The Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast: Recent Episodes
Anna Marsh
Recovering from Chronic Fatigue, Burnout and other Energy Related Illnesses Through Somatics, Science and Neural Reprogramming.
A Functional Medicine Approach To Recovery
In this episode, Anna explores a side of recovery that is rarely discussed:
What happens when the nervous system begins to reconnect with emotions, sensations, and internal experiences that were previously difficult to fully feel.
As the body becomes safer and more regulated, many people notice unexpected shifts:
- emotions feeling stronger or more accessible
- increased sensory awareness
- old feelings resurfacing
- a changing relationship with capacity, vulnerability, and self-protection.
Drawing from both personal experience and Somatic Experiencing concepts such as undercoupling and energy wells, Anna explores why these changes can emerge during recovery — and why they are often part of the nervous system recalibrating rather than “going backwards.”
This episode is a gentle conversation about the emotional and physiological complexity of healing, and the process of learning how to feel safely again.
Useful Links
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: https://annamarsh.co.uk/
In this episode, Anna breaks down a recent study exploring brain neurochemicals in Long COVID and ME/CFS — with a particular focus on glutamate and its potential role in symptoms, particularly physical capacity.
Rather than simply summarising the research, Anna walks you through what these findings may actually mean in practice. We’ll explore how glutamate fits into the wider picture of nervous system regulation, inflammation, and energy metabolism — and why these conditions can’t be understood through a single lens.
Anna talks about where targeted approaches like diet, supplements, or medication may have a role, and why addressing underlying drivers is often key to more meaningful, sustainable progress.
This episode is designed to help you make sense of the science — without oversimplifying it — and to offer a more integrated way of understanding your symptoms.
Useful Links
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: https://annamarsh.co.uk/
In this episode, Anna is joined by Lexi Boreham, who shares her experience of living with and recovering from Long Covid.
This conversation gently explores the reality of rebuilding a life alongside ongoing symptoms — from the early confusion of becoming unwell, to navigating setbacks, identity shifts, and the emotional impact of recovery.
Together, they talk about the often-unspoken parts of the journey, including loneliness, the role of community, learning to set boundaries, and what it means to move forward when life looks very different to before.
They also explore the complexities of breakups and dating during recovery — how illness can shape identity, relationships, and self-perception, and the process of learning to trust yourself and others again.
This is an honest, grounded conversation about the messy middle of recovery — and the gradual, often quiet process of rebuilding a life that feels meaningful, supportive, and your own.
Useful Links
Find Lexi: https://www.instagram.com/_lexisophie/
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Some people notice that they seem to experience stimulation and stress more intensely than others.
They may feel overwhelmed in busy environments, react strongly to caffeine, or find it difficult to switch off mentally after a demanding day.
Sometimes people encounter the term COMT when exploring genetic testing and begin to wonder whether this might explain their nervous system sensitivity.
But conversations about COMT online can quickly become confusing — and sometimes unnecessarily alarming.
In this episode, Anna explores what COMT actually does in the body, how it influences the way we process certain stress-related brain chemicals, and why some nervous systems naturally experience stimulation more strongly than others.
Most importantly, we discuss why COMT is not a defect, but rather a pattern of biological sensitivity that can have both challenges and strengths.
Useful Links
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
There is a stage of recovery that many people reach where life has largely returned to normal.
You may be working again.Socialising more.Exercising gently.Participating in daily life in ways that once felt impossible.
And yet, your system may still experience occasional fluctuations.
Energy might dip after a busy week.Sleep may become more fragile during stressful periods.Your nervous system might still feel sensitive to certain types of load.
This stage can feel confusing, because you’re no longer severely ill — but things don’t always feel completely stable yet.
In this episode, Anna explores what she often describes as the fine-tuning phase of recovery.
At this stage the work often shifts away from major repair and toward calibrating how the body distributes load across daily life.
Understanding this phase can help reduce frustration and provide a clearer framework for navigating the final stages of recovery.
Useful Links
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Movement can feel like a complicated topic for people living with chronic fatigue conditions.
Many people have been told to exercise more.Others have experienced crashes after pushing too hard.And over time, movement itself can start to feel risky.
But something interesting often emerges during recovery.
Certain types of gentle, rhythmic movement can actually help the nervous system settle.
In this episode, Anna explores why the body sometimes responds positively to movement — not because it improves fitness, but because it can help the nervous system process activation and return toward regulation.
This episode also introduces the idea that movement can support the body in discharging and organising sympathetic activation, which can reduce internal agitation and support nervous system balance.
Useful Links
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
One of the most frightening moments in recovery can be when symptoms suddenly return after a long period of stability.
And many people immediately think:
"I’m back where I started."
But in many cases, what looks like a relapse is actually something quite different.
Sometimes the body is simply going through a temporary recalibration.
In this episode, Anna explores why symptom waves can occur even after months or years of improvement, and why these experiences often don’t mean that progress has been lost.
Understanding the difference between a true relapse and a temporary recalibration can reduce a huge amount of fear and help people respond more calmly when fluctuations occur.
Useful Links
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Not all post-exertional malaise (PEM) is driven by the same physiology — and understanding the difference can completely change how you approach pacing and recovery.
In this episode, Anna breaks down the three most common patterns of post-exertional crashes seen in clinical practice: autonomic “hit the wall” crashes, metabolic “wired but exhausted” responses, and delayed immune-driven flares.
You’ll learn why timing matters, how different symptom patterns reflect different underlying mechanisms, and why applying the wrong strategy can stall progress.
This is not about avoiding movement or labelling yourself as fragile. It’s about understanding your physiology well enough to work with it.
If you’ve ever felt confused by your crashes — or wondered why generic pacing advice hasn’t quite worked for you — this episode will offer clarity.
Complimentary Episode:Episode 146: Research Review - The PEM puzzle
ResourcesTake the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
We’re back again this week sharing a recording from one of our Nurturing Resilience Group Calls. Each month we have one call dedicated to the nervous system and one call dedicated to what I call the more “practical” elements of recovery. In this recording you will hear some of our members asking their questions and we cover topics such as protein consumption, building up physical capacity and endurance, rehabilitation for deconditioning that happens when you have been ill a long time, migraines, delayed recovery after infections, what to do when you have more energy and how to manage guilt around not “doing enough”. This is a varied conversation that covers a range of useful topics. If you want to take part yourself, you are very welcome to join the Membership and get involved.
