New Website - www.ScullyTherapyClinic.com

Don't worry. I am keeping this blog going as it is a separate entity!

Scully Therapy Clinic

This is purely for my clinic page. I will have educational videos, recipes, news and scientific studies. Let me know what you think and if you could, share the site on your social media pages.

#BeatCF

It Is Not Inevitable

I don't like saying that it is inevitable that I got sick. I suppose everyone gets sick, but i refuse to say it is inevitable as I feel it is giving in to CF.

What's wrong with me? Leading up to the final of the World Championships in Beijing, I started to feel as I ran a really hard run and my chest was burning. I listened to my body and I didn't train. I went back on Symbicort to try reduce any inflammation that was there. The day after the final, I got gradually worse. I wasn't feeling sick. I just felt like my lungs were on fire. I ended coughing up blood about an hour before my flight from Beijing to Algeria. I was determined to get the hell home. I got on the plane, took a Melatonin and I slept for 14 hours. When I got to Algeria, I was looking for my inhaler, with no avail. So I acupunctured myself, ordered green tea with mint, and went to a steam room in the hotel. I meditated using diaphragmatic breathing. All this helped. I was looking at the Fluclox and Cyprox that i brought with me. I logically thought about it. I didnt have a sign of an infection. I just had an inflamed chest. Like an asthmatic attack. I won't blame the pollution in Beijing as there wasn't much of it. It was like any other city. However, the Air Con in the hotel was always on when i was having my breakfast, lunch and dinner. Actually, when I had a plate of hot food, within 5 minutes, it was cold. Thats how cold they had the AC. I never have the AC on in my room as its the devil. Unless I am uncontrollably hot, i turn it on for 5 minutes. Feeling hot inside is a symptom that you aren't functioning properly. You aren't hydrated or you are eating to many inflammatory foods. For example, sugar or alcohol.
I also think that I was running on adrenalin for about 2-3 weeks prior to my symptom. Once the final was over, my body had a chance to settle and boom!!! The chest went kaput.

Anyway, I didn't take an antibiotic and asked my Mam to bring steroids to the airport for when she collected me. A strange request but I felt I needed them. I can't remember the last time I was on an anti biotic and the last time i was on steroids was 5 years ago when i got a huge allergic reaction to aspergillus in a forest.

I don't know if I'm alone, but i LOVE steroids. The first day is the best. 6 tablets and within 10 minutes you are so relaxed. If I could i would take more! Its good the pharmacist gives you the correct dose, and not a few more for good luck! Im on my second day of them and I can feel I am bouncing back. I feel like I need to train now. I am looking forward to heading back out on a run and doing some yoga. Right now, i can't run up the stairs.
I try do everything naturally as well. So making teas and eating pineapple which has an enzyme called Bromulin. It helps reduce inflammation.

The tea I make is as follows;

• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves
• 4 peppercorns
• 1 cardamon pod
• Organic honey. I use honey that is unfused with thyme and mint.
• Fill up with about 400ml of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes

Here's a few pictures of The Birds Nest Stadium and The Great Wall Of China

#BeatCF

Being in Beijing

I highly doubt that there are 9 million bicycles in Beijing. Although, given that the population is 26 million then I would probably say 30% do have bicycles. Nobody really cycles them. Scooters (electric and push), and cars are the main modes of transport. I haven't seen an underground or subway equivalent. However, a 30 min taxi costs between ¥37 (€5.30ish) and ¥56 (€8) depending on traffic. So why would you bother taking public transport. I'm in a taxi writing this as well. With no seatbelt. Well, they do have seat belts but nothing to connect the seat belts. It's like playing Russian Roulette, or in this case, Beijing Roulette.

Yas and I visited the Bleedin Deadly Wall of China. If you don't like steps then don't go. If you like skipping leg day, then don't go. It's like lunging for an hour straight! Then having to walk, or jump down the steps, which resemble more like a small cliff. Other then that, it has lovely views, and it's a goal (recent goal) to visit the 7 Wonder Of The World. 1 down, 6 to go! 

Dotted along the wall are shops selling nic nac shite that I love (Yas hates). Teacups, fridge magnets, beads, coins, and a Che Givara  tshirt! No idea he had such an influence on the Great Wall! 

I think the pollution and weather was a great surprise. There is very little pollution, given that it's a huge city. I was told that the factories have stopped production to let the pollution calm down. The weather has been mid 20s. It's nice. 

As a whole, Beijing has impressed me. The people are so nice, and most can speak English. They go out of their way to help you. Yes the spit a lot, but this is good for people with CF. Sometimes you have a big mucus filled gollier (spit in Ireland) in your mouth and you need to get it out. It's ok in Beijing. Just spit!

