Natalie Gould shares her journey from severe Long Covid to full recovery, revealing how nervous system regulation transformed not only her Long Covid symptoms but also pre-existing chronic conditions like psoriatic arthritis and migraines.

• Life before illness included working as a CFO and living on a small farm
• Initial Covid infection in July 2021 was mild but led to severe post-viral symptoms
• Main symptoms included PoTS, tachycardia, severe insomnia, cognitive impairment and sound sensitivity
• Within six months, she was essentially bedbound but continued working remotely
• Stabilized symptoms through extreme pacing but remained severely ill for over a year
• Found hope after hearing recovery stories and trying the ANS Rewire program
• Leaving her stressful job was a turning point in her recovery journey
• Used play and creativity as powerful tools for nervous system regulation
• Created characters to personify stress patterns and developed dialogues with them
• Recovery process led to healing of multiple pre-existing conditions
• Now enjoys swing dancing and a fuller life than before illness
• Continues nervous system regulation practices not out of necessity but enjoyment

Check out "Farm Stories" for more insights on recovery techniques & nervous system regulation.

Links:

https://www.sparrowcrowfarm.com/

https://sparrowcrowfarm.substack.com/ - Farm Stories

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2pSH8og5Ho&t=1981s - self recorded recovery video

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Recovery from Long Covid & ME/CFS involves exploring ways to move forward when you're nearly there or making progress but unsure how to reach the next level. Finding your own path is essential as there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to healing.

• Jackie's recovery had 3 phases: denial & pushing through, education & strategy-building, and gentle building
• Healing isn't a destination but a soft place to land—embracing the journey puts less pressure on your nervous system
• Consistent practices that show your body it's safe build confidence & trust
• The liminal space between illness & wellness allows for exploration without pressure
• Recognizing small signs of recovery counteracts negativity bias
• Celebrating small wins & bringing play into activities helps maintain regulation
• Reclaiming identity is challenging
• Getting unstuck from "80% recovered" place often requires gently challenging yourself
• Re-engaging with life in small ways demonstrates to your body that it's safe
• Recovery is built on small, consistent practices rather than dramatic interventions

Links:

"Setting an Intention for Healing" track on Insight Timer

Safety in movement/activity track

Suzy's Fern program

#77 "Managing the fear of reinfection" episode

#94 Jackie's recovery story

#100 Michelle Irving episode

#169 Recovery Themes

Work with Jackie

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Dr. Robert Groysman returns to discuss the mechanisms behind Long Covid, focusing on mitochondrial dysfunction and its role in symptoms like fatigue and brain fog.

• Dr. Groysman identifies six major mechanisms in Long Covid: dysautonomia, mitochondrial dysfunction, gut dysbiosis, endothelial dysfunction, mast cell activation syndrome, and hormone imbalance
• Most Long Covid patients experience multiple mechanisms simultaneously, requiring comprehensive treatment
• Mitochondria are cellular organelles responsible for energy production, with different cell types having varying densities based on energy needs
• COVID-19 not only damages mitochondria but uniquely impairs the body's ability to repair and replace them
• Post-exertional malaise occurs when damaged mitochondria burst during overexertion, triggering inflammatory processes
• Recovery requires gentle, patient approaches rather than aggressive interventions that can cause setbacks
• Dr. Groysman's two-step protocol involves daily antioxidant support followed by seven days per month of carefully managed mitophagy
• Complete recovery typically takes 3-12 months and cannot be rushed without risking relapses
• Dysautonomia often needs treatment before other mechanisms can be successfully addressed
• Pacing is critical to avoid crashes that cause additional mitochondrial damage

Check out my previous episodes with Dr. Groysman to learn more about the Stellate Ganglion block and other treatment approaches for Long Covid.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/longcovidsgb https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553548547314 https://www.longcovidfamily.com/

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

**Content warning for discussion of suicidal thoughts from around 8:45 for 2 minutes**

Jamie shares her powerful journey from being bedbound with Long Covid to full recovery, offering hope and practical insights into the healing process.

• Initially experiencing tachycardia, PoTS, extreme fatigue, and sensitivities to light and sound
• Deteriorating to the point of being bedbound and unable to care for herself
• Reaching a mental health crisis point that became a surprising turning point
• Discovering the concept that Long Covid could be a hypersensitive nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight
• Using brain retraining techniques to gradually rebuild activity levels and trust in her body
• Finding support through group coaching where achievements were celebrated
• Completing the Lightning Process to bridge the final gap to complete recovery
• Returning to full-time work as the milestone that marked complete recovery
• Learning to distinguish between normal tiredness and illness-related symptoms
• Finding a new identity and priorities after recovery, focusing on health and family

If you're struggling with Long Covid, remember that recovery is possible. Jamie's journey shows that understanding your nervous system and taking small, consistent steps forward can lead to healing, even from the most severe symptoms.

