Self-Compassion

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Self-compassion. Urgh. A topic like this is one that I steered away from for many years. I had the attitude that self-compassion was the route to self-destruction because, after all, if I’m being kind to myself, I’ll just likely slack off (even more!) from whatever I’m doing and get less and less achieved with this short life of mine. I spent my twenties running at full pelt and feeling continually frustrated that I just wasn’t getting enough done. Whatever ‘enough’ meant!!

I think part of that was a kind of survivor’s guilt. Every time I survived a hypo, I felt it was a message to me that I had survived this and therefore had something important to do in my life. I also felt that I had an I.O.U. for whomever was standing around me at the time I passed out. Their stress was owed something in return.

As you can probably tell, self-compassion has probably been the bottom item on my to-do list for a very long time. So why am I writing this blog post now? I guess those times are a-changing!

I have just read Kristin Neff’s book ‘Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself’. It was recommended to me a while back by a coach I was working with. As is usual for when I read a book, I picked it up and flicked through it, then chose another book to flick through instead! But something kept calling me back to it. I guess my inner workings (for those with a spiritual outlook, I would use the term ‘soul’) called me back to it. My soul knew there was a message in there for me. And there was.

When I sat down to read this book, my interest was immediately sparked by this quote:

“MSC [Mindful Self-Compassion] increases… physical health (one study with diabetes patients found it reduced glucose levels).” (p. viii in Neff, 2021)

Wow! So practising self-compassion gives me a tool to reduce my glucose levels and therefore reduces the amount of insulin I’ll need to take on a daily basis…? This seemed like a worthwhile tool to add to my armoury, my way of life, for getting off of insulin.

What Is Self-Compassion?

Kristin Neff (2021. p. 41) has found from her research that self-compassion comprises three elements:

1. Self-kindness

2. Common humanity

3. Mindfulness

To be self-compassionate, is to live a life that engages these qualities most of the time. I will therefore discuss each of these qualities now.

Self-Kindness

“Self-kindness… means that we stop the constant self-judgment and disparaging internal commentary that most of us have come to see as normal… It [also] involves actively comforting ourselves, responding just as we would to a dear friend in need.” (Neff, 2021, p. 42).

I don’t know about you, but this has always been pretty tough for me to do. I have been very critical of myself in all areas of my life, never feeling I measured up to whatever ludicrously high standard I set for myself. But I have got better at this over time. I don’t criticise and judge myself like I used to. I give myself grace. I am learning to love myself properly.

I do not, however, yet actively comfort myself when in need. Kristin Neff (pp. 49-50) highlights how self-hugging is a really effective tool for soothing ourselves. It releases oxytocin, which calms cardiovascular stress and increases feelings of love and bonding (see my post here on hugging). On top of this, self-soothing (and therefore self-hugging) also switches off the fight-or-flight response, which is responsible for increasing blood pressure, adrenaline and cortisol in our system (Neff, 2021. p. 48) (see my post here for more information on the fight-flight response).

We already know that cortisol and adrenaline cause body tissues to be less sensitive to insulin so insulin resistance increases, plus a spike in these neurotransmitters also causes a release of more glucose from the liver. A double hit to our blood sugars! So a self-hug is the protective measure against these.

Common Humanity

“The second fundamental element of self-compassion is recognition of the common human experience.” (Neff, 2021, p. 61). When we ponder this for a while, we can see that we can’t blame ourselves for our failures. The person we are today has been created by a million previous experiences. How we react to today is constructed from the inputs of ourselves and other people in previous times. So how can blame ourselves for our reactions, our outlook, our fears, even the people we love. We are so entwined with the rest of the world that this portioning out of blame is nonsense. Saying that, that does not mean we are free from personal responsibility and accountability. We can still play our part, and should play our part, in our lives. We still have an impact on others that should be considered. But, where that impact is less than desirable, self-compassion is necessary. As Kristin Neff (2021. p. 65):

“If we can compassionately remind ourselves in moments of falling down that failure is part of the shared human experience, then that moment becomes one of togetherness rather than isolation.”

