After trying a myriad of supplements and therapies, some of which helped temporarily, I found that I had multiple food and environmental allergies, diagnosed and treated (removed) by my NAET (Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique) practitioner, Sheila Morris. She was able to do the detective work necessary to determine which allergies needed to be treated first and when underlying emotional symptoms had to be dealt with. Most of these allergies were not clinical allergies but sensitivities causing a number of symptoms, including headaches, indigestion and fatigue.
 
Now that I am no longer sensitive to vitamins, etc., the supplements I take are helping (where before some of them made me feel worse). Two particularly beneficial ones have been MSM and Flor-essence, an herbal detoxifier.
 
My energy level has been further enhanced by an acupuncturist, Maureen Quinn. I had previously seen three acupuncturists who provided no permanent improvement. Maureen has drawn on a range of treatments in addition to acupuncture (herbs, which I had to be treated for due to allergies; cupping, a means of removing stagnation from the body; and recommendations for self-treatment using acupressure points at home).
 
My experience has shown that it is the individual practitioner, perhaps more than the treatment, who makes all the difference. The fact that these women really care about my health and believe I can improve has been an important factor. I am glad I moved on when doctors and others did not help enough. Now I am starting to enjoy life and accomplish personal objectives.
Inez Storck, Greenbelt, Md.

Gardening has been a very positive experience in my life, which has included CFIDS since 1980. It's excellent therapy for body and mind.
 
Do you remember the childhood story, The Secret Garden? The key to a positive attitude can be found in a simple quote from the story: "Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow." I have a wooden bench in my small rose garden that has a bronze marker with those words engraved. It's a daily reminder to me of how very important it is to think positive thoughts, no matter how ill I feel. Negative thoughts are like thistles. I'd much prefer to be among the roses!
 
I find that gardeners are usually very nice people, and I've never met one who wasn't willing to share his/her experience. Sometimes they'll even offer you extra seeds or a favorite cutting. If you've never gardened, make friends with a gardener in your neighborhood. Read up on gardens at your local library. Above all, start slowly and pace yourself.
Anne Hogue, Sandy, Ore.

My husband, Phil, and I both have CFIDS. Some people have noted that the two of us almost make up one person. Hope our tips help.

• We share. One food-shops a few items a day while the other does laundry; one writes personal notes while the other writes checks.
• Simplicity works best for us. We moved from a house where we used three floors to a small, one-story home. It's much easier on us. We kept only our most loved items, clothes, etc. Making fewer decisions is nice. We cancelled our two newspapers.
• We have a routine, getting up, resting and going to bed at the same times each day. We also plan something to do or somewhere to go each day, leaving and returning at the same times.
• We are grateful for what we can do, and we try to enjoy the simple things in life and look at the positive side of everything. We take time each day to count our blessings.

Linnie Baker, Venice, Fla.

If you have a coping tip, a favorite quotation, a self-care treatment or anything else that has helped you as a PWC, share it with others. Mark your notes "One to One" and please include either an E-mail address or a phone number.