Teaching Yoga to those with M.E.

“Jane has had ME for 25 years. For most of that time her life has been very restricted and she has been unable to leave the house or do simple tasks like cooking. She also suffers from constant pain. Jane started remedial Yoga eight months ago and since then her energy has increased dramatically, the pain has subsided and she can walk for up to 40 minutes at a time; something she though she would never do again. In October she travelled to a Yoga retreat in Turkey. This was the first time that she had been abroad for 14 years. As well as taking part in the twice-daily Yoga classes, she also swam in the sea. “I know I have a long way to go before I fully recover,” she says, “but Yoga has changed my life. I am now heading towards a state of wellness. Best of all, I feel much happier in myself and much more accepting and calm about where I am in my life.”
   There are many claims made about ‘cures’ for ME. Is Yoga just another one, or can it provide a genuine way out of this complex syndrome? Many Yoga teachers don’t even understand the condition, although there are around 250.000 people with ME in the UK and teachers inevitably come across it, usually with students who try to keep up with a class and then give up. So what exactly is ME and how can Yoga help?

ME symptoms
   Chronic Fatigue Syndrome describes the symptoms of a collection of illnesses including lupus, cancer, MS, depression and ME, which stands for Myalgic Encephalitis. These illnesses may produce a profound and debilitating tiredness which goes on for a long time. In other words, a chronic fatigue state. ME is a separate illness which also produces a chronic and extreme tiredness, so much so that those who have it may become bed-bound or need to use a wheelchair. ME is usually caused by a combination of stress plus a virus, or a toxin (such as an allergen or inoculation), shock, or organophosphate poisoning. ME has other symptoms too: most notably muscle pain, brain fog and dizziness, poor memory, disturbed sleep and trouble with digestion. All this may be combined with the kind of malaise that comes with a post-viral infection. There are various theories about what prolongs the illness but it seems that the immune function is compromised and may be always ‘on’ with the white blood count continually raised. There is some evidence that the body is also over-adrenaline-ised and permanently switched to a ‘flight and fight’ situation.
   Symptoms vary from day to day or week to week, so that those who have the illness may appear to have normal energy for part of the day but may become profoundly exhausted after very little exertion...”

 About the author
  The article continues to discuss how yoga teachers can help ME sufferers to improve their condition. Author Fiona Agombar teaches workshops for yoga teachers interested in working with those with ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Details can be obtained from www.fionaagombar.co.uk.