If you find this review helpful, please use our affiliate link and enter the coupon code: FREE50 at checkout to save an additional $50 off on mattresses only.

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I promised myself that I would wait 6 months before I wrote this post. Now that it’s been 6 months since my family’s been sleeping on our Sleep EZ mattresses, I’m ready to give you the low-down on what we think about them and how we came to the decision to buy an organic latex mattress.

Here’s a sneak peek at my review. Barbara and I bought one mattress for us and one for each of our children who are still living at home. The conclusion from 5 very reliable sources is that the mattress is awesome and everyone is enjoying an excellent night’s sleep.

How did we choose the Sleep EZ mattress?

You’ve probably seen all the different mattress commercials on TV and know all the brands.

There’s the Leesa, the Purple mattress, Casper, Sealy Posturepedic, and the Serta Perfect Sleeper. The list goes on and on. I wonder if we’ll soon see Mike Lindell partnering his My Pillow to a My Mattress.

Buying a new mattress isn’t an easy task. If you’ve done it recently, you know it’s probably the most difficult household item to decide upon. It’s a big decision cost-wise and also health-wise.

After all, you’re going to spend about 2500 hours a year sleeping on that mattress. That means that it will intimately affect your physical, mental, and emotional health. The right decision concerning your mattress really matters.

Let me tell you why Barbara and I decided to choose Sleep EZ mattresses for our whole family.

Ditching the old mattress and thinking about a new one

Last August, we moved to beautiful Raleigh, North Carolina. During our move, we decided to ditch our old coil spring mattresses and get new ones when we settled in Raleigh.

We spent our first month here living at the Hampton Inn in downtown Raleigh. That month gave us the opportunity to really investigate the area and find a suitable house to rent. It also gave us time to research what kind of mattresses to buy.

As we read more and more about mattresses, we settled on three requirements we wanted our mattresses to have.

Our primary mattress requirements

First, they had to be free of toxins, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and all that jazz.

Now, this makes sense right? We spend a lot of time trying to live a healthy lifestyle. We follow a low-carb healthy fat diet and get a good amount of protein. We try to eliminate toxins in our diet and environment as much as possible. We weight train and walk often.

But what good is living a healthy lifestyle if every night we’re going to put our noses and mouths next to a mattress that is off-gassing noxious fumes? It kind of defeats the purpose, right?

Therefore, our first requirement was that we wanted a mattress that was 100% natural and free of toxins.

Ahhh, the comfort

Second, we wanted a mattress that was comfortable. After all, who wants to spend 2500 hours a year on a mattress that makes you miserable?

During sleep, your body is recovering from the mental and physical stresses of the day. If you don’t sleep well because of an uncomfortable mattress, you won’t recover well from those stresses.

You don’t want your mattress robbing you of deep quality sleep. You want it to be a means to a good night’s sleep so you can wake up refreshed and ready to go.

The cost

Our third requirement in a mattress was how much was it going to cost us. Wow, these things can be really expensive. It’s like if you want to buy a really good mattress for your whole family, you have to take out a second mortgage. But, I mean, $5000 for a mattress. Really?!

So, we were cost conscious. The goal was to search until we got the mattress we wanted at the right price.

Now, with these parameters in mind, let’s see how our process evolved.

Eliminating the mattresses we didn’t want

We began the process of finding the perfect mattress by eliminating the types of mattresses we didn’t want. The first ones we eliminated were coil spring mattresses.

Why we didn’t want a coil spring mattress

We eliminated coil spring mattresses right off the bat because of three main reasons.

1. We Didn’t Want EMF Antennas In Our Mattresses.

Did you know that large coiled springs in a mattress can actually amplify the broadcast FM/TV radiation around your bed?

This is from an article in Scientific American,

Thus, as we sleep on our coil-spring mattresses, we are in effect sleeping on an antenna that amplifies the intensity of the broadcast FM/TV radiation. Asleep on these antennas, our bodies are exposed to the amplified electromagnetic radiation for a third of our life spans. As we slumber on a metal coil-spring mattress, a wave of electromagnetic radiation envelops our bodies so that the maximum strength of the field develops 75 centimeters above the mattress in the middle of our bodies. When sleeping on the right side, the body’s left side will thereby be exposed to field strength about twice as strong as what the right side absorbs.

Now, if you sleep with your TV, iPhone, or iPad on at night, your coil mattress will act like a giant antenna attracting the EMFs radiating from those devices to your body. It’s probably a good idea to put your cell phone on airplane mode at night.

While the evidence concerning the effects of rf EMF radiation is limited, there is some evidence that links rf EMFs to cancer. See here.

See the World Health Organization’s report on EMFs here.

EMFs do have an effect on your body. To what extent they cause damage is not clear. So if they can be avoided, it’s probably better to do so. We wanted to avoid them.

2. We didn’t want creepy stuff in our mattress

Envision the inside of your coil spring mattress. It’s dark and damp. It’s the perfect incubator for all kinds of nasty things to live and thrive. You might have dust mites, fungus, mold, mildew, dust, and who knows what else growing in there.

Is that what you want next to your face for 8 hours a day? I didn’t think so. When we were throwing out our old mattresses, we couldn’t figure out why they were so heavy compared to when we bought them. Now, we know why. They absorb stuff.

