Dan Neuffer Discusses New Treatments for ME/CFS & Long Covid Targeting ANS Dysfunction

Рет қаралды 4,202

Күн бұрын

New research just came out showing a procedure blunting the sympathetic nervous system is helping patients with Long Covid. Dan Neuffer, a thought leader on the autonomic nervous system and chronic illness, who himself healed from severe ME/CFS, POTS, and fibromyalgia, share his thoughts. TIMESTAMPS below:
TIMESTAMPS:
0:02 Intro
1:18 The reason I wanted to thank Dan. My honest experience with his program ANS Rewire.
4:31 Recent Stellate Ganglion Block Study with Long Covid patients targeting the sympathetic nervous system - the background & the results
8:57 Dan's thoughts on the SGB study
10:07 The World Health Organization knew This for many decades.
11:55 Is reducing symptoms a good idea? Dan gives examples on when symptoms are the solution.
13:51 What we really want to do.
15:17 The truth about heart rate variability
18:54 Why he believes the study is onto something, but it also misses THIS.
19:26 We discuss Cortisol prescribed for CFS (not medical advice)
21:21 How my body was in the Upside Down with sleep. Dan explains why sleep hygiene alone won't fix your sleep.
22:25 We come up with a new analogy for healing!
25:04 Vagus nerve stimulators for targeting the parasympathetic nervous system. I learned THIS from Dan about the Vagus Nerve. Dan shares great insights here. (Not medical advice.)
31:35 Breathwork, dyspnea (shortness of breath), and ANS pathogenesis.
32:27 Dan explains how he believes Low Dose Naltrexone actually works (Not medical advice). Super insightful stuff. I learned something.
38:27 Why dosage is key.
41:45 Dan talks about his thoughts on those who say a pathogen is driving these conditions and we must focus our efforts on killing the pathogen. Interesting reflections.
45:26 Why his holistic program encourages people to seek medical interventions.
47:26 Why long-term antibiotic therapy may not have the same efficacy for all Chronic Lyme patients. Dan's experience collaborating with chronic illness medical clinics. (Not medical advice)
49:38 Dan's final reflections
OVERVIEW:
Dan Neuffer has long believed Autonomic Nervous System dysfunction is driving ME/CFS, POTS, MCS, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Lyme, and now Long Covid. His crusade has since helped many people recover, while research continues to pour out supporting his theory. I invited him on my channel to discuss his thoughts (not medical advice) on the brand new small study showing promising results of the Stellate Ganglion Block (a medical procedure to blunt the sympathetic nervous system) for reducing Long Covid systems, including Post-Exertional Malaise.
Dan also shares his thoughts (not medical advice) on medications like Low Dose Naltrexone and Vagus Nerve Stimulator gadgets. His explanations are really informative and insightful. We also talk about lifestyle and brain retraining interventions.
Dan proposes a new paradigm for healing from chronic illness that is not simply about forcing a fix.
Relevant links:
Stellate Ganglion Block Study for 41 Long Covid patients: www.cureus.com/articles/18419...
Penn Study on Serotonin and Long Covid: www.pennmedicine.org/news/new...
Dan's educational website: cfsunravelled.com
Dan's program: ansrewire.com
My website: healwithliz.com (Transcript of our chat coming soon!)
My Instagram: / healwithlizc
Independent Programs Guide: healwithliz.com/programs-guide/

Пікірлер: 54

@MariaSotiropoulou88 2 ай бұрын

Oh la la! This discussion is so juicy! I wonder when research procedures will eventually follow a more complimentary approach! I love Dan’s unconventional and still logical perspective. And Liz wow! it’s impressive how you interpret these studies. Thank you both 🎉

@HealwithLiz 2 ай бұрын

❤Thank *you* so much Maria for your kind words, it is much appreciated! I never know beforehand how things will be received, so wonderful to hear you enjoyed our chat! I learned new things from our conversation. Aye, I really hope research can head in that direction!

@CFSUnravelled1 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for your positive comment Maria. "unconventional and still logical perspective" - certainly concerning that logic and convention and not more closely aligned in health 🫤

@deelicious1610 2 ай бұрын

Makes so much sense. I cleaned up diet, crazy amount of supplements, did detoxes, sleep hygiene, changed lifestyle, did brain-retraining for a year. Better, but far from well. 😢 Time served is 43 years, but I have not given up hope. ❤

@Truerealism747 2 ай бұрын

Do you have heds 27 years for me some symptoms changed over decdes

@tanyawieczorek6603 2 ай бұрын

Did any tests ever come up abnormal for you?

@Truerealism747 2 ай бұрын

@@tanyawieczorek6603no just cholesterol elevated have yours

@ryanodonnell4184 10 күн бұрын

Read Dan’s book when i first got ME/CFS. I always liked the way he thinks. A lot of people bashed him for his theories but at least he’s thinking outside the box and offering new persoectives and he’s right about a lot of stuff.

