Q&A: Is Exercising Bad For Someone With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

[@LeaFaye]

I just busted into the craziest tears raelen. I cant tell you how much it weighs on my heart not to be able to exercise and just be physically active. I cant believe this has happened to be but it makes me feel so good that my body really is ok, and its just my nervous system and mental patterns. Im going to get through this!!!!!

[@HattyGardner]

if feel u girl xxx

[@julietstein2016]

I completely relate. Moving my body outdoors what what I valued the most in life. But you will improve!!! Believe in it!

[@miamia2365]

A freaked out nervous system is the issue. The nervous system affects everything. In a matter of seconds it can definitely stop so many body functions including the mitochondria issue that many people are mentioning here. Yes we are fine! If you love to define yourself as sick, if you swear by Dr Hill's work or any other CFS "expert", this video is not for you. I still get symptoms, but I am in a better place. I threw away all those labels... I am not sick! My brain is very stressed and sending all sort of wrong signals. I am slowly teaching it that everything is fine. It will someday be convinced 100%. Until then I am happy to consider myself a healthy person.

[@rbdesigner725]

As far as long covid for me this does not ring correct. There’s overwhelming evidence of persistent virus, metabolic changes, reactivated viruses microclots etc. Now I believe the brain exacerbates symptoms and anxiety which can make things worse. Also there are degrees of severity for each person. I think doing these things gets you to a sort of stability but I’m skeptical of complete full recovery. I was bed bound for a year and slowly gradually started to work and walk (4 minute) and pretty functional now and walk 7-10k steps a day but I still feel nervous system issues, nerve pain, fatigue etc. at 3 years now I appreciate the videos and positive feedback.

[@chrisganesha]

Hi Raelan. I love your videos. Thank you so much for making them. I’m not sure if you are aware of this, but people with even severe neurological diseases like Myasthenia Gravis can put them in “remission” for periods of time with diet and exercise. My mom developed Parkinson’s after her undiagnosed CFS, and at the beginning, she benefitted a lot from the exercise programs developed for Parkinson’s patients. We both developed CFS at different times in NYC after 9/11 in 2002. Me while visiting from CA and participating in a highly stressful New Age spiritual “retreat” (more like a boot camp, with puking buckets in the back of the room, for example) for ten days in Times Square with military with machine guns on the street, and her six months later running down twenty flights of stairs during an evacuation drill while working in Rockefeller Center. My neurologists won’t diagnose my new relapsing and remitting neuro disease now, the MS-like illness I got after one of the COVID vaxes I received, at age 60, because they believe it is part of my “functional” CFS. It is not. It’s autoimmune, just like my new MCAS is. And now I have a rash called Bullous Pemphigoid, which is very visible, ugly and scarring, and life threatening to people in their eighties, not me, to prove it. So perhaps it’s all a bit more complicated than we presently understand, this relationship between the stress response and post-infectious illnesses. Men develop anger issues after war, and the cardiovascular disease that kills them from it. That doesn’t mean diet and exercise can’t help them improve or even get well. But while they’re symptomatic they still need to have the HBP medicated or they’re going to have a heart attack or stroke. So I personally have not been entirely comfortable buying into this notion that it’s all in the way we think or how we handle stress. I don’t have the lifetime of experience you have, though, so please just accept this as just my humble opinion for what it may or may not be worth. With that said, I am still quite positive we can improve and even fully remit or get entirely well, for long periods of time or even permanently, depending on how sick we are and our personality styles and history and life circumstances and support, and that is awesome news. So thank you for posting this really helpful, valuable, and informative video. I really appreciate it. Chris🙏🏻

[@benjames1497]

Well said!

[@MarcSen007]

Good morning Raelan, I have been on your channel a while back (Marcus from Bavaria, Germany) and I just wanted to share that many things resonate with me quite well. For those that have long-covid induced ME/CFS in a light form, general exposure to stimuli and movement can clearly help WHEN staying WITHIN someone's boundaries. I can't do heavy lifting or basketball (yet), but a daily dog walk and some galileo board activation or some superlight dumbells can support the healing by increasingly challenging the nervous system and hence improving the threshold. The same applies to audiovisual stimuli like cinema or videogames or socialising outside. Hence, your term of movement/exposure is the right one; exercise is often misleading, especially considering where many type A personalities came from before the condition. Get all well soon mates❤

[@lukeaesth7]

Hey Marc! Sehe ich genauso. Wie gestaltetest du dein Pacing und wie geht es dir derzeit? (Ich Long Covid seit zweiter Infektion im Februar 23, drei mal geimpft) LG

[@Shannon_Robbie]

What about those of us who work fairly physical jobs?? I'm so tired after work because I do a lot of walking and physical work in the trades. I'm worried if I exercise I could cause another setback. PS: thank you for mentioning Powerlifting. I used to be involved in that sport and I really miss it. Your video gave me hope that even though I have been diagnosed with long covid, I can hopefully get back to some semblance of normalcy.