3. We didn’t want dangerous toxins in our mattress 

I remember a big caution my mom used to give me when I was young. Don’t ever smoke in bed. You might fall asleep smoking and burn up like one of those famous actors. My response to that sage advice was “Mom, I don’t plan on smoking so don’t scare me!”

“Well, just in case” was her reply.

Someone took my mom’s caution seriously because on July 1, 2007, all U.S. mattresses were required to be highly flame retardant to the extent that they won’t catch on fire if exposed to a blowtorch.  Wow, what’s someone doing with a blowtorch in bed?

Anyway, you guessed what happened. In order to make mattresses flame retardant, manufacturers have to use chemicals.

In the past, chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs were used as a flame-retardant. Do they sound like something you want to be inhaling all night?

As you can expect, after a while someone discovered that these chemicals are highly toxic, and, thus, they were subsequently banned.

Mattress manufacturers have not used these chemicals for about 15 years.

But they have to use some kind of flame retardant.

Mattress flame retardation today

Mattress manufacturers are extremely secretive about what they use as flame retardants. There is no regulation that forces them to expose what chemicals they use.

For example, the Serta website states,

Our FireBlocker system is a proprietary blend of natural and synthetic fibers that help isolate the impact of a fire and limit its spread. All Serta products comply with all applicable safety, health, and environmental regulations.

That sounds reassuring, but we don’t really know what they use as a fire retardant.

They may, however, be using some combination of the three following processes,

…barriers made from mainly cotton that has been bonded with boric acid; barriers made of rayon that has been extruded with silica (tiny fragments of glass or clay); and barriers made from rayon that has been treated with ammonium polyphosphate.

This is certainly a better option than PBDEs but the problem here is that no one knows what their personal tolerance threshold will be to any of these chemicals.

So, after considering these three negatives, we decided that coil mattresses from the big companies were just not an option for us.

The next type of mattress we investigated were memory foam mattresses.

Memory foam mattresses

You’ve probably seen the commercials for Leesa and Casper mattresses. These are memory foam mattresses.

They are constructed of a certain type of “memory foam”. I say type because the mattresses use different types of foam for different layers of the mattress. However, all the particular type of memory foam they use is made from polyurethane.

There are positives and negatives to this type of mattress. I’ll give you the positives first.

Positives to polyurethane memory foam mattresses

Memory foam mattresses are generally considered to be excellent for comfort and back support. Memory foam molds to your body’s contours providing good spine alignment. Anecdotally, people with back problems report less back pain after sleeping on a memory foam mattresses.

Also, because the mattress forms to your exact shape, pressure points that may cause an uncomfortable sleep are minimized. This is an extremely important function in a good mattress.

Often, to eliminate painful pressure your body will subconsciously turn. This turning may have the effect of causing you to be taken out of a deep sleep cycle. It’s during these deep cycles that your body is being repaired and restored. You don’t want these cycles disrupted. See my post on sleep cycles here.

Lastly, memory foam mattresses are supposed to be much more durable than a coil spring mattress. Remember when you had to reverse your coil mattress every so often so that you could reduce the sag.

Negatives to polyurethane memory foam mattresses

Memory foam mattresses tend to run hot. That means that they are not good diffusers of your body’s heat. Another thing that can disrupt your sleep cycles is a hot environment.

Some of the mattress companies have developed a different foam that is supposed to deal with this problem.

Second, memory foam mattresses are supposed to be more expensive than a coil mattress. I haven’t checked all the prices so I can’t validate that.

The third negative is the one that tipped the balance against memory foam mattresses for us. Can you guess what it was?

What’s memory foam made out of?

Memory foam is made from synthetic polyurethane. Mattress companies try to ensure that this product is completely safe. They say that they are CertiPUR-US® certified.

CertiPUR-US is a not-for-profit certification program developed by the flexible polyurethane foam (FPF) industry. Hmmm…developed by the FPF for the FPF. Okay.

According to CertiPUR-US, Leesa and Casper mattresses are made without:

• Ozone depleters
• PBDE flame retardants
• Mercury, lead, and other heavy metals
• Formaldehyde
• Phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission

And they are made with:

• Low VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions for indoor air quality (< 0.5 parts per million)

That’s somewhat reassuring. But what exactly are they made of? We really don’t know. But I assume it’s some kind of synthetic chemicals.

That means we don’t really know what we’ll be breathing in if we sleep on this mattress.

When it comes to memory foam, we really liked the comfort, back support, and durability the mattresses offered. But because they were made of polyurethane, we felt we had to look elsewhere.

Let’s take a breath and see where we’re at so far in our journey to the perfect mattress.

So far we’ve eliminated mattresses that:

• Act as EMF antennas and a playground for bugs and mold
• Release toxic chemicals

We still want a mattress that is:

• 100% natural and chemical free
• Durable
• Spine and body supportive
• Comfortable
• Affordable

Wow, there are a lot of things to consider here. It’s like a list of things you’d be considering in a marriage partner. Okay, it’s not the same but getting a good mattress is serious business.

Considering that since you have to sleep on it for 7-8 hours a day, if you pick a bad one it can ruin your life. So you have to be careful.

