The past 2 weeks have been a bit of a challenge, but one with an unexpected resolution so 2-weeks ago I had crippling back pain I did parkrun on the Saturday and within seconds of finishing my PR personal best at parkrun (20:38) I literally felt the right side of my back starting to cease up. It had first flared a few days before but with using my essential oils I had felt well when I woke on the Sat. However, this became so much worse I got home and as the next hour unfolded I could barely move my right leg. I couldn’t go to work, couldn't do anything, I was just struggling, painkillers even the strongest codeine made no difference. So resorted to making some blends up with essential oils. As the next hour unfolded I tweaked and used a whole host of oils into 2 specific blends layered onto my lower back. I then added in some copaiba and Deep Blue. This combination was to help promote getting my body back to balance at cellular level and utilising a lot of the individual oils with properties that help support cellular health and in particular the muscular skeletal system as well as the endo-cannabinoid system.
It was an agonising weekend getting dressed. I literally had to lift my right leg up in order to get a sock on! It was so so painful but with nothing else working I had to keep persevering and here is the crucial part - the compound effect! The sum of the parts is worth more than the individual components - by that I mean not just the oils but the application for the Saturday I applied every hour on the hour. I was still in tonnes of pain but with this approach I started to get some ease back Saturday night and by Sunday night it was feeling a lot better. Speaking with a physio friend and some other healthcare professionals who use oils the general consensus was that I'd have to leave it about three weeks before I could even consider running again once my back pain was completely healed. However, over the course of the next few days it improved dramatically I actually was able to do my Aromatouch training (an essential oil technique) on the Friday and my back pain completely disappeared and I ended up doing parkrun the next day (the last time with my dog Rowan due to the new ruling so it was important to me) and the following week on the Saturday just gone I took part in the final race in the CaniX UK championships!
This finale was a 2 day event on a very very hilly route and with some treacherous switchbacks needing all the technical skills I and my dogs have. Very scary downhills too, we came away with a lovely third place and not just that but I came away with second place for the 21/22 Series of the CaniX UK championships!
What about my back? Not a bit of pain at all! This has been an interesting experience for me because it just showed how utilizing everything that we've got in nature by using these beautiful oils consistently can really make such a massive difference. Ankles did need some help with Deep Blue after those killer hills!
Over the course of the last season I've tweaked what I use prior to my my races and I've seen the results in what I'm achieving both at competitions and also in parkrun but my dogs are also getting the benefit massively (see
www.whopawswins.co.uk for my pet blog)
So what oils have I been using? Well my lifelong vitality in order to make sure my body is getting all the nutrients it needs and so much more, even with my plant-based organic diet we need more than what our foods provide due to environmental pressures and poor soil fertility due to modern farming methods. Read more in my blog post
https://www.thehealthfuldoctor.com/blog/2020/4/14/do-we-need-supplements/
I also added in the deep blue polyphenol complex which is a wonderful supplement that supports the muscular skeletal system with its potent mix of antioxidants, previously I only used to use this on race days or when I needed some extra support but over the past 2 weeks I've been taking everyday to support my musculo-skeletal system.
Another supplement I've been taking is terrazyme, now I've been a bit slow to really appreciate the benefits of terrazyme this digestive Enzyme Complex is a proprietary blend of active whole-food enzymes and supporting cofactors now when we give our body digestive enzymes it means the body doesn't have to divert energy to supporting digestion which one of its primary functions instead it can put that energy into healing the body and so I really feel that this has made a massive difference to what I've been doing over the past 2 weeks. Another way I use it is I always take terrazyme when I'm racing or when I want to do well in a sport or just when I am tired because it provides me with that extra boost of energy because it's helping you digest your food more and therefore get the energy you need from it. I also find it very useful to take for when you've perhaps a little bit too much breakfast before you go on a heavy run and making sure that's digested well!! No one likes to feel they may vom do they!
Essential oils wise I've been taking 3 drops DDR prime, 3 drops copaiba and 3 drops marjoram internally in a little veggie capsule. This combination has a whole host of benefits, DDR Prime is chock full of antioxidants and this combination provides a great support for the muscular-skeletal system. Topically the oils I've been using pre-racing is Aromatouch, this is such a great blend to really pick you up it really helps with the circulation I struggle to warm up my muscles especially in the winter months (it was cold this weekend) and I've noticed a huge difference from using Aromatouch in this manner and I'll add in a little bit of Deep blue just over the areas that I know we're going to get sore such as my knees and my right hamstring. For race specific days I'll always also add some air blend to my throat and my gloves for when I need to have a bit more clear breathing so that when I'm feeling a bit puffed out I really like to take a big breath of this which helps pep me up and helps promote the feeling of clear airways for those hills and a sprint finish..
These past 2 weeks I would have been lost without these oils, I love that there are so many different ways we can utilise them and the benefits really are fantastic. But as I always say you've got to use them, it's not enough just to use them once a day, sometimes we have to use them layered, we have to dilute, and maybe we have to apply them more often. I love helping people find what feels good for them but It is all about making small changes, and the compound effect in helping restore the body back to balance.
Get in touch if you would like to know more about supporting your health and well-being with essential oils.