Strengthening is a natural process

I have said to myself that I am now in a strengthening phase.  What does this mean?  Well yes it means i will concentrate on the wim hof method to help get in touch with my inner self.  Hopefully it also means I will start regular yoga sessions as well as my regular swims and walks. And this also includes booking a date for a return to long distance walking.

But they are, together or individually nothing without making full value of my body's natural ability to heal itself.  That's why I went to see a chiropractor.  That's why I am not testing any food and drink  unless I am very confident it will not cause me arthritic problems.

After I had my knees scanned under the MRI the pictures of my knees were very clear and detailed.  I was told I could have knee operations whenever it suited me, "I can arrange an appointment with the surgeon now if you wish, Mr Swarbrick." well thanks, but no thanks.

I have since found out that much of my decrepit body might just heal itself.  With a supportive regime there is just a chance that the cartilage in my knees might improve, as indeed may my gums and teeth.

So that's what I am really working on. Founded in a whole food plant based diet my true goal is to get this body super-healthy.  It is no longer good enough to simply overcome my arthritis but rather prepare my body for the next however many years for a happy and healthy life.

The temperature is going down and my back no longer hurts

I have been very stiff, and despite improving health the stiffness is still there.  So I took the decision to visit a local chiropractic.  Why did I choose Chiropractic instead of other disciplines?  Well I have begun to watch the videos of Dr Bergman, who is a Chiropractic.  His approach is that the body cannot heal itself properly unless the back is right, and conversely if the spine is right then the body is most excellent at healing itself.  Self-healing includes cartilage, synovial fluid, even joints.  Having felt my own body repair itself I know at least some of this is true.

I also know that some twenty years ago whilst in Germany a top specialist did some back manipulation on me, as a necessity, and solved problems that I never knew I had. Whether that was chiropractic skills or whatever I never knew, my German language skills were not that good, and my human biology knowledge was miserable.

Bear in mind that I have never had any identifiable back problems associated with arthritis, except for persistent stiffness, at least in the neck.  This is mostly manifest in a lack of ability to easily look behind me to the right when driving out of junctions.

Well I had my first session and I went away happy, feeling better and with more energy than I have for a long time.  However when I went to bed that night I had the most awful sleeplessness brought on my a total inability to find a comfortable position for my legs.  Time for the meds and a day of rest.

A cooling shower

Well, I am into my third day of the Wim Hof Method and I think it is going to become part of my armour of defence against arthritis.  It is quite amazing to think that with little or no training that I can comfortably hold my breath for over two minutes!  But of course that is not the point.  The point is to help provide some extra strength against the ravages of arthritis.  Right now see little evidence except for a feeling of calm throughout my body.  That in itself is a good thing for people with arthritis, of course.  Anything that can give relief from the aches and pains without drugs must be a good thing.  But, having started down this road, I am looking for more.

The videos I have watched (and some of them several times) talk about energising the body.  That would be a good thing.  They talk about increased focus, and again I look forward to that.  In chemical terms the breathing helps remove carbon dioxide and increase oxygen levels in the body.  I said I have watched related videos several times, I have done this to help get the process as right as possible.

On the mend

As you can see from the chart my C-reactive protein is heading towards normal.   This I knew anyway since my inflammation (and thus much of the pain) is dropping everywhere.

My iron levels seem to be coming back into order (and thus my anaemia is reducing) and generally I am feeling better all round.

Yesterday I was made aware of Wim Hof, who otherwise goes under the name of the Iceman.  He is from Holland and has done many remarkable things, including achieving 20 Guinness Records.  What has all that go to do with this blog, and more importantly me?