Okay, so where did we turn. Lo and behold, there is a memory foam mattress that is not made from polyurethane.

Latex foam mattresses

Latex is a natural product made from the sap of the rubber tree. In order to obtain the sap, the trees are tapped. This means that the trees don’t have to be harvested. Thus, it’s an ecologically sustainable practice.

That’s good!

The sap then undergoes a mechanical process whereby the final product, latex, is biodegradable and hypoallergenic.

An important caveat here is that I’m talking about 100% natural latex. Not the ones that are blends or synthetic.

Hallelujah. It seems that we have come to the end of our mattress search.

We have found a foam mattress that is 100% natural that has all the advantages of a memory foam mattress.

Well, we’re not quite at the end of our search yet.

There are some variations in 100% latex foam mattresses. I told you this was a complicated procedure.

100% natural or 100% natural organic latex mattress

Yes, 100% Natural latex mattresses can come in two forms. One that is just 100% natural or one that is 100% natural and organic. The organic form bears a certification from Global Organic Latex Standards (or GOLS for short).

The GOLS certificate states that the latex is made with at least 95% of organic latex.

There you have it. The most back friendly, toxic free, comfortable mattress is the 100% natural organic latex mattress.

I was so excited that I had finally found the perfect mattress. Now the job was to find out which was the best one.

Hold it. Barbara warned, “Don’t you think we ought to try it out first?”

I have such a smart wife. She’s always stopping me from making huge mistakes.

There was an organic bedroom store not far from us so we were off in a flash.

Shopping for a latex mattress

We spent about two hours in this particular store trying out all the beds and getting all the details on why 100% organic latex mattresses are the best.

We found out that a latex mattress is composed of different layers of foam which are usually of different density. The reason for this is that because people sleep differently (side, back, stomach), different latex densities provide different support and comfort levels.

On a king or queen mattress, the latex can also be customized on the right and left side. That means if your partner has a different sleeping style, the mattress can be customized to their style.

To ensure the organic nature of the mattress, the latex is enclosed in a 100% organic cotton and wool sock.

We tried all the beds of the two main manufacturers, and they both appeared to be very comfortable.

Everything was going well until we got the price!

Sticker shock – you want how much for this mattress?

When we got the price for one queen mattress and three full mattresses, we were like, “Are you kidding?” 

In addition to the mattress, you have to buy a foundation for the mattress, which can be a platform bed or a foundation made for the mattress. The foundation is a wood platform that supports the mattress and allows air to flow underneath it.

You then have to buy a metal frame to support this. Remember that if you buy a platform or foundation that is not organic, you sort of defeat the purpose of a natural mattress.

Additionally, you have to assemble the mattress yourself!

The total cost was well over $12,000. Um…not doing that. We thanked the owner and told him we would think about it. I felt kind of bad because I really picked his brains. However, after considering his price, I didn’t feel as bad.

Now it was back to the internet to search out the best 100% organic latex mattress for the best price.

Finding SleepEZ mattresses

As Providence would have it, we signed a new lease on a beautiful house in North Raleigh. We were to move in two weeks. That meant we needed mattresses ASAP.

After spending a few furious days searching the internet for the best price on the type of mattress we wanted, we found Sleep EZ. This company’s mattress had everything we wanted in a latex mattress for the best price.

Sleep EZ is a third generation owned, factory direct seller. This is why their prices are so reasonable.

When I called the company, I was fortunate to get Jim to help me. After “picking his brains” for quite a while, we decided to order our mattresses from Sleep EZ.

He asked us our height and weight and what kind of sleepers we were. After giving him this information, he showed us how to order the proper mattress online.

However, Jim advised us to make one small adjustment to our mattresses!!!

Dunlop latex or talalay latex

As I already discussed, we wanted to go with 100% organic latex. Jim said that’s fine, but he would make one suggestion. He said because we were side sleepers, it might be a better idea that we choose 100% natural Talalay latex for our top layer.

Wow… here came another curveball. “Why is that?” I asked, feeling I was back at square one.

Here was his reason. Dunlop latex is extremely firm and most people find it uncomfortable as a top layer and do much better with Talalay. 

I had read a blog post on this issue already. One well-known wellness blogger wrote that she had one of those $5000 all organic mattresses, and her husband found it very uncomfortable. The blogger didn’t say, but since the bed was 100% organic, I assume it was Dunlop latex.

So Jim’s suggestion made sense.

However, here’s the catch. Talalay latex is not certified 100% organic by GOLS. So the bottom two layers would be organic but the top layer 100% natural.

Jim assured me that most people went this way with their mattress.

Wow…so the top layer of my mattress was not organic. Now what?

Dunlop latex vs. talalay latex

The primary difference between Dunlop and Talalay latex is in the way they are manufactured.

However, at this time there is no organic certification for Talalay latex, though the one used by Sleep EZ is 100% natural. See here for their certifications that show their products are free from volatile organic compounds and other dangerous compounds.

As I mentioned before, the mattresses are wrapped in an organic cotton sock. However, the inner wool flame retarder is made from eco-friendly wool.

We decided to take Jim’s advice and couldn’t have been happier.

