Wrekin-News-193

“The wholeworld cameback into focus”IT was chronic fatigue that keptBarbara Evans, 53, from Ellesmerefrom going back to work, until shediscovered the Miruji chairs.She now sleeps the whole nightthrough, wakes up feeling refreshedand has gone back to work as asupport worker for Age Concern.She has also lost 12lb and gonedown a dress size, to a size 14.A mum of four children, agedbetween 16 and 22, three of whomstill live at home, Barbara used to befull of energy, enjoying zumba classesand swimming in her free time.But in 2011 she was diagnosed withchronic fatigue syndrome.“I was so frustrated and angry, notbeing able to do what I’d always beenmind + body healing“I’ve ditched my sticks & got my sparkle back”Chronic, widespread pain andfatigue had ruined Julia Collett’s lifeand left her facing a bleak, joylessfuture.Fibromyalgia and flu-like symptomsof ME kept her from holding downa job, or enjoying her children fornearly 13 years.“I got to the stage where I reallycouldn’t do anything,” she said.“I thought, is this really it for therest of my life? The thought wasunbearable.”She discovered the Miruji chair inJanuary and she has been able toabandon her walking sticks and canclimb stairs again for the first timein years.Former ICT teacher Julia, 56, fromTelford, has lost almost a stone so farable to do,” she said.“I would lie on the settee all day.”She saw an advertisement for freeplaces on the Miruji trial and beganusing the chair in January this year.“I thought since there was no magicpill for what I had, I would give it ago. I had nothing to lose.“After about four weeks I noticed mysleep patterns were getting better,”she said.“With ME you are constantlyextremely tired and even when youdo go off to sleep it isn’t refreshing.You still wake up feeling washed out.“Now as soon as my head hits thepillow I’m gone. The first time Iwoke up after a good night’s sleepand her BMI has dropped from 48to 42.8.“I’m absolutely flabbergasted,” shesaid. “They would have to lock meup to stop me coming now.“I’m so upbeat. I’ve got my sparkleback. People ask me, how are youlike this now? I was like a little oldlady before. Now I can practicallyrun up and down the stairs. I haveso much more energy. I exercise withdumbbells at home and do Wii Fitstep aerobics.“I can do more now than I havebeen able to do for years. I’m sucha convert. The transformation in meis amazing. I was on anti-depressantsmorning and night, now I’ve cutright down to one in the morning.I was so shocked. I had slept for 12hours straight.“You get so used to waking in theearly hours and walking around likea zombie. Suddenly it was as thoughthe world had come back into focus.”Barbara continued using the chairstwice a week and has found thestrength to begin taking regularexercise.“I have built up to taking the dog outevery day for at least an hour alongthe canal in Ellesmere,” she said.“Walking is something I used toenjoy a lot. Miruji has given me anew lease of life. You can tell whenI’ve been here. I’m more chilled out.I have a much greater sense of selfworth.I feel I can tackle anything.“We’ve had some issues with ourhouse. If that had happened sixmonths ago I would have had anervous breakdown. Now I can takeit in my stride.”Barbara believes the Miruji chairshould be freely available to all, viathe NHS. “If I hadn’t been able to goon the trial I couldn’t have done it,”she said.“People are having surgery to stopobesity. They should be taking actionbefore it goes that far. It’s the samewith depression; don’t just givepeople pills and gloss over them.Look at the person as a whole anddeal with the problems that areactually there.“With the chairs, I think you willknow quite quickly if it is going towork for you but you should give itat least a month to give it a fair go.“There are trigger sentences for mein the audio which have changed theway I look at food, forever. I’m tellingeveryone I meet to give it a go.”“The massage is lovely but I thinkthe important thing is the way theaudio filters into your subconscious.The voice takes you deeper anddeeper; you are so relaxed it’s goingstraight in.”Now Julia is hoping to return to theGreek islands, where she enjoyed ahoneymoon with husband Clive, fora sailing holiday.“My outlook is so positive now,” shesaid. “My confidence has soared. Sixmonths ago I was just a shadow. Iwouldn’t say boo to a goose. Now Iwon’t be walked over. I answer back.“I’m so positive about this place, Ican’t tell you.”“My first Mirujiexperience”When a friend started talkingabout Miruji in Shrewsbury Iwas keen to give it a go.I was greeted by smiling,friendly staff when I arrived atthe Miruji reception which actuallylooks like much more likea tropical beach bar. I was usheredon to the beach where Isettled myself on a sun lounger.The light box gave off beautifulbeams of sunshine and relaxationas I settled back and shutmy eyes feeling the warmth ofthe ‘sun’ on my face. Heaven!No wonder sufferers with SAD(Seasonal Affected Disorder)benefit so much from sittingunder a light box for half anhour a week during the cold,dark winter.Before long I was taken to thewell-being massage chair whichuses a combination of relaxingmassage and NLP (Neuro-LinguisticProgramming) to promotea positive mindset. I wassettled into the large comfortablechair and plugged in to ageneral ‘sit and de-stress’ audio.After 40 minutes of pummellingand de-knotting, I simplycouldn’t get enough of it. Theaudio seemed to be playingdeep in my distant sub-consciousnessas I drifted along ona cloud of pure relaxation.The difference in how I feltwhen I left was amazing. I feltso much more relaxed, all mystress seemed to be lifted frommy shoulders and to say that Iwent home in a great mood wasan understatement.The Miruji experience has leftme completely reorganising mylife. I feel so much more positiveand now I make time for relaxationand de-stressing.FREE TRIAL01743 600 581www.miruji.com9 Roushill, Shrewsbury SY1 1PQ Relax + feel better