Join Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Useful Links
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
This week on the podcast we do something a little different. We share a recording from the Nurturing Resilience Membership where we focus on supporting your Nervous System as you navigate recovering from Chronic Fatigue and other Energy Limiting Illness. This is your opportunity to be a fly on the wall of one of our group calls and if you want to take part yourself, you are very welcome to join the Membership and get involved. We cover topics such as using yin yoga for emotional processing, discharging survival energy, finding purpose in life while navigating recovery and how to create stability as you navigate the inevitable ups and downs.
Useful Links
Take the Chronic Fatigue Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz-page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna__marsh_
Work with me: https://annamarsh.co.uk/work-together/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
One of the things that people with Chronic Fatigue struggle with the most is exercise. In this episode Anna shares her exercise journey and how she approached building her capacity from heart rate controlled walking to returning back to the gym and swimming 4km! She shares her step by step process, failures, strategies to mitigate PEM and the 3 most important considerations for anyone who wants to be able to exercise more as they recover their health.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
New Nurturing Resilience Membership: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Functional Patterns: https://www.rawmotionfitness.com/
Actively Autoimmune: https://www.activelyautoimmune.com/
Episode 89: Exercise Well with Autoimmunity: https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-89-exercise-well-with-autoimmunity-and-zoe-mckenzie/
Episode 50: Functional Patterns For Chronic Pain: https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-50-functional-patterns-for-chronic-pain-with-brendan-turner/
If you find yourself struggling to do things you know you should be doing to support your health, this episode of the Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast is for you. Anna does a brief recap on the nervous system and explains how certain nervous system states may contribute to feeling stuck, frozen or general apathy when it comes to making diet and lifestyle changes and being consistent with them. She offers guidance on how we can better attune to the needs of our nervous system so that we can take small steps forward in the direction of health.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
New Nurturing Resilience Membership: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
In this episode Anna speaks to the natural expansion and contraction which is an essential part of life. Often in fatigue recovery there can be periods of being able to do more and expand into life as well as periods where symptoms pop up, we feel more tired and able to do less i.e. contracted. We often celebrate the expansions and resist the contractions but both are an important part of the process. This episode will hopefully help you embrace, accept and plan for the natural ebb and flow of fatigue recovery and life in general.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
New Nurturing Resilience Membership: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Recently someone asked me if they thought there was a connection between being an empath and Chronic Fatigue. My answer: Absolutely! In this episode we unpack why. We talk about what it means to be an empath and importantly, how many of the qualities of being an empath could actually be learned survival patterns of the nervous system. We may still be sensitive, but we can learn to regulate through our sensitivity to live a beautiful and energised life!
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
New Nurturing Resilience Membership: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Travel can have pro’s and con’s when you have a chronic illness like Chronic Fatigue. Travel can be stressful, energy demanding and destabilising to a sensitive nervous system. However, travel can also take us out of our comfort zone in a healthy way and break stuck cycles of fear.
In this episode Anna talks about the pro’s and con’s of travel, how to titrate the experience of travel back into your life as you start to be in the world more, important things to consider when travelling, how to prepare before, recover afterwards and the bits in between.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
New Nurturing Resilience Membership: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Repowr Electrolytes: https://getrepowr.co.uk/ (Use the code ANNAMARSH)
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Burnout and Chronic Fatigue? Are they different or the same thing? In this episode Anna explains burnout from a nervous system perspective and how this can relate to symptoms of Chronic Fatigue. She talks about how we can support ourselves to move forward after a burnout.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
New Nurturing Resilience Membership: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
There are some schools of thought that suggest poorly functioning adrenal glands could be an underlying cause in chronic fatigue. Although imbalanced adrenal function could be part of the complex web of fatigue, it is more likely to be a piece of the puzzle than the whole puzzle itself.
That being said, when it comes to recovering energy and vitality, there is seldom one magic solution. Instead, improvements happen when we support the body as a whole. Part of that support may include supporting the adrenal glands. In this latest episode of the Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast Anna talks about adrenal function, how to identify dysfunction with testing and symptoms and most importantly how to support both high and low adrenal output.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
Nervous System Work: https://annamarsh.co.uk/workshop/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Electrolytes: https://getrepowr.co.uk/discount/ANNAMARSH
Adrenal AM Supplement: https://trueperformance-supplements.co.uk/supplement/adrenal-am/
Adaptocrine: https://www.amritanutrition.co.uk/products/adaptocrine-xl-k-124-120-capsules (practitioner code 9C5WFV)
Glucagon-Like-Peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) are a class of medications originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, but have since gained widespread attention for their effects on weight loss and metabolic health. Emerging research suggests that GLP1-Receptor Agonists could be supportive in managing inflammatory symptoms associated with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Although research is currently limited, Anna talks about what we know so far and her experience with clients taking these drugs in clinical practice.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Research Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002962925011061
Take the Fatigue Recovery Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz
New Nurturing Resilience Membership: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
This is a chatty "behind the scenes” episode where Anna shares some personal stories regarding her own healing and some exciting business updates. She covers topics such as rest, regulation, core wounds and grief.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
New Nurturing Resilience Membership: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Take the Fatigue Recovery Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz
This is part 4 of a 4 part series on what to focus on in the different stages of Chronic Fatigue and other energy limiting illnesses. In this episode Anna talks about the most important things to focus on when you are high functioning but not thriving. Anna reflects on what she would have done differently if she could go back in time and advise her younger self. You can enjoy a diverse conversation about pacing, the nervous system, boundaries, hormetic stressors and much more!
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
Join the Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
In Chronic Fatigue Recovery, healing happens from a regulated place and yet our nervous system state also influences how we approach healing. This creates a chicken or egg situation where, approaching healing from a dysregulated place, can breed further dysregulation but approaching healing from a place of more regulation, enables more successful self-care.
In this episode Anna describes four different ways in which we can approach our healing and how this shows up practically.