The Sleep EZ mattress is also hand made in the USA and has a ten to twenty-year warranty depending on the mattress. They also offer a ninety-day sleep trial and exchange period. Shipping is free.

Foundations

We decided to forgo a platform bed because we couldn’t find one reasonably priced that didn’t use chemicals or engineered wood.

So we went with Sleep EZ’s 8” natural wood glueless foundation. It comes with an organic cover.

We bought our bed frames from amazon.com.

Our mattresses came with two latex pillows each. After all, if you are sleeping on a healthy mattress, you want to sleep on a healthy pillow.

Our mattresses are delivered

After confirming everything with our salesperson our beds arrived in 5 days, just in time for our move-in date.

These mattresses don’t arrive like your old mattresses. Probably two big guys brought the mattresses up to your house and set it all up for you. With these, you have to put in a little work.

Each layer of the mattress came sealed in plastic in a box. The hardest part of the job was opening the boxes. They were sealed extremely well.

The foundations came in their own separate boxes. Our metal frames from Amazon arrived in the always timely Amazon manner.

Set-up

Our 20-year-old son, Peter, was charged with setting up the beds. My job was to remove everything from the boxes and provide moral support.

Peter set up the frame first and then tackled the foundation. These two phases took about 30 minutes. You’ll need a drill with a Phillips bit to assemble the foundation.

Foundation completed. On to the frame.

As I said, the hardest thing was opening the mattress boxes. Make sure you have a pair of pliers handy to pry the staples off of the box. Each box was clearly marked as to which level of latex foam it contained.

Each layer was then placed into the cotton cover while on the foundation. Between unboxing and laying the foam layers, the set-up took about an hour.

The foam boxes were a tad heavy so if you’re going upstairs with them it’s a lot easier if you have someone helping you.

So that’s it. One person could probably assemble the whole mattress in about two hours. Peter did four of them in one day! 

People who are concerned with the smell from foam need not worry with this mattress. There was only a slight smell of latex that quickly went away after a few days.

Organic sheets for our new organic beds

Barbara made the bed with some nice new organic sheets and, voilà, a brand new eco-friendly, healthy bed to sleep on.

She bought these organic sheets and this organic duvet cover from Amazon.

The most comfortable bed I’ve slept on

Have you ever bought something and said, “Boy, that was a good purchase.” Well, this mattress was one of our best.

After 6 months of sleeping on this mattress, I have to say it’s the most comfortable I’ve ever had.

And everyone here confirms it. Even my son Michael, who always complained of his mattress in New York, loves his new mattress.

My other son Peter loves his so much, it’s hard to get him to leave it in the morning. LOL.

We got these mattresses in August while it was still pretty hot down here in NC, but the mattress didn’t retain heat from our body temperature.

The bottom line

So if you’re looking for the healthiest, most comfortable, the most economical mattress, look no further than Sleep EZ.

That’s it for this week. I’m glad you stopped by. If you have any questions about the Sleep EZ mattress, please leave a comment.

We’re an affiliate for the Sleep EZ company (though this post was in no way sponsored by them).

And Sleep EZ is SO generous that they are doing a special discount for all of my readers! Please use our affiliate link and enter the coupon code: FREE50 at checkout and you’ll save an additional $50 off on mattresses only.

You’ll save an additional $50 off your mattress and we’ll receive a small commission.

That helps us pay the bills and keep this website running. God bless and have a great week.

The post Why We Bought a Sleep EZ 100% Natural Latex Mattress [Review] appeared first on Gluten Free Homestead.

However, for a year now, I haven’t experienced the debilitating fatigue peculiar to CFS, and I haven’t suffered from any of the many symptoms associated with it. During the last year, I’ve strength trained 5 days a week, power walked most days, engaged in some high-intensity training, and moved my family to another state while experiencing no downtime because of fatigue.

Yes, I think that qualifies as being finally healed from CFS. But, again, I have to be careful.

A review of 14 studies found that only 5% of people diagnosed with CFS ever fully recover. That means that even though I feel great, I have to continue to be disciplined to adhere to all the strategies that got me this far.

In this post and the next, I’d like to highlight for you the 10 most important strategies I used to beat this debilitating disease.

Caveat To Healing

Will these strategies work for everyone who has CFS? I don’t know. Since no one knows what causes CFS, there is no single proven treatment protocol. But I do know this, every one of the strategies I used is scientifically proven to make my body stronger and better able to heal itself from the disease.

Here’s something I also know. I suffered from this disease for 20 years before I began to make significant progress towards recovery. It wasn’t until I started using these strategies that I turned the corner away from sickness and toward wellness.

No Help From Mainstream Medicine

When I first developed CFS in 1986, very few physicians were aware of CFS. All of the doctors I visited were completely clueless as to what was wrong with me. My blood tests were always normal. I tested negative for Epstein-Barr, Lyme, Hep C, you name it.

Yet no one could figure out why I was not only chronically fatigued but also suffering from a slew of seemingly unrelated symptoms. Some doctors even raised an eyebrow when I mentioned how many different symptoms I had. Meaning, they thought I was some sort of a hypochondriac.

As time went on, mainstream physicians began to recognize CFS as an actual condition. However, they still had no idea what caused it or how to cure it. Their standard reply to me was, “Yes, you probably have CFS. You should rest more and see what happens.”