Interestingly. this idea immediately reminded me of Dr Kelly Turner’s work on healing. During her research, she found that both spirituality and social support were key components in healing. I believe that this concept of self-compassion picks up on these two qualities of the healing field.

Mindfulness

The last component of self-compassion that Kristin Neff (2021) has identified through her research is mindfulness. She defines this as:

“the clear seeing and nonjudgmental acceptance of what’s occurring in the present moment”. (p. 80)

In those moments of rage, despair, anger, fatigue, when maybe our behaviour does not reflect the soul we truly are, we need to first see that we are suffering. Our pain comes from suffering. Kristin Neff (2021, p. 81) highlights the crucial difference: that of needing to focus on our pain caused by the failure, not the failure itself. I know personally that, in the heat of the moment, when tempers are high, this is so hard to do. But I guess that this is where the first two components come in… If I can be kind to myself in those moments, rather than judgemental, and if I can see that this happens to all humans, not just me, then I suspect that it will then be easier to be mindful of the pain that I am suffering in that moment. It is then that I can reach for self-love, rather than self-hate. As Kristin Neff (2021, p. 113) puts it:

“We balance the dark energy of negative emotions with the bright energy of love and social connection”.

Practices that Promote Self-Compassion

Kristin Neff’s (2021) book is full of examples of ways to practice self-compassion in our lives. It also contains a series of specific exercises that enable us to access this state. For these alone, I highly recommend buying this book. Some of my favourites (noted here as a memory prompt for me!) are:

Practising Metta (loving-kindness) meditation (Neff, 2021, pp. 211-212)
Silent prayer
Solitary walks in the woods
Becoming aware of the physical sensations in the body during times of stress or distress (Neff, 2021, p. 112)
The Pleasure Walk exercise (Neff, 2021, p. 253)

Type 1 Diabetes and Self-Compassion

I believe that having self-compassion is particularly challenging when you have Type 1 Diabetes. There are many overt and covert judgements that are made throughout your life with this condition. These include judgements about:

How well or not well you are deemed to be controlling your diabetes
Any additional health issues that arise out of this condition
What you are or are not eating at any point in time
How much you weigh
At doctors appointments, where you are told how you can do better or what you have done ‘wrong.
Developing T1D in the first place.

To stand in the face of these criticisms and be okay with yourself is a true act of self-love and self-compassion. It is a choice for peace and happiness in your life and acceptance of what is. That self-compassion then enables you to choose health and wellbeing for yourself and choose the proactive behaviours that support that desire (Neff, 2021, p. 12). And that can lead to healing.

Metta

Kristin Neff (2021) offers several versions of Metta, a kind of loving-meditation practice, in her book. However, I choose to end this article with a version I was given by a yoga teacher many years ago. I offer this to you with love and compassion:

Simply recite this to yourself, preferably on a daily basis but whenever you can, to give more compassion to yourself and others in the world. Try to really feel that love and compassion as you recite each verse:

For yourself, recite:

May I be happy and peaceful.

May I be healthy and at ease.

May I be able to take care of myself joyfully.

May I possess the wisdom, courage, and determination to meet and overcome problems and obstacles in my life.

Then, for someone you really respect who is not a partner or family member:

May they be happy and peaceful

May they be healthy and at ease

May they be able to take care of themselves joyfully

May they possess the wisdom, courage, and determination to meet and overcome problems and obstacles in life.

Next, a beloved family member:

May this family member (name) be happy and peaceful

May they be healthy and at ease

May they be able to take care of themselves joyfully

May they possess the wisdom, courage, and determination to meet and overcome problems and obstacles in life.

Next, a neutral person:

May this neutral person (name) be happy and peaceful

May they be healthy and at ease

May they be able to take care of themselves joyfully

May they possess the wisdom, courage, and determination to meet and overcome problems and obstacles in life.