There is a huge culture for food. Instead of visiting art galleries or history museums, the Chinese love to eat and talk about where the best food is for dinner etc. This is something that Yas and I love. Yes we love art and history, music and sightseeing, but our day is made up of food. We search places to eat before we go to a country. Not just typical restaurants. Places that are off the beaten track. Little gems that don't cost an arm and a leg to eat at (we still eat at those as well). For instance, we had 12 cooked oysters in garlic, chilli and coriander, with soy sauce. About 4 handfuls of prawns, these amazing noodles and it all cost about €30. Less actually. We were stuffed after. The oysters are one of the best mouthfuls of food I've ever had. Raw oysters is something I cannot eat. I tried and just couldn't. I love raw food but these I just couldn't. Blue mouldy cheese is another and pickles are the last thing. Those 3 I even feel sick thinking about them. But cooked oysters is a whole different ball game. 

I think that Ireland and the UK are the only countries that don't use their horn in their car. Every country, especially in Beijing and Algeria, they love blowing their horn. They might as well tape it down so it's constantly on. It would be so much easier.

So back to business. Taoufik is thru to the semi final of the World Champs (1.05pm Irish time - 28th of Aug). The final is on Sunday around the same time. Should find it on the BBC. He looked ok in the heats but he hates mornings so this is probably the reason. The main thing is not to analyse it and take each races as it comes. Focus on the task at hand. I tell people this - it's not how fast your legs can go, it's about how mentally strong you are. 

All is good here from Beijing. I will update with a video as soon as I can find my lead for my GoPro! 

#BeatCF

Road TO Beijing 2015

The time has come. The training is done.
I am in Beijing for the World Athletics Championships. Above is a small trailer that I made from the beginning of the year until a few days ago. I made it on my way over to Beijing because the flight was stupidly long. 13 hours of flying. But what made it worse is that we were stuck on the runway for 7 hours. Just as we were about to take off from the ground, the whole plane came to a sudden stop. One engine was only working at 30%. You wouldn't want to have a fear of flying!

Beijing isn't what I was expecting. In fact, it reminds me of Brussels. The pollution isn't what everyone was telling me. The heat isn't that bad and the humidity is ok. Well, it goes between 45-60% with the temp at high 20s and low 30s. But its always overcast which is probably why the humidity is so high. Picture Irelands summer...without rain...and a little hotter.
I was expecting to see lanterns everywhere and what you would expect from a typical Chinese postcard to look like. I haven't seen one lantern yet.
I found this little food garden. It's actually called a beer garden but there is more food then beer. I ordered oysters cooked over an open flame with chilli, garlic and soy sauce. It was one of the nicest mouthfuls of food I have tasted. What was even better is that 6 oysters were the equivalent of €6. Good food isn't always the most expensive food!

As i write this, Yas is just about landing in Beijing after 23 hours of flying! She always researches places before she goes so I know she already has the best places to visit. The both of us are "foodies" and when in China, you do as the Chinese do. Eat everything! Well, thats my stereotype of them. I don't think its as true as what everyone says. I haven't seen dog or scorpion on any menu. However, I asked a local where to get dog and the like. So thats on my to do list. People may wonder why the hell i would want to eat dog, or snake or whatever it may be. Because it is there! If it wasn't for the Egyptians, dogs wouldn't be seen as pets. Asians HATE blue cheese, and think that eating it is sickening. I do too. It makes me nauseous if I even think about eating it. In Asia, they don't really look at dairy products at all. Eating a camel is ok in Arab countries. In Ireland, we wouldnt even think of eating a camel. So delicacies are only strange because we haven't grown up with that idea.

Taoufiks first race is on the 27th. Semi final on the 28th and the final on the 30th. I am not that nervous as I know he can win. I have seen the training he has put in. He is ready. Nothing can be changed by worrying about something.

#BeatCF

Controlling CF With Nutrition - Ginseng (part4)

Before you read this, take a look at the other 3 parts.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3


So, the world of Cystic Fibrosis is slowly coming around to the links between nutrition and our illness/disease.
Fibrosis means the thickening and scarring of tissues. Or you can look at it as an inflammatory response to our body. Im not sure where I am going with this, but I thought it might be interesting.
Anyway, like I said last year, and years before that. Eating crap food no matter who you are will result in your body functioning crap. We are no different. If you fill yourself with Haribo and Lucozade, you will be getting no nutritional value from it and it will actually be an anti-nutritional food. Meaning, it does more harm then good.