You may recognise yourself in one or all of these states, but probably spend more time in one compared to others. Through recognition of our patterns and tendencies we can learn what support we need to offer ourselves to work towards a more regulated approach on our healing journey.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Workshop: https://annamarsh.co.uk/workshop/
Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
The final stage of supporting Mold illness and Chronic fatigue is introducing Binders, Antimicrobials and Biofilm Disruptors.
In this episode Anna talks recaps on the previous 3 episodes in this 4 part series. She then talk about introducing binders, including, what are binders and why do we take them? Possible side effects and things to watch out for. The importance of dosing slowly, especially if you are sensitive. What to do if you have a reaction and how long to take them for.
She talks about antimicrobial support for the sinuses, gut and vaginal canal, including how to approach dosing for those that are sensitive. She ends the episode with a discussion about retesting and detox maintenance.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Supporting Detoxification and Drainage is the second step when dealing with mold illness and chronic fatigue. This is the third episode in a series on Mold Illness and Chronic Fatigue.
In this episode Anna talks about the importance of addressing digestive health and supporting healthy bowel movements, adding in sauna or sweating, lymphatic drainage and the importance of protein for liver support!
Other Episodes of Interest
https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-79-the-gallbladder-and-chronic-fatigue/
https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-100-heat-stress-cold-stress-and-fatigue-recovery/
Complimentary Mini Courses
Gut Health Mini Course: https://annamarsh.co.uk/courses/
Blood Sugar Mini Course: https://annamarsh.co.uk/courses/
Detox Mini Course: https://annamarsh.co.uk/courses/
Nurturing Resilience Subscription: https://annamarsh.co.uk/courses/
General Resources
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Mould avoidance is the first step when it comes to dealing with mold illness and chronic fatigue. This is the second part in a series on Mold Illness and Chronic Fatigue. In this episode Anna talks about the importance of avoidance of mold. This includes how to test your home for mold and what to do if you are living in mold and you cannot get out immediately.
Anna talks about dietary changes that can be supportive to reduce mycotoxin exposure from foods and generally increase resilience of organs such as the liver and kidneys.
Testing and Remediation
ERMI: https://www.mouldlab.co.uk/products/dust-analysis-for-mould-species-environmental-relative-mouldiness-index-ermi-including-free-hertsmi-2
Pure Maintenance:
https://www.puremaintenanceuk.com
General Resources
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
In this episode Anna discusses mold illness and chronic fatigue. She answers questions such as: What is mold illness? How are we exposed? What are the symptoms? How do I test for mold illness? What do I do if I get a positive test result?
Mold illness or sickness is a constellation of symptoms that result from a combination of the mold spore colonisation in the body and toxic load due to the mycotoxins they produce. The mycotoxins can be particularly damaging to every body system and this is what can make mould illness difficult to identify and why it often gets missed.
Some people may be more affected by mould and mycotoxins which is why two people can live in the same home and one person has symptoms and the other person doesn’t.
If you have been wondering if mold illness is playing a part in your Chronic Fatigue and would like to learn more, this episode is a great starting point.
Testing
Mycotoxin Urine Testing (Mosaic Laboratories): https://regeneruslabs.com/products/mycotoxin-1
OAT+Mycotoxin (Mosaic Laboratories): https://regeneruslabs.com/products/oat-mycotox
Other episodes of interest:
https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-42-mcas-histamine-intolerance-and-fatigue/
General Links
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
In this episode Anna explains the development of Chronic Fatigue using the understanding of the Mast Cell and the Cell Danger Response as a guide. She talks about how triggers and events can build up across a lifetime until the body becomes overwhelmed by its ability to cope. This very often is the point of no return. Healing is about returning to safety and little by little creating a greater sense of safety and resourcefulness in the system.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Episodes mentioned here:
https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-42-mcas-histamine-intolerance-and-fatigue/
https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-6-understanding-the-cell-danger-response/
In this week's episode of the Chronic Fatigue podcast Anna talks about surgeries and Chronic Fatigue. Specifically looking at how surgeries can be a single health changing event, similar to a viral infection or vaccination, and what we can do if we are already unwell and need to take an elective surgery.
The episode starts with a general discussion about Chronic Fatigue from a nervous system perspective and then Anna talks about the various factors that can impact the nervous system when someone has a surgery.
Anna then talks about surgery preparation from a practical point of view, post surgical nutritional and supplement support and when additional therapy and support can be helpful.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
This episode covers the topic of rest and chronic fatigue, specifically, how to rest better! A while back Anna surveyed her instagram followers and 80-90% of them said they found rest hard. In this episode Anna talks about the importance of accessing “restful rest” with some tips on how to set up your day for better rest and recovery.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
In this episode Anna covers the topic of pacing and Chronic Fatigue including why it is an essential part of the chronic fatigue recovery toolbox. Anna shares some of the problems that they see with their clients when it comes to pacing and things that have helped their clients get better results from their pacing. She shares some useful apps and resources that you can refer to if pacing is an ongoing challenge for you.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Mentioned here: https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-103-how-to-overcome-patterns-of-boom-and-bust/
https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-86-activity-tracking-for-long-covid-me-cfs-with-harry-leeming-from-visible/
https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-85-using-hrv-to-manage-chronic-fatigue-recovery/
https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-55-thriving-as-a-spoonie-with-emily-fraser/
Sometimes in our Chronic Fatigue Journey we can be in a low place and it can be helpful to have some words of support and encouragement or even gentle insights which can help us reflect on why we might be feeling stuck.
That is what this episode is for...
There are times in your healing journey when you need to take action and times in your healing journey where you need to allow, give space and integrate. Spending too much time in one versus the other is not a recipe for success.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
The use of heat and cold can be supportive for health, but where do they factor in when it comes to fatigue recovery? How do we know when we are ready to add heat or cold stress to our healing routines? How can we do this safely to avoid energy crashes or post-exertional malaise?
All these questions and more are answered in the latest episode of the Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast.
Hot and cold are two of several stressors known as "hormetic stressors". Hormetic stressors are stressors that, when applied in the appropriate dosage, can cause a positive adaptation in the body. Using heat and/or cold in the right dosage, can therefore, create positive changes that may be supportive for fatigue recovery. However, when applied in dosages that are not appropriate for the individual, there can be a negative adaptation, often experienced as an energy crash or symptom flare.
