Norma. Service is resumed…
Words/ Lou Andrews, Norma Powell Images/ Norma Powell
Norma Powell was told she would have to ‘just manage’ her Arthritis. So she did...
According to research, around 10 million people in the UK are thought to have Arthritis with the most common form being Osteoarthritis. And it seems to be more common in women and the over 45’s. That’s a huge number! Off the back of those figures, it’s pretty likely that some of you reading this will also be affected. So, what’s the cure? Well, that’s just it, there doesn’t seem to be one. Everything I have read seems to suggest a combination of exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, painkillers and NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory drugs). So, reading that one would assume that you must conform to taking medication long term to live with the condition…or do you? Meet the women who took back control and kicked Arthritis to the kerb.
Norma Powell is a married mother of two who hails from Croydon (or Croydonia as she calls it!). She will be 60 this year (yes, I did ask if I could mention that!) and looking at her, I would have put her in her mid-fortys. I have to say this woman is pretty damn incredible and so is her commitment to ‘living her best life’. When I tell her how inspirational she is, I am presented with a very humbled and bashful soul…she laughs it off and says, ‘bless you’! She is a Reiki master, Shiatsu practitioner and can bend in ways I could only dream of...and all of this whilst having been diagnosed with Arthritis…wait…what?! If you want to know how, I suggest you read on.
The first question I wanna ask you is; when were you first diagnosed as having Arthritis and what were your initial symptoms?
So, I was diagnosed with Arthritis over 12 years ago. Prior to that, I’d done the marathon and I was very fit – you know, going to the gym 3, 4, 5 times a week. Then I pronated my right ankle, playing rounders, and it just wouldn’t heal. Eventually, when I started to walk with a limp, I then decided to go to the doctors and, uh, he diagnosed early-onset Arthritis.
When it was at its worst and what impact did that have on your life?
I had a limp on the right-hand side, so if I was sitting down, I’d get up and I’d be stiff in the joint of my ankle. But it wasn’t just stiff, it was like walking on broken glass, if I’m honest. Yeah, so it impacted me in the respect that I couldn’t do the exercise activities that I would once upon a time do. It then manifested from the ankle and moved up into the big toe joint, so if I was walking it would cause a lot of pain. At that point, I was envious of my previous life.
This obviously impacted your frame of mind, because you couldn’t do the things that you were used to doing.
Yeah, massively. The things that I was used to doing; like running, going to the gym etc. I wasn’t able to do anymore. I would do yoga regularly and I had to stop doing all that.
So what was the advice from the GP?
The GP said ‘take this prescription of anti-inflammatories and if it causes you pain, take these painkillers’ and I opted not to do that. So, I just started to have reflexology and myofascial work on that ankle.
And what was the prognosis? Were they pretty much like, ‘it’ll just ease, but it’ll always be there’ sort of thing?
Yeah.
My turning point was I remember having a conversation with someone at work and they were talking about illnesses and time off and stuff like that and I remember just thinking… I want control
Okay. So, what was the turning point for you? Because I know you worked a lot on diet and stuff like that, but at what point did you go ‘right, I need to sort this’?
My turning point, Lou <laughs>…are you sure you want to hear this?
I do, I do! <laughs>
My turning point was I remember having a conversation with someone at work and they were talking about illnesses and time off and stuff like that and I remember just thinking…I want control. I want to be the master of my own destiny. Back then we didn’t do things like working from home so I would have time off ‘coz my feet were in a bad way and I just remember this particular day, I went to the GP and the GP turned to me and said, well, we could always put a nail in your big toe and that will stop the pain!
Yeah. That’s one hell of a massive turning point right there!
That was it. So, that’s when I went on this real deep dive into how can I manipulate this body so that it allows me to live in my optimum?
I used to drink 15 cups of coffee a day, used to eat sweets. And I was always looking for the next ‘food that would stimulate me’. I was a big coffee drinker to keep me alert, but I worked out that my nervous system was just shocked and I realized how impactful (in a negative way) food was on my body.
I had previously given up coffee and sweets, so I then started out with a three-month meat, refined carbs and alcohol-free period. And from there I moved on to removing deadly nightshade. And it doesn’t work for everyone. But that’s what I did.
Tell me about deadly nightshade. What is it?
Things like normal potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and peppers are all part of the deadly night shade family. I think it’s the Uric acid in the deadly nightshade family that when you eat it, it’s just not good for you. Let me reframe that… it’s not good for MY body. Everyone is different. With my body, for example, I would eat a bowl of pasta with tomato sauce…and within 10 minutes I couldn’t walk!
Wow. Tomatoes. Who knew? So what sort of things did you substitute? I mean, potatoes and tomatoes are quite a big thing to remove for some.
So, for potatoes, I would just use sweet potato. I could eat a yam or plantain maybe. Also, as I am from Caribbean descent, I would eat a green banana. I could also eat rice.