Next, all beings:

May all beings be happy and peaceful

May all beings be healthy and at ease

May all beings be able to take care of themselves joyfully

May all beings possess the wisdom, courage, and determination to meet and overcome problems and obstacles in life.

Lastly, return again to the self:

May I be happy and peaceful.

May I be healthy and at ease.

May I be able to take care of myself joyfully.

May I possess the wisdom, courage, and determination to meet and overcome problems and obstacles in my life.

Metta. xx

Bibliography:

Neff, K. (2021). Self-Compassion: the proven power of being kind to yourself. Great Britain: Yellow Kite.

Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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April 3, 2023

Read more about the article Self-Compassion

Emotional Wellbeing / Increasing Positive Emotions / Physical Wellbeing / Relaxation / Spirituality / Taking Control of My Health

Reflection and Gratitude

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I’m taking a moment just now to be reflective, be still and at peace. I am pausing to take notice of where I am now. To notice just how far I’ve come. I think it becomes really easy on a healing journey to spend so much time looking at the end goal – that panacea of health, whatever that may be for you or me – that we forget to be thankful for everything that has already happened and that we have already achieved. I guess this post is one of gratitude for all the ways that I have served my own higher good and my own blossoming health.

Looking Back To Where I Was

I am thinking back to the teenager I was. I was angry. I got dressed in black everyday. I didn’t want to mix with the majority of people in the world. I didn’t care about my diabetes. I didn’t care about my health. From here, things only got worse. By my twenties, my mental health had descended into a very deep, dark pit. I was so depressed that I couldn’t get out of bed for weeks at a time. I was so anxious that just walking down to the corner of my street, about 50 metres, was too much for me. I was trapped both in my mind and in my house.

As well as Type 1 Diabetes, clinical depression and clinical anxiety, I had polycystic ovarian syndrome, temporomandibular jaw dysfunction and recurrent infections. I spent a lot of my time seeing doctors. None of them seemed to be able to offer me anything more than temporary relief from symptoms.

I carried my victim status in all my interactions. I felt the world was out to get me. I felt the medical profession was my enemy. I felt God had abandoned me.

I wasn’t really aware at that time just how much I had come undone. I carried on until I couldn’t carry on anymore. I then got help. I started with psychotherapy. I saw multiple therapists over a ten-year period. Some helped some. Some didn’t help at all. One changed my life. Actually, he enabled me to change my life. That was the start of a thousand steps on my road of healing.

Gratitude for the Now

I am sitting here today, free of mental health issues. I have safely weaned myself off antidepressants. No anxiety, no depression remain. I no longer have temporomandibular jaw dysfunction. I rarely see any doctors or need to (apart from my usual diabetes check-ups). I eat well. I move well. I am optimistic about life.

I suspect that my inability to just sit down is rooted in my nervous system too. My twitchiness, my desire to always move and ‘do’ seems indicative of a fight-or-flight reaction. If you’re being stalked through the trees by a predator (or your body thinks that’s the case), you’re not just going to kick back and stargaze, are you?!

I have put down my victim mentality and picked up grace instead. I am grateful for all that life has given me. I am grateful for the woman it has enabled me to become. I am grateful for all the opportunities that life presents. I am grateful for the peace in my heart and the love that surrounds me. I’ve gone from continually reassuring myself, pleading with myself, that I’m ‘not a bad egg’ to telling myself that life is good. And really feeling that in my heart. I am healing. I am well. Life is good.

Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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September 11, 2022

Read more about the article Reflection and Gratitude

Fight-or-Flight Response / Meditation / Physical Wellbeing / Relaxation / Spirituality / Yoga

The Beauty of Rest

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

I’m calling myself out! You see, when I wrote my post on ‘High Blood Pressure’, I said that I was going to start resting properly. I promise I did start doing that. I was doing my good solid 30 minutes of re-lax-ation. But I then found out my blood pressure was back to normal so the rest stopped too. But shouldn’t I still be doing this? Don’t my mind and body deserve this? Don’t we all deserve this, sick or not?!