@catherineturnell4091 2 ай бұрын

Dear Liz, thank you for the interview. Dear Dan, you've made an awful lot of sense. Thank you so much.

@avamihalik7531 2 ай бұрын

Hay Dan!!!!! Dan is the man! Yes, I did his program ANS Rewire and it was AWESOME! Very smart, very easy, very practical, and very well-paced.His book is also great! Included in it is information for a multi-faceted approach for relief.I still use his techniques and knowledge for all or any ANS problems. It's a great plan for our whole lives not just when we are severely stuck! I owe a lot to him and I am very grateful to him! I know at first it may be hard to really grasp that what he is saying could be true and that it could be that easy, but what he is saying is true! Trust him he KNOWS! Start here or finish here either way it's a win win! Love, peace, and healing to all! And in the words of Dan: Make every choice your best choice! Ava

@HealwithLiz 2 ай бұрын

Hey Ava, thanks so much for your comment! Sending good vibes back to you!!! And I love that reminder quote from Dan!

@ezza1236 2 ай бұрын

Finally talking about shortness of breath and dspnea, glad to know it’s a common thing and can be fixed

@MegaLeoben 2 ай бұрын

Yea, sob is the worst

@Truerealism747 2 ай бұрын

I had that symptom for two years 2006 2008 until changed symptoms to stomach then head now 6 years fybromyalgia

@CFSUnravelled1 2 ай бұрын

Like all symptoms, it's about resolving the core driving mechanism - although specific brain-training can help. I have seen some people with such symptoms in isolation (without ME/CFS, Fibro/POTS/PVFS) - it's such a frustrating and disconcerting symptom. Suffered with it myself.

@ezza1236 2 ай бұрын

@@CFSUnravelled1 I sometimes have it with chest tightness and sometimes I have shortness of breath without chest tightness, it’s so wierd it changes, sometimes I don’t have any of the symptoms, it comes and goes

@thegangov14 2 ай бұрын

Thank you Liz❤

@zandvoort8616 2 ай бұрын

Great advice!

@spruceysarah 2 ай бұрын

Great interview, thanks so much to you both for taking the time to do this! It's encouraging to see emerging tools that can help people along the way. I agree that it can be shortsighted to look at these treatments as solutions, but they could help people who get stuck at a point in recovery to get some relief and a little boost while they continue to work on their nervous system. Similar to how short-term antidepressants/antianxiety meds can help while doing therapy to address the root cause.

@HealwithLiz 2 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Sarah for your really thoughtful and wise comment, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts! And thanks for the kind words! 💖

@CFSUnravelled1 2 ай бұрын

The key is that a medical intervention (including removing the intervention) does not create more problems than the benefits and that the benefits are statistically significant enough.

@spruceysarah 2 ай бұрын

@@CFSUnravelled1 agreed! I think it's also important, as you said in the video, to not consider elimitation of symptoms the last stop. I think a lot of us know from experience that masking less debilitating symptoms can just create space for more debilitating symptoms down the road. Recovery can be really difficult but that means looking for ways to make it easier, not to skip it entirely.

@spruceysarah 2 ай бұрын

@@HealwithLiz I appreciate you and this channel so much!

@regina6838 2 ай бұрын

A very valuable talk. I'm a bit confused. What is the regulating the ANS treatment? IS it the brain retraining?

@HealwithLiz 2 ай бұрын

Thank you so much Regina! No worries, fair question. Dan touched on this in a few different areas, but to answer your question - there are multiple ways to support the regulation of your ANS. For example, a diet that supports your blood sugar stabilization, that can be nervous system work - brain retraining or somatic practices, breathwork, circadian rhythm/sleep hygiene, pacing, and more. Dan's program covers a lot of these (this video didn't go too much into his program). For those with trauma, he talks about addressing that, as that can contribute to maladaptive stress responses. Some programs address healing trauma, though his does not, but it provides comprehensive advice and tools for the other areas. And as he says, consult trusted medical professionals as needed, ie to investigate things that could be causing stress on the body. I like what Dan kind of says, that there are many ways to heal (and we don't have to do every thing out there or go down every rabbit hole), because as the body starts to heal from a multilateral approach, it's starts to begin to be able to handle things better. Thanks again for watching!

@regina6838 2 ай бұрын

@@HealwithLiz Thanks so much for your answer. That widened the options a lot. He did also say about for example if you just ate a meal and you use a vague nerve stimulator machine to zap you into parasympathetic mode, but that's not it, your body should be naturally going into parasympathetic after a meal. So I really wonder what ANS regulation means. How to get back to what should be a natural bodily function.

@regina6838 2 ай бұрын

@@HealwithLiz If his program doesn't include trauma work, what is brain retraining? A specific type of positive thinking?