Okay. So, you did that for three months, what were you like in yourself after that period?
I was much, much better. But also, in conjunction with the diet, I was doing body work. I would have a reflexology treatment, a massage and Shiatsu, and I would do my own personal Reiki and my husband would do a massage on my feet. The big question is why was I doing all of that? And it’s to support what I have. If you think about it, Arthritis is about an inflamed joint. So, if I didn’t move it, it hurt and if I did move it, it hurt…so my question was, which one do I choose? And my opinion, my best option for me was to move it. So, I used to have these little exercises that I would do every single night religiously. And it was just to loosen the fascia and work the ligaments and tendons in both feet and that was my first goal. Then to increase movement was my latter goal. I would have Shiatsu once a month, one form of alternative therapy per week and I would purchase a massage once a month.
And so how long did it take you to get that ankle to a stage where you could start doing things that you couldn’t before?
Oh, a good six, nine months.
Wow. That’s pretty good going! So the right foot that you had all these problems with, you don’t have those problems anymore?
I don’t have those problems anymore.
That’s amazing, Norma. Pretty incredible. I think GPs are quite narrow minded in respect of these kind of alternative treatments, but clearly it’s worked for you. I mean, I think you are testament of someone who has committed themselves to doing something and it’s great to get that out there to show people that actually this is possible if you commit yourself to doing it.
Yeah, I’ve committed myself to looking after myself. So, I have to understand what makes me feel good and what makes me feel bad and be prepared to meet halfway in the middle.
Do you have sweets anymore Norma? Tell everyone what happens when you eat sweets now!
I do eat sweets Lou…and I get hyper <laugh>
Do you drink coffee anymore and, if so, is it a specific type?
I do. I ritualise things and I’m not gonna lie because I love it. I love coffee, but I will have one coffee that’s made at home. So I know that it’s the best coffee that I can provide for myself. If I’m working from home, it’s in a particular cup and I sit down and I drink it without any noise and I just savour my coffee!
I just want to go back to what you were saying about deadly nightshade and how it’s a very personalized thing – these things work for you but may not work for someone else. With that in mind, would you recommend allergy testing?
Of course. One hundred percent. I have done that as part of my holistic wellbeing journey.
So, for someone else that wants to do this, would you say just to do it gradually? And how would you approach it?
Yeah. The secret source to anything, is to take on one thing at a time. Change one thing and that will have a crescendo effect on the rest of the body, the rest of the mind.
I do honestly think you are such an inspiration and I think lot more people need to ‘do a Norma’. Can you tell everyone out there what your life looks like right now?
I am living my best, best life! What that means for me is that I’m able to use my body in a way that it’s comfortable. I walk a minimum of 8,000 steps a day. I do Qigong daily, I have a one-to-one yoga session once a week. I’ve completed two 5K’s in the last two–three months. I am also running my own clinic now to help others. I do Shiatsu, Reiki and Japanese facials. Actually, I’m bringing trauma healing into my practice now also.
I couldn’t speak afterwards. I had to go home and I went to bed and I slept for 24 hours!
Wow! Tell me in a nutshell, what is Shiatsu and how did you get into it?
I worked with a colleague who said to me, ‘oh, can I be his Guinea pig for Shiatsu’! And I thought ‘what the hell is this Shiatsu business?’ He did an open day and what I said to him was ‘if you could open my head, take all of this stuff out and put my head back on, I’ll be Eternally grateful!’ (she says laughing). And Lou – and this is no word of a lie – I couldn’t speak afterwards. I had to go home and I went to bed and I slept for 24 hours!
So, the way I always describe Shiatsu is…I do what an acupuncturist would do, but without the needles!
One of my favourite sayings is it’s a bit like ‘leaves on the line’. You’ve got leaves everywhere and you can’t get from destination A to B without scooping all these leaves off of the line. You want to be able to think straight, you want to be able to breathe well, you want to be able to move your body. And those are the three basic things that you need to do to live your perfect life. Whatever your perfect life means for you.
I guess for me, wellness is about ‘how can I make this body work to its optimum, feel at its optimum?’. And how can I impart that knowledge and to other people. That’s what makes me tick. I really, I really enjoy talking about health and wellness.
So, there you have it. Clearly there is a lot to be said for a healthy diet and exercise and also knowing your own body. I am currently sat here pondering over the Big Mac I had for dinner earlier and feeling somewhat guilty that I currently don’t give my own body as much respect as I should do! As Norma pointed out some of us are reactive to certain foods or drinks and others may not be, so it really is a personal journey…but a journey that you want to make in a well-oiled machine and not a clapped-out old banger! We have one body and one chance to ‘live our best lives’ so if committing to a healthy diet and exercise regime is going to help, then it’s a no brainer!
If you want to see more of Norma then please do follow her at #normaShiatsucroydon for tips and videos from someone that genuinely cares.
Lou x