Relaxation In Ancient Times

In Ancient Greece, an important part of a healing journey was the act of leaving your normal environment in order to seek out a sanctuary for rest and recuperation. Similarly, in Victorian times, it was considered standard practice to spend time by the sea or in a spa or bath house to restore oneself. What has happened to this today? Life today is too focused on being rushed and hurried, being productive and conquering to-do lists.

I am choosing to take a quarter-turn (perhaps more!) away from my to-do list. I’m starting to choose to sit in the sun (topping up my Vitamin D as I do so) or read a few more pages of that novel.

The Need For Rest

In today’s particularly hurried and harried world, rest needs more prioritisation. Adequate rest enables your body to switch from a state of fight-and-flight to rest and repair. It signals to your body that it is safe and satiated, that nothing externally needs to be done so work on maintaining and healing your internal systems can take place. Thus, for healing any kind of illness, including Type 1 Diabetes, rest is compulsory. It’s a non-negotiable.

When you rest, your parasympathetic nervous system is activated. The parasympathetic nervous system is the branch of the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for the rest and repair of your body. We want this one in action as much of the time as possible. Our resting facilitates this branch.

The Discomfort of Rest

The thing is… I feel guilty every time I rest. As a wife, mother, homemaker, blogger, friend… I always feel like there is more I need to be doing. I can’t seem to give myself permission to rest until everything else is done. Sitting down on the sofa surrounded by the mess of an unfinished tidy-up is just not something I can do with ease.

I suspect that my inability to just sit down is rooted in my nervous system too. My twitchiness, my desire to always move and ‘do’ seems indicative of a fight-or-flight reaction. If you’re being stalked through the trees by a predator (or your body thinks that’s the case), you’re not just going to kick back and stargaze, are you?!

For a long time, my self-esteem and my self-worth, even feeling that I existed at all, came from what I did in my day. I guess you could say my raison d’être was ‘I do therefore I am’. If I had ticked jobs off my to-do list, accomplished a lot, I felt I had earned the rest. This old trauma response is ingrained. I need to learn to honour my need for rest. I need to learn to sit with myself in that moment, just as I am. I think trauma takes you away from an ability to sit with yourself in any form – mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Sitting down and just being, rather than doing, is necessary for my healing now.

This may sound counterproductive but, for now at least, I’ve put relaxation on my to-do list! It’s now one of my daily tasks. I’m going to have to condition my body back into the idea of relaxation. It feels a bit like the starting stages of meditation. You know how it is… That first time you meditate, you try so, so hard to stop thinking that you spend all your time thinking about how you shouldn’t be thinking…!!

Returning Home

I have now started to rest. But it’s painful. Yes, that’s right. I struggle to rest. But it’s getting easier. I am saying no to that extra task (or ten extra tasks). I am ensuring I have a whole day each week with no agenda items. I am also taking naps in the sun. I am taking time to read a rubbish book. I have dug out old jigsaws that I haven’t done for years. Most importantly, I am taking the time out to show my body that I am not fighting anymore and it doesn’t need to either.

Now that I live in the Middle East, I am finding myself in a country with a slower pace of life. People don’t rush here. Things happen, things may not happen. Someone may drop by, they may not. And all is good. As I reflect back on how fast-paced my life used to be, it reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend not long after moving out here. He kindly provided some feedback to my driving style. He explained that I was switching lanes too fast when on the motorway (a pace that would be considered perfectly normal in the UK!). He said that local drivers wouldn’t anticipate my ‘quick’ lane changes and that I was therefore more at-risk for an accident. I had to train myself to indicate for longer and transition over the white line at a much slower pace. It has taken time, but I move more slowly now. I hover and pause as I cross the line. I have allowed my car to flow at pace with the cars around me. And now I am encouraging my body and mind to do the same.