I will start of with a CF conference in Australia (which was posted by Grant on DearCF Facebook)

I will try get the full slides and narrow the information down.

GINSENG

There are a few different versions of Ginseng.  Depending on your body composition from a Chinese Medicine point of view, (Yin or Yang), then you should determine which Ginseng to take. I won't get too into Chinese Medicine here, but i will give you the information.

1. American Ginseng

This version is the least effective on the QI (energy) out of the 3 Ginsengs. However, this type of ginseng is good for coughing up blood, or if you have a fever, as it is cooling. It would also be good for someone with menopause.

2. Panax Ginseng

This ginseng is the in between ginseng. It generates fluid in the body, and has a calming effect on the body. I think this is the most available Ginseng. But just make sure it is this you are getting as each ginseng has different effects. However, i think this one or the American one can be good in the treatment in CF, and the studies don't say which ginseng they used apart from the one listed below. 

3. Korean Ginseng

This type of ginseng has the strongest effect. This doesn't mean it is the best for you. If you have too much heat in your body then this type can make you worse. However, because CF is a damp condition (produces more phlegm) then this could be the one to consider. But if you have an infection or have a temprature, then maybe use the American Ginseng. 

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON GINSENG

A study with CF and Ginseng from 1997 shows that it can be used to significantly improve in the treatment of  Pseudomonas A in only 2 weeks. (1997 Study on Ginseng and Pseudo)

The second study was from 2011. This study shows that Ginseng can be used to eradicate the biofilm associated chronic infections caused by P. aeruginosa. (2011 Study On The Eradication of the Biofilm in Pseudo A).

This this study shows the same reaction to Pseudo with the treatment of Ginseng but it states which type of Ginseng that was used. Which was the American Ginseng (2014 Study on American Ginseng for Pseudo)

TIPS

If you are taking a lot of caffeine in the day then i would reduce the amount you take, if you are going to start with Ginseng. I would also take ginseng in the morning, as it can have an effect on energy levels and insomnia. 

If you are on Insulin then be careful as it can speed up the metabolism. 

FURTHER READING

Because Panax ginseng is probably the most popular, and the study above shows that it was the Panax variety that helped with Pseudo. Read the link for further info (Uses, Interactions, Dosage on WebMD)

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 

I haven't been on ginseng a long time, and i haven't had a sputum done in over a year. But once I am home, i will get a sputum done to see if there was any change in my Pseudomonas A. I am only speaking from experience, and with scientific studies on Ginseng, i think it gives a convincing case. 

Ran From The Bottom Now Im Here!

From the video above, you can see I am keeping well. The apartment is 1800m above sea level. I ran to what i thought was the top. Until I went behind a bunch of trees and found another massive incline. These inclines are supposed to be skiing downhill, and getting the lift up to the top, not running up the thing.
Some people when they see a football, they feel they need to give it a kick. When I see a hill, i have the urge to run up it.
It is now 13 days out from World Championships. The icing is being put on the cake! Everyone reading this, please cross everything possible in your body.

#BeatCF

Cough Up A Lung

It seems to be a yearly episode of coughing up blood. The last time it happened was last August when i was in Portugal. I had the Air Con on. Over the weekend, I was in Paris which it was 38 degrees. I had no choice but to put the AC on. I am convinced thats why I am coughing up blood a few days later. The weather has changed dramatically. It was raining yesterday and the day before. So going from really high temperatures to cold and damp conditions, i think, plays a part in it. 

There can’t be any other reason as I am still able to run. 

• Monday - 40 minutes cycle, + 25 minutes run, 
• Tuesday - 55 minutes run + yoga 
• Wednesday - 30 min run
• Thursday - held a plank/bridge for 1 hour and 21mins.

I think the thing to do in this situation is relax, put the kettle on and time to calm down. Stress is another reason why it can happen. I have learnt this from past experiences. I know I don’t have an infection as I wouldn’t be able to do the amount I am doing. 

At the moment, i am in a place called Font Romeu. Its situated in the French Pyrenees. I am living at 2000m above sea level, and its by far the easiest altitude I have been at. Ethiopia is the highest I've been to at 3200m. Flagstaff in America was the hardest and it was about 1800m i think. Not sure why it was so hard to adapt up there. 

So I travel to Beijing in about 10 days for the World Athletics Championships. I will hook up with Yas as well which will be cool as Asia is one of the places on our to do list. 

Speaking of which. Earlier in the year we both wrote down 3 name places that we wanted to go in October. October is our anniversary, hence the little trip. We both had Berlin as one of the destinations. Berlin it was! Im looking forward to that. Munich is still the best place I've been to. Berlin is supposed to be better. But, I feel that it isn't necessarily the place that makes it great, i think its the company that you are with. 