Therefore, knowing how and when the apply heat and cold stress appropriately, is what we cover in this episode. Unfortunately, there are no set protocols for heat and cold stress, so this episode will teach you how to work with your body to create a protocol for yourself!
Additional Resources:
Deliberate Heat Exposure Protocols From Huberman Lab
Use of Cold Exposure in Health and Performance
How To Create Stability in Chronic Fatigue
Energetically expensive personality traits are ways of being that cost us energy. Firstly the energy that we expend from being driven to operate outside of our capacity and secondly the energy from the hidden stress of denying our own authenticity.
In this episode Anna highlights some of the most important traits to be aware of and how they may show up in fatigue recovery. She talks about why these traits develop and why it is important to have a compassionate approach towards ourselves as we change them. She finishes with some suggestions around reprogramming these traits and some reflective journaling prompts that you can use to support you.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Eating enough protein is a conversation we end up having with almost all of our clients. Eating enough protein is a conversation we end up having with almost all of our clients. Protein is important for our blood sugar, immune system, antioxidant systems, detoxification systems and much much more! But how much is optimal and how do we know that we can digest and absorb it all? In this episode Anna talks about why we should be conscious of our protein intake, considerations for optimising digestion and absorption of protein, how much protein we need exactly and how she goes about getting enough in her day!
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Blood Sugar Mini Course: https://annamarsh.co.uk/courses/
A short episode with some words of wisdom to help you through the next crash or flare.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
There is never just ONE thing you need to do on your Chronic Fatigue Recovery journey. Instead it is the collective practise of multiple different things that slowly move the needle forward.
In this episode Anna talks through a list of 20 things to consider on your Chronic Fatigue Recovery Journey. This episode might be helpful if you are just getting started and looking for some things to focus on. It could also be useful as a personal check in, to help you acknowledge what you are doing well, what you could be doing better or what you haven’t considered yet.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Take the Nurturing Resilience Nervous System Self Paced Course: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
In this day and age, health is a privilege and recovering from a Chronic Illness can very quickly become an expensive business. In this episode Anna talks about how to heal when you have minimal or limited financial means. We talk about low cost and no costs actions that you can take to at the very least improve stability and increase quality of life. We talk about belief systems around what is possible and how the goal is to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Take the Chronic Fatigue Recovery Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz
Take a Mini Course: https://annamarsh.co.uk/courses/
How do we manage our Chronic Fatigue Recovery and also make space for life itself? When you live with a chronic illness you always have less options and less choices than someone who is typically "healthy". Even more so, when you have a low energy health condition, where do you find the energy to shoulder the extra workload of healing alongside living!?
In this episode we talk about many of the challenges that people face when focussing on Chronic Fatigue Recovery (i.e. their health), responsibilities and also living! We discuss the importance of connecting with your life force energy, even when it is just a trickle! The importance of accepting and knowing what matters to you so that you can prioritise your time and energy into your view of a “normal life”. We discuss relating to others and managing their expectations and building confidence to do more as your body allows without going back to the old patterns that were unhelpful. This episode will help you to reflect on where you are in your journey, perhaps some things you are doing well and perhaps there are blindspots that could use your attention.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Join Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
Is full recovery from Chronic Fatigue Possible? What does that mean? What does the journey look like and what does it entail? In episode 83 of the Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast, Anna shares her thoughts on the idea of recovery.
This is a general discussion about the importance of recovery stories and believing in the potential of recovery. She talks about factors that impact the healing timeline and her own experience of recovery to date. She highlights the importance of acceptance and giving space to grief and why focussing on improving quality of life may be more supportive for the nervous system. This episode may help you to reflect on some of your attitudes and beliefs about your own recovery and offer some words of wisdom as you navigate your own journey.
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nervous system regulation is an important part of managing a Chronic Illness. No doubt, if you are having a chronic illness experience you have probably heard by now that you need to support your nervous system. But how do you do that? There seem to be so many different options available and it is hard to know what will work for you.
The reality is, when it comes to supporting the nervous system, there isn't a one size fits all approach. We want to find the ways that work best for our system and do more of what works! In this episode Anna talks about all the different options for nervous system regulation.
She shares some of her personal experiences with different modalities, what worked, what didn’t work and things that have helped her clients. She discusses pro’s and con’s of certain therapies and holds space for the fact that everyone heals a little differently and it is up to us to find what resonates best with our system.
If you know that nervous system regulation is a missing piece of your healing puzzle and you've felt confused about where to start or what therapies could be helpful for you, this episode will help you with some ideas to get the ball rolling.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Nurturing Resilience Program: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
The Nurturing Resilience Program is a self-study program which will teach you tools for nervous system regulation in a slow and manageable way. It is ideal for those who are experiencing chronic health conditions such as CFS/ME, Long Covid, POTS, Autoimmunity or other complex chronic illness.
Chronic Fatigue Recovery Stories can help us borrow hope and inspiration when we find it lacking in ourselves. This is why, after her own journey with ME/CFS, Raelan Agle created a YouTube Channel to show case the recovery stories of others and to inspire the belief that recovery is possible!
In this episode of the Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast, Anna interviews Raelan about her own journey with CFS/ME and the lessons she learned along the way, in her words: Growth Bootcamp!
Raelan Agle lived with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) for ten years before finally fully recovering. After countless fruitless doctor’s visits and tens of thousands of dollars spent without providing much relief from her illness, she eventually realised that she would have to look within herself and listen to her body to find her path back to health. And thankfully she did finally fully recover!
Since her recovery Raelan has become passionate about supporting others on their wellness journey. She is the author of Finding Freedom: Escaping from the Prison of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, has a popular YouTube channel sharing the recovery stories of others along with resources for health and healing, and online courses to support people on their health and happiness journey.