Sleep

I am still having some struggles with sleep. Don’t get me wrong… When I’m in bed, I’m usually out like a light. But it takes me a long time to get up those stairs to my bedroom. I procrastinate or, as my husband would say, Dilly and Dally come out to play! I think there are a few reasons for this. Firstly, the godforsaken Netflix. It still sucks me in, despite my best efforts. The combination of the blue light it produces plus the never-ending jump to the next episode makes it hard to switch off. Secondly, there is also a desire to “just get one more thing done” before I get to bed. That is the trauma response. The need to justify rest. The need to persuade myself it’s safe enough, everything is safe enough in my world, for me to go to sleep.

Andrew Weil, in his book ‘Spontaneous Healing’, argues for the importance of rest in healing. I completely agree with him. However, his discussion of rest focuses solely on sleep. Whilst I agree that sleep is important (see my post on sleep here!), I think rest needs to extend beyond that, into the waking hours of life too.

I have two dogs. I believe that they are incredible role models in the way that I should live my life. Being creatures of the wild (their grandmother was a wild-born dog), they have not been influenced by the modern world, by Netflix and to-do lists. And they sleep. They rest. Their meals and exercise are provided as required. So, the rest of their time, they sleep and rest. They play. They enjoy belly rubs. They don’t feel the slightest need to do anything more than that. And they’re happy.

Extending Rest

I recently discovered Matthew Edlund’s book on ‘The Power of Rest’. He outlines a 30-day plan for effecting rest in your life. Whilst the plan itself did not call to me (why rest for 30 days only?!), what did stay with me was the five different types of rest that he stated are needed in our lives. These are: sleep, physical rest, mental rest, social rest and spiritual rest. Matthew Edlund outlines various activities that fall under each of these headings, including meditation, power naps, walking with a friend and so on. For this content alone, I think this book is wholly worthwhile.

Going forward from here, I feel that I need to dedicate some time to considering how to percolate rest, in all its forms, throughout my days. Activities such as gratitude, breathing, yoga, meditation and laughter as forms of relaxation are likely to be content in future posts!

Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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March 21, 2022

Read more about the article The Beauty of Rest

Fight-or-Flight Response / Relaxation

Exhaustion

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

When I pictured healing from Type 1 Diabetes, I saw this wonderful image of me gorgeously improving in all areas of my life and flowing towards this wholeness that was natural and at peace. I thought the steps I took would make sense and that each step would build on the one before. Yep, that is not at all what I’m finding! Instead, I feel pretty exhausted. I feel unhealthy. I feel like I’m taking steps backwards on my journey. My life force, my chi, seems to have deserted me!

My exhaustion comes in waves but spends more time present in my body than absent. My body aches with fatigue for long periods each day. I asked my GP about this and his theory is that me, and a large swathe of the population, are suffering a post-viral reaction to an undetected level of COVID-19. I got sick without symptoms and am now suffering the consequences of that. He says that he is seeing a massive swathe of people each day in his clinic that are complaining of exhaustion. A post-viral reaction makes sense to him.

A post-viral reaction doesn’t make sense to me. I have been super careful about catching – not catching – COVID-19. I also don’t believe that I would have absolutely zero symptoms apart from the post-effects. Surely, if my body is reacting to something, it would react to the illness at every stage with both symptoms and a post-symptom effect??

For me, what makes much more sense is the explanation that Caroline Dooner provides in her book ‘The F*ck It Diet’. (I wrote here about this book and my experience of it.) Caroline explains that, when you start re-feeding your body, you are likely to encounter a period of fatigue, which could last for a period of months. She explains how this re-feeding enables the body to transition from a fight-flight response to a rest-repair response. It makes sense to me. My osteopath also has said (see my blog post here) how I am moving from a freeze response to a flight response. In my mind, I see that a body transitions from freeze to fight/flight to rest/repair. (I hope to get into this later using the work of Peter Levine to illustrate this.) So my body is transitioning towards a rest-repair phase and is consuming my physical and mental energy reserves to do it.

