Pericordial Blues

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#60-CHALLENGE 28 THINGS THAT HELPED ME: WEEK 4

CHALLENGE 28 THINGS THAT HELPED ME: WEEK 4

Hey everyone!

At the request of my subscribers on Instagram, I am doing a challenge during this month of February 2023 under the #thingsthathelpedme.

It's about posting a post every day and sharing 28 things that have helped me.

Here are the posts for the fourth and last week:

DAY 22

DETOX

MILK THISTLE

Evening

Milk thistle is excellent for eliminating toxins from the liver and stimulating the gallbladder.

It exists in various forms.

I take it as a mother tincture, 8 drops in a glass of water, in the evening on an empty stomach before going to sleep.

And you, what are your detox tips for the liver?

DAY 23

HEARTBEATS

HALTHWORTH

24/7

I love coffee! But caffeine and theine aggravate the symptoms of my pericarditis and cause tachycardia.

Exit my morning coffee!

I was so sad until I found out that hawthorn herbal tea is the best for the heart and when I’m in a flare. Hawthorn is said to be excellent for both high blood pressure and low blood pressure. It balances blood pressure and is gentle on the heart and pericardium. I drink it at any time of the day, morning, noon, afternoon, evening. It quickly became my comfort beverage.

If you suffer from tachycardia, how do you stabilize your heart rate?

DAY 24

PAIN MANAGEMENT

SOFT YOGA & STRETCHING

3 to 5 times a week

A session of soft yoga and stretching is often beneficial for managing pain. I practice mainly sitting or lying down so as not to increase the heart rate.

I often use a yoga cushion to gently stretch. It can be placed under the ankles, neck or arms. The goal is to limit stretching initially, then intensify by removing the cushion. It is useless to rush the joints.

It is yoga that must adapt to the person, and not the other way around.

DAY 25

FOOD

AVOID DAIRY

Non-inflammatory diet

I have always considered going on a non-inflammatory diet as an opportunity to make culinary discoveries, as a journey to new flavors. A bit like when you travel abroad.

I AVOID

Animal milk (cow, goat, sheep, buffalo) and its derivatives (cheese, yogurt, fresh cream, ice cream, butter).

WHAT I USE INSTEAD

Simply water (for omelets and pancakes).

Vegetable milk (almonds, hazelnuts, oats, spelled).

Lactofermented tofu, plain or in preparation, can replace cheese.

Coconut yogurt and coconut milk ice cream.

Olive oil and coconut oil replace butter.

What are you replacing dairy products with?

DAY 26

TIPS

HOW TO LIVE WITH TINNITUS

End of silence

Tinnitus is shrill noise, buzzing, whistling, crackling, which affects hearing.

Mine started with the first treatment I received for pericarditis, a combination of colchicine and Aspegic (aspirin) in very high doses (up to 3 grams per day).

Here are some ways to try to lessen them or not focus your attention on them:

1/ Listen to music or the radio

Having another source of noise, if possible pleasant, will drown out the tinnitus and the brain will be less likely to focus on annoying sounds.

2/ Get enough sleep

Tinnitus generally increases in intensity with fatigue. Going to bed at a reasonable time and having a good quality of sleep are factors that can help reduce their impact on our daily lives.

3/ Vagus nerve activation

It may not work for everyone, but in my case, exercises that activate the vagus nerve reduce the intensity of my tinnitus.

4/ Limit salicylates

Since the problem causing my tinnitus is an intolerance to salicylates, I make sure to avoid these as much as possible, especially in medications.

If you have tinnitus or know someone who has tinnitus, are these tips helpful to you and do you know of any others?

DAY 27

IMMUNE SYSTEM

PROBIOTICS

Essential

The intestinal microbiota is home to more than 100,000 billion bacteria which constitute a stable ecosystem living in symbiosis with its host. Probiotics can interact in a beneficial way with the body and the microbiota (without modifying it in the long term). Prebiotics, on the other hand, are the food for these “good” bacteria.

I have tried many probiotic supplements which are usually combinations of several strains. My favorites are Flora Balance Dry and Labotix MB from Natural Energy, and also Bacilac Forte from Vésale Pharma to strengthen the respiratory system.

I also favor foods that contain probiotics (products of fermentation): miso soup, sauerkraut, coconut yogurt, unpasteurized cider vinegar, kimshi, fermented vegetables, pu-erh tea.

Did you know?

DAY 28

PACING

EPSOM SALT

1 to 2 times a week

Perhaps one of the simplest and least expensive remedies: Epsom salt.

Gently detoxify once a week, either in a hot bath (200 g for at least 20 minutes), or a foot bath (1 to 2 tablespoon(s) in a basin of hot water for 20 minutes).

Relax and remineralize. But also, and above all, absorb magnesium (which my body absorbs very badly orally).

I have become a staunch follower. And you?

If you want to share your tips and tricks, or read the ones my followers have added, I invite you to check out my account on Instagram.

The February challenge is over. This is the first time that I have published so many posts on Instagram in a period of one month. I would not have been able to accomplish such a feat a few months ago. It is a good sign of the favorable evolution of my condition, in addition to having been an excellent cognitive exercise for my recovery.

Thank you to all those who supported me throughout this challenge!! You are angels!

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER!

Pericordially yours,

Vali