[@jackienaiditch7965]

Just to give a different perspective here. What you describe seems to be a form of graded exercise, which is a very questionable practice, according to many in the ME/CFS community. Even at the lowest imaginable starting point, this didn't work for me. And by "lowest," I mean doing Yoga postures. (I actually got very ill in a beginning Yoga class and had to leave.) From what I've read, our bodies are not ok, which is why exercise can have a negative impact. For instance, our mitochondria are actually damaged. And my ME specialist believes that tests come back "normal" because they are not appropriate to our illness; not because there is nothing wrong in our bodies. This does not mean the situation is hopeless. What's helped me is mindfulness meditation, and some drugs that have made a huge difference in my life. So in spite of having been severely/moderately ill for over 20 years, bedridden and housebound, I can now get out, take trips, and lead a more normal life. However, I do still have to use a mobility scooter or wheelchair to get around.

[@lynb87]

I think exercise really has to be the last thing to change. I'm starting to do yoga again but I would never do a class. I know the poses now so I do it at home completely at my own pace. But for months I only did yoga nidra. However, a friend suggested restorative yoga which is putting your body in different positions using pillows to support and focusing on relaxation which seems like a possible next step.

[@HealwithLiz]

I don't think beginning yoga is the lowest imaginable. I could not do beginner yoga classes, and I was moderate. I had to just sit in the class and then leave despite the yoga lady trying to help me. And some "restorative poses" at home were too hard for me. But there were certain movements that were easier for me, and I think that's what it's about. Also, I have 4 heart conditions, and I just got a checkup showing that my heart was never damaged from ME/CFS. And that it's functioning better now, and my doctor mentioned that my Autonomic Nervous System has a major role in it.

[@wallywallace5616]

In my experience, you have to regulate your nervous system first before you can start slowly exercising. Learning how to get out of fight or flight is crucial but can be quite difficult.

[@jackienaiditch7965]

@@wallywallace5616 I agree that getting out of "fight or flight" mode is crucial, because stress is very hard on our systems. (For that matter, stress is not good for anyone.) In my case, mindfulness meditation helped hugely with this. But it hasn't gotten me to the point of exercising. Rather, it's gotten me to a greater sense of acceptance and gratitude.

[@HealwithLiz]

@@wallywallace5616 For me, I did what I could within my baseline (whether that was going from my bed to a pillow throne on the floor in the living room, or a less than two-block walk to the corner grocery store) and of course I crashed by overdoing it like we all do. My capacity grew when I discovered meditation (though things were still up and down) and after I got my diet in order. When I did brain retraining it really grew so that I could really start increasing my physical activity and begin to go on longer walks - and then swimming (one might even call it exercise). It was gradual but when I started the brain retraining it really happened fast, considering where I was for so long.

[@AnrupB]

I’m fascinated by how every new activity requires development, especially since a recent interview you posted where the person said the same thing. I’ve stopped a few times with walks, but I just listen to my body when I have setbacks even if they last a few weeks or months. I usually start again at whatever duration my body last did with ease, so it’s all good. That said, yoga has been key for me and I just do what I can. Some days I’m stronger and can do more stamina based asanas, and other days it’s super gentle seated and floor yoga. I just show up and do whatI can, and it feels good no matter what. I cook, clean, etc. so my arms get exercise all the time. I really appreciate the reminder to be gentle! ❤

[@kristiemertz7325]

Hi Raelan, I do recognize that many people with CFS become sick after a very physically and emotionally difficult time, just as you described. It's also true that most ordinary test results at your doctor's office come back normal. However, the CFS researchers have found clear abnormalities in the immune system and the mitochondria, for example, which causes our illness. So although it may be possible to improve our illness with your techniques (brain training, for example, to reduce stress), please don't say there is nothing wrong with our bodies. (And I am able to do light exercise without relapsing, so yes I think it's important). You can look at Dr Nancy Klimas' work for more information on the abnormalities. (I've had CFS since 1994. CFS and fibro runs in my family, as there is a clear genetic component).

