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What Chronic Illness Taught Me with Nicola Singleton #87

Dec 11, 2019 1h 48m 19 insights
This week’s podcast is a first for me – my guest is a former patient of mine, Nicola Singleton. I met Nicola back in September 2016 on the second series of my BBC1 TV documentary, Doctor In The House. Since then, she has completely transformed her health and I’m so pleased she’s agreed to share that story with you.  Nicola was, in her own words, ‘aged 38 but feeling 98’. She had a list of 10 different health diagnoses and was taking 20 different pills a day. Her main issues were feeling crippled with the exhaustion of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) along with the debilitating, widespread pain of fibromyalgia – both complex and misunderstood conditions from which she’d been told there was no hope of recovery. She couldn’t work, couldn’t play with her kids, could barely get out of bed. Nicola also suffered from anxiety, depression, IBS and more. She was so desperate to feel better and start living again that she allowed me, and a BBC television crew, to practically move in with her, her husband and three young children for six weeks. In this podcast, we revisit what happened and how, by removing the illness labels and focusing on creating health, rather than treating disease, Nicola was pain free by the end of those six weeks.  Even more enlightening though, is our chat about everything that Nicola has achieved since then, without me. I know you’re going to find it fascinating, whether you saw the TV show or not. Nicola is a remarkable woman and her story a truly inspirational one. Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/87 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/ Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Listen to Your Body

Actively listen to your body’s signals, as it tries to tell you when things are going wrong, instead of dismissing or ignoring them. This practice is empowering and helps understand your health.

2. Focus on Health Creation

Shift your mindset from focusing on illness labels and treating disease to actively creating health. This approach helps optimize your body’s different parts and overall well-being.

3. Implement Four Pillar Plan

Adopt the ‘Four Pillar Plan’ philosophy, which focuses on food, movement, sleep, and relaxation. Tweak these pillars to suit your individual needs for comprehensive health improvement.

4. Adopt Whole Food Diet

Change your diet to consist primarily of whole, fresh foods, systematically cutting out processed items. This dietary shift is a fundamental step in creating health.

5. Utilize Elimination Diets

Implement a well-managed elimination diet to understand how specific foods impact your body and symptoms. This process empowers you to make informed dietary choices.

6. Support Mitochondria with Supplements

Use specific supplements as a short-term measure to support mitochondrial function, especially when dealing with impaired energy production. This helps the body recuperate and restore energy.

7. Reduce Physical Activity (Temporarily)

Temporarily reduce or cease physical activity if exertion exceeds your body’s energy capacity, particularly in conditions like chronic fatigue. This allows the body to recuperate and restore mitochondrial function.

8. Cultivate Positive Mindset

Actively cultivate a positive mindset and a belief that things can improve, even when facing fear or long-term health challenges. This mental shift is crucial for recovery and seeing possibilities.

9. Practice Self-Compassion

Treat yourself with the same kindness, understanding, and value you would offer a friend. This practice is essential for improving self-worth, self-esteem, and emotional healing.

10. Transform Inner Voice

Consciously transform your inner voice from a critical enemy to a supportive cheerleader or goddess. Being mindful of your internal dialogue significantly impacts your self-worth and progress.

11. Release Perfectionism

Release the need to be perfect and lower unrealistic high expectations of yourself. This reduces self-imposed stress and fosters greater self-acceptance and well-being.

12. Prioritize Self-Care

Prioritize self-care, recognizing it is not selfish but essential for your well-being. Taking time for yourself and doing what nourishes your soul enables you to better care for loved ones.

13. Embrace Gentle Recovery

Approach recovery from chronic illness with kindness and gentleness towards yourself, rather than an aggressive ‘fight.’ Foster a warm, self-compassionate attitude to aid healing.

14. Mindful Language for Recovery

Be mindful of the language you use to describe your health journey, avoiding aggressive terms like ‘warriors’ or ‘fighters.’ Instead, adopt softer, kinder language to foster a more compassionate approach to healing.

15. Practice Consistency, Persistence, Patience

For recovery from fatigue and in gaining health, consistently apply new habits, persist through challenges, and be patient with the process. These three qualities are key to any successful recovery journey.

16. Utilize Breathing Techniques

Implement deep breathing methods and distraction techniques to calm your brain and manage symptoms. This can be integrated into daily activities like walking or watching television.

17. Understand Lifestyle Impact

Strive to understand for yourself how different lifestyle choices impact your body and health. This personal understanding empowers you to make informed decisions rather than relying solely on external advice.

18. Celebrate New Habit Success

To effectively turn a new behavior into a long-term habit, make sure to celebrate your successes. Tracking your progress can make this process easier and more motivating.

19. Understand Patient Motivation

Recognize that every patient seeking help has a reason, regardless of the perceived severity of their issue. This perspective fosters empathy and deeper understanding in interactions.