Pericordial Blues

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#57-CHALLENGE 28 THINGS THAT HELPED ME: WEEK 1

CHALLENGE 28 THINGS THAT HELPED ME - WEEK 1

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 first week:

DAY 1

DETOX

ACTIVATED CHARCOAL

Once a week

I never thought about detox before I got sick.

I think it is a great help for my recovery.

Once a week, one teaspoon in a glass of water on an empty stomach in the evening before bedtime. I take Carbo 1000.

Since it can reduce or neutralize the effects of medicines, it should not be taken too often.

And you, what are your detox tips?

DAY 2

HEARTBEATS

BETA-BLOCKER

Morning

To help cure my pericarditis, I try to keep my heart below 100 beats per minute.

At first, because of the tachycardia, the only way to do this was to take a beta-blocker in the morning.

What has helped me tremendously is a beta-blocker called Isoten Minor, 2.5 mg bisoprolol fumarate per tablet, only obtained with a doctor's prescription.

I gradually reduced the doses by cutting the tablet in 2 (= 1.25 mg), then in 4, i.e. a mini-dose of 0.625 mg.

I was able to stabilize my heart rate.

And you, if you have tachycardia, how do you stabilize your heart rate?

DAY 3

PAIN MANAGEMENT

VAGUS NERVE

3 to 5 times a week

The vagus nerve, also called vagal nerve, parasympathetic nerve, cardio-pneumo-enteric nerve or cardiac nerve, is a very long nerve located on each side of the body, running from the skull to the abdomen. The vagus nerve is very extensive and plays a major role at the cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive levels. It would also be linked to the functioning of the immune system and inflammation.

For about 6 months, I have been doing various exercises to activate the vagus nerve, 3 to 5 times a week. I usually see an improvement the next day, especially with dizziness, flashes and tinnitus. The most effective is the exercise where you tilt your head to one side while looking at the other side.

Hopefully, these exercises also have an impact on the cardiovascular level.

Have you tried these exercises and with what results?

DAY 4

FOOD

AVOID LECTINS

Non-inflammatory diet

Lectins increase inflammation. It is therefore preferable to avoid them when you have pericarditis.

As far as possible, it is better to avoid vegetables that contain them: eggplant, zucchini, squash, bean sprouts, green beans, peas, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes.

I have seen stronger pain attacks after eating this type of food.

And you, have you ever made a link between pain and lectins?

DAY 5

TIPS

HOW TO SLEEP

With a pericarditis

Pain from pericarditis can be more intense when lying down, especially on your back.

Here are some tips:

Always sleep on the right side, never on the left side.

Never squeeze or compress your heart.

Do not lie on your back, stomach or left side.

Use cushions if necessary to keep your chest at a 45° angle.

Relax your jaws

The best position for me is to lie on my right side and keep my chest at a 45° angle, slightly forward, but not on my stomach. Cushions are helpful in maintaining the position as comfortable as possible.

If you have pericarditis, is this advice useful and do you know any others?

DAY 6

IMMUNE SYSTEM

ZINC

Morning

If the body does not have sufficient zinc intake, the immune system is in danger.

Having a virus or a vaccine causes the body to draw on its zinc stores.

It is therefore important to test zinc with a blood test and to supplement if there is a deficiency, on medical advice, of course.

Did you know?

DAY 7

PACING

HELPFUL TOOLS

New lifestyle

I call it my new lifestyle.

I went from athletic to pericardian without a shadow of a warning. I did not have the choice. So, I might as well take it with pride and adapt as quickly as possible.

Given my lack of strength and tachycardia at the slightest effort, here are some tools that have become my everyday companions:

1/ A wheeled trolley that can move up to 150 kilos (VYNCKIER)

2/ A wireless vacuum cleaner (DYSON V11)

3/ A heated blender to make soups quickly and without getting tired (Moulinex Soup & Co)

And you, what utensils and tools have made your life easier since the illness?

I hope this is all helpful to 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.

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER!

Pericordially yours,

Vali