[@jackienaiditch7965]

"please don't say there is nothing wrong with our bodies." Totally agree.

[@andyspark5192]

Bioenergetic Health Index (mitochondria test) right?

[@lynb87]

Yes, there is something wrong even if it's the brain/nervous system. I think what she means is it can't be assumed it's permanent or progressive.

[@jackiegroden416]

Reduce stress/regulate the nervous system all of the other “functions” fall into place

[@SuzanneHeyn]

Exercise improves the health of mitochondria, which have a high degree of plasticity. That’s one of the reasons why exercise helps people with CFS heal.

[@kj7168]

I love your content but I disagree about the tests.. Tests don't show alot and are notoriously inaccurate anyway, but on top of that, doctors only run a limited amount of tests... Only a fraction of the total possible tests available to us are actually done. Just because those few limited tests didn't anything doesn't mean there is nothing wrong with the body.....

[@kj7168]

Not disagreeing about the other aspects of your point :)

[@teddybearroosevelt1847]

I actually had a large number of tests done in terms of blood work and I saw inspected by a few specialists. Nothing came out. Some people have organ damage, their thyroids go off balance, hormones go way off, etc. There are certain things that can be tested for that are often off in me/cfs patients and the fact that I don’t have that is in fact quite comforting.

[@MsSpook14]

Raelan are you a doctor or medically trained?. Everyone’s CFS/ ME is very different. Some of us did hospital guided graded exercise, mindfulness, CBT and deteriorated and never recovered. Graded exercise has been removed from the NHS guidelines now. I went into spontaneous recovery years ago, it came back, this time no recovery. CFS is not a mental health condition. I find your videos and advice very worrying. Maybe you didn’t have CFS/ ME, who knows. Pacing is basically swapping one task for another, it’s not recovery. Graded exercise is not suitable or safe for everyone.

[@teddybearroosevelt1847]

Exactly, I couldn’t agree more

[@Jennifer-gr7hn]

As some with severe covaids in march 2020 as a frontline nurse. During that, I developed a clotting disorder. On top and beneath that, mold toxicity from work AND home HVAC. I had a stroke during covaids, and I got no medical help which was horrid. I agree with you - it's individual and the ME/CFS is a result of underlying issues, which affect the nervous system, not the cause of the ME/CFS. I agree. Sometime I wonder if some of these dears ones, as she is a social worker, using her own story that may or may not have been exaggerated. I had MAJOR mitochondrial; dysfunction which causes hypoxia. Hole in the heart, and clots flying through. I had to find this all out on my own. It's not as simple as she suggests. There is indeed truth in here, but it's not as simple.

[@wallywallace5616]

I have ME/CFS. I tried graded exercise and it didn't work for me initially either and it made things worse. I tried CBT and mindfulness too. However, in the last 3 months I have figured out brain retraining, it has just 'clicked' and I am no longer in fight or flight. Graded exercise is now working beautifully for me and I've made huge strides in my recovery. It is worth persevering with brain retraining, you've nothing to lose and everything to gain.

[@seffie4363]

Thanks for talking about the TMS approach Raelan x after 4.5 years of a 2nd bout of cfs i no longer/rarely gave symptoms and have recently started gentle exercise using this mindset and approach x i am living fairly normally but aware that i now need to live in a different way to how i did when i got cfs again x i realise now my body was just trying to protect me but my fear of the symptoms and activities that might trigger them kept me stuck x i accept as i move forward in my recovery i may still have occassional symptom flares but this is to be expected and accepted as normal as my nervous system adjusts to more activity x this is the way out of this condition, its a leap of faith but it works x sp grateful to you Raelan and peopke like Dan Buglio and Jim Prussack who have guided me in this method 👍

[@kristinae.7084]

This is so hard for me. When I don't exercise, I'm exhausted all the time. When I do exercise, I'm exhausted all the time PLUS I'm in pain. I will try the 1-minute thing and see if it helps. Thank you.

[@lynb87]

I think what's important is to raise your heart rate as little as possible until you are confident doing it. Start with stretching, strength training with gentle yoga, walk slowly. Good luck.

[@LeaFaye]

"your body is completely fine, you arent ill, you arent sick" cried again, it is actually extremely validating to me and has relieved me immensely.

[@teddybearroosevelt1847]

I’ve heard the same thing and it is a relief in the sense that it will be easier for me to recover from this illness than someone with say organ damage or thyroid issues. It’s like the doc ruling out cancer when you were afraid you had cancer.

