Saturday, October 22, 2016

From severe chronic pain and morbid obesity to a joyful bike rider!

When you look at the picture below, you see a regular guy riding a bicycle; and that would be correct. I am pretty much just a regular guy doing a regular, everyday activity. However, this wasn’t always the case. What you don’t see in this picture is a former morbidly obese, depressed, angry guy in severe, chronic pain.



When dystonia entered my life, everything stopped, or seemed to stop, as everything I did was no longer possible for me to continue. Work couldn’t be done. My masters degree that I was pursuing at the time quickly became a lost dream, I couldn’t travel…heck, I could barely sit or stand without crying pain.

Because of my sedentary lifestyle with disabling pain, a terrible diet, and medicating myself with alcohol, I gained a lot of weight. I was well over 300 pounds, a long way from the 190 pounds I weighed when dystonia began. I was a recluse, holing myself up in my house for years, embarrassed and ashamed at what my life had become.

Five years after my diagnosis, I reached a point where I was afraid I might die from the punitive lifestyle I chose for myself; all done for the purpose of avoiding my physical and emotional pain, but my escape actually made me worse so it was a fruitless endeavor. A decision had to be made; continue this destructive lifestyle and suffer the consequences, or make a change a get busy living. I chose to live. I wanted a different life and would do anything to make it happen. Each day I took baby steps by exercising and changing my diet. Each day I added more things to lose weight and also gain greater control of my dystonia symptoms. I am proud to say that I have lost around 150 pounds and kept it off!


Unfortunately, I developed some problems in my back that made walking uncomfortable (my main form of exercise), so I took to riding a bike to get around the neighborhood. I felt like a kid again so I began to ride further. Wow it felt good! While I don’t go very far, maybe a few miles, I do enough to get my heart rate up and break a sweat. Some days I will really push it and get in a good workout, while other days I will roll around and just enjoy the scenery, something I missed out on for way too many years.

To everyone who sees me riding a bike that doesn’t know my story of pain, obesity, and on the verge of suicide, I am just another person out getting some exercise. This is true, but what they don’t know is that this is a guy who almost wasn’t even here at all. Most importantly, they don’t see the immense internal joy I now feel just to be able to sit on the bike again, let alone ride it!

So grateful to be alive, I love riding around and seeing a fox run by or a rabbit staring at me from the bushes thinking it is camouflaged and I can’t see it. I love seeing the colors of the sky change in the evening as I ride. I love feeling the wind on my face, the way the bike banks on turns, and how my heart feels beating through my chest; things I never thought I would experience again after my diagnosis…ever!!

   

To anyone looking at this picture it appears that I am just a guy out enjoying a bike ride…and you are absolutely correct. Even though I still have pain and muscle contractions/spasms from dystonia, for the first time in years, without worry or fear, I am finally just a guy out enjoying the ride…the ride of his life!

Tom Seaman is a Certified Professional Life Coach in the area of health and wellness, and author of the book, Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey, a comprehensive resource for anyone suffering with any life challenge. He is also a motivational speaker, chronic pain and dystonia awareness advocate, health blogger, and volunteers for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) as a support group leader, for WEGO Health as a patient expert panelist, and is a member and writer for Chronic Illness Bloggers Network. To learn more about Tom’s coaching practice and get a copy of his book, visit www.tomseamancoaching.com. Follow him on Twitter @Dystoniabook1 and Instagram
http://www.diagnosisdystonia.com/


Sunday, October 16, 2016

The power of positive thoughts on our health

Most people have probably heard the saying, “change your thoughts, change your life.” There is great truth to this because how we think can significantly impact our mental and physical health. Consider the power of placebo. It is not the placebo that heals a person, but a person’s belief in it that does the healing. Clearly, the mind is extremely powerful which is great news for us because when we think healthy thoughts, the body finds it easier to be healthy.

One way we can utilize the power of the mind is with positive affirmations. I find affirmations to be very helpful as I live with the ups and downs of a very challenging neurological disorder called dystonia.

Affirmations are positive, specific statements that can condition the subconscious mind to develop a more positive perception of ourselves. Affirmations help improve our health and the perception of our health, change harmful thoughts and behaviors, accomplish goals, and have a brighter outlook on all situations in life. They can also help undo damage caused by negative things we repeatedly tell ourselves (or what others repeatedly tell us) that contribute to a negative self-perception.

Positive affirmations bring to life our capabilities, strengths, talents, and skills. When we say “I can’t”, the energy of those words repel against us. When we say “I can”, we are better able to achieve what we desire. Look at affirmations the same way as repetitive exercises that improve our physical health. Positive mental repetitions reprogram the brain so we begin to think and act in a healthier way.