I have to say that my healing journey has really not been anything like I anticipated it to be. Rather than being a smooth build-up of healing experiences, it feels more like driving on a bumpy road along a mountain range, with the road switching back on itself frequently and sometimes not being able to see the summit at all. I do hold great optimism and I do feel my health, both physical and mental, improving with each month. It is that feeling that I hold onto when my drive along the road doesn’t seem to be tallying at all with my road map.

Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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January 10, 2022

Fight-or-Flight Response / Physical Wellbeing / Relaxation / Removal of Toxins

Dry Skin Brushing

Exfoliate, Drain Lymph, Increase Circulation and Reduce Stress

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

This article explores the profound role of skin in personal and medical contexts, particularly regarding Type 1 Diabetes. Exploring its symbolic significance and potential healing properties, this article introduces dry skin brushing as a therapeutic practice, emphasising its benefits and proper application for holistic well-being.

I have been fascinated by skin for a long time. My skin has been the main battleground for my Type 1 Diabetes, receiving probably in excess of 50,000 injections over the years. It has carried the bruises, it has always willingly received the syringes, the needles, the blood test prickers, healing after every single one. But that’s not what fascinates me about it.

What fascinates me about the concept of skin is more symbolic than actual. It fascinates me how the skin acts as a boundary between me and the external world, between my internal thoughts and outer reality. It delineates what makes up me and everything that exists outside that sphere. It clearly shows what is ‘me’ and what is ‘not-me’.

However, the skin’s role of protector is also balanced by a role of mediator or translator. It feeds sensory information about the outside world to inform my internal perceptions and also acts as a way to connect with others through touch. So, perhaps rather than delineating the ‘me’ from the ‘not-me’, does it not in fact balance on the line between the two?

Paul Langerhans: Islets of Langerhans and Langerhans cells

I suspect that there is something about the skin that entices me in, which remains as yet undefined in my mind. I believe that it plays a role in healing Type 1 Diabetes in a way that I cannot yet clearly understand. It is purely an intuition right now.

I have discovered some information that also hints at this connection. Paul Langerhans was a German biologist who was interested in defining and understand the roles of cells in the human body. In 1868, whilst still studying at Berlin University, he published a paper entitled “On the nerves of the human skin”. In it, he investigates in detail the role of a particular kind of skin cell.

One year later, in 1869, Langerhans then published a paper on cells in the pancreas. These pancreatic cells eventually came to be known as the ‘Islets of Langerhans’. These cells, as discussed in my article here, are the cells responsible for producing insulin in the human body.

So the man that discovered insulin cells also discovered a type of skin cell. A connection, although yet undefined, is apparent between the skin and the pancreas.

The Role Of My Skin

However I come to understand the role of my skin in my life, I know without doubt that it needs looking after. My skin is the largest organ of my body (yep, it’s an organ!). In adults, skin can have a surface area of around two metres squared and can account for approximately 16 percent of total body weight.

Skin performs many functions in the body, including:

Protecting the body from hot and cold so as to maintain a constant body temperature
Protecting us from microbes, irritants and allergens that can cause diseases or disequilibrium i the human body
Eliminating toxins through sweating and shedding dead skin cells
Reducing fluid loss through acting as a container for all bodily fluids

Main Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing

Dry body brushing is really beneficial for the skin and supports many of its main functions. The following benefits are of particular note for me in my healing journey:

Exfoliation

Dry skin brushing enables the body to shed dead skin cells more effectively. This unclogs the pores of debris and also enables the body to sweat more effectively, which enables the body to eliminate more toxins naturally. Therefore, it is important to bath or shower immediately after dry body brushing to ensure that the loosened skin cells do not remain on the skin surface.

Lymphatic System Drainage

Brushing in the direction of the flow of the lymphatic system further increases the drainage of the system. As I discussed in my blog post on ‘Rebounding’, the lymphatic system does not have its own pump and relies on the body’s movement to work effectively. Dry body brushing is another form of such movement, which promotes the flow of lymph in the body.

Increased Circulation

A side effect of Type 1 Diabetes can be cold hands and feet. This is often caused by poor circulation. Poor circulation can lead to a host of complications, including cardiovascular disease and neuropathy. Dry skin brushing (gentle enough to not harm the skin surface) can improve circulation.