[@domsa_]

This is so dangerous. People have been left permanently disabled by trying to push through ME symptoms. ME is deadly in a small number of cases. I really can't believe people in the community are repeating this nonsense from the biopsychosocial researchers who have caused us so much harm.

[@LeaFaye]

yea. i have thyroid issue so because with what u say lol. and u can heal from thyroid also. @@teddybearroosevelt1847

[@laurelpetty9212]

You’re videos just keep getting better and better! Thank you so much. This video is extremely useful and completely resonates with me. I love that you’re incorporating more and more brain training/ nervous system content. ❤

[@jimnevin2255]

Hi Raelan. I managed to get most of my fitness back using the methods you talk about and am still progressing and adjusting to normal life again. To make any progress I had to get a baseline sorted out and not use energy that wasn't there. The key in my case was to nudge the energy envelope out slowly and gently as it was very easy to trip into a fight or flight response if I pushed too hard. Focusing on exercise form and nasal breathing can keep you relaxed and some encouraging self talk helps when the inevitable panicky thought pops up. When you are able to do more aerobic exercise it is worth keeping most at zone 2 and see how much improvement can be made in this low stress level. Sometimes the long way around really is the shortest way. My progress was not linear and there would be an easing off every third week or so. Miguel Bautista uses the term adjustment period which is very useful and accurate. Overall I think that by having a solid and safe space created by the baseline you can expand out in a curious or even playful manner with somewhere to fall back to if you push a bit too far. Somewhere along the way the fear starts to fade and eventually leave. Thanks again Raelan. These videos are getting better all the time and they have really helped me over the last few years. Jim.

[@henwilki6693]

Yep all the above, was super active and then disintegrated very quickly. Bizarrely during lockdown I recovered within a week. Then once the gates opened back to normal life boom, viral infection that triggered a 3 year nightmare. Thankyou for this video ❤️

[@teddybearroosevelt1847]

Well, I don’t know what to say to this video. For one thing, I think it’s very irresponsible to lump all sorts of people with vastly different medical conditions that started with a virus together and to say that they all can exercise. In long covid for example, there is a subsection of people with organ damage. Definitely do not exercise if you have serious health problems that for example affect your lungs or your heart. Also, the fact that the tests come back negative doesn’t mean there’s no illness there. In long covid very often small clots that are not detected by standard tests are a mechanism that keeps people ill. You can test for it by using a special machine that is hard to come by, so most of the time these clots are not detected (but they’re there, so it’s very much not just in your head - it can affect your actual ability to exercise) Also, there are studies pointing to the interaction between mitochondria and viruses being at the root of many post viral illnesses. This is superficially understood but can’t be fixed and is very difficult to even test for. So it’s there, but the medical profession can’t detect it. And there are surely many similar mechanisms at play. So you know, good for you that you recovered and I’m happy for your fellow recovered ME’ers and wish that for everyone, but you can’t generalize like that - that’s my point really.

[@eviemorgs]

Mitochondria dysfunction and viruses are symptoms not the cause

[@SherzadBarber]

That’s brilliant your videos very good and helping people to come out from this mass. God bless you.

[@RaelanAgle]

Thanks so much! This means a world to me ❤️

[@laoch33]

I'm still in the camp of thinking that it's the parasympathetic state that lets healing happen, and that's where brain training is getting at, but that it doesn't get directly at, say, mitochondrial function. Just a gradual healing. i.e. I don't believe our bodies are not damaged physically, I think they are in many ways. Massive lactic production that has been measured in PWME would point to a reason why weights are more suitable than running. Weights are more anaerobic. I guess in one way that's quite a subtle difference and in another way it's a big difference, but I believe brain training and gradual exercise increase ARE the way to go. What if you couldn't have healed faster if you believed in the brain training the way you do now- what if that would have made you go quicker than you were able.. this is the most common outcome, so, maybe the way you did it was best at the time.I just worry about people ignoring symptoms rather than: having a plan{not Super rigid}, feeling symptoms when they come and being ok with them. Just my two cents.

[@KatyatheBlack]

I agree on the mitochondrial part- there are clinically significant and measurable abnormalities/dysfunctions. Dr. Myhill has done some great webinars on the topic.

