by Jody Smith We’ve all known people we’d prefer to avoid. People who make us want to run the other way when we see them coming, because they do nothing but complain. It galls me no end that there are people who react this way to me if I talk about what life with ME/CFS has done to me. Llewellyn
Continue
by Jody Smith A year ago, on Nov. 15, 2011, the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act – HR 3423/S 1872) was introduced in Congress. On the one-year anniversary of the introduction of the bill, a press conference was held to build on the continuing support to make changes to the U.S. tax code. Since its introduction last
Continue
by Jody Smith The FDA held the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Webinar: Working Together for Change on November 15, 2012. An invitation had been issued earlier to Phoenix Rising and anyone interested in attending. There was not much mention of ME/CFS until well into the webinar, which surprised me and left me dismayed at first. Instead, speakers talked about
Continue
By Jody Smith Energy. It’s defined by Merriam-Webster.com as the force that drives and sustains mental activity, and the capacity for doing work. ME/CFS is noteworthy for a dearth of it. Anyone with ME/CFS knows all too well what it’s like to be so exhausted that we can’t lift our heads. We have very likely had the experience of being
Continue
by Jody Smith Adrenal fatigue may respond favorably to the use of adaptogenic herbs. An adaptogenic herb helps the body to normalize after times of stress. It decreases hormone secretions when levels are too high, and increases hormones when levels are too low. Many athletes like adaptogens because the herbs enable their bodies to recover faster from an intense workout
Continue
By Jody Smith ME/CFS is not the only condition that the medical community can’t seem to reach a consensus about. Adrenal fatigue is another topic that raises conflicting opinions from different quarters. Is it a valid diagnosis? Is it not? Is this the paradigm of how the adrenals work? Is that paradigm closer to the truth? The debate goes on.
Continue
Jody Smith reflects on the growth of the Phoenix Rising forums, from a handful of members in 2009 to several thousand today… There may have been other forums for people with ME/CFS back in 2009, but if there were, I didn’t know about them. Phoenix Rising’s forums, as far as I knew at that time, were unique. So when I
Continue
Jody Smith remembers the early days of the Phoenix Rising forums – and explains why she’s glad to be back… I don’t know exactly when I stumbled upon Phoenix Rising. It was during a period of years now shrouded in a CFS fog, when I was mostly awake in the middle of the night, sleeping through much of the day. I spent time
Continue
by Jody Smith The Food and Drug Administration has deemed ME/CFS to be one of 39 conditions that may receive their special consideration. But of these 39, only 20 conditions will be picked. If ME/CFS is one of those 20, patients’ comments will be heard through public meetings and through mailed and emailed messages. The FDA evaluates and approves drugs
Continue