Debbie Pentland

Mutiny in My Body.: How Running Has Saved My Life. Debbie Pentland 1st edition

This is the inspirational story of one womans battle to combat not one but three auto immune diseases through diet and lifestyle and a positive mental approach. Debbie was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosis and Raynauds Disease when she was 32 years old. She was told by the specialists that she would be on a cocktail of drugs for the rest of her life and that she would `Have to modify her lifestyle` This was a red rag to a bull. Debbie did her own research into healthy nutrition, alternative therapies and even went as far as training to become an exercise teacher in the hope that she could at least decrease the cocktail of drugs she was taking. To the doctors amazement and I might add her own, she became so fit and well that she was able to come off ALL MEDICATION. Debbie managed for 14 years to lead an active life teaching exercise to various groups. She taught the blind and partially sighted, amputees, special classes for the older generation in preventing falls. Debbie also teaches Tai Chi and Qigong to the over 50`s and is regularly asked to go along to patient groups to talk or do demonstration on the benefits of exercise. In October 2011 Debbie collapsed during the Beachy Head marathon a tough cross country event and was unable to finish it. Rushed into hospital with a suspected Lupus flare up Debbie was devastated to be told she had YET ANOTHER auto immune disease. Lambert Eaton Myasthenis syndrome of (LEMS). She spent 6 weeks in neuro hospital being fed and watered through a tube. She lost over a stone in weight (all Muscle) LEMS is a condition where the message from the brain to the muscle doesn`t connect so the muscles cease to work and they dissapear leaving Debbie unable to sit upright or stand on her own,swallow, talk or breathe properly or in fact do anything much for herslf. However Debbie knew that once she knew what she was fighting she was up for a battle once more, after all she had beaten disease before she could do it again. So her road to recovery was a long and difficult one but less than 6 weeks after release from hospital Debbie was back running, just a mile and a half at first, but progress was swifter as the weeks went on and before long Debbie was back to fitness and in the October of 2012 a year sfter her collapse she returned to Eastbourne to run the Beachy head Marathon this time completing it with resounding success. In hospital she had been put on 9 different drugs, on release from hospital she was down to 7 and now in March 2013 the list is down to one, which her doctor is bringing down gradually the dosage to eventually cease altogether. So Debbie will once again be managing her illness through her diet and lifestyle. This is a story of hope and encouragement for others whether they are battling with illness or not. A truly inspirational read....