[@PD-vs7vf]

I have a theory of what might be the underlying cause of CFS & exercise intolerance, but yeah after years of experience my theory is exercising outside of your window for that day, hour, minute might have devastating effects on your body in the long run. But reducing stress levels and retraining the brain might have beneficial effects overal. I've been bedridden for months after exercising lightly. But inflammation reduction gave me the ability to exercise better than I ever could have imagined. JM2C

[@paperfrost]

I agree. In my case, I was severely weakened by thiamine deficiency. You cannot exercise or meditate your way out of beri beri... 🤣 Nutrition is the foundation. If you exercise while severely depleted, you can push that deficiency state even worse (running can lower iron levels, for example). Timing is key. It took me two years to fully correct my thiamine deficiency (Dr. Antonio Costantini’s High Dose Thiamine Therapy) to the point where I could stop taking it. After that, I was able to exercise. But I still have to be careful to keep my nutrition abundant, and not push too hard physically.

[@KatyatheBlack]

@@PD-vs7vf @paperfrost - you know its funny you both say that. I recently started taking Thiamine (B1) a few weeks ago AND started taking “Inflamitone” by designs for health for inflammation. Interesting… I do love the comment sections. I wish you all the best on your recovery 🖤

[@artstar4]

I agree Raelan. I noticed I felt best on the weekends I went camping with friends or went to the beach and did light walking. I’d always think oh I’m going to crash now but then I didn’t. Or symptoms would come up a little but then go away. What’s seemed to help me is also taking NAC and creatine and electrolytes before and after exercising.

[@cathyjennings5580]

Reserve our energy to heal our Nervous system, etc. Depression symptoms. Excessive anxiety fears, weaknesses, EXCESSIVE JUGGLING MULTIPLE Functions, overextended, overworked the body & mind & grief of LOSSES to deal with. Loss of good buddies. Etc. .

[@parentingforwholeness]

Thank you so much Raelen for yet another life opening video! I just found your channel yesterday and after 2 1/2 years with CFS, I already feel like a different woman from having so much clarity and hope! Quick question: You talk about the importance of being in a calm place when we exercise. A few minutes ago I got activated by something and decided to dance a bit to help bring me back to peace. I currently can only walk for 5 minutes, so that's quite a bit for me. Would you consider this not a good idea and that I should have done something else to regulate myself and dance instead when I was feeling good? Thanks so much for all your help!

[@gregschmelzle8227]

Agree with you totally Raelan When we have this condition, our brains are operating on misinformation, bad data, and fear We have to teach our brains that activity is safe !

[@RaelanAgle]

Well said!

[@cathyjennings5580]

Always have a first aid tools Net to tend to injuries. Fears tools to ease the pains. Mental & EMOTIONAL words to heal. Be Supportive Kind warm hearted care for oneself😊. Thanks somuch!!!!,

[@sandraboulos7370]

Hi Raelan, your videos give me hope! Thank you so much! What about the heart rate? With Long Covid we are told we shouldn’t go above the anaerobic threshold. Have you talked about that?

[@nunolilogo7914]

Hi realan. Your videos helped me so much. I have light cfs for years now and I feel like the controled exercise is making me recover. I am getting stronger day by day, because of your videos. Thank you so much!

[@RaelanAgle]

Wonderful!

[@theantiqueactionfigure]

At age fifty I could drop to the ground and crank out 30 one arm pushups at the end of a 10k run. Became bedridden overnight.

[@cathyjennings5580]

Self protection is GOOD to keep us SAFE. 😂 TIME to heal. Sleep : time out. .

[@GarTiernanMusicOfficial]

Can relate to all this except I never thought I was invisible . Haha but maybe I did at some deeper level. 😂 But fantastic video and all makes perfect sense.

[@wictorias.968]

Lovely! You are so on spot. My body is in protection mode and has been there for many years. Now I decided to start a new pathway for me to find the right balance. For example, I can’t exercise as I used to do, because I get inflammations.. So one step at a time. Living in joy and happiness and let it take time. I took years to get unwell so now I have to let my body and brain have the time it need. Thank you for being here! ♻️

[@jakutz]

True! Wish you the best you will get better trust me 😊

[@mysjogrensjourney]

Hi Raelan. I have Cfs but apparently it’s due to my autoimmune disease , but my inflammation is low. Your channel was the first I watched when I first got my symptoms because I believed and still believe that the Cfs part is separate to my disease. My Cfs is almost non existent (after 2 full years and some on and offs in the past) due to my helping my mitochondria and for the first time after many years I feel I can start exercising (more). So, I woke up today and decided to search for your exercise videos and start doing them today, and what do I find! You’ve e posted a video about exercise! If that isn’t affirmation, I don’t know what is! Thank you for being here. You and your channel are the reason I had hope I’d get better, even if my Cfs is apparently disease related. And I am better!

