May 21, 2017

My reflections as Road to Zest turns 1

May 21, 2017/ Johanna Galea

Road to Zest turns 1 this weekend. So today I’d really like to thank you for joining me on my journey this year and for your support always. A year ago as I published my first blog post I had no idea what to expect, but I remember thinking that if I could give just one person hope that he/she could recover the way I did, it would make it all worthwhile.So a year later it feels really amazing to have spoken to quite a few people who have started or are planning to start or considering starting DNRS after reading about my recovery. And here’s a look back at the 10 most popular posts this year and why I need your help for the coming year.

April 30, 2017

A look at one of the defining moments in my recovery journey: one year on

April 30, 2017/ Johanna Galea

Corinne’s first wedding anniversary last week reminded me how amazing it was that I got to be at her wedding from start to finish last year. Something which had seemed beyond impossible before starting DNRS 3 months earlier, when I was housebound due to multiple chemical sensitivity and chronic fatigue syndrome. So I thought it would be nice to look back on what I had written a year ago (before I started this blog) to show anyone who’s just getting started in their DNRS journey or anyone who’s thinking about starting DNRS what could be possible for them. So here’s what I wrote just before and just after the wedding.

Photo by Matthew Mirabelli Photography

April 23, 2017

How did I suddenly become able to eat only 8 foods in 2015?

April 23, 2017/ Johanna Galea

A friend recently told me that someone asked her how it’s possible for a person to become able to eat only a handful of foods. And I can totally see where that question’s coming from. Because now that I can eat anything again, even I find it hard to believe that there was a point when I could only eat 8 foods. But having learned about the brain’s ability to adapt and change itself – both for the better or for the worse – how I suddenly became able to eat only 8 foods actually makes “perfect sense”. Here’s how it happened.

April 09, 2017

My experience at the life-changing DNRS seminar in the UK

April 09, 2017/ Johanna Galea

I was at the DNRS seminar in the UK two weeks ago when 16 people who had collectively been suffering from debilitating and poorly understood chronic illnesses for a total of 280 years started to believe and understand that recovery is actually possible after all. It might sound too good to be true – but I remember so clearly when it happened to me too. I had accepted the reality of my chronic illness and had stopped dreaming before DNRS. So the fact that I can now travel again with ease and actually get to be at the DNRS seminar as a coach is beyond anything I could ever have dreamt of. And here’s what being at this life-changing seminar meant to me and what it could mean to anyone suffering from a mysterious, chronic illness.

March 12, 2017

10 ways to make overcoming obstacles easier

March 12, 2017/ Johanna Galea

I can still remember driving home from the first fitting for our bridesmaids’ dresses for Corinne’s wedding after having been housebound for months. I felt so free and empowered and realised in that moment that I could actually recover if I kept at it, although I knew that I still had a LONG way to go. Still, trusting the process and believing I could do it wasn’t easy. But there were 10 things which I believe really made things easier for me and which can help anyone overcome most obstacles that life might present.

March 05, 2017

Chronic illness to 13 mile race in 13 months

March 05, 2017/ Johanna Galea

When I think back to what my life was like just over a year ago when I was chronically ill, I still find it hard to believe that by the time you read this, if all goes well, I’ll have completed a 13 mile race. Before I started DNRS just over a year ago, I would go to sleep wondering whether I would be well enough to get out of bed the next morning. So as I write this today I still can’t quite believe that I’ve prepared all my stuff to get up for a half marathon tomorrow! Here’s all about what this means to me and what it could mean to others suffering from mysterious, chronic illnesses – even if they have no intention of ever running a half marathon down the line (I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea :) ).

Photo by Alan Falzon

January 22, 2017

My parents' views on my journey and recovery

January 22, 2017/ Johanna Galea

For this blog post I wanted a photo taken before my illness started. When it never even crossed any of our minds that difficult times might lie in store. And I don’t mean difficult times just for me. I always say that I believe it was actually worse for those around me. 5 months ago, I wrote about my journey through Dermot’s eyes. And because some of you had asked and because my parents walked with me through the storm in every way possible, here’s my journey and recovery from a chronic illness through my parents’ eyes.

January 15, 2017

A year ago I hoped to improve by 10%: here’s what happened instead

January 15, 2017/ Johanna Galea

To say I had hit rock bottom by the start of 2016 was putting it mildly. But exactly a year ago, I sat down to watch the DNRS DVDs for the first time. I still had huge doubts about the whole thing but I remember saying that if it at least helped me improve by 10%, it was worth giving it a try. Little did I know how my life was going to change! Rather than improving by just 10%, here’s what happened in the year since I started neural retraining.

November 20, 2016

Here's what I wrote when my life had started all over again 6 years ago

November 20, 2016/ Johanna Galea

I still remember the day I was first diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome 7 years ago. I also never forgot how good it felt when I managed to overcome it (or so I thought back then) through dietary changes. And yet it was still strange to read what I had written at the time and to realise how similar some things were to the way I feel now. And I thought you might be interested to read what I wrote when my life had started all over again 6 years ago. So here goes.

October 16, 2016

How I overcame food intolerances: from just 8 foods to being able to eat anything

October 16, 2016/ Johanna Galea

It had never even crossed my mind that I might one day be able to eat anything I want. From being able to eat just 8 foods at my most sensitive, I was happy to see my food choices increase gradually. But there were some foods – like corn – which I knew I would have to avoid for the rest of my life. So being able to eat things like corn again is far beyond a dream come true – because I never even dreamt it might be possible. And here's how I overcame my food sensitivities and how you can too.

September 25, 2016

The number one reason it’s so difficult to decide to give neural retraining a try

September 25, 2016/ Johanna Galea

Find out the number one reason it's so difficult for someone suffering from a mysterious, chronic illness to decide to give neural retraining a try. It’s the main reason I almost didn’t give it a try myself. But I’m so grateful that I did and wish that anyone suffering from similar illnesses would too. Neural retraining could give you or someone you know their life back the way it did for me.

Photo by Matthew Mirabelli Photography

August 28, 2016

Dermot's views on my journey and recovery

August 28, 2016/ Johanna Galea

After I published my open letter to Dermot, some of you asked me to also write about the experience from his point of view. This month we celebrated our second anniversary and I decided it was the perfect time to do so. So here it is: my journey and recovery from extreme food sensitivities, multiple chemical sensitivity and chronic fatigue syndrome through Dermot's eyes.

August 14, 2016

Another aquathlon 10 years on (and why we took our running shoes with us on honeymoon)

August 14, 2016/ Johanna Galea

Another aquathlon 10 years after my first one! So happy I got to take part in #mnac2016 with Dermot by my side again. It also reminded me why we took our running shoes with us on honeymoon...even if some people might think that was a bit strange :)

July 24, 2016

Chronic fatigue to 5km race finish in 6 months

July 24, 2016/ Johanna Galea

I did it! When walking from the sofa to the kitchen used to feel like a marathon, I never thought taking part in a race would be possible again. So crossing the finish line of the #BkaraSJ 5km running race last Tuesday was a dream come true. And I wish to show anyone suffering from mysterious chronic illnesses similar to what I had that they can get their life back through neural retraining as I did.

Photo by Birkirkara St. Joseph Sports Club/Multisport

June 19, 2016

Housebound to Italy-bound in 5 months

June 19, 2016/ Johanna Galea

When I was housebound I thought going abroad would never be a possibility again. But our recent holiday in Italy proved that I now have my life back in more ways than I ever thought possible. And I wish to show anyone suffering from mysterious chronic illnesses similar to what I had that they can get their life back through neural retraining as I did.

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