7 Tips for Managing Your Arthritis Symptoms Naturally
This article is written by Helen Bradford.
In order for us to discuss managing balance with chronic illness, first, we must define it. What do we actually consider to be a chronic condition? It is actually a condition that is permanent and basically incurable. Chronic conditions include heart disease, asthma, epilepsy, cancer and diabetes, among others. People can usually manage them through early detection, adjusted diet, moderate exercise and suggested therapy.
But even though people who are diagnosed with it struggle both physically and emotionally to cope with everyday life and obligations, it is possible for them to lead a balanced lifestyle, too. It just requires more effort and some modifications to many aspects.
1. Social media – a two-edged sword
For you to be able to learn how to live with a chronic illness without it ruining your life, you need to reconsider the things you see on social media on a daily basis. Not everything you see on social media is real, as people post only things they want you to see. Plus, many of the photos are photoshopped and don’t show the real state of people! You constantly see images of happy, healthy and glowing people, and it looks so easy.
When you’re constantly bombed with these kinds of images, you wonder how do they do it and you can’t? Even though social media are a great way to get inspiration for leading a healthy life and staying in touch with other people with similar conditions and sharing advice about your lifestyle, they are not something that’s medically prescribed and necessarily true.
It’s important to remember that not everything works for everybody. Even when you see someone (with the same or similar condition as yours) posting an image of themselves and an inspirational quote followed by an advice about certain exercise or diet, it doesn’t necessarily have to work for you. It’s always better to check the information from a trusted source than to immediately try it and risk your health.
2. Practical lifestyle tips
There are some practical and useful steps for coping with a chronic condition people find beneficial for them. People suffering from medical conditions have the same everyday obligations as people who don’t suffer from any chronic illness. So besides some special practices their chronic illness requires them to do, they also have to take care of their family, go to work and run a household, among other things. How do they manage to achieve everything?
Besides these obligations, they also need to find time for self-care and relaxation. Tip number one: it’s important to truly relax both your body and mind. Yoga and pilates are great alternatives for achieving this mindfulness. It’s also key to start small and make your short-term goals realistic. When planning your day, always remember to add some mobility to it – even light one can do wonders for you. Don’t forget about your peace of mind, as your thoughts and emotions influence your physical health as well.
3. The importance of a well-balanced diet
The importance of a well-balanced diet can never be emphasized too much. It’s quintessential for everybody and especially for those suffering from chronic conditions. Diet can help regulate and maintain a healthy lifestyle and lessen the effects of chronic illness.
It’s important to note that food isn’t everything and it’s only a piece of the puzzle that is our health. We need to keep in balance all the aspects of our lifestyle, not only diet. Keeping a balance between healthy food rich in vitamins, nutrients, proteins and fiber and the food which is not so healthy, but it keeps our mind happy, is the key. The base of our diet should be healthy and include lots of fruits and veggies, lean meats and nuts, but it doesn’t have to mean that we can’t sometimes indulge in something we love.
As cooking is perhaps too demanding for many people suffering from chronic illness, My Fitness Kichn saves you precious energy and pain by making nutritious meals for you. And they deliver, too!
4. Listen to your body
We must keep in mind that all the information we can find online or hear from people around is pretty generic. That’s why we must learn to listen to our bodies and see what works for us and what is simply not for us. The focus should lie in making ourselves feel better and as healthy as possible.
Your body gives you clear signs when you’re tired and you need to stop. And you should listen. Because if you push yourself too hard, beyond your limits, you can only cause additional problems, which might take a long time to recover from. Thus, it’s important to take all the factors into consideration and to try everything you can. If it makes you happy and it’s not much for you health-wise, go with it as long as you feel comfortable.
Living a somewhat balanced life while at the same time struggling with a medical condition can be tough. First, we have to make peace with our condition and accept it the way it is and ask ourselves “Okay, I have a medical condition, what can I do to make my life better, easier and more comfortable regarding my everyday routines and work?” And only after we have done this, we can start making some actual adjustments and modifications.
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