[@jakutz]

Its the law of attraction 😊

[@WoofChaqueJour]

What happens if my gland/s have been up since getting sick? Can those be set off by your mind?

[@melanieharris9538]

Thank you so much. I loved this video. One of my favorites. I have to agree completely that movement is essential to recovery and yet so hard to know how to do. We have been using cocolimefitness since last November. It's designed for people with cfs/autoimmune conditions etc. Recovery has been consistent, despite perfectionism 😅 learning to move whilst taking care of our nervous system etc. Please keep making videos like these. They give so much hope and are realistic.

[@eviemorgs]

This is true. In Dr John Eatons reverse therapy he explains it is not the exercise that causes us to crash but the anxiety about the exercise / potential crash that triggers more symptoms.

[@jakutz]

How often do you crash guys? I crash every 1-2 Weeks is this normal? I got cfs for a few months

[@cathyjennings5580]

Over 30 years of excessive exhaustion fatigue distress .

[@marilinaflo]

Can i start with slow pace walking for 5 min and increase time from there?

[@paperfrost]

I could not exercise while thiamine and zinc deficient. It is important to correct those problems first, if they exist in an individual case, or the following crash will be horrible.

[@Jennifer-gr7hn]

I was copper deficient from having zinc on board! I couldn't exercise until I was put on blood thinners and have my blood cleaned - severe covaids, mold and metals. Every one is so individual and it's not one stop shop AT all.

[@anxen]

You really could have cut out all the dog interruptions and not made us suffer through that. So annoying. Ordinarily I wouldn't complain about a KZbin video but there is so little content about this topic and your information is really valuable. Idk if other people font mind this sort of thing but it annoyed me more than I can express.

[@RaelanAgle]

Thank you for letting me know, Anxen!

[@horridabella]

I love how your home is decorated.

[@astridcortooms1964]

I realy love dogs but I had to look this video twice because I Just could not concentrate on the content because I was distracted by the dog. Maybe show the dog at the begin or the end of a video and not when you're explaining something. Or am I the only one with such severe brainfog wo can't handle this?

[@Jennifer-gr7hn]

For me it was the rate of speech. I don't know "fog"..I know that I can't process incoming things like this fast at all...when I did everything fast.

[@dougmorse]

​@@Jennifer-gr7hnchange the speed of the video to slower using the gear icon upper right. And if the video is distracting, audio only.

[@lessons9745]

Exercise is bad for me when my oxygen sat goes down

[@astridcortooms1964]

According to my physio that's normal

[@lessons9745]

@@astridcortooms1964 not when it goes down to 89 - 93

[@DeziDoesIt]

I’ve been on the road to recovering from CFS for a few years now but am also newly postpartum. I’d love to hear any interviews that cover this, as my body is now naturally in fight or flight due to hormone regulation. Also, physical activity/CFS crashes + caring for a newborn

[@jayverasummer]

I have been telling myself when I'm fully recovered I'll be on your channel, but now after the last few videos, I'm wondering if you'll want me... I'm on my way to recovery, feeling hopeful, and improving every day, but different methods have worked for me. Curable made me worse (I gave it a good try and used it for an entire year, so it's not like it didn't work because I did it wrong or wasn't open-minded about it) and what I view as untrue affirmations like "I'm not sick" also made me worse. I think those tools work if they help calm a person's nervous system, but for some of us, repeating something we feel is untrue activates it even more and isn't a helpful strategy (and there's even some evidence that supports that, which felt validating to stumble upon).

[@RaelanAgle]

It would be an honour to share her story, Jay! 🧡 🧡 We need to hear about different approaches so we can all learn and find our own path to healing.

[@jayverasummer]

@@RaelanAgle Thank you! I admire your open-mindedness. Hopefully you'll be hearing from me in a couple of months. I'd like to reach a certain level of recovery before I do something like that. :)

[@camm5962]

These brain retraining videos are so useful, thanks so much Raelan.

[@RaelanAgle]

Glad you like them!

[@autumnconway3642]

HOW DARE YOU! Completely Tone deaf AF.

[@Melted_Butter]

Question: CFS etc is a strong signal to STOP but we are actually ok. Does this apply to the early stages or severe crash stages, where I assume there was more imminent danger to our cells/system? (Like a virus for example) Or is it ALWAYS the case from beginning to end? I hope that makes sense. I ask because there’s always that part of me that doesn’t want to push incase there is still some factor on my body that has never been fixed that makes my cells/system as vulnerable now as it was back when this originally happened.

