I'd have to say the hardest thing to adjust to when you have chronic healthy issues, is never knowing how you are going to feel on any given day. Some days, you feel GREAT! You begin to wonder if you were just imagining all your symptoms cause they just mysteriously disappear.
So, you get into the business of enjoying your life and maybe...you overdo it a little. Then, BAM...you wake up and feel like you were hit by a truck! It's so frustrating. It's so hard to deal with when you have places to go, things to do, a family to care for...a job!
I'm learning everyday how to manage my illness better. Some days, I just can't workout. But, if I can't get my workout in...I focus on trying to eat really, good, wholesome foods. Eating better has been a huge focus of finding balance in my life. I'm really trying to work on NOT soothing myself with food when I feel yucky.
1: Stick to a routine-- Stay as close to your bedtime/wake time as possible. Try to not vary your daily schedule too much.
2: Sleep-- I try to be sleeping 7-8 hours per night. I actually try to be at "REST" 10 hours per day. At the end of a busy day, I read, or watch a movie before I go to bed.
3: Avoid JUNK foods--Everyone has heard of "clean eating". I feel it's especially important if you have health issues. I NEVER eat "diet" foods. Such as, light or reduced fat. No diet soda. I stick with simple whole foods with very few ingredients.
4: Exercise--No one wants to hear that they need to exercise when they feel like crap, but....it helps! Start slow. Build up. It boosts your mood. It loosens your muscles. Start with walking and stretching your body! Tight muscles hurt more. Exercise is just a non-negotiable if you want to fight your illness. Find something that works for you!
5: Posture--Work on your posture. A lot of ill people spend MUCH time laying down. This causes poor posture and poor posture causes neck strain, headache and permanent neck/back damage. Building up your back muscles and core will help you feel WAY better!
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6: Give Back--This is quite hard at times. But, finding a way to help others keeps you from getting self-absorbed. It's sooooo super easy just to focus on how crappy you feel and forget about the rest of the world. But, this is a trap. It causes depression. Find a way to life someone else's spirits EVERY day. There is always something you can do to LOVE on someone else! Becoming a wellness coach has been a great outlet for me to help while I sit on my couch!
7: Lower your standards--I used to be a bit of a clean freak. But, when I got sick...I just couldn't keep up with my old cleaning schedule. It was just too much. Things may be a little dustier, but if I have extra energy...I'm going to do something FUN not clean! Some things just need to be let go of. Lower your expectations on yourself. You don't need all that pressure!
8: Practice Self-Care--Learn how to care for yourself. When you are ill, you NEED to take care of you. It's the only way to thrive. When you avoid caring for your basic needs, it will hit you like a TON of bricks. Take that bath. Get a massage. Take a nap. Make the special recipe only you will enjoy. Realize you are worth it. Find a way to care for yourself EVERY day! It makes a huge difference when you are not running on fumes.
9: Become an expert at DELEGATING--Along with lowering your standards comes...asking for help. Getting your family and friends involved with big projects. Assign chores daily to others in your family. Don't try to do it all!
10: Get comfortable with SAYING NO--This is probably the hardest one. I hate to disappoint people. I don't like if people are mad at me. But, you just can't do it all! If it will interfere with your rest or you are not feeling well....JUST SAY NO! I will often times make tentative plans, just in case I'm not feeling up to it! People who don't have health issues will NOT understand this, but stick with what you need. They will get over it :)
Please contact me if you have any questions! I am an open book.
God Bless--Karen
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