Of course, that’s not what I wanted to hear. I wanted someone to tell me that I would eventually get better! But that promise never came.

No Help From My Naturopath

About 10 years ago, I traveled out of state to see a naturopathic physician. He was very thoughtful and understanding and convinced me that I was not a hypochondriac. However, he also couldn’t give me a comprehensive plan for combating the syndrome. His primary suggestion was to take the numerous supplements he recommended.  After many months of doing that and spending no little amount of money, I still had little relief from the fatigue.

A Lack Of Information

When I developed CFS in 1986, there was no such thing as the internet. That meant that we had little access to important medical information. Unless you had access to a medical library, it was virtually impossible to find information on CFS.

So, for the first 20 years of having CFS, mainstream medicine couldn’t help me at all. The best I could do was to reduce my fatigue by relying on trial and error. In other words, I learned which activities caused me the most fatigue, and I tried not to do them.

After about 20 years living with the disease, I regained about 20% of my former energy level. This allowed me to function at about 60% of normal. Some days I did reach 80%. But that generally lasted for only a short time. And even when I was at 80%, some aspect of the disease was always with me whether it was muscle aches, IBS, or headaches.

However, there would also be days when I would regress to about 40% of my energy levels. This could last for weeks at a time. For 20 years, I can honestly say that I didn’t have one single day where I felt perfectly healthy. I was beginning to forget what it was like to feel good.

Pathway To Healing

My healing didn’t really begin in earnest until about 8 years ago when I began searching out health and wellness websites that suggested alternative paths to healing. These sites emphasized strategies that stressed the elimination of toxicity, the reduction of chronic inflammation, strengthening the immune system, and optimizing cellular metabolism.

The idea was that by following specific practices my body would strengthen and eventually heal itself.

It took me about 7 years to put all these strategies into a comprehensive protocol for getting well and staying well.

I will be very specific concerning what I did to be healed, but first I want it to be clear that I didn’t just have a general fatigue or malaise. I had full-blown CFS. For those unfamiliar with CFS, let me tell you how bad it really is.

What Is CFS?

There is no confirmed diagnostic test for CFS or it’s lesser known name, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (from now on I’ll use the abbreviation ME/CFS for CFS). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, suggests that the three following core symptoms are required to make a diagnosis.

1. Greatly lowered ability to do activities that were usual before the illness. This drop in activity level occurs along with fatigue and must last six months or longer. Fatigue is usually severe and is of a different type than one experiences after hard physical work or exercise. It is not relieved by rest and has not been present for someone’s lifetime.
2. Worsening of ME/CFS symptoms after physical or mental activity that would not have caused a problem before the illness. This is known as post-exertional malaise (PEM). ME/CFS sufferers often improve to a point where they think they’re healed. They then resume their normal activities only to experience a severe relapse of fatigue and other symptoms.
3. Sleep problems. Individuals with ME/CFS often experience sleep disturbances. That includes falling asleep and staying asleep. Often, a good night’s sleep will not alleviate fatigue.

Additional Symptoms

In addition to these core symptoms, one of the following two symptoms is required for diagnosis:

• Problems with thinking and memory. This is commonly known as brain fog.
• Worsening of symptoms while standing or sitting upright. This is known as orthostatic intolerance and is caused by a dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system. In my case, I suffered from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). With this syndrome, one’s heart rate will raise at least 30 bpm in at least 10 minutes after standing from a sitting position. See here.

Those are some bad symptoms, right? Well, it gets worse. Many ME/CFS sufferers also can experience the following symptoms in varying degrees:

• Muscle pain and aches (For years it felt as if I had clamps affixed to my arms and legs)
• Joint pain without swelling or redness (Several of my finger joints were inflamed for years)
• Headaches, either new or worsening
• Tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpits
• A sore throat that happens often
• Digestive issues, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Chills and night sweats
• Allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, or noise

In my case, I hit the jackpot. Over the span of 28 years I experienced every single one of these symptoms to a greater or lesser degree. My worse symptoms were extreme fatigue, PEM, muscle aches, joint pain, headaches, and POTS. I also had an endoscopy done because of IBS.

Note that ME/CFS is considered only after everything else that could cause chronic fatigue is ruled out.

One question still remains unanswered: Why did I get ME/CFS?

Developing ME/CFS?

It was a beautiful autumn day in October 1986. A perfect day for a run. The air was fresh and the trees in New York were exploding with color. My 3-mile jog was uneventful except that I experienced a slight cold feeling in my chest which lasted for about an hour.

I went to sleep that night feeling fine. However, upon waking the next morning I didn’t feel quite right. As I attempted to get out of the bed, I realized that something was really wrong with my body.

My legs felt like they were made out of concrete. I had to literally struggle to get them to move. Eventually, I got out of the bed, but I found that I couldn’t stand for more than about 30 seconds. I had no other symptoms except extreme fatigue when standing and walking.

After a few hours, I gained some ability to walk around for a few minutes at a time, but that was it. I was bedridden for the next 3 days. After about 3 weeks, I did regain some energy, but on the whole, I’d lost on average 40% – 50% of my normal energy levels.

