Elly's Notes from NoVA CFS/FMS
Support
Group Meetings and Emails
HeartMath
"A
change of heart, changes everything."
Q. What is HeartMath? Why do you talk about it? HeartMath has been a
subject at three of our meetings in February, American Heart Month.
HeartMath is an Institute,
a set of techniques, products, and much more that offers
a measurable way of seeing the effects of emotions on the body
scientifically. HeartMath
uses modern technology to
measure heart rate
variability
(HRV). Positive emotions are associated with less variability.
Cultivating the positive emotions, especially gratitude, helps save
energy so one doesn''t spend so many internal resources (vitamins,
minerals, enzymes, ATP, etc.) on regulating
autonomic nervous functions. To learn more about this in a support
group setting, check out Elly's Gratitude
Group (EGG) support group teleconferences. HearthMath has done clinical trials with
their testing on CFS patients. (Note: ANSAR medical testing of the
autonomic nervous system also uses HRV.)
CFS/FM/OI patients
are known for
super stress sensitivity. At meetings, we talk about things that can
help us cope such as chelated calcium and magnesium supplements,
medications, meditations and mantras, avoiding stressors, and a some
Heartmath techniques. The idea is to
- Become more
aware of when you are stressed
- Discover your
personal stress triggers
- Reduce the severity of your reactions, leaving you more energy to
deal with illness and life
- Move your
mind, emotions and body toward balance
According to
the American
Institute of Stress, 90% of all health problems are related to stress.
Excessive stress wears down the immune system, increasing the risk of
many health problems. Chronic stress can contribute to sleep disorders.
You cannot eliminate stress from your life, but you can practice ways
of reducing its effects and possibly even reversing any ill effects.
The concepts that
HeartMath works with
are inspiring to me. My geeky physicist side likes the hi-tech side,
and the spiritual seeker in me likes the possibilities and hope for
restoring mind- body balance. There are many of ways to learn more -
books, office visits with a trainer, audio tapes, home software, and HeartMath's website (www.heartmath.com). One product is the computer
program formerly known as the Freeze Framer, now called the emWave PC Stress Relief System. (Available for Mac's in 2009)
It comes with a
finger pulse cuff to
monitor your HRV as you think about various things. It plots the
level of the coherence of your heart and thoughts. In one mode, you are shown a black
and white picture. The more you are able to focus
your thoughts on positive emotions (love, appreciation and gratitude)
and feel them, the less variation in heart rate and the picture starts
to change into color! The
feedback helps you become aware of your autonomic nervous systems
reactions to your perceptions and make changes. Very cool, but I found
the gadgetry not as important as knowing and practicing the
concepts. Writing a list of 5 things I am grateful for each day in a
gratitude journal gave me the excellent practice.
Saying that gratitude
or mind involvement
in disease is not meant in any way to diminish the severity or
complexity of physical symptoms, disease,
viruses, etc. with which people are contending. It is because one is
very physically ill that it is important to use every tool in the
medicine bag. Inviting emotions, a spiritual life, and a new kind of
thought focus into our healing process gives more opportunity
and
sometimes even more energy to find physical relief and experience some
happiness while still symptomatic and searching for more
help.
HeartMath asks us if
we are really sincere
with ourselves. Most patients who call me are not as sincere as they
want to believe they are. I hear, "I'll do anything to get better."
Then the next 5 sentences are
things they won't do, won't give up even temporarily, etc. That's okay,
it's human nature. To be sincere, you don't have to try everything or
even anything, just
change how you speak. Perhaps say, 'I want to get better, but
on my terms - I'm not
giving up X, Y, and Z and I won't try such and such 'til I feel ready.
If that means my recovery will take longer than I accept it as my
choice.' Then your mind and heart can relax because there is no more
inconsistency.