The athlete I'm working with has improved by nearly 2 seconds over 1500m. His now the 4th fastest person ever in the 1000m. So he is coming into perfect shape to win World Championships. Here is a few pics below of the last bit. 

Edu seeing me taking my neb for the first time. He wouldnt let go of me. So cute!

Article in the Meath Chronicle 

Doing a session on the track. 

This was taken from a French newspaper that Taoufik was in. 

This is a picture from Font Romeu. Not a bad view. 

On The Road Vegan

So one thing led to another and I became a vegan. How? Well I don’t do things in halves. I started out doing a 5/2 diet. I just came up with the idea of doing 5 days vegetarian, and 2 days normal. I called it the Weekday Vegetarian. The only reason I was eating meat on a weekend was because every saturday, our family has a steak night, and on a Sunday was the usual Sunday Roast. I also happen to love meat. 

As I have been away, I stuck to the Weekday Vegetarian. I began to look into things in the animal industry and realised how exploited they are, and how much of the worlds energy goes into bulking up animals for humans to feast on. It made no sense to me, and all the sense in the world for me to go vegan. Full-time! 

I have been a full-time vegan for a month, but supplementing with B-12. The pharmacist said that I was to take 1 vile once a month. It was 1000mcg of B12. Is he having a laugh? That would last a few days, and especially with CF and the absorbtion problems. Furthermore, it is not how much B12 you are supplementing with, its how the body is able to absorb it. 

After about 2 week, I began to wake up feeling even worse then I usually do. I usually wake up feeling like i haven’t even slept. Now, I wake up with what I imagine a hangover would feel like. Headaches, body aches, taking me longer to do stuff, and having no appetite at all in the morning. I usually don’t have a big appetite in the morning, but now it is zero. 

Just the weekend gone, I craved raw animal and cheese. I usually listen to signs of what my body is telling me. I felt like I was giving up on something I committed to. Although, I usually am too hard on myself on silly little things. I felt it was a sign of weakness if I decided to start eating meat at the weekends. Instead of listening to that part of my conscious, I decided to go get some sushi. Worst part of it was, it wasn’t even nice sushi. So I met up with a friend for lunch number 2. I ordered carpaccio with basil infused olive oil. Texture was amazing, but the oil empowered the beef. Disappointing lunch on both accounts. Dinner time, and i found another Japanese. I ordered about 25 rolls. Tuna, salmon, shrimp and avocado. It was lovely. Guess what happened this morning? I woke at 6 am, feeling like i slept about 10 hours, which in fact, i only slept about 4. I didn’t have any headache, I felt brand new. So maybe a Vegan diet isn’t for me. Maybe instead of a weekday vegetarian, i will be a weekday vegan. A compromise. 

It wasn’t a coincidence on how I was feeling since turning fully vegan. It was a clear sign that I do need animal protein. Not to the extent of having it at every meal.

It is also very very hard to be a vegan with the lifestyle I have. It not an excuse, it's reality. In France, a lot of things have or are cooked with animal products. I have been out of my apartment for a week now and even tho I'm still eating vegetarian, I can't find anywhere that does vegan food. Not only is it extremely hard to be a vegan when on the road, it is also extremely hard to eat healthy. The temptation when I eat at all you can eat banquets that have a huge array of desserts. I have been a good boy! 

I think listening to the signs your body is telling you and adapting to situations is the key.  

I Think Im Turning Into A Hippy

I have been absent from this blog for quite some time now. Not that I haven’t had time, I just don’t really know what to write about. I have 3 blog posts in the drafts that I haven’t posted. Actually 4. But maybe I will be able to delve into that sometime in the future.

Currently, I am in Angers. A nice little town in the North-West corner of France. Stuck between Nantes and Le Mans. I’m sure you have heard of those two places. Its level with Paris but best for about 2 hours on a train. Failing that description, just Google it. 

I have been here for the last month. The temptation of Macaroons and Eclairs are on every street. If that isn’t enough, you can get a macaroon scented candle, and soap. Although that it hard, being a weekday vegetarian is easier. I don’t like the milk here, so i am now becoming a weekday Vegan. The only reason I say I am a ‘weekday’ is because I eat animal protein on the weekends. I love the cheese here so its is like a treat for me. In the past, I tend to do things at 500 miles an hour and give it either 100% or 0%. I can’t do things at 50%. So weekday vegan/vegetarian is something that has been challenging in terms of not going out and changing my whole wardrobe to 100% Fair-trade Cotton and Vegan footwear. I haven’t started petitions or went on animal cruelty marches outside government buildings. I don’t push it on anyone else as well. It was my choice to do this. Both for a health and environmental reason. 