Subsequently, I was forced to give up my podiatry practice and find work that would allow me to rest often. As the years went on, I would at times improve slightly. But, then, thinking I was better, I would engage in some strenuous activity only to eventually relapse back into a state of severe fatigue.

As I mentioned, the only answer I got from doctors was that I probably had chronic fatigue syndrome and suggestions that I should try and rest more. They didn’t know why I had gotten it or if I would ever heal 100%.

That wasn’t something a 30-something husband and father of 4 young children who was now running his own business wanted to hear. Fortunately, my business allowed me to take off and rest whenever I wanted. That helped a lot. But you can never take time off from your family, can you?

Why Do People Get ME/CFS?

To date, no one knows why people get ME/CFS. Researchers have suggested that there is an underlying viral component to the disease. In my case, I didn’t experience any acute flu-like symptoms prior to getting sick.

As the years went by, several physicians stated that I probably had some underlying inflammation going on. This belief was prompted by a slightly elevated liver enzyme. That was the only blood test that showed an abnormality. My sed rate (ESR) and CRP were always normal.

A Psychological Component To CFS

Other researchers believe “that physiological and psychological factors work together to predispose an individual to the illness and to precipitate and perpetuate the illness.” They are, however, unsure of what exactly these are.

From my experience, I concur that there is a psychological component to ME/CFS. I was under extreme stress for about 10 years prior to the onset of the disease. As I found out much later, my cortisol levels were completely out of whack. This meant that my adrenal glands were also in very bad shape.

Why did it take 22 years for a physician to finally check their status? Sheesh!

The Dysautonomia Angle

As I mentioned before, some researchers believe that a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a part in ME/CFS. This is the part of the nervous system that controls internal organs. One part of the ANS (parasympathetic) helps the body rest, relax, and digest food and another part (sympathetic) helps a person fight or take flight in an emergency.

What researchers are not sure of is whether dysautonomia causes or simply exacerbates the symptoms of ME/CFS.

After mentioning to one doctor that my pulse seemed to race at night especially after rising, he had me wear a Holter monitor for 24 hours. The data revealed that my heartbeat varied wildly during the night. The cardiologist who examined the data suspected that there was some type of dysautonomia involved.

My doctor told me that there was basically nothing you can do for dysautonomias (Not true! More on that later).

I Have POTS

I figured out later that the dysautonomia was POTS! It’s highly associated with ME/CFS. While there’s no cure for POTS, it is manageable.

As you can see, ME/CFS is a disease that involves many physiological systems. Not only does it cause extreme fatigue, it can also cause disruptions in the nervous system, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal system, immune system, gene expression, and sleep patterns. And if POTS is involved, the urinary tract can also be affected. See here.

For an extensive list of research being done into how ME/CFS affects the various system of the body, see here. If you want to know more about ME/CFS, the British ME Association has an excellent website with loads of very good information. Also, see Dr. Myhill’s site.

ME/CFS sufferers are not hypochondriacs. We just have a terrible disease without a specific cause and without a specific cure. But, in my case, it was curable.

Could I Have Healed Sooner?

I’ve read that some people with ME/CFS are healed after months of just complete rest. That usually entails no work and eliminating all kinds of stress.

In my case, that wasn’t an option. I had a family and financial responsibilities to consider. Would complete bed rest have healed me, though? I don’t think so. My dysautonomia and poor reaction to stress probably wouldn’t have allowed it.

Now, let’s get on with what I did to heal. Bear in mind that though this process took me many years to discover, I continue to use all the strategies to stay healthy and fit. I will list them in the order I discovered them.

Strategy 1: Going Gluten Free

About 12 years ago, I went gluten-free. This was the first major change I made on my health journey. Though I never had any of the major intestinal problems associated with celiac disease, I did have moderate IBS and a lot of the other associated symptoms.

As it turns out, myself and several family members have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). With this condition, the ingestion of gluten doesn’t cause the destructive autoimmune inflammatory response in the gut like celiac disease does. However, it does cause an immune response that can result in systemic inflammation. See here.

Even if you don’t have NCGS, gluten has been proven to cause leaky gut by disrupting the tight junctions in the epithelial lining of your gut. Because of this, toxins, pathologic organisms, and their byproducts can pass into your bloodstream causing a chronic inflammatory response throughout your body. See here.

Strategy 2: Avoiding Antibiotics

From the time I had my tonsils out at age 4 to about 24 years old, I suffered from one throat and sinus ailment after another. Of course, the first treatment of choice for most doctors was to prescribe antibiotics. Needless to say, I took a lot of antibiotics throughout my life.

While antibiotics can be a life-saving gift from God, they also come with a downside. Often antibiotics don’t discriminate in their killing of bacteria. Meaning they eliminate bad bacteria but they may also destroy good bacteria found in your gut.

In a healthy situation, there are good bacteria (microbiota) that inhabit your intestinal tract. These beneficial bacteria aid in digestion, fighting bad bacteria, and in the production of some vitamins.

When your microbiome is disrupted, as when you take antibiotics, a condition called dysbiosis can result. Dysbiosis has been associated with a number of serious diseases including ME/CFS.

Since I went GF, I’ve only taken antibiotics one time. That was only to determine if I had Lyme disease.