Useful links:
Raelan’s Website: https://raelanagle.com/
Raelan’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/raelanagle
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
It is normal to experience ups and downs in your chronic fatigue recovery journey, but what do you do when you feel stuck, hit a plateau or lacking in progress. That is exactly what Anna covers in this episode. She discusses eight things you can reflect on and consider that may help you gain more traction and move the needle forward.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
This is a guest expert interview with Zoe McKenzie where we discuss her book which has recently been published. Although the book title suggests it is for Autoimmunity, the pages are filled with wisdom on how to exercise if you have chronic illness, fatigue conditions included. We have a wonderful conversation where we discuss the work that I did with Zoe as her 1-1 client, belief systems about exercise, exercising with fatigue, exercising with pain, finding your baseline, adjusting your baseline when life happens and everything in between (plus plenty of analogies!).
Zoe McKenzie is a Physiotherapist, Exercise Coach and Clinical Pilates Instructor who created, Actively Autoimmune, an online exercise platform for those with chronic conditions. After experiencing health issues herself from a young age, Zoe has specialised in supporting clients around the world to find a way to move their body that works with them. She works with clients 1:1 as well as with an on-demand virtual Pilates studio. She has also recently published her book ‘Exercise Well with Autoimmunity’.
Useful links:
Website: https://www.activelyautoimmune.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/activelyautoimmuneBuy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Exercise-Well-Autoimmunity-Zoe-McKenzie/dp/139970852X/
Previous episodes on exercise:
Episode 27 - Building Exercise Tolerance and Capacity with Chronic Fatigue
Episode 26 - How to Exercise with Chronic Fatigue
Often in our practice we see autoimmunity come hand in hand with chronic fatigue. Not every case is an autoimmune case, but for those who do have autoimmunity, we want to consider how a dysregulated immune system is contributing to the picture of fatigue and how we can manage it.
In this episode Anna gives a high level view of the autoimmune management strategy that she uses in her practice which includes both simple and more complex strategies to support outcomes and improve quality of life.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
Additional Resources:
Many women experience crashes, flares and setbacks around their menstrual cycle. The natural fluctuation in hormone levels can be destabilising to sensitive and unstable symptoms. Although we want to keep the whole picture of imbalance in mind, there are some tricks we can use to support the body around this unstable time. In this episode Anna covers her 3 top considerations for reducing symptoms, crashes and flares around menstruation
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
Episode 35: https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-35-how-to-have-better-periods-with-cfs-me-part-1-what-does-a-healthy-cycle-look-like/
Episode 36: https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-36-how-to-have-better-periods-with-cfs-me-part-2-testing-your-hormones/
Episode 37: https://annamarsh.co.uk/podcast/episode-37-how-to-have-better-periods-with-cfs-me-part-3-supporting-your-hormones-naturally/
This week's episode is a guest interview with Harry Leeming the founder of the Visible app, an activity tracking tool to help people with chronic illness use data to empower their recovery and pace better. Harry was a young, healthy active individual who caught a “virus” and has never been the same since. He has turned his pain into purpose, using his background in engineering to build out an activity tracking app that is more appropriate for people with chronic illness than some of the traditional fitness trackers. He is doing incredible work in the world to progress the research in this area and you can get involved by downloading and using the app. But first, listen to the episode!
Useful links:
Get Visible: https://www.makevisible.com/
What is Heart Rate Variability (HRV)? How is it measured? Is it useful for Chronic Fatigue and can you improve it? These are all the questions that Anna answers in this week's episode where she shares her personal experience and clients’ experience with different devices and interventions.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
If you have been experiencing a chronic illness, energy crashes and flares are familiar territory. What can make these events so distressing, especially early on in your journey, is not understanding what is happening and why. In this episode Anna explains the biochemistry of what is happening in an energy crash. She shares almost everything you need to know for fatigue recovery in a nutshell including the most important things to consider to make sure your energy crashes are few and far between.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
All healing journey’s have their ups and downs and we need to make mistakes so that we can learn. Here are eight mistakes, which led to eight fantastic lessons that Anna experienced in her journey recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/Nurturing Resilience Workshop: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience
In this episode Anna answers questions from you, the listener! Anna covers the topic of proper pacing and how to prevent muscle wastage and if bodybuilding supplements are worth it. We do some problem-solving for those exploring the ketogenic diet and discuss the best time to work on exercise. We wrap up with a discussion about what to do to manage bad PEM.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
Nurturing Resilience Workshop: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience
Thyroid Blog: https://annamarsh.co.uk/screeing-for-underactive-thyroid-in-chronic-fatigue-and-how-to-address-it/
Ketogenic Diet Blog: https://annamarsh.co.uk/ketogenic-diet-chronic-fatigue/
Blood Sugar Mini Course: https://annamarsh.co.uk/courses/
Revive Electrolytes: https://getrevive.co.uk/discount/ANNAMARSH
Stability is the foundation of healing. As humans we are self-organising, self-healing human beings. Yet, in chronic illness the body has become increasingly disorganised and increasingly unstable over time as a consequence of having to cope with multiple and ongoing stressors of life. In this podcast Anna talks about the disorganisation in a “syndromal system” and how we can support the body to become more stable and organised again. This podcast will help you reflect on where you are in your journey and areas of your life that you can prioritise to support greater stability in your chronic illness and/or fatigue recovery journey.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
Nurturing Resilience Workshop: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience-special/
Nervous System Workshop: https://annamarsh.co.uk/workshop/
Blood Sugar Mini Course: https://annamarsh.co.uk/courses/
In this episode Anna answers questions from you, the listener! Anna covers the topic of building capacity and shares some of her own experience having a sensitive nervous system. She talks about the challenges of managing acute infections, especially when you are a long hauler. She shares things to think about if you are waking feeling unrefreshed. How to prepare for surgery and a conversation about her experience working with clients and their medications.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
Nurturing Resilience Workshop: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience-special/
Nervous System Workshop: https://annamarsh.co.uk/workshop/
In this episode Anna discusses the connection between the Gallbladder and Chronic Fatigue. If you are someone who burps up a fishy taste when you supplement with fish oils, this is for you! But it is also worth listening to if you have ongoing digestive issues, oestrogen dominance or mould toxicity. We cover the basics of what the Gallbladder is, what it does in the body and things that can go wrong. We look at the connection between the Gallbladder and Oestrogen (Dominance) and other risk factors for Gallbladder Dysfunction. Finally, we discuss how to know if it could be an issue for you and what you can do to support your Gallbladder.
