise you I wouldn’t recommend Beautycounter as much as I do if it weren’t really worth it. They have a never list of ingredients they will never put in their products and go above and beyond with an extra 23 safety endpoints tested. So, I know after detoxing all those heavy metals I’m not slathering them back on my skin, yay!

There is a sale until the 28th of this month for 20% off sitewide and 30% off on orders over $250. If you don’t know where to start that is okay. Start with the products you are almost out of and replace them with something cleaner and safer for you. Great gift ideas on the site. Order your clean beauty here.

***Beautycounter is my only affiliate link on this page 🙂 Meaning I make a small commission when you purchase through me with no extra cost to you.

Therasage Portable Sauna

I ordered this using our health savings account last January. Other than the few hot months we had this year here in Spokane, I used it 2-3 times per week. It was worth the investment, and they are currently having a 20% off sale. My daughter was sick last week, and I mentioned trying to sit in the sauna then to contrast hydrotherapy in the shower. She actually took my advice, and this helped her kick her sickness quicker. Sweating is important for our body to detox and most of us don’t sweat on a daily basis enough. In the cold months it is a box of heaven. Find more info on Therasage here.

General Ideas for Gifting

Primally pure deodorant – my personal favorite (will have 20% off sale on Black Friday)

Boka toothpaste (already 20% off)

Bomba Wool socks (already 20% off)

Four Sigmatic Coffee (currently 25% off)

Books, games, and puzzles.

Legos Architecture kits

Serve someone, it is free, and it leaves the both of you with more joy!

Need other ideas? Check out my RESOURCE page. I hope you find a few of my favorite things useful and have joyful and peaceful holidays.