These first two strategies didn’t result in a fantastic immediate improvement in my condition. But what they did do was begin to reduce the inflammation in my gut, help restore a healthy microbiome, and stop my gut from leaking dangerous toxins into my bloodstream.

A healthy gut is key for overall healing.

I didn’t yet understand how to fully heal my damaged gut microbiome. I’ll explain how I further did that when I get to diet strategies.

Next, I’ll reveal the first major strategy I used to gain back some significant energy.

Strategy 3: Daily Walking

About 10 years ago, I read an article about a condition called neurasthenia. This was a mysterious medical condition reported by doctors in the 19th and early 20th century. The description of the symptoms of the disease was very similar to what we now call ME/CFS. One of the treatments recommended for that condition was a daily walk.

I initially thought that that idea was absurd. Walking requires energy, right? Why would I want to expend energy when I had such little energy to start with?

Nevertheless, I decided to give it a try. I started out slowly by walking around the neighborhood for just a few minutes. Surprisingly, I found that I felt energized during the walk.

After gradually increasing the distance, within a month I was walking about 1.5 miles daily at a moderate pace without any fatigue at all. After the walks, I felt fine, though the fatigue returned after an hour or so. But I found that over a few months I actually did gain back, and keep, about 10% of the energy I lost.

There is some evidence (also see here) that graded exercise can help some ME/CFS sufferers. For me, a gradual increase in walking distance and speed seemed to work.

I Walk No Matter What The Weather

Walking continues to be an important part of my fitness routine, and I walk regardless of the weather. When it rains or the weather gets cold, I use a treadmill. For me, my treadmill is not only an important piece of fitness equipment, it’s also an indispensable piece of healthcare equipment. I’ve used this one for over 4 years without any issues.

Why Did Walking Work For Me?

I mentioned previously that a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system is closely associated with ME/CFS. This dysfunction usually presents with the sympathetic nervous system (fight and flight) dominating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).

Studies have shown that moderate aerobic exercise especially daily walking can enhance parasympathetic activity thus bringing the autonomic nervous system back into balance.

Recent studies have also shown that walking in nature is a powerful therapy for enhancing parasympathetic activity.

To this day, I continue to do a brisk walk (3.5 mph) for at least 1.5 miles 5 -6 times a week.

For the extraordinary health benefits of walking, see my post here.

Okay, that’s it for this post. I’ve given you the first three strategies I discovered that set me on the road to healing from ME/CFS. In my next post, I’ll give you the remaining seven.

I want to emphasize that these are the strategies that worked for me. I’m not recommending them for anyone. However, I believe that science has proven that they are efficacious for health and wellness. Remember, always check with your doctor before you start any treatment protocol.

Have a healthy and blessed week. In my next post, I promise I will present the next 7 strategies that helped me heal from ME/CFS. Also, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The post The 10 Most Important Strategies I Used To Beat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Part 1 appeared first on Gluten Free Homestead.

Xtrema is SO generous that they are doing a special discount for all of my readers! If you decide to try any of their cookware, please use this affiliate link and enter GFH at checkout. You’ll save an additional 15% off your order. I do receive a small commission for referring you.

When shopping for cookware, I look for pots and pans that are durable, non-toxic to cook with, and that I can clean easily.

For years, I tried to avoid aluminum pans by cooking with cast iron. Pans containing aluminum are risky to cook with because the aluminum can leach into the food (that means they can be unhealthy and change the taste of your food too!).

But cooking acidic foods in cast iron pans actually causes increased iron absorption. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but since John and I are getting older, we tend to be at a higher risk for iron overload. Too much iron is not good.

You can read more about this here.

So it was time for me to start my cookware search again. And that’s why I was so excited when Xtrema sent me a ceramic skillet to review.

Isn’t it pretty?

Xtrema makes its cookware with an all natural ceramic glaze that has no chemicals or metals, unlike coated cookware that can scratch, peel, or flake.

And this short-handled black 10-inch skillet comes with a beautiful starlite white cover and two silicone pot holders. It can be used as a braiser pan for slow cooking, a skillet for frying or sautéing, or as a casserole dish for baking.

And guess what? It’s lighter than my cast iron pans!

What is a braiser?

A braiser pot with a lid is a type of kitchen cookware designed for slow cooking and braising techniques. It typically consists of a wide, shallow pan with deep sides and a tight-fitting lid. 

Key features of braiser pans include:

1. Size and Shape: The wide cooking surface allows for browning and searing of ingredients before slow cooking. The deep sides provide enough space to hold liquids and accommodate larger cuts of meat.

2. Lid: The tight-fitting lid helps to trap moisture and heat, creating a controlled cooking environment that’s ideal for slow-cooking methods.

3. Even Heat Distribution: Quality braisers like my Xtrema ceramic braiser are designed to distribute heat evenly across the cooking surface, preventing hot spots and ensuring consistent cooking results.

4. Versatility: Braisers can be used for a variety of cooking techniques, including braising, stewing, simmering, and even roasting. They are suitable for both stovetop and oven use.

5. Braising: Braising is a cooking method where ingredients are first seared or browned, then simmered in liquid at low heat for an extended period. This results in tender and flavorful dishes.