[@andyspark5192]

How does the exercise for a toddler look like? Or pregnant woman, or person in a wheelchair, or elderly? What's the name for exercise after an accident or injury? Oh yes, a Physiotherapy. I had Frozen Shoulder. My exercise was physiotherapy multiple times a day and i recovered fast. I had to do this, my body had to do this, not my doctor or anyone else.

[@jennywagner7386]

I love This Video! I‘m in The process of Getting better by applying exactly These principles, and find it so helpful how exact you narrow it down, and even the outlook (that it may take a year or once you reach an hour it’s like a threshold) and how you need to introduce each activity on its Own. I‘m introducing different Things at the Same time and I don‘t think you could have been quicker as you went at your own pace and listened to your intuition. Amazing, thank you!Could you maybe elaborate on how you reintroduced working? ❤

[@kathystoner5239]

Fantastic video! I totally agree with everything you said! I think for me i became fearful of activity and excercise. Through Pain Free You, I'm not afraid of it. I still am slowly adding it in, because if I go too quickly it causes more fear, which causes more symptoms. I am now walking 15 minutes a day, which I havent done in 7 1/2 yrs! I do believe the excercise helps with more capacity for other activities as well.. I love Blue! He wasn't too loud at all and I enjoy watching him!

[@seffie4363]

hi kathy great to hear you’re exercising again, i am too and feel i am coming out of this now, living fairly normally again but mindful of not going back to unhelpful patterns x i credit Dan Buglio and Jim Prussack in helping my recovery x wishing you all the best!! xx

[@kathystoner5239]

@@seffie4363 that's terrific! Dan is amazing!

[@RaelanAgle]

So happy for you! And helpful feedback!

[@julietstein2016]

When I am able to exercise more vigorously (I only recently achieved this after nearly 2 years), I am consistently surprised at how strong my body remains. What you said is very true. My body remains just as strong physically as it was before I got sick, I just need to convince my brain that this is the case :)

[@amandaoneal440]

Thank you for outlining how you progressed your exercise. I'm going through that process now. For some reason, walking/jogging has been the easiest and safest-feeling exercise for me. I used to love weight lifting, but it's hard for me to get back into it because it makes me so exhausted and stressed. But this gives me hope that I will be able to do it again if I start very small and work very gradually. Thanks again

[@nickm5760]

I try to exercise now and then, including even playing some padel/badminton for an hour. I have been doing that for a year, but its always with very low energy which does not seem to improve at all. When I do any form of resistance training I feel that my body is having a hard time pumping my blood around (tho I feel it pumping heavily in my head) and then I feel unwell super quickly. I dont quite feel exhausted all the time, but I do feel energy drained every second of the day as if i’m low blood sugar even tho tests say its all normal.

[@paperfrost]

Ask your doctor if you can see s neurologist to get a tilt table test for POTS. Also ask about thiamine (vitamin B1), iron, and zinc deficiencies. I have POTS, and those nutrients made my ability to function increase tremendously!

[@nickm5760]

@@paperfrost Hi, thank you very much for your response :) Could use all the info/help I can get :)

[@nickm5760]

@@paperfrost Also, what type of thiamine do you take? I've seen some popularity for Benfotiamine.

[@lynb87]

Badminton sounds too intense. You can do much gentler movements.

[@ravenslair117]

I just have to say it, I just love you Raelan!!!! I don’t think you know how much it helps to hear the things that you say and knowing that you have the experience from which to say it. Although I am pretty much back up to speed, I still am very aware of the echo and trauma of CFS for 13 years. Your videos are extremely helpful. I started doing brain retraining locally with someone who specializes in it and I still have some work to do to get my brain’s functionality back up to speed. I’m so grateful for all you do and just wanted to give you a big shout out of thanks and lots of love!

[@cathyjennings5580]

Thanks so much !!!

[@multiversomental6893]

There are many studies bringing data that there is either viral persistance or viral debris causing this condition. So I don’t entirely think “we are fine”, however I do agree that the nervous system is one of the main parts involved in all this

[@oakleysmom6856]

Honestly, I never really heard your cute pie little dog. Not enough to distract me at any rate. I saw someone remark on it but I think it was more you noticing him that made me notice him.