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Dr. Kendal Stewart shares his unique perspective on Long Covid through his background as a surgeon with training in functional medicine, neurosurgery, and cell biology. His approach examines the body as an integrated system rather than separating it into isolated specialties.

• Complex conditions like Long Covid require a holistic view of the body as an interconnected system
• Western medicine often silos patients into specialties based on symptoms, missing the bigger picture
• T-cell weakness and microglial activation are key factors in Long Covid symptoms
• The body's inflammation is doing exactly what it's programmed to do—it's not broken
• Northern Europeans have particularly aggressive genetics for inflammation (76%) and often have broken "off switches"
• Peptides like thymusin alpha-1 can help recover exhausted T-cells
• Creating an environment favorable for healing is more effective than treating individual symptoms
• Genetic testing provides a personalized "map" for treatment, focusing only on what's missing
• Many people who recover become healthier than they were before getting sick

Links:

Dr Stewart's Youtube
Dr Stewart's Instagram
Dr Stewart's website

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Dr. Henry Mahncke and Dr. Gitendra Uswatte share groundbreaking research on using brain plasticity principles to treat Long Covid brain fog through a comprehensive approach combining cognitive processing speed training, real-world skill practice, and personalized cognitive rehabilitation strategies.

• Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change its structure and function through learning and experience
• Brain HQ training targets cognitive processing speed to improve overall brain function across multiple domains
• Long Covid causes real biological changes to the brain, including vascular damage and inflammation
• CI Cognitive Therapy combines three components: brain training, everyday task practice, and transfer techniques
• 80% of participants in the small initial study returned to work compared to none in the usual care group
• Brain health bridges physical and mental health, challenging the "it's all in your head" dismissal
• The intervention works by repurposing and growing healthy brain tissue rather than healing damaged tissue
• Approaches vary from "bottom-up" (basic processing) to "top-down" (real-world skills) to meaningful goal setting
• Brain HQ is currently available worldwide, with ongoing research to develop telehealth versions of the full intervention

The University of Alabama Birmingham is currently enrolling participants for their Long Covid cognitive rehabilitation study. Interested individuals can call 205-934-9768 or search "Uswatte Long Covid Cognitive Rehabilitation" online.

Links:

Brain HQ:
brainhq.com

Information about enrolling in the current study:
https://sites.uab.edu/longcovidbraintraining/

Research paper:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/202

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

In this episode, Jackie is joined by Theresa Aristarco who shares her Long Covid recovery story.

• Theresa's journey from an active software engineer to battling long-haul COVID
• Navigating complex medical challenges and invisible symptoms
• The critical role of mental health in recovery
• Overcoming vestibular issues and physical limitations
• Finding hope and healing through physical therapy, medication, and support

Episode Themes:

• Long COVID recovery
• Mental health and healing
• The importance of community and vulnerability
• Non-linear recovery process

Memorable Quotes:

• "I was never going to get better alone"
• "Progress isn't linear, recovery isn't linear"
• "I'm only recently starting to say I'm not sick anymore"

Links:

• Theresa's website: theresaaristarco.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/theresaaristarco
• Substack: theresaaristarco.substack.com

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**

Karen Wright from Sage Health and Wellness shares her powerful recovery story from Long COVID, offering hope and practical wisdom for those still struggling with chronic illness.

• Karen was a busy NHS physiotherapist involved in developing Long COVID services before becoming ill herself in autumn 2021
• Her severe case left her unable to speak at times, care for her children, or maintain basic daily activities
• Understanding and accepting true rest became fundamental to her recovery journey
• Finding her energy baseline through careful observation of triggers like food, light sensitivity and conversation was crucial
• Small, consistent actions over time led to gradual improvement including nutrition changes and gentle movement
• An unexpected thyroid cancer diagnosis revealed how some of her persistent symptoms may have been related to cancer rather than Long COVID
• Karen's recovery insights led her to launch Sage Health and Wellness to support others through education programs
• Self-acceptance emerges as a core message: "You're valuable as you are, whatever your productivity looks like"

Links:

Connect with Karen at Sage Health & Wellness:
www.sagehealthandwellness.co.uk

Message the podcast! - questions will be answered on my youtube channel :)

For more information about Long Covid Breathing courses & workshops, please check out LongCovidBreathing.com

(music credit - Brock Hewitt, Rule of Life)

Support the show

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Long Covid Podcast is self-produced & self funded. If you enjoy what you hear and are able to, please Buy me a coffee or purchase a mug to help cover costs

Transcripts available on individual episodes here

Podcast, website & blog: www.LongCovidPodcast.com
Facebook @LongCovidPodcast
Instagram Twitter @LongCovidPod
Facebook Creativity Group
Subscribe to mailing list

Please get in touch with feedback, suggestions or how you're doing - I love to hear from you, via socials or LongCovidPodcast@gmail.com

**Disclaimer - you should not rely on any medical information contained in this Podcast and related materials in making medical, health-related or other decisions. Please consult a doctor or other health professional**