Stress Relief

Like massage therapy, dry skin brushing can reduce stress in the body through the therapeutic effects of touch. High stress levels are found in, amongst others, those who are experiencing a fight-or-flight response, which I have argued may be what Type 1 Diabetes actually is.

Optimising Vitamin D Levels

Our skin is our most effective organ for creating vitamin D in our bodies. I have already discussed at length the need to have optimum vitamin D to heal Type 1 Diabetes. Removing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin enables more of the skin to be exposed to sunlight for vitamin D to be produced.

How To Dry Skin Brush

I have spent some time trying to find the best description of how to body brush. After all, if I’m going to do it, I want it to be effective!!

I spent a great deal of time looking at different resources. The one I liked the most was a YouTube video by Kelly from ‘Cancer Rehab PT’. Not only is she an expert in physical therapy but she is also focussed on healing the body (of cancer). Her video is also easy to understand:

A lot of people recommend that you should dry body brush towards your heart. However, Kelly suggests in this video that you should brush in alignment with the flow of the lymphatic system in order to enable the system to drain more effectively. That makes much more sense to me!

Choosing My Body Brush

I tried several different body brushes before landing on the one I now use. The first two I tried were handheld with a strap across the back of the brush. Whilst they were effective, I struggled to reach across the whole of my back area. I then bought a third, which had a long handle. But that had synthetic fibres and felt harsh on my skin. The handle was also detachable but that just caused the bristle brush to fall off when I used it!

Eventually, I found the Cactus Long Handle Body Brush by The Body Shop. It has natural bristles (made of cactus!) and feels very ergonomically designed. I felt it was good value and is serving me well.

Remembering to Body Brush

Okay, so I think the most challenging part of this new behaviour for me was finding a way to make it a habit! In the end, I ended up hanging a hook in my bathroom, right by my shower and put my body brush on it. So, every time I go to the shower, I see it. So far, it seems to be working!

Caring For My Body Brush

My body brush is likely to be a receptacle for a lot of the dead cells that it brushes off my skin. Over time, these cells are likely to build up and result in me purely brushing more dead skin back onto my body! To avoid this, I wash my brush in filtered water after every brushing session. Then, once a week, I wash it out with my (toxin-free, natural) shampoo and leave it to dry.

I suspect that, even with these clean9ing practices, I am likely to need to replace my brush fairly frequently to avoid brushing any remaining debris onto my skin.

Can I Body Brush In The Shower?

I did wonder if it was possible to just whizz around with my body brush whilst in the shower. Whilst it is physically possible to body brush with wet skin, it is not advisable. When the skin is wet, dead skin cells congeal on its surface. Brushing then does not remove these cells so detoxifying benefits on the skin’s surface are greatly diminished. Of course, it would still have an impact on the lymphatic system beneath the skin.

Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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January 3, 2022

Read more about the article Dry Skin Brushing

Exercise / Fight-or-Flight Response / Physical Wellbeing / Relaxation

Walking It Out

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

I spoke in my post here about my hypertension diagnosis. My doctor then advised me to walk every day. This has now become a part of my daily life.

Dr Andrew Weil , author of many books – including ‘Spontaneous Healing’ (1995) – states that ‘human beings are meant to walk’. I am inclined to agree with him because of the many benefits it yields.

What Are The Benefits of Walking?

The benefits of walking are numerous! Of the numerous benefits, some really stand out for me as being beneficial to healing my T1D…

1. Nervous System Regulation

Andrew Weil (1995) argues that walking harmonises the whole nervous system. I believe that this harmonisation is crucial in healing the fight-flight-freeze response that I believe is, or results from, Type 1 Diabetes (see my post here for more on this).

2. Reduced Blood Pressure

This is a big one for me right now and a huge motivator for getting out the door every morning! (However, I also found this study that questions the quality of the research proving it.)