Additionally, when we think positively, the pituitary gland disperses endorphins which are effective in releasing energy that eases healing and relieves pain. When we have negative thoughts, noradrenaline (a stress hormone sometimes referred to as norepinephrine) is dispersed.



Write down areas in your life or behaviors you want to improve. For each, come up with a positive, present-tense statement you can repeat to yourself several times a day. Below are some health related affirmations. Even if some of them are not true at the moment, but how you want things to be, say them anyway. We can manifest anything with the right mindset that is consistent. Keep in mind that anger, bitterness, and resentment are also affirmations. They are the ones to avoid if we want to be healthy.

Affirmations
  • My ability to conquer (insert health condition) and other challenges is limitless.
  • My mind is clear and calm.
  • My body is balanced and strong.
  • I make healthy choices. I have respect for myself.
  • My only work is to relax and breathe.
  • I am grateful to be alive today. It is my joy to live another day.
  • I am willing to ask for help when I need it.
  • I am pain free.
  • Everything that is happening now is for my ultimate good.
  • I am at peace with what has happened, is happening, and will happen.
  • I sleep in peace and wake in joy.
  • Every day in every way I am getting healthier and feeling better.
  • I love and care for my body and it cares for me.
  • I am in control of my life and health.
  • I value my time and energy.
  • I allow myself to play and enjoy life.
  • I am full of energy and vitality.
  • Every day is a new day full of hope, happiness, and health.

Affirmations should use positive language and clearly express what you desire. It is important to use affirmations with “I”, “I am”, and “I will” statements, affirming that you will use your abilities to achieve your goal. Close your eyes, shut out the rest of the world, and repeat the words, thinking what they mean to you. Feel the emotions that the affirmations evoke.

An affirmation I often say is, “My mind is clear and calm. My body is balanced and strong. My heart is loving and pure.” These are all areas where I feel the need to focus my attention to achieve balance in my life. The more I repeat this, the more it becomes part of my everyday life, positively impacting everything I do.

Developing a positive mindset is one of the most powerful life strategies at our disposal. With positive affirmations and visualization, it is possible to transform our life and our health, and renew joy and passion. For more health affirmations, please see the work done by Louise Hay.



http://www.diagnosisdystonia.com/

Tom Seaman is a Certified Professional Life Coach in the area of health and wellness, and author of the book, Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey, a comprehensive resource for anyone suffering with any life challenge. He is also a motivational speaker, chronic pain and dystonia awareness advocate, health blogger, and volunteers for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) as a support group leader, for WEGO Health as a patient expert panelist, and is a member and writer for Chronic Illness Bloggers Network. To learn more about Tom’s coaching practice and get a copy of his book, visit www.tomseamancoaching.com. Follow him on Twitter @Dystoniabook1 and Instagram

Monday, October 3, 2016

Never give up!

I recently found this obese picture of me from 10 years ago with my nephew. I then recreated it last week to see a comparison. My nephew grew and I shrunk :)  I am sharing this because my greatest wish in all I do is to provide others with hope. Hope is the cornerstone of my book, along with strategies for living well so that dystonia does not dominate your life.



When chronic pain from dystonia began in 2001, it was so debilitating I basically lived on my floor. I was very sedentary and had a very unhealthy lifestyle. I went from an athletic 190 pounds to well over 300 pounds. Depressed, anxiety ridden, and embarrassed, I retreated from the world. The physical and mental pain were killing me. Very sick and fearing the worst I said, "no more! I want to live!" I made a plan and took baby steps, changing one or two things a day in pursuit of health. I began to learn ways to manage my pain and I lost nearly 150 pounds!!

I still have many challenges with dystonia and pain, but it is much better than it once was. It takes a lot of work every day, but I know where it can lead if I don't remain diligent. Please believe that whatever challenge you want to overcome or learn to better live with, be it dystonia, weight issues, or something else, anything is possible. Please never give up!!

Tom Seaman is a Certified Professional Life Coach in the area of health and wellness, and author of the book, Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey, a comprehensive resource for anyone suffering with any life challenge. He is also a motivational speaker, chronic pain and dystonia awareness advocate, health blogger, and volunteers for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) as a support group leader, for WEGO Health as a patient expert panelist, and is a member and writer for Chronic Illness Bloggers Network. To learn more about Tom’s coaching practice and get a copy of his book, visit www.tomseamancoaching.com. Follow him on Twitter @Dystoniabook1 and Instagram
http://www.diagnosisdystonia.com/