HeartMath has so much information on their website about the science of
stress and the autonomic nervous system, about the brain and heart
interactions, about how focusing on the heart and getting the heart and
mind to be in coherence heals, and more! Check them out... for some of
the items, you'll need to register with a user ID and password, but it
is free.
http://www.heartmath.org/
If you sign up for a HeartMath.org password, you get a free
copy of the e-book
The Inside Story,
Understanding the Power of Feeling. Password probably needed for these:
http://www.heartmath.org/heart-lock-in-technique.htm
http://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/index.html
We had handouts for the Heart-Lock-In technique and Attitude Breathing
at meetings:
You can download them and other longer ones from
http://www.heartmath.org/estk_t/downloads.php
Self Care: http://www.heartmath.com/self/index.html
Free heart quotes: http://www.heartmath.com/freeservices.html
One Minute
Stress Management by Doc Childre
Our best known technique shows how to manage thoughts
and emotions in the moment by applying five simple steps. Research
studies show improvement in nervous system balance, the health of the
heart and immune system health. Used by organizations to enhance
performance, creativity and resilience. Recommended by doctors and
health care practitioners. HeartMath - Take Out The Significance—A Key to Peace and Satisfaction
Tool: Notice and Ease -- For Emotional Renewal
Tool: The Power of Neutral—To refocus your emotions Connecting A Million Hearts - Photo and Music For Earth Day Applied Appreciation - Free E-book
Institute
of HeartMath Research
Assessment
of Autonomic Function and Balance in Chronic Fatigue Patients Using
24-Hour Heart Rate Variability Analysis
R. McCraty, S. Lanson, M. Atkinson
Clinical Autonomic Research 1997;7(5):237.
Chronic
fatigue syndrome (CFS) is
a medically unexplained disorder characterized by chronic, disabling
fatigue, muscle pain, impaired concentration and a variety of
neurobiological symptoms that make everyday activities extremely
difficult. While it has been suggested that patients with CFS may have
impaired autonomic nervous system function, there have been few studies
that have examined this question directly. The purpose of this study
was to determine if there were differences in autonomic function, as
assessed by 24-hour heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, in 22 CFS
patients (age range 31-69, mean age 45.5) as compared to healthy age
and sex-matched controls. Holter monitoring was performed on all
subjects, and HRV data was subjected to time domain, frequency domain
and circadian rhythm analysis. In CFS patients, the SDNN index (mostly
sympathetic) and RMS-SD (parasympathetic) measures were significantly
lower than in controls. In the frequency domain, 5-minute total power,
very low frequency (VLF) (mostly sympathetic), low frequency (LF) and
high frequency (HF) (parasympathetic) power were all significantly
lower in CFS patients. Circadian rhythm analysis revealed that
differences in time and frequency domain measures were significant
primarily during the daytime hours; 5-minute total power, LF power and
HF power were also significantly lower in CFS patients during the
latter part of the sleep cycle. There were no significant differences
in mean heart rate or in the LF/HF ratio. Our
results indicate that autonomic function is indeed impaired in CFS
patients, as both sympathetic and parasympathetic activity are
significantly depressed with respect to healthy age and sex-matched
controls.
A More
Effective Approach to Stress
Many stress-reduction
approaches, such as exercise and
fitness programs, time management techniques and nutritional education
programs, have been implemented over the past ten to fifteen years to
help people cope with increased stress in the workplace. Although there
have been some benefits realized from these programs, most have not
resulted in the desired outcomes, and the level of stress experienced
by workers has continued to rise. ...
While situations, encounters or
events may seem in-trinsically "stressful," it is truly how an
individual perceives and reacts to an event that determines whether or
not the stress response is activated. The main limitation of most
stress-reduction approaches now in use is that while helpful, they do
not target the real source of people's stress, enabling them to
transform their perceptions and reactions to potentially
“stressful” situations in the moment they occur.
HeartMath techniques can be used to
transform the physical, mental and
emotional effects of stress in the moment in which they occur. The
drain and toxicity is reversed and optimal conditions for high
preformance are established.
“The main limitation
of most stress-reduction approaches...
is that they do not provide a means to reduce or avoid stress in the
moment, as it occurs. ”
—Doc Childre, HeartMath Founder
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