[@ChrisZemdegs]

Thank you🙏

[@KatyatheBlack]

Yay! I’m so happy to hear this, its a new perspective I hadn’t thought about before. I love your old workout videos. I would love to see some more short workout videos (3-10 mins). From everything I have learned so far, it seems that mitochondrial health is improved with working out, and that many people like us have some level of mitochondrial disfunction or damage. I used to be really fit and active, type A, had a business, etc. After nearly 3.5 years bedbound, it feels like starting back at the beginning of everything. My workouts are currently in bed, or using a chair right now. I want to be capable again. I want to build a normal human’s muscle tone again, and then go past that. I look forward to your videos and thank you for spreading this knowledge. Your dog is cute too. 🖤

[@SlaanaokicanEnglishteacher]

This video came just in time. I was just considering to introduce some exercise into my daily routine...

[@callumbar]

Noon not the crate! Ha ha. Our dog also enjoys his crate. Great video!

[@Jennifer-gr7hn]

Yes, all of it. I didn't all that adventure stuff AND a nurse, where we are literally running for our job. Between shifts, I taught zumba. When I wasn't doing that, I was mowing my steep lawn, raking leaves, etc. Never short of breath. Never got sick in my life, despite being "diabetic"...(what. lie that we have weak immune systems haha). For us, exercise is a DRUG to prevent further insulin injections, and when you have brain damage, you can't feel your lows, you live solo, etc? It's intense. For covaids longhaul however, it's not like fibro. It's worse, because the spike protiens DO affect the heart. I also didn't know I had a hole in the heart. I also have lung damage. Yes, lyme + mold (work and home) then severe covaids, and with that, like NO OTHER virus or pathogen, the way it happened with how it was handled....no visitors, no help in the acute horrid phase, etc so that adds to the ptsd. You are dead on, helpful and right with the rest. Yes. I didn't realize I was "overdoing" it until I died to learn the lesson. Literally. Thank you! Acupuncture is helpful, plus EBOO cleaning the blood. Methylene Blue, Ozone, etc. Also getting rid of the mold. All of this, very important. I HAVE to eat well though. Also staying with c-ptsd therapy because I was gaslit my entire life between home, work (healthcare is so abusive), and the healthcare system loss of many "friends," and the so yes, trust is shot. Every inflammatory food makes brain to toes issues worse, so yup. And yes, indeed. Resonated the rest. Thank you for the helpful video. HAHAHAH died laughing with the dog and also the empath in me, I saw his eye, and felt his confusion with the toy exchange :) Very good one. Validating, thank you! My situation is complex though because the histamines and mast cell is huge too. So, intricate. Helpful though.

[@Waves353]

Your lifestyle, career, down to the tipping point of working frontline March 2020 Me to a tee I pushed through until November that years when I crashed and unfortunately went down the medication route which just messed me up more. Below poverty line, unable to work, lost all support systems Housebound Unable to tolerate any supplements and too sensitive for exposures So so scared for my life There’s no calm for a moment

[@finnroohomebrewing]

Such a great video. Ive somehow lost my way over the last year and this has given me huge boost and reopened my toolbox. Many thanks 🙏

[@RaelanAgle]

Glad it helped!

[@ChloeCaballero-r5j]

Very interesting the thought of why our bodies did this and it makes sense. I heard a lot of bad things about graded exercise but it was probably a one size fits all approach but your explanation makes sense how you test something small and see. I have put weight on and am going to try some small exercises but would love some more guidance on this. Currently seeing Dr perrin following your vid in the past. And don't worry about blue they are beautiful and not noisy at all 😍

[@lynb87]

Yes, I think it fails because they ignored the brain training aspect and it's not personalised. At least for long covid, they don't recommend people go out and exercise until they're at a certain base level.

[@angelaclark2551]

I just want to mention that before wstchjg your channel I've been listening to Buddhists alot, and the overlap is huge in these somatic and physical retraining protocol you are talking about. Pretty cool!

[@claireunderwood471]

That sounds interesting- any suggestions for videos/ podcasts?

[@RaelanAgle]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing, Angela.

[@angelaclark2551]

@@claireunderwood471 Mingyur Rinpoche is the guy I listen to the most. And I find u2b channels tied to buddhist monasteries like Deer Park Monastery.

[@manricomoro]

I just want to say thank you for this

[@phylissh365]

The puppy is adorable, what's his breed

[@KatyatheBlack]

Soooo cuddly

[@Narrowway7]

Pomeranian

[@larsstougaard7097]

Great video ❤

[@RaelanAgle]

Thank you!!

[@germanside7890]