Useful links:
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
ShownotesDr Sarah Myhill is a Naturopathic Physician who has been practising medicine since before I (Anna) was born. I have the honour and privilege of interviewing her to discuss her latest book: “Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalitis and Long Covid”. We cover a range of topics, all of which are covered in more detail in the book, including; dietary foundations, simple, cheap and very effective supplements, upper fermenting gut, pacing, exercise, toxins, breast implant illness and so much more!
Useful links:Buy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diagnosis-Treatment-Chronic-Syndrome-Encephalitis/dp/1781612544/
ShownotesIn this episode Anna discusses the connection between digestive health and Chronic Fatigue, specifically Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). She talks about the symptoms, how to test for SIBO and most importantly what to do about it. She shares some insights from her own journey with SIBO and also factors that make individuals susceptible to relapses.
Useful links:Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
ShownotesIn this episode Anna answers questions from you, the listener! Anna covers an understanding of getting a CFS Diagnosis, Anna shares her own diagnosis stories and the pros and cons of being diagnosed. We discuss how to give up caffeine which can be both simple and complex depending on how much you are having and the reasons why. Anna talks about the process she used to find her baseline and finished off talking about noise sensitivity, what causes it and what you can do about it.
Useful links:Join Nurturing Resilience: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience-special/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
ShownotesIn this episode Anna interviews Dr Lacey Chittle who was her practitioner in her own healing journey. Lacey shares some of her personal journey with autoimmunity weaved with beautiful words of wisdom for those who are navigating the space of chronic illness management and recovery. A must listen if you need to reconnect with hope and reignite inspiration and energy to continue on your journey - especially if you fall into the category of A-type over-doers that many of us are :)
Useful links:Dr. Lacey Chittle Website: https://www.drlaceychittle.com/
Dr. Lacey Chittle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlaceychittle/
Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
ShownotesIn this episode Anna offers some updates and shares after completing her final module in a 3 year training to become a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP). She shares some of her reflections and learnings from the past 3 years and talks about her experience with touch as a modality for support in her journey.
Useful links:Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
JOIN NURTURING RESILIENCE: https://annamarsh.co.uk/nurturing-resilience/
ShownotesHow do you know when you need to work on something physical vs how do you know when to work on something emotional or engage more with mindbody work? That is the question that Anna aims to address in this episode. It isn’t always easy to know what the next step is when it comes to healing. Sometimes the lesson is in getting comfortable with not knowing. If you are struggling to make a decision about what comes next in your healing adventure, this episode is for you.
Useful links:Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
ShownotesAnxiety and other mood disorders often go hand and hand with chronic fatigue. It is not uncommon for those experiencing chronic fatigue to also struggle with their mental health. Here we discuss the most important considerations to improve quality of life as you navigate your mood alongside other chronic illness symptoms.
Useful links:Website: http://annamarsh.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/
Apply for 1-1 Support: https://annamarsh.co.uk/1-1/
If you had a viral infection and have never felt the same since, this episode is for you. Anna discussed post-viral fatigue, reactivation of latent viruses (EBV) and recurring infections. She talks about what testing can be useful if you suspect that a virus is contributing to your clinical picture and most importantly, what to do about it. The goal is to make something that can seem complicated a lot more simple and straightforward and help you avoid common mistakes when addressing viral load.
The podcast will be taking a little holiday over August. This is a quick episode where Anna shares some personal and business updates and explains the holiday and when you can expect the next episode.
Brendan shares his journey living with Chronic Pain until he found Functional Patterns which changed the trajectory of his life and career. He is now passionate about helping other overcome chronic pain and pain syndromes by addressing their biomechanics, fascia and movement patterns.
Part 2 of a series in Chronic Pain. Anna talks through 5 somatic tools that you can use to cope better with chronic pain. She shares some examples from her own healing journey and how she used these tools to cope with headaches, shoulder and neck pains that were part of her illness experience.
Brendan shares his journey living with Chronic Pain until he found Functional Patterns which changed the trajectory of his life and career. He is now passionate about helping other overcome chronic pain and pain syndromes by addressing their biomechanics, fascia and movement patterns.
Anna discusses the link between fatigue, mood disorders and chronic pain. Although these conditions are often not well supported with traditional medicine, they can be unravelled and addressed if you have the patience and commitment to do so. The majority of the episode focuses on chronic pain and the mechanisms that contribute to heightened pain sensitivity, including how to evaluate and address them.
We’ve all been there. We feel like we’re doing “everything right” and yet continue to feel worse. When the whole point is to feel less fatigued and less exhausted it can be easy to resist relapses in energy. However, being able to connect with and embrace our experience can offer valuable lessons that will move the healing journey forward. Listen for a deeper discussion.
Anna opens up a conversation about privilege and healing. Some people will have more privileges in their healing journey which may make their healing journey “easier” and others may have less privileges in their journey which may make it “harder” to heal. Whatever the case, moving through a chronic illness experience is painful. This episode is designed to make you think and reflect and perhaps consider where you are focusing on your own disadvantages too much, which could be a roadblock to healing.
Shownotes This episode is a reminder that basics matter. It is an opportunity for you to check in with yourself and make sure you have those all important basics covered. It is a recap on some of the concepts covered in previous episodes. Anna also talks about routines and finding the flexibility to dance between […]
In this episode Anna highlights the things she felt made the biggest difference in her own recovery journey. She acknowledges that the journey isn’t linear; there are different stages of healing and not all of them look like progress. She finishes with a general share of things that are working for her clients as inspiration for things to explore.
Grief is an inevitable part of healing. In this episode Anna talks about her own experience of grief in her healing journey. She shares a framework for understanding grief and somatic and mindset tools for working with grief in your day to day life.
Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and histamine intolerance may be part of the complex web of imbalances in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) and other chronic illnesses. MCAS can be associated with pain, cognitive dysfunction, brain fog, sensitivity to light and sound or intolerance to chemicals and smells. Many of these symptoms, and more, go hand in hand with those who experience a chronic illness. This doesn’t mean that everyone who experiences chronic fatigue or a chronic illness will have MCAS or histamine intolerance but it is something to consider as you work on supporting all of your body’s needs. In this episode Anna covers the what and the how.