3. Reduced Cortisol Levels

Walking reduces cortisol levels. Sustained high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) can lead to a range of health issues, including anxiety, depression, sleep problems and weight gain. For Type 1 Diabetes, increased cortisol can also lead to elevated blood glucose readings. Walking for just 20 minutes is enough to reduce these cortisol levels.

4. Improved Vitamin D Levels

If you walk outsie, you also gain from more exposure to the sun. This will enable your body to increase production of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is crucial for maintaining health in Type 1 Diabetes, as I discussed in my blog posts here.

Getting Started

Walking is a perfect exercise choice for many reasons. It is easy to do. You just need yourself and a good pair of shoes! You do not need to learn anything new to do it. It costs nothing. You can do it anywhere – outside in an urban area or in nature, inside on a treadmill or even in circles in your own home! There is little chance of injury (just avoid snow and ice!).

You should walk at a brisk pace. The pace should be fast enough to get your breathing harder but not so hard that you can no longer hold a conversation.

The British Journal of Sports Medicine states that a suitable pace of at least 100 steps per minutes is ideal. If you do not wish to count steps whilst walking, a pedometer or fitness tracker can do this for you.

Walking has now become the next step (pun intended!!) in my healing journey. Let’s see where it takes me!

Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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November 22, 2021

Read more about the article Walking It Out

Exercise / Physical Wellbeing / Relaxation / Removal of Toxins / Taking Control of My Health

High Blood Pressure

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Hypertension Enters Stage Left...

God has thrown me a curve ball. A big one. I strolled into my diabetologist’s office for my latest check-up, only to be told that I have hypertension!!

Say, what?! I was a little shocked to say the least! My blood pressure has been somewhere between 117/78 and 120/80 FOREVER! It was so predictable that I gave up asking what it was when I went for check-ups. There was no point. I took my eye off the ball and this is what happened…

I got a reading of 139/72. My doctor told me to lose weight and wrote me a prescription for high-dose vitamin D (I guess he’s in the clear, then… He prescribed me something so has been a hugely effective doctor. Yeah, right.)

Searching for Answers

Now, the thing is… I’m a bit stumped where this has come from. I know that I have gained some weight but I have been this weight at other points in my life without an impact on my blood pressure. In terms of stress, it’s probably the lowest it’s ever been in my life. In fact, my husband jokingly said that maybe it’s my body’s rebellion against the lack of stress… It’s created a way to give me more stress and therefore get me back into my ‘normal range’!!

But I’m not going to choose to understand it that way. For me, this is a gift from God. This is God directing me to my next level of healing. He’s asking me to step up and make the next level of change. And I’m taking the challenge on!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Since I found out. I have committed to walking for 30 minutes every morning. I haven’t missed a single one. And I won’t. I have already pictured myself turning around to my diabetologist at my next check-up and telling him that I’ve walked every day since I last saw him. it’s written in stone. It’s done.

I’ve also invested in a blood pressure monitor (the same one that my doctor uses… I’m a nerd like that!). I am monitoring it twice a day. After all, data is key! Interestingly, nearly all of o my readings are normal so I’m looking forward to seeing what it is at my next check-up!

For now, contrary to my doctor’s advice, I’ve decided not to focus on losing weight. I outlined in my three posts on ‘Food, Food Everywhere’ (here, here and here) why I feel that health and healing for me doesn’t lie at the end of a diet and I still stick with that. It just doesn’t feel right to be messing around with that right now and I’m going to trust my intuition on that.

Instead, I am implementing rest with a vengeance!! Every day, I am now getting my hyperactive bum to stay put on a chair or other suitably relaxing piece of furniture (bed, sofa or – my favourite – the sun lounger!) for a minimum of 30 minutes. My body needs to relax and I’m showing it the way.

To be truthful, I am scared. I am scared that my heart might explode whilst I’m exercising or that the damage being done to my body during every day of hypertension will be catastrophic or irreparable. So I’m relying on my faith. God has a plan that I can only see one step of right now.

Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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November 15, 2021