People always say one thing lead to the other. So true... I have been struggling with a back pain for a year or so. The doctor sent me to a neurologist but I decided not to see him. I knew that his solution would be drugs or even worse, operation. I was not willing to go down that path. I had similar problem with my back and with hard, persistent work I got myself back to health and kept my condition under control for many years. However, lifting an upright piano during rehearsal to reposition it is not the best for anyone's back! I pinched a nerve again, ouch! This time it was really bad.

I was not willing to take any pain killer but honestly, for months I was not sleeping much, I was in too much pain. There was constant twitching, cramping, pins and needles and in no position I could stay long enough to fall asleep or stay still. Relaxation, resting and massage became my routine. For awhile it just got worse and worse. At the end it started to effect my walk and my leg movements. Had a few falls. My balance became totally unreliable. At the end I got a walking stick to support myself and to warn people to be careful around me. My confidence was ever low. Normally, I am an active, fit, attractive woman. Now I felt like an old lady with a stick! Terrible! Terrible!

However, I found a great masseuse who knew what she was doing had lots of experience with people who had similar problems. She has seen clients with pinched nerves, sciatica, spinal stenosis even cancer and many other problems. That is when things started to improve slowly.

It is incredible how your life slows down when you can't walk properly! Everything took so much longer. My whole life was like a film in slow motion! My condition forced me not only to do things slower and to do less but it forced me totally reorganize my life.

It was not all bad! I had more rest. I worked less. I started to find activities that replaced my 'run, run, run' lifestyle. I got engaged in more creative work like songwriting, production, writing and publishing. I had less socializing and spent more time at home at night. At the beginning it was weird and I was very much aware of how much I am missing out. But with time I started to appreciate and enjoy it.

I am the most stubborn woman. If I decide something, I won't rest until I do it! I don't know the meaning of the word, 'impossible'. While I struggled with the stick for a year, falling occasionally, struggling myself up to the first floor apartment, carrying shopping bag upstairs step by step, putting up with the pitying or compassionate look of strangers and my friends. If they knew how I felt about this all, they would have spared me from their looks!

The biggest learning curve was to find a balance between exercising but not overdoing it. The moment I was feeling better, I ran to the pool or went for a walk and of course I did too much so I was sore and less flexible for days. I tried walking it out. I had weekly Pilates session with a specialist. I did Yoga class. I went for weekly swimming. While I was rigid and pulled my left leg because the muscle did not want to do the work, I felt that the nerves were getting released and I had less inflammation in that area of my back. Things were improving slowly even if it did not seemed like that for others. I knew that I was on the right path and will be all right. I had to believe that I will be all right! There was no other option! They were days and weeks of set backs and there was time when I questioned if I ever will walk, let even run. However, I am still far from that but my walk is really good now! I still need the stick but I believe I am close to throwing it away!

In the last months I started to take two yoga classes a week. While swimming was clearly the best, with winter approaching, the pool was not too attractive to me because the air and water temperature was quite low in my local pool. Doing the weekly two yoga classes, I was getting stronger and stronger and my balance was improving. Until after one of the classes I clearly knew that this was not good...Fortunately, it was school holidays and I was going away. During my holiday, the walk was a struggle but I had more rest. The vegetable juicing and the wheatgrass shots I was drinking really got things moving. The inflammation in my back almost disappeared.

I was constantly reading about nutrition and how to further improve myself. After reading I checked products at my local organic shop. One of these discoveries lead me to finding Hemp Oil. I read about it a lot and I decided to get a bottle.

At first I used it on my skin. I am not sure if this was because of the Hemp Oil or had nothing to do with it but using the Hemp Oil on my face first time was followed by a big nap! Then I not only used it on my face but on my hair as well. I loved it. My skin was already in great condition due to seven years of Herbalife nutrition and now the fabulous, 100% natural Flavon Max fruit and vegetable supplements I was eating. The daily usage of this nutrient-rich oil made my skin feel and look beautiful!

You can imagine that with this back problem and not walking properly, my body just did not get the normal workout and my legs really suffered from that! I always loved massage, foot massage and reflexology. So I decided to take things in my own hands and started to massage my legs using Hemp Oil. After shower every night like a nice ritual I massaged my feet with the oil. It felt really nice! Hemp Oil helps to coat the nerves when they lose their myelin sheath. It was amazing how quickly I noticed the difference!

Not only my heel started to look beautiful but the circulation got back more to normal and because of that the movement in my feet improved as well! The morning became easier to get started and I noticed that with each day my walk got better.

Then I had another idea. To massage my back with the Hemp Oil after shower. That again got things moving faster. It appeared to me that Help Oil helps to increase the circulation in that area which is hugely beneficial! I feel very positive about my daily improvement. I stretch, hold yoga poses and stand on one leg daily (see my article 'Can you do this - A simple health check') and use my True Back support to improve and increase strength and mobility.

Hemp Oil is a very high quality, nutrient-rich oil. It is very high in essential fatty acids. Wherever you apply on the body, it will improve things. It has a great balance of Omega 3-6, therefore has great therapeutic effects and is full of antioxidants

Hemp Oil contains according to the lable of my bottle: "Omega 3 19%, Omega 6 57%, Omega 9 12%, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, C, D & E." Not bad! Also on the lable: "All are readily absorbed into the skin. Hemp is good for the circulatory system and an excellent moisturizer."

Fatty acids help with oxygenation and hydration. Linoleic acid, present in Hemp Oil, helps with regenerating the skin cells, increases hydration and elasticity and slows down the aging process of the skin.

Hemp Oil can also be taken orally. It has a lovely nutty taste so it is a great addition to salad dressing and pasta or just take it as a supplement.

Look forward to reading your comments and experience using Hemp Oil!

Cheers, Piroska