Health reasons being that we do not need to eat animal protein. Eggs, fish, chicken, meat, game. I believe that it is fair healthier to eat everything from a plant basis. 

Environmental reasons being that if we eat more meat, then more animals have to be raised which causes more methane (a biproduct of animals farts and burps). This gas causes more of a problem to global warming then cars do. If everyone decided to choose to cut down on animal protein, it would have a greater result then if everyone started driving hybrid cars. Furthermore, the cattle then have to be fed. More cattle = more food. Food that could be used for humans. The transportation costs of both feed, then the animal to the slaughterhouse, and then to the shops is astronomical. Animals that aren’t organic, are pumped with anti biotic, which results in humans becoming more resistant to antibiotics, which leads to the creation of super bugs. Its all a vicious cycle. 

I think i just went 100% there. Anyway, you get the gist. Do I feel better for being on this diet? Yes. I don’t feel like I’m bloated or slumpy (i just made that word up). I feel more regular. I can make better decisions, rather then just throwing everything into my mouth and not caring what or where it came from. 

Another big addition that I have started was meditation. I do it everyday, and for a minimum of 20mins. Usually, if I only do 20mins, then I will do another 20 later on in the day. I just finished meditating for 40mins there. My longest was 90mins. It felt really good. Yes, at the start of meditating, i could only last 3 minutes, and even that was a push. But its like exercise. The more you do it, the easier it gets. My sleep patterns are more regular, I am not as angry as I was, I am more sympathetic to myself, and to others. I realise when enough is enough. I even have more energy throughout the day. Whats not to like about the benefits. There are so many things on youtube and the internet on how to begin meditating. If i was to explain to someone how to do it, it would be like this. 

1. Go to a quiet room, and turn off all the lights and electricity that you have on in that room. Phones, laptops, tablets. TVs. 
2. Look somewhere between your nose and the ground. That space in between. If you can’t, then just close your eyes, but remember to relax the muscles around your eyes.
3. Count on every out breath until you get to 16. Repeat 3 times. This should take around 3 minutes. For me, it takes 3 minutes to do 16 breaths. But at the start it was 16 breaths to 1 minute. 
4. Breath from your stomach, not from your chest. 
5. Focus on relaxing every muscle in your body. Scan through each body part. You’ll be amazed at how much tension you are holding. 

So enough about that. I am going to go on a run now, and then start massaging. 

Do your best. 

Adios

Angers, Orkambi, and Running

I have left the vast lands of the USA. A brief stop in Ireland to check in with Prof McElvaney and to get a lung function. My PFT (Pulmonary Lung Function) went up by 4% since 6 months ago. Not bad I suppose! Other then that, nothing has changed. Thats always a good thing! I want to talk further on lung function increase and the new  drugs for DF508, which is titled Orkambi.
First of all, i am now in Angers, France. A lovely little town with even the easiest meal beating anything I tasted in America. Super markets in America have really messed things up for everyone in the country. 
Anyway, here is a picture I took from the roof of the apartment I am staying in. 

I love little towns that haven't been taken over by modern day "niceties". Wifi is bad here which makes it good. There isn't 20 different options of Wifi on my phone. Admittedly, it does make it harder to talk with Yas and my family but at least I can still talk with them everyday. It makes me look forward to have something at the end of the day. 

I love running around the streets exploring what the place has to offer. I don't go with a certain plan. I just run. Buddhist might call it Mindfulness Running. You get a feeling to turn right or left, so you take that turn. You are in the moment and enchanted with what lies ahead. By doing this, you get surprised as to what you see. I took this photo of a lovely fountain in the middle of this square. 

So let me get back to the Orkambi drug. Orkambi FDA Approval. For nearly 2 years I have questioned myself on whether I should go on it. I turned down to go on the trial, and I don't regret the decision. So should I go on it? Here is my reasoning. 

1) At the moment, my lung function is increasing every time I go to have a check up. 

2) I have reduced the amount of medication I take. All I take now is Creon, Tobi/Cayston. Thats it.

3) Will it create damage to other organs in my body?

4) My weight hasn't changed (apart from when I dropped to 51kg but thats for a different reason)

With those 4 point. I can't really see any pros for going on more medication. Yes, if my health deteriorates, i would of course go on it. No question. The temptation is to go on Orkambi as it's like giving a car a turbo engine. It will make it faster. I don't know if that simplifies it too much. 

I shall try to update the blog more often. Sorry on the slow updates. 

Bon Nuit!