We’ve all been there. You feel like you are doing everything but nothing seems to be working. You’ve hit a plateau or you’ve gone backwards in your healing. In this episode Anna offers support around the experience of hopelessness including a trauma-informed framework to move from the powerlessness that accompanies lack of hope to a more powerful state. She wraps up the episodes by challenging the belief “Nothing is working” by offering a checklist to make sure that is really true.
In part 2 of this series Anna covers communication, needs and a framework for understanding relationship dynamics. The goal of the episode is to support communication so that both the illness experiencer and their supporters have their needs met. The relationship framework will help deepen your understanding of your relationships so that you are not left disappointed (and unsupported) when your expectations are not met.
This is part 1 of a 2 part series for those experiencing a chronic illness (like CFS/ME) and their supporters. In this episode Anna discusses relationship dynamics and how they influence the ability of loved one’s to offer support and the ability of those with a chronic illness to ask for and receive support. Anna discusses the survey results from the research on this topic and offers solutions so that supporters feel better equipped to support and illness experiencers feel better equipped to receive support.
In this episode Anna explains the differences in Brain Retraining and Somatic Experiencing in theory and practise. She talks about her own experience with these different modalities and shares some updates on her own healing journey working somatically with medical trauma and anaesthesia. She finished with a discussion about where Functional Medicine and Mind-Body Work intersects.
This is part 3 in a 3 part series on how to have better periods with CFS/ME. Anna wraps up the three part series by discussing how we can support the body generally and how to manage estrogen dominance - a common underlying cause of hormone imbalance - more specifically.
This episode is a short and sweet menu of different testing options for your sex hormones. Anna covers blood and urine testing options as well as home monitoring devices. Learn how to make sure you test at the right time in your cycle and possible genetic tests that can be useful.
This episode is a short and sweet menu of different testing options for your sex hormones. Anna covers blood and urine testing options as well as home monitoring devices. Learn how to make sure you test at the right time in your cycle and possible genetic tests that can be useful.
In this episode Anna offers a framework and a toolbox to support fatigue recovery from a “mindset perspective”. Although it is hard to separate mind and body, we can influence our physiology from the top down using language, cognition, reasoning and voluntary movement. Anna touches on how you can use the power of these tools to help you get “unstuck” in your chronic illness experience.
Navigating a fatigue recovery experience can also come hand in hand with navigating changes in body, shape, and size. For some, this is just part of the process and for others, it can be an uncomfortable experience. In this episode, Anna explains why we might gain weight in fatigue recovery and where weight loss fits in the context of fatigue recovery. She shares guidance for managing food and exercise in support of healthy body weight and minimising weight gain. She ends with a short discussion about where the nervous system may intersect with our attitudes toward weight, exercise, and food.
Anna shares her perspective on addressing imbalance neurotransmitters in fatigue recovery. She zooms out and offers an understanding about how taking a big picture view can be much more successful and beneficial in the long term.
Anna shares a framework for understanding neuroinflammation from her training in Psychoneuroimmunology with Leo Priumbroom. This is based on the understanding that you cannot have chronic disease without neuroinflammation and that neuroinflammation is the universal mechanism behind disease. She takes her time to explain the mechanism of neuroinflammation in both acute and chronic illness and offers insight into how we support the body to find health again.
Anna shares an update about where she is in her own healing journey. She enters into a discussion about identity and the importance of how we choose to identify with our illness experience. She finishes up sharing some strategies she is using to support her body right now.
Are you just managing your fatigue recovery or are you experiencing the deeper healing that is required to fully recover? In this episode Anna talks about the difference between Fatigue Management and true healing, how she distinguishes between the two and how to know which stage you may be in at the moment.
Knowing what to eat can be really confusing. There are so many mixed messages it's hard to know if you should be vegan, low carb, carnivore or keto!? In this episode Anna breaks down a step by step framework that you can follow to optimise your diet for energy in a way that hopefully shouldn’t feel too overwhelming and restrictive.
There comes a point in one’s fatigue recovery journey where you are doing okay but you want more. In this episode Anna talks about how she progressed her daily exercise from walking to getting back into the gym and lifting heavy weights. She talks about important considerations as you take the next step and how you can minimise PEM and support recovery.
If you are an exercise lover, one of the biggest frustrations with chronic illness is how it impacts your ability to exercise. Unfortunately, we can only start where we are and work with what we have got, but, you can rebuild your health and exercise capacity. This episode covers some basic principles to get you started when it comes to building a baseline of physical activity. The next episode will focus on how to progress.
Having a chronic fatigue or burnout experience and going through perimenopause at the same time, adds another level of complexity to fatigue recovery. Anna invites registered Nutritional Therapist Francesca Liparoti to talk about how we can support perimenopause alongside fatigue recovery. This episode is not just for women over 40, it is also for women in their 20’s and 30’s because the habits we create now, will hold us in a better balanced place as we move through the natural transitions of life.
In this episode Anna discusses the nuance when it comes to ketogenic or low carbohydrate diets and fatigue recovery. You can expect to learn how a ketogenic could be beneficial to someone who wants to increase their energy and how you can identify if it would be appropriate for you specifically. Anna shares steps on implementing a ketogenic diet including top tips for managing side effects as you transition. She shares her own experience and how to begin to transition out of a ketogenic diet once you have maximised the therapeutic benefits.
Anna interviews her very first guest; Mindset and Empowerment Coach, Ellen Murray. Lockdown brought her multi-six figure business to a standstill and then a viral infection swept her off her feet. She shares her journey to recovery; juggling life as a mum with 2 children under 3, learning to trust and surrender, tame her inner achiever, fall in love with yin yoga and meditation and launching her new business supporting exhausted and burnout women.
Anna reflects on the types of clients she works with in her practise and puts them in one of two categories. She explains the qualities of each category and how she prioritises support for the client depending on where they fall. You will probably see yourself in one of the two categories and this episode may help you to understand what you could be doing more of, less of or just help you structure your recovery a little bit better.
Fasting is a practice that can be controversial in the healthcare space. Some people love it, others feel that it can do more harm than good. In this episode Anna breaks down the benefits of fasting, who it's for, who it might not be for and how you can slowly introduce it into your routine if it is something you want to explore, including timing around your menstrual cycle.