Braisers are commonly used for preparing dishes that require long cooking times, such as stews, pot roasts, and braised meats. They are particularly effective for turning tougher cuts of meat into succulent and tender creations.

When using a braiser, it’s important to monitor the liquid levels and cooking temperature to prevent drying out or overcooking. The versatility and ability to create rich, hearty meals make a braiser a valuable addition to any kitchen.

Sandwich steak roll-ups recipe

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post. 

The first recipe I decided to make in my new skillet was braised steak roll-ups. Low and slow cooking is the best cooking method for braising minute steaks which can otherwise be a little tough.

Inspired by Beef Rouladen which is typically rolled with bacon, onion, and pickles, I decided to stuff each bundle with thin-sliced peppers, onions, and Muenster cheese.

I think next time I make them I’m going to try mozzarella. Doesn’t that sound good? Yum!

The braised beef roll-ups came out tender and delicious in the skillet. I was able to easily brown them without them sticking to the bottom of the pan. Yay! 

And there’s one less serving platter to clean because the pot is beautiful enough to go from stove to table.

Complete the dish with one (or two!) delicious vegetable or salad dishes such as, Parmesan Roasted Sweet Potatoes, restaurant-style Bacon Brussels Sprouts or Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheddar.

Here’s why I loved cooking with this skillet:

Non-toxic cooking

Is Xtrema ceramic cookware safe?

Ceramic is naturally durable and non-reactive so it won’t change the taste of your food.

Stovetop to oven to table

Xtrema ceramic cookware can be used on the stovetop or in the oven and is even beautiful enough for serving at the table.

Easy to clean non-scratch surface

The skillet is easy to clean and dishwasher safe. I just rinse it out with soapy water, scrub it with a rough sponge, and carefully dry it with a towel.

However, I did have one ceramic pan crack so it’s important to be very careful while cleaning ceramic as you would be with any breakables in your kitchen.

Conclusion

I highly recommend Xtrema ceramic cookware. It’s a non-toxic alternative to metal and non-stick cookware. Whether you choose one piece or a whole set, Xtrema ceramic cookware would be an excellent addition to your kitchen.

Definitely, I’m planning to add more cookware from Xtrema.

Happy cooking!

More nutritious recipes you can make in this cookware

Flavorful Chicken Cacciatore (gluten free and low carb) This is an easy-to-make classic Italian recipe of braised chicken cacciatore in a rich tomato sauce. It’s an absolute crowd pleaser!

Low Carb Meatball Parmesan My Xtrema ceramic skillet goes from stovetop, to oven, to table with this tasty dish!

Beef Provencal With Root Vegetables A classic French stew for those days when you’re craving a warm and satisfying dish: tender braised beef and succulent root vegetables in a rich wine sauce.

Sweet Potato Noodles With Dairy Free Cream Sauce Delicious spiralized sweet potato gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, dish is dairy-free too with luscious sauce that doesn’t have a trace of cream or butter.

Print

Savory Steak Roll-Ups

These delicious steak roll-ups are made in an Xtrema ceramic skillet. Low and slow cooking is the best cooking method for braising minute steaks.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10 rolls

Calories 225kcal

Author Barbara Bianchi

Equipment

• Mallet
• Xtrema Skillet

Ingredients

• 10 thin-sliced sandwich steaks
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of Red Boat
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 green pepper sliced
• 1 onion sliced
• 10 ounces of muenster cheese or mozzarella

For cooking

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/2 cup of gluten-free beef broth homemade or store bought

Instructions

• To tenderize your steaks, place them between two sheets of parchment paper and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet. Then season both sides with salt and pepper.
  10 thin-sliced sandwich steaks, salt and pepper to taste
• Combine oil, Red Boat sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Brush the both sides of each steak with the mixture.
  3 tablespoons of Red Boat, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• Next place a few peppers and onion slices in the center of each sandwich steak. Top with cheese and roll the meat up like a jellyroll and secure with toothpicks or kitchen twine so the rolls don't come apart.
  1 green pepper, 1 onion, 10 ounces of muenster cheese or mozzarella

For cooking

• Heat butter and oil over a medium-high heat. Add your steak rolls, seam side down and turn and brown on all sides.
  1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of butter
• Add broth and incorporate the bits off the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer; cover and cook for 1½ hours until tender.
  1/2 cup of gluten-free beef broth
• Remove the toothpicks or twine, slice, and serve covered in its own gravy.

Notes

Don't have Red Boat? You can use Worcestershire sauce instead.

For your broth, you can go with beef, chicken, or vegetable broth. It's up to you.

Can I substitute minute steaks with a different cut of meat? While minute steaks work well due to their thinness, you can experiment with other cuts like flank steak.

Can I prepare the steak roll-ups in advance? Absolutely! You can assemble the roll-ups in advance and refrigerate them until ready to cook. This can be a time-saving option for busy days.

Can I adjust the filling ingredients to my preference? Absolutely! Feel free to customize the filling with your favorite vegetables and cheeses or even pickles to create a personalized version of the recipe.

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months..

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcal

The post Savory Steak Roll-Ups: A Culinary Adventure With Xtrema Ceramic Cookware appeared first on Gluten Free Homestead.