@HealwithLiz 2 ай бұрын

@@regina6838 After you eat, it can be as simple as belly / diaphragmatic breathing which can stimulate the Vagus nerve naturally. And no screens while eating or right after eating. For your second question: Brain retraining comes in all different forms. Many of the programs have their own template / script (though not all), like Dan's ANS Rewire program, LP, DNRS, etc. Brain retraining (for the types of conditions mentioned in our interview) typically consists of 1. The education piece (that this is the brain, limbic system, nervous system, or triggered part) 2. Awareness of the pattern 3. Reframing and/or Calming 4. Redirecting attention, or creating a new thought. Some are more involved than others. It's not about saying stop to symptoms nor pushing through, it's about changing the way your body and brain Respond to the symptoms, if that makes sense. Programs that are trauma-based/informed have their own approach, but these are the basic principles without sharing anyone's exact program.

@regina6838 2 ай бұрын

@@HealwithLiz Thanks so much for your detailed replies 💐

@kathy.7475 2 ай бұрын

I wish this was not so long. I can’t watch to the end.

@tanyawieczorek6603 2 ай бұрын

Agreed. Maybe watch in sections?

@julianamoreno2846 2 ай бұрын

OK. So should I relax or not? Should I try parasympathetic activation during the symptom? It's a little confusing

@ezza1236 2 ай бұрын

Just chill out simple

@HealwithLiz 2 ай бұрын

Hi Juliana, good question. I think I need to do a video on the basics and some takeaway tools people can apply today.

@julianamoreno2846 2 ай бұрын

@@HealwithLiz great idea. If you can make a video with tools. Which program helped you the most? or what helped? Unfortunately I don't have the money to buy these programs. I think that regulating the nervous system is one way. but I don't know where to start with so much fatigue 😔

@hillsofwi 2 ай бұрын

@@HealwithLiz I personally look forward to that, Liz. Thank you. I'd like a go to protocol that's instinctive. If I have to keep thinking about how to respond, my mind drifts away.

@CFSUnravelled1 2 ай бұрын

You have hit the nail on the head here - this is the mistake people make, trying to fix it. What we need is a deeper understanding of the problem and then systematically creating a healing environment in which we can retrain the nervous system to respond differently to our personal triggers. Yes, some mild intervention to change ANS tone can be helpful, but it's not the solution.

@karenschindler2871 2 ай бұрын

Has anyone recovered without a complete career change?

@HealwithLiz 2 ай бұрын

Yes. Katie from Boston on my channel kept her job in finance. Carly continued her job writing training plans for endurance athletes. Christine the story before this one is a luxury real estate agent. Lauren G. after recovery made her side-hustle of home organization into her full time job. Not sure when she left her sales job. Now 3 years after healing, she is also coaching in addition to her home organization work. I have a partial list of 'regular people who aren't coaches' on my channel homepage. However, people may change! Most people (though not all) who were very severe or had it for a long time on my channel or others I've seen are doing something different than before, usually helping others heal. People who come on recovery channel I suspect are more likely to be those who are helping others rather than those who returned to corporate work or other work.

@karenschindler2871 2 ай бұрын

Appreciate the information. Very encouraging

@lisabennett1253 2 ай бұрын

So, did anyone try Dan Neuffer's system AND also DNRS? Was one more helpful that the other? Does it depend on the person? Are they similar?

@ElizabethCarlson 2 ай бұрын

Hey Lisa! I actually did both myself, first ANS Rewire and then DNRS. ANS Rewire is a more comprehensive program that factors lifestyle medicine, pacing/movement, and more. It also includes somatic meditations and body based techniques. DNRS is core brain retraining and there is a deep component of visualizations. They have a clear list of things to rewire and there is a special emphasis on joy. In the independent programs guide I made with Lindsay Vine, we describe the contents of these two programs and 23 other lifestyle, pacing, brain retraining, and/or somatics programs. We factored in verbal and written feedback from many people who did these programs. We have a section of who each program is for and who each program is not for (opinions based on feedback) to empower people to make the best choice at this time in their recovery journey. (Not medical advice, think of it more like Yelp reviews.) Sending my support and encouragement to you!

@ElizabethCarlson 2 ай бұрын

If it wasn’t clear ANS Rewire also teaches brain retraining, of course :). The brain retraining template is shorter than in DNRS as DNRS involves visualizations. I have another video - it’s actually my most popular one with an example of DNRS visualizations. I don’t think any program is better, they each have their benefits and yeah, even our own needs can change / adapt over time. I hope our guide helps people make a good decision!

@lisabennett1253 2 ай бұрын

@@ElizabethCarlson Thank you!

@lisabennett1253 2 ай бұрын

@@ElizabethCarlson Thank you!

@MaliCantor 2 ай бұрын

@@ElizabethCarlsonthank you so much! Where can I find the guide?