This episode piggybacks off the previous episode on adrenal fatigue. Here Anna discusses the difference between burnout, adrenal fatigue or exhaustion and the syndrome of Chronic Fatigue. You can expect to learn a little bit about the differences and similarities and how we support each of these fatigue experiences.
It can be common practice amongst many Functional Medicine Practitioners and Nutritional Therapists to use adrenal testing to inform clinical decisions. This often comes in the form of addressing “dysfunction” with adrenal herbal adaptogens and glandulars to either “boost” adrenal function or “calm it”. In this episode Anna offers an alternative perspective which considers adrenal dysfunction to be intelligence from which we can learn more about what the body really needs.
The festive season can be a challenging time for so many reasons; more triggers, complex family dynamics, more commitments, late nights and increased food and drink. If you feel overwhelmed about the upcoming festivities this episode is for you. I cover four of the most important things to consider as you support your body through this time and navigate the festive season alongside your healing journey.
Post-exertional malaise is probably one of the biggest bugbears when it comes to fatigue recovery. Anna shares a general framework for tackling post-exertional malaise as well as her own experience and things that made the biggest difference for her personally.
However frustrating they may be, crashes, flares and setbacks are part of the fatigue recovery process. In this episode Anna explains what is happening in the body during a crash or flare and how you can support your body the move through them as quickly as possible.
Getting enough sleep is important and additionally, there is an increasing body of research which supports that circadian rhythms play an important role in regulating human physiology. In this episode Anna talks through how circadian rhythms impact the immune system and lifestyle practises that you can cultivate to modulate your immune system and sleep better.
The Mitochondria are often referred to as the energy powerhouses of the cell. Healthy, abundant and well functioning mitochondria are important for health and abundant production of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell. In this episode Anna explains the factors that influence mitochondria health and function and the dietary and lifestyle practises that can support better energy production.
If you want to know if your gut health could be impacting your energy, the short answer is; YES! However, in this episode Anna breaks things down into more detail. She talks about the 4 main ways digestive health can leave you feeling fatigued and foggy and the “5R” approach for better digestion, health and energy.
We make energy in the presence of oxygen and this means that the body must be able to optimally take oxygen in through the breath, transport it around the body and then into the cells. Any breakdown in this supply chain can be a roadblock to the production of the body’s energy currency ATP and this can be experienced as fatigue. In this episode Anna discusses red flags and what tests, foods, supplements and general lifestyle practises may be helpful to optimise your body’s oxygenation and energy production.
In this episode Anna explains why blood sugar regulation is essential for anyone who is experiencing and looking to recover from fatigue. She discusses the importance of blood sugar control for nervous system regulation. She highlights discerning signs that blood sugar imbalances could be a problem for you and how to use glucose monitoring and dietary changes to bring blood sugar into better balance.
Shownotes In this episode Anna explains how the nervous system works and how nervous system dysregulation can contribute to chronic fatigue and other health conditions. She offers an overview of how to begin to find more regulation day to day. Useful links: Website: https://annamarsh.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/ Fatigue Recovery Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz The Nervous System and Chronic […]
Although knowing your root cause may not be essential to moving forward on your journey, it can make all the difference when it comes to a full recovery. In this episode Anna discusses possible root causes that you may want to have on your radar. She also shares her own personal journey and how, when she discovered this root cause, it was the final nail in her CFS coffin.
Having a map and knowing where you are on that map can make all the difference to your fatigue recovery journey. Anna shares the framework she uses with her clients which includes the different stages of recovery and the most important tests, interventions, supplements and attitudes for each stage.
The cell danger response (CDR) is the body’s universal and ancient response to threat. It offers a framework from which we can begin to understand what may be happening in those experiencing burnout and fatigue conditions like CFS/ME. Knowing where you are in the CDR can help you to make decisions about what to focus on and where to prioritise your resources in your fatigue recovery journey.
What are some signs that you're experiencing fatigue? What are some things you can do to start recovering from fatigue? No, you don't need to know your root cause to make progress in your wellness journey. Knowing the basics of the cell danger response and polyvagal theory can help you understand why you're unwell and help your body move forward.
Shownotes We’ve all been there – you go to the doctor, they run some tests, the results come in and you are told that everything is normal. Yet, your body, you feel anything but normal. In this episode Anna talks about the difference between functional and diagnostic reference ranges, how you can get more from […]
Show notes Fatigue can be complex and multifaceted, with many possible combinations of contributing factors, and every case is different! In this episode, Anna talks through the framework she uses in clinical practice to narrow down the causes of fatigue for each client. Useful links: Website: https://annamarsh.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_marsh_nutrition/ Fatigue Recovery Quiz: https://app.annamarsh.co.uk/quiz Causes of Fatigue Generally and […]
Show Notes Who doesn’t love a recovery story? In this episode, Anna talks from the heart and shares her journey recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Mold Illness. She shares both her personal and professional learnings that have shaped the framework she uses in her practice to help others make their own recoveries. Useful links: […]
Show Notes Welcome to the Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast. Your host, Anna Marsh, introduces herself and explains what you can expect from listening to the show. Anna is a Trauma-informed Functional Medicine Nutritional Therapist who has worked in the health industry for over two decades. However, when her health began to circle the […]
Show Notes Welcome to the Chronic Fatigue and Burnout Recovery Podcast. Your host, Anna Marsh, introduces herself and explains what you can expect from listening to the show. Anna is a Trauma-informed Functional Medicine Nutritional Therapist who has worked in the health industry for over two decades. However, when her health began to circle the […]
We’ve all been there - you go to the doctor, they run some tests, the results come in and you are told that everything is normal. Yet, your body, you feel anything but normal. In this episode Anna talks about the difference between functional and diagnostic reference ranges, how you can get more from your blood work than what your doctor is telling you and functional testing options that she finds most useful to support her 1:1 Fatigue Recovery Clients.
Fatigue can be complex and multifaceted with many possible combinations of contributing factors and every case is different! In this episode Anna talks through the framework she uses in clinical practice